Abraham Opie is a well-to-do agriculturist and contractor living on his farm at Dorchester, Houghton County, Michigan, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, has been a resident of the Lake Superior copper region for over 40 years, and is well known and most highly esteemed throughout Houghton and Keweenaw counties. He was born in Cornwall, England, in 1840, and is a son of John Opie.
Biography[]
John Opie, the father of our subject, spent all his life in Cornwall, England, where he was engaged in the pursuits of a farmer and miner. He died at the age of 59 years at the old homestead and his wife also died in England in 1872. Abraham Opie has one brother and one sister living in America, namely: William Opie, a resident of Hancock, Houghton County, Michigan; and Mrs. Esther Robbins, a resident of Central City, Colorado.
Our subject was married, in 1858, to Elizabeth Luxmore and in the following year (1859) came to America with his wife and located in Rhode Island, where he worked as a coal miner for six months. Mr. Opie then removed to the Lake Superior copper region, locating in Keweenaw County, and engaged as a miner at the Cliff mine, where he remained for 13 months.
After this, he was employed at the Quincy mine for several years. In 1873 he purchased a tract of land at Dorchester, which he has developed into a valuable farm, which continues to be his home. When the summer season is past and the crops are gathered, he passes the winter profitably by doing general contracting work.
Mr. and Mrs. Opie are the proud parents of 12 children, 10 of whom they have reared, namely: John; Esther, who married Andrew Lowden and is now residing in Chicago, Illinois; Abraham; Jane, who married Thomas Paul; William H., who is living on his father's farm; Susan, who married Henry Bloom and is living in Hancock, Michigan; Mary Ann, who married Thomas Hodges and resides in Laurium, Michigan; Edward, who is living on the farm with his father; Caroline, who married James Townsend and is living on her father's farm; and Catherine, who is also living at home. The two children who are deceased were named Emma and Joseph. Socially our subject is a member of the Sons of St. George. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.