Community Connections/ July 1st, 2021

The O’Hara family had a number of active business men in the family who set up shop in Madoc! Benson and Frank O’Hara, children of James Jr. and Mary Jane Lear O’Hara both were involved in the business scene of Madoc during their time.

Charles “Benson” O’Hara (1848-1920)

The eldest of the sons of James' Jr., Benson started his career as a clerk at the firm of Young and Ross in Madoc. The life of a clerk did not seem to satisfy Benson, who left the firm to join W.H. O’Flynn in a general store business in Madoc.

But Benson wanted to be his own boss and went on to open his own general store around 1880, advertised as “Benson O’Hara Dry Goods: Millinery, Mantles, Etc.” The shop sold a wide variety of items including women’s ready to wear fashions, staple dry goods, carpets, furs and men’s wear.

While we are still learning more about the history of Benson’s store, it would seem that it was a very profitable business. In one year alone they earned over $51,000. $50,000 then = $640,00 today! It was not until after his death on October 20, 1920 that the store was sold. Records show that his eldest daughter Blanche was the one who took care of selling her father’s cherished business.

Benson’s store was an important part of the history of downtown Madoc business and earns him a spot as a significant member of the entrepreneur community of Madoc.

Frank O’Hara (1858-1932)

Advertisement and label for Frank’s syrup.

Frank worked the O’Hara farm for most of his life, but he also had a very popular side hustle! Like many Canadians, Frank went into the business of making and selling maple syrup.

While we do not know a whole lot about Frank’s syrup business, we do know that he had a syrup building and we have found a number of labels around the homestead from his syrup.

As Frank spent his time working the land, it is no surprise that he would capitalize on the liquid gold within the trees!

By selling and producing this syrup, Frank too became part of the entrepreneur community of the Madoc area.