O'Hair family history on display at Putnam County Museum

Thursday, June 27, 2013

This year marks the 140th annual O'Hair Family Reunion, but another milestone event will take place this summer as well -- the family's 184 years of Putnam County history will be featured in an exhibit at the Putnam County Museum.

The exhibit opens this month on Saturday, June 29, starting at 10 a.m. and continues until noon with a presentation by several O'Hair family members at 11 a.m.

A large number of O'Hair family members are expected to be in attendance, but members of the Putnam County community are also invited to stop by to enjoy the history of one of the county's founding families.

A 1915 Polaroid camera, a black bonnet estimated to be 160 years old and a red and white family quilt with more than 100 family names stitched on it will all be on display alongside other family treasures.

According to an excerpt from the Putnam County Secretary's Book, "The family has been known as men and women of iron frame and strong constitution all being among the first settlers of Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Texas. In the communities where they have lived they have all been respected by their neighbors for their honest and upright manner of doing busines."

In 1829 James Edington Montgomery O'Hair settled his wife and two sons on a farm north of the Brick Chapel on what is now U.S. 231. He built his family a log cabin in the thickest woods he had ever seen, and soon after he and his wife, Margaret Montgomery, increased the family by nine. The family continued to grow and prosper for many years.

Hours at the Putnam County Museum, located at 1105 N. Jackson St., Greencastle, are 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Anyone who has any questions about the exhibit may call the museum at 653-8419.

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