James Geoghegan Exhibit: One of Orcas’ Own

James T. Geoghegan of the pioneering Orcas family

From the Orcas Island Historical Museum

The Orcas Island Historical Museum features the James T. Geoghegan Exhibit now through July 25th.

The exhibit theme, “Every Picture Tells a Story, 1914 – 1941” features the photography of James T Geoghegan, local and famous artist. These photographs and Geoghegan’s photography equipment are from the Museum’s Collection.

James Theodore Geoghegan (1869-1953) (pronounced GAY-g’n) brings early Orcas Island history to life with his delightful collection of photographs dating primarily between 1914 and 1939. How fortunate we are that when his father, Richard Taylor Geoghegan, a consummate Irishman then living in England, died, “Jim” and older brother Fred decided to follow their mother’s brother, Richard Charles Willis, to Orcas Island. Arriving here in 1889, Fred and Jim homesteaded a place that is now just outside Moran State Park. After a short time they decided to purchase land nearer to Eastsound, and built a house on what is now the Orcas Medical Center.

The mother, Bessie Gertrude Willis Geoghegan (1832-1912,) followed the older two boys with the rest of her family in 1891. They walked to their new home, dragging all their possessions through snow and mud from the boat dock at Eastsound.

Their house wasn’t quite finished, and was a long shot from the physician’s residence they left behind in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, so the city dwellers had some adjusting to do to get used to Orcas. When small town life became boring, and Jim and his brother Richard left for Seattle, and then in 1897, for Alaska.

While Jim tried his hand at gold mining, Richard settled in Fairbanks as a clerk for the court [Richard’s story is told in Dave Richardson’s book, Shamrocks on the Tanana]. Before long, Jim was working at the Sullivan Roadhouse, and later purchased the Donnelly’s Roadhouse which served travelers into the interior during the winter months when steamboats could not ply the frozen waters.

It was here we first get a glimpse of the hard working Jim, who hunted for game, raised crops and stored food to treat the guests who stayed with him, and raised and cut hay for the horse teams that pulled the stages through the winter storms, then cooked the meals that the travelers were so grateful for!

Jim sold the Donnelly Roadhouse and headed back to Orcas, arriving here in 1914, with his older brother Richard. Their house had burned down, and their mother had died in 1912, so it was a matter of starting over again. In April of 1916, Jim married Lola Dumas Coffman Harrelson, and had a ready-made family of Clara Bessie Harrelson (1902-1983,) Henry Lee, 1908-??,) and Kathleen Lola, 1912-??). Soon thereafter they added to the family James Frederick “Jimmie” (1917-1988,) Richard Taylor, (1919-1991,) and Harold Willis (1921-1981.) After Harold’s birth, in May of 1922, Lola passed away, leaving Jim with a houseful of children to take care of.

Some of Geoghegan’s photographs give us a taste of the kind of loving parent he was, with adorable views of his children. But it was author and news reporter Bea Cook, who offers the most insightful view of the life of Jim Geoghegan. (Read her account of his daily routine, carrying for the farm, the house, the children, cooking their meals, helping with their homework, reading the bedtime stories, and yes, making their clothes).

And we learn from one of the former students of Orcas schools reflecting after Jim’s death of his contributions to the community. (Read Roy M. Reddick’s “Neighbors Respect Memory of a Friend.”) He helped in 4-H, on the school board, and during the war years was a spotter for enemy planes. He was a neighbor who always had time to help out!

All in all, Jim was the kind of guy you’d love to have living next door, the kind of guy Orcas is made up of! Enjoy his photographs!

The Orcas Island Historical Museum is open Wednesday – Sunday, 11 am – 4pm.