The famous little Emerald Isle has furnished a worthy quota of staunch men to build up American institutions and among the large number of substantial and patriotic citizens of this blood we mention the subject of this article, as both a typical specimen of the native land, and a patriotic, loyal and deserving citizen of this free land.
Owen Nugent was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1864, being the son of High and Bridget Nugent, natives of Ireland and dying in 1899 and 1895, respectively. Owen worked on his father’s farm, embracing” the rather meager opportunities to gain an education, and when twenty determined to try his fortune in America. He landed in Philadelphia and for two years he wrought in the foundries and lumber yards of the Quaker city. Then he came on to Minnesota and farmed for two years. The next vocation was railroading, which he followed in all the states from Minnesota west and when the reservation opened, he came hither and secured the place where he now lives. It lies six miles east from Chesley and has been well improved and made valuable by the wisely bestowed labors of Mr. Nugent. He has forty head of stock, has seven acres of orchard and other improvements equally excellent. Mr. Nugent has one brother in America and four brothers and three sisters in his native land.
He has never seen fit as yet to abandon the quiet joys and composure of the bachelor life for the matrimonial sea, but Mr. Nugent is a jovial and affable man, a good business operator and stands well in the community.
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Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903