Alphabet File page 274
Messrs. A. G. Osoinach and Jules Tomasich, two popular Bay boys and long identified as two of the most accommodating and polite clerks of the well known Blue Store, left on Thursday for New Orleans where they will remain for the winter. (SCE 11/5/1892)
Osoinach, Mr. A.G., after spending the holidays at home, returned to New Orleans this week. (SCE 01/07/1893)
Osoinach, Mr. A.G., and Mr. Jules Tomasich arrived from New Orleans this week to spend a few days. (SCE 2/11/ 1893)
Osoinach, Mr. A.G., returned Monday morning from a visit to the Crescent City. (SCE 05/13/1893)
Osoinach, Mr. A. G., is at home from New Orleans for a few days' visit to relatives and friends. (SCE 09/09/1893)
Osoinach, Messrs. A. G. and J. Tomasich, two of the Bay's most worthy young gentlemen, were mingling with their numerous friends here Sunday. (SCE 11-18-1893)
Osoinach - (The following is listed below alphabetically, but is it an early spelling of Osoinach? (CHG)
Osoinach, Miss Bell - Pillow, Mrs., and her winsome daughter, Miss Addie, entertained a number of friends on Friday. Misses Bell Osoinach, Carrie Hackney, L. Osoinach, Pearl Meek, Messrs. J. Tomasich, Jos. O. Mauffray. A. G. Osoinach, R. Pillow and others were present. (SCE 10/15/1892)
OSOINACH, ANTHONY G.
Anthny G. Osoinach, editor and publisher of the Gulfport Record, has made his paper distinctively representative of the progressive spirit for which this conmparatively new and very thriving little city is so notable, and he is held in high esteem as one o the loyal citizens of the place. Mr. Osoinach was born in the town of Bay Saint Louis, Hamcock County, Miss., on March 17, 1874, and is a son of Antony and Caroline (Lalencet) Osoinach, the former of whom was born in the city of Vienna, Austria, and the latter in New Orleans, La. Anthony G. Osoinach acquired his preliminary education training in the public schools of his native town, where he supplemented this discipline by an excellent course of study in St. Stanislaus college. He initiated his business career by taking a position as salesman in a retail mercantile establishment in Bay Saint Louis, and in 1896 he purchased a half interest in the Seacoast Echo, a weekly paper published in Bay Saint Louis. He was identified with this publication about one year and then went to New Orleans, where he was engaged in newspaper work for a short time, after which he located in Scranton, Miss., and established the Scranton Chronicle, whose publication he continued until 1899. Thereafter he had editorial charge of the Biloxi Herald about one year, and in the fall of 1900 he came to Gulfport and here founded the Gulfport Record, of which he has sine been editor and publisher, while he has made his paper an exponent of local enteriest in the fullest degree and through its columns has done much to exploit the many attractions of this place and thus to further its development. At the time of his locating here the town had a population of about 2,000, and the rapid growth within the intervening half decade is maifest when we state that the population at the time of this writing (1905) is fully 8,000. The Record is issued on Saturday of each week and its political policy is Democratic, reflecting the sound-money opinions of its editor, who is a great admirer of ex-President Cleveland, whom he regards as an exponent of the basic principles of Democracy. On Feb. 21, 1897, Mr. Osoinach was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth McNulty, daughter of Thaddeus and Mary (Weldon) McNulty, of Mobile, Ala., and they have three children - Granville, Harold and Mary.
(Copied from MISSISSIPPI , Vol III, Dunbar Rowland, pages 633-4.)
Osoinach Department Store 205 S. Beach (Ph 48 thru 50, 55) 205 is address given in directory. It is also Merchants Bank address.
Osoinach, Henry r 337 Main (Ph 55)
Osoinach, Henry W. (Watterson) Son of John. (SCE Jubilee 1942 pg 25).
Osoinach, John.
