Geary, Samuel E.

Samuel E. Geary was born in California, USA, in July 1863. He died on March 26, 1921. He married Maggie ( ) Geary in 1884. He died on March 26, 1921 at Cawston, BC, and is buried at the Cawston Cemetery (from record, Princeton Mortuary).

Sam Geary was extensively engaged in the sheep raising business at the lower end of the valley, from around 1918. He met with considerable success, finding the climatic and pasturage conditions adequately adapted to his business.

According to his obituary, he was raised in Mendocino County, California, and he began cattle ranching in that area. He then moved to Oregon, again to ranch. However, the US Census records reveal that Sam Geary was seven years old (born in California) and living with his family (Lewis C. and Maranda Geary) in Jackson, Oregon, in 1870.

According to the US Census for 1900, Sam Geary’s own family is living in Trail, Jackson, Oregon. All of his children were born in Oregon. They came to Canada in 1916.

He moved to Chilcotin, again, to ranch cattle. When he moved to Similkameen (around 1918), he began sheep farming.

At the Killarney School Christmas event at Five Mile in 1921, the“talented Geary family” supplied the music. His son, Ben, was an accomplished horseman – winning the BC Championship for rough riding in Vancouver in 1915. Both sons, Ben and Sam, were active on the rodeo circuit.

In 1921, his widow,Maggie, and daughter, Sadie, were living in Keremeos. In 1940, his widow was living with their son, Dudley, in Oregon.

See also: Geary, Ben; Geary, Sam