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People and organizations
O'Connor, Margaret
051 · Person · April 23, 1886 - February 22, 1938

Margaret Esther Fay was born April 23, 1886 in Almonte, Ontario to John Edmunds Fay (a Grocer, 1841-1925) and Frances Anne Lunney Fay (1859-1930). The fourth of fourteen children (second child of twelve for her mother), Margaret Fay matriculated from Almonte High School, the Perth Model School and the Ottawa Normal School. In 1905, she worked as a teacher in Almonte, Ontario and in 1906 to 1907 around the Ottawa, Ontario area.

On June 13, 1907, Margaret Fay married John Angus O’Connor at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario. Angus O’Connor was born August 19, 1879 in South Glocester, Ontario and was a Farmer at the time of their marriage. The couple moved to Buffalo, New York for about six months and then relocated to Ottawa, Ontario until moving to northern Ontario in 1912 to run a Canadian National Railway travelling provision car together between North Bay and Capreol, Ontario.

In 1914, the O’Connors moved to what would become the Town of Capreol (incorporated in 1918). They ran one of the first grocery stores in the area. In the 1918 Assessment Roll and on the 1921 census, Angus O’Connor was listed as the Proprietor of the Billiard Room (also called the Pool Room) on Young Street. Meanwhile, Margaret O’Connor was appointed the Postmistress of the Capreol Post Office on July 27, 1918 and held the position until her resignation in June 1932. During this time her husband served as a mail carrier.

Three months after her appointment as Postmistress, Margaret O’Connor became the Town Clerk. She held this position from October 17, 1918 until March 11, 1919. (Margaret O’Connor officially resigned on February 10, 1918 but remained in her position of Town Clerk until she was officially relieved of her duties by council on March 11, 1919.) After Margaret O’Connor’s appointment, Angus O’Connor was nominated to serve as a Councillor and was elected by acclamation on December 30, 1918. He served for a year.

On September 7, 1933, Angus O’Connor passed away at his home in Capreol at the age of 54. Margaret O’Connor passed away at her home February 22, 1938 at the age of 50. According to her obituary, Margaret O’Connor was the first woman resident of Capreol.