History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

136 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
Served as school director and is progressive and public-spirited in
matters of citizenship, cooperating heartily in all movements for
the general good. He is in all essential respects a self-made man,
for the prosperity wliich he now enjoys has been won entirely
through his own efforts. His success is founded upon hard work,
industry and well directed ambition.
GEORGE F. O'MALLEY.
Since 1901 George F. O'Malley has been an active representa-
tive of commercial interests in Dixon and is an enterprising
business man who in the conduct of his interests, follows straightforward
methods that bring legitimate success. He was born in
Lee county, Illinois, in 1870, and is a son of Peter and Sebina
(Healy) O'Malley, both of whom came to this county with their
parents, the father arriving in 1852. He made farming his life
work and for more than a half century was a resident of this
connty, his death here occurring August 4, 1913, when he had
reached the venerable age of eighty-five years. For about four
years he had survived his wife, who died in 1909.
George F. O'Malley, born vipon a farm in this county, early
became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the
agriculturist, but he did not care to engage in tilling the soil as a
life work and pursued a course in the Dixon college in order to
qualify for other pursuits. He was graduated from that institu-
tion in 1895 and afterward was employed in various men's furnish-
ing goods stores imtil he joined Edward Vaile in the establishment
of the present firm of Vaile & O'Malley. They began dealing in
shoes, clothing and men's furnishing goods and the business has
steadily grown along substantial lines until they now have an
excellent store, carrying a large stock of goods for which they find
a ready sale, owing to their enterprising methods, their judicious
advertising and their progressiveness.
In 1901 Mr. O'Malley was married to ]\Iiss Mary Mclntyre of
Dixon, and unto them have been born five children, three sons and
two daughters, all of whom are yet living, namely : Peter M., Mary
G., Frances S., George F., Jr., and Edward Albert. The parents
hold membership in the Catholic church and Mr. O'Malley belongs
to the Knights of Columbus and the Benevolent Protective Order
of Elks. When age conferred upon him the right of franchise he