By Dr. Ferrell MillerGeary County Historical Society Board Member“Dr. O’Donnell Was Honored in 1946”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613067699851.jpeg" alt="Dr. Fred O'Donnell" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Fred O'Donnell</figcaption>
 </figure>	Long-time resident of Junction City, John York, shared this article about Dr. F.W. O’Donnell. The article was a portion of the Union Pacific Bulletin, dated December 1946.	“F.W. O’Donnell was born in Milltown, Malbay County, Ireland in 1872. He was one of 14 children in the family. At age 17, he and his family moved to the United States, settling in Rice County, Kansas. F.W. taught school for two years, then entered medical college at the University of Kansas City. He graduated in 1897 and began a practice in Bushton, Kansas, one year before moving to Junction City.	He was married to Franke Tosa in 1899 and at that time became the Union Pacific surgeon. In 1917, Dr. O’Donnell went overseas as regimental surgeon for the 353rd Infantry. By the close of the war, he was surgeon of the 89th Division and the recipient of the French Croix de Guerre and United States citation. After the war, Dr. O’Donnell took a refresher course at Columbia University, then returned to Junction City where he resumed as Union Pacific surgeon. Armistice Day in 1946 was a great occasion for Dr. F.W. O’Donnell, the Union Pacific’s surgeon at Junction City, Kansas. Dr. Fred, as he was affectionately known in the community, was honored by a day-long celebration which included a parade, a special program at the city’s municipal auditorium, a dinner at Fort Riley and addresses by such notables as General Jonathan M. Wainwright and the Right Reverend Robert Nelson Spencer, Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of West Missouri. The day’s events were centered about the 74-year-old physician in respect for his 50 years of service to the community. 	The activities were touched off by a morning parade which Dr. O’Donnell watched from a reviewing stand. Army units, bands, floats and fraternal and civic organizations passed down the street in the long procession, but the Union Pacific shopmen’s six-car miniature train, complete in every detail, was hailed as the surprise of the parade.	Approximately 65 feet in length and built to scale, the train was comprised of an engine with tender, flat car, box car, livestock car, coal car, tanker, and caboose. A locomotive whistle, bell, and lights added a realistic touch. The train was made from scrap materials during employee’s off-hours over a two-week period. Motive power was furnished by a borrowed tractor covered by a locomotive body.	The flat car bore a large box addressed “To Dr. F.W. O’Donnell from shop employees.” The train stopped in front of the reviewing stand and a large floral bouquet taken from the box was presented to Dr. O’Donnell by Machinist Foreman J.H. Tognascioli.	Approximately 5,000 persons watched the parade while 3,000 attended the subsequent auditorium program. A dinner was held at Fort Riley where Union Pacific representatives and others heard the reading of congratulatory letters, telegrams and messages from all over the world.“Jack Turner Told His Story About Being A Slave”	The late Marilyn Heldstab, former Geary County Museum Director, wrote an article for the JC Union newspaper about Jack Turner, who was born in slavery. This is some of what Marilyn wrote based on another article in the local newspaper published February 27, 1934. 	Jack Turner was born in the Ozark Mountains in 1844 in an area that was slave territory. He was kidnapped when he was 12 years old. Turner was first taken to Springfield, Missouri and later to St. Louis where he stayed about a day and a night. From there he and his captor went by steamboat to Memphis, Tennessee and then to Okolona Chickasaw County, Mississippi. At Okolona, Turner stated he “landed in a Mr. Whittaker’s hands”. 	Jack Turner was moved again to Mobile, Alabama where Mr. Whittaker’s daughter, a Mrs. Hodges, put him in a hotel to learn to cook. Jack stayed there about six months and then he was put to work in a livery stable for another six months. In the spring of 1866, Jack Turner was set free. 	Mrs. Hodges’ husband died leaving her and two daughters. She remarried and in 1866 Colonel James Streeter brought her family and servants (including Jack Turner) to Junction City. Until 1870, Turner drove the Streeter freight wagons carrying government supplies across the plains. Jack was also the foreman of the Streeter farm between Junction City and Fort Riley and after the death of James, stayed on with Mrs. Streeter. 	In the times before paved highways, cordway rails were used as bridges over the swamps between Junction City and Fort Riley. Mrs. Streeter often told Jack that she could depend on him and felt safe with him as the driver when he drove over those rails and took the family to Fort Riley to attend the wedding of Colonel Forsyth’s daughter. 	Jack Turner looked upon his life with the family inhabiting the large square house with its white portico, clinging vines and strutting peacocks as the happiest days of his life. He often recalled the hospitality of this bit of Old South transplanted to the western plains.

Our Past is Present