Mr. John Osoinach is unusually happy this week. It's a boy. Our best wishes are extended. (SCE 11/5/1892)
Joyce & Osinach Gen'l Merchandise, Front between Bookter Ave and Goodchildren Streets (SCE 5/16/1896)
(Osoinach, (?) owned hardware store opposite 412 S. Beach. Later owned by Sylvan Ladner. (Is this the Combel Hardware?)
He was Treasurer of Peoples Building and Loan Association at time of publication. (SCE 5 Sep 1903. pg. 12). He was 38 years old in 1903. (SCE 5 Sep 1903 pg 13. photo).
He married Miss Lou Meek, daughter of Dr. W. H. Meek and Mary E. Williamson in 1889. (SCE 5 Sep 1903 pg 13).
1907 Nov 16, Both Osoinach stores burned along with his Opera House and residence.
1907 Dec 7 (SCE). John Osoinach is removing trees on his lot opposite Merchants Bank to rebuild his store.
1908 Mar 14 (SCE). Bought 2 story house in rear of W. J. Gex (210 S Beach) and moved it to where his opera house had been before the fire 16 Nov 1907.
Osoinach, John. Built annex to Bay Mercantile (205 S Beach) on beach front. (SCE 23 May 1908).
Osoinach's first store was located in the "Hollow" where later Mrs. Lapsley's home was (400 S. Beach)(SCE Jubilee 1942, pg. 24, col 2).
John Osoinach, born 12 Dec 1865, died 1 Jan 1939. His surviving daughters were Mrs. P. E. Porter of BSL and Mrs. A. G. Anderson of Santa Monica, California. His surviving sons were Clarence W. of New Orleans, A. J. of Memphis and H. W. of BSL. His widow was Mrs. Lou Meek Osoinach of BSL, Another daughter, Mrs. Ethel Ballard was deceased at time of article. (SCE Jubilee 1942 pg 25). see: article under Hancock Bank (SH 7/29/1958)
Iron Safe Used As Bank - You will read in other parts of this Centennial Edition that Bay St. Louis was an incorporated city for 41 years before it secured its first banks - the Hancock Bank in 1899, followed by the Merchants Bank four years later.
Professional historians have a habit of overlooking the interesting details. For instance, they tell you that Napoleon lost the Battle of Waterloo, but neglect to relate that at the time Napoleon was suffering acute pain from his ulcers which could have influenced the outcome of the battle. Also, the historians emphatically state that Bay St. Louis got its first bank in 1899 - but neglect to say what people did with their money before that. So, we have to fall back on the memories of the old-timers, who fill in the interesting details.
One 79-year old former resident of the Bay in the Nineties stated that August Keller, who operated the famous Blue Store at Washington Street (so named because it was painted a bright blue), had a huge iron safe in the back of his store where customers and citizens kept their money for safekeeping payable on demand. And also, then Joseph F. Cazeneuve, who was sheriff at the time, permitted the country folk to put their money in the huge county safe, each person's money or valuables properly marked. And we learn in another section of this edition that John Osoinach, who worked for Keller a long time and who later opened his own store, acquired the unofficial title of the Bay's first banker because he cashed and issued checks for his customers. Could be, of course, that the people of Bay St. Louis and its surrounding county folk didn't have too much hard cash to handle in those days. (Sun Herald 7-291958)
Osoinach, John's children,(photo BSL 100 Years pg 66).
Osoinach, John and Henry. Owned Osoinach's Store on beach across from Merchants Bank - burned in the fire of 1907. Later Bay Mercantile, located at Main and Front. Miss Daisy said he always ran a junky store downstairs under Opera.
Osoinach, L. - Pillow, Mrs., and her winsome daughter, Miss Addie, entertained a number of friends on Friday. Misses Bell Osoinach, Carrie Hackney, L. Osoinach, Pearl Meek, Messrs. J. Tomasich, Jos. O. Mauffray. A. G. Osoinach, R. Pillow and others were present. (SCE 10/15/1892)