HENRY O'LEARY
Born in Castletown Ireland in 1836. He came here at the age of
sixteen.
He landed at Chatham from an immigrant
ship and walked through the woods to Kouchibouguac while carrying a
cooking kettle on his back. He went to work for Caie who was then building
ships for Cunard. Later, the lure of salmon fishing called and he joined
forces with the Callenders. In 1855, he moved on to Richibucto, where
he opened a small store on the northeast corner of Sheddon and Water
Street (now were the riverside mall is today). He prospered, built four
large ships, and operated 27 lobster canneries from Point Sapin to Cocagne.
Finally, had sawmills and stores at both Richibucto and Campbellton.
He built what is known as the O'Leary home (now Joe Robichaud's Ouberge).
At one time he represented Kent in the Legislative assembly at Fredericton.
His sons were Richard, who succeeded
him and Archbishop Henry and Bishop Louis O'Leary. He also had one daughter
Christine.
RICHARD O'LEARY
Born here in 1865, the eldest son of Henry O'Leary and Mary Brittain.
Educated in the French language, first at St. Louis College at (Palmerston)
now as St. Louis de Kent. Later, he attended Saint Mary's College, in
Montreal.
In 1883, at the age of 18, his father
sent him to Campbellton to establish the O'Leary name. He opened a store
in Campbellton and built a large sawmill at Cross Point. He returned
to Richibucto before the death of his father in 1897. Richard O'Leary
was one of the leading pioneer industrialists in the province. He gave
Richibucto and Rexton their first electricity in 1901.
Richard O'Leary owned the local telephone
system and in various amalgamations, associated with the late Howard
Robinson, built up the present N.B.Tel. O'Leary became vice-president
of the Provincial telephone company.
He canned fish and fruit. His freezing
plant froze and stored mackerel, salmon, bass, eels and herring. his
plant was the largest in New Brunswick at that time and he was the largest
handler of frozen smelts in the world. He operated from Dalhousie to
Port Elgin buying smelts and other fish.
He had sawmills at Richibucto and Rexton.
He was the O'Leary of "O'Leary and Lee", Halifax (exporters of canned
lobster) and also owned The Father Morrisey Medicine company. In 1886,
he married Elizabeth Buckley of Newcastle. They had six daughters and
one son. Richard O’Leary died at his summer home in Kouchibouguac, the
summer of 1932.
SENATOR LOUIS J. ROBICHAUD
Senator Robichaud is still a member of the Canadian Senate. He operated
a law practice in Richibucto until he became Provincial Premier in 1960.
He was defeated by Richard Hatfield in 1970. Robichaud is still fondly
referred to as "Ti Louis" and is remembered as the man who brought equal
opportunity to the Province.