Home > Records > History Main > 1904 Expo Album

NOTE: Apparent error in the original: a photo is labelled #2 above, but there is no #2 in the biographical text below. Presumably #2 is J. F. O'Connell and due to a typesetter's error the number was omitted from the text.


1. P. F. O'CONNELL, deceased, from whom the P.F. O'CONNELL Jewelry Co., of Atlantic, takes its name, was born in Ohio in 1856, and came to Atlantic in the early 80's, finding employment in the A. D. HILL Jewelry Establishment. Later he became a partner with HILL and still later succeeded to the business , which he owned and operated to the time of his sudden death, July 15, 1903. He was one of Atlantic's best beloved citizens, and his life was filled with energy, enterprise and good works. He was a Mason of high degree, and had served the public on the school board and was a member of the City Council at the time of his demise. After the death of P. F. O'CONNELL the business was re-organized under the name of P.F. O'CONNELL Company, with Mrs. O'CONNELL and their son, J. F. O'CONNELL, in the active management.

J. F. O'CONNELL, is a native of Atlantic and has lived here all of his life. After graduating from the Atlantic schools he entered the State University, but upon his father's death came home to take up the business burden. For months he has been attending the Horological School, at Peoria, Illinois, preparatory to taking personal charge of the affairs of the company.

3. Geo. T. MARSH, Jeweler, Atlantic, Iowa, was born in Pontefract, Yorkshire, England, Februrary 18, 1843. He came to America in 1860 and located in Brooklyn, N. Y., where he learned the trade of watchmaker. In 1871 he came to Atlantic and has lived here continuously ever since, thirty-three years. Arriving here he found employment with A. D. HILL and worked for him for five years, when he engaged in the jewelry business for himself in 1876. He is the oldest jeweler in Atlantic and in this section of the state. He joined the Manchester Unity Odd Fellows in England and became a member of the Odd Fellows in 1874, afterwards joining the Encampment of the Uniformed Patriarchs. He is also a Mason, Knight Templar and a Shriner. In his business he has ranked among the foremost and has gained an enviable reputation for selling honest goods at fair prices.

4. Frank D. LARSEN, proprietor of the Frank D. LARSEN Jewelry Establishment, Atlantic, Iowa, was born at Hawthorne, Iowa, October 6, 1876, and lived there until he was nineteen years of age, when he went to Ames and spent one and one-half years in school. He then began the jewelry trade at Red Oak, afterwards going to Memphis, Tennessee, and from there to the Horological School at Elgin, Illinois, from which he graduated. He then went to Sidney, Iowa, and engaged in the jewelry business, and from there came to Atlantic in 1900 and opened a new stock of jewelry, and has been here ever since. He is an expert watchmaker, carries a choice line of goods and is doing a nice business and adding to his trade year by year. He is a Knight of Pythias and a genial gentleman.


From: Exposition Souvenir Album, published by Democrat Publishing Company, Atlantic, Iowa, 1904. Transcribed by Brenda Magee, July, 2012.