Debra LaValley's Blog

O'Reilly Homestead

I snapped a shot of this old brick house yesterday. I remembered my mom mentioning something about it and asked her today. She said this old house that is on Horsehill Road near Riverhill in Concord belonged to a George O’Reilly (his daughter lives there now). She said that her dad used to deliver oil there. My grandfather owned Ken Ross Oil Company. My mom told me that George O’Reilly used to walk to work every day and that he worked at the tannery in Penacook. This was quite a walk! I would guess at least 3 miles.

One day, my grandfather Ross dropped my Aunt MaryJane there to play with the O’Reilly kids. My aunt became sick. It seems that she was distraught thinking that her father would forget her there because there were so many kids at home.

It is strange what weird thoughts go through our minds – especially when we are young. My parents let me go cross country with my best friend and her family one summer. I was 13 years old. We drove and slept in a tent trailer. The morning we were leaving, I came down with hives. The doctor gave had me take Benedryl. It was nerves. I had thought that I must be dying or something for my folks to let me go on such a long trip all summer! 🙂 I had a great time that summer. It was a trip of a lifetime that I will always remember.