Representative from the 49th District, is an Irishman bred and born. He came out of the picturesque County Carlow and when only six months old arrived at New York with his parents. His history in this land of his adoption has been a very honorable one. Four years saw the family and young Thomas on the trail with faces set toward the great west. The first pause in the journey came in LaSalle County, Illinois. Here the Dorans remained ten years, indeed till 1865. The next move was to Livingston County where the elder Doran died. The care of the family now devolved on the fifteen year old Thomas. The worth of the man is shown in the ability and conscientiousness with which the stripling boy took his father's onerous duties upon himself. Comparative prosperity came with hard work and in 1874 the westward march was continued to Beaver, Boone County, Iowa, where Mr. Doran engaged extensively in the grain, lumber and livestock business. His popularity and natural inclination for politics were soon rewarded by his being made postmaster of Beaver. But it is his career in Nebraska that is our particular theme here. He arrived at Burwell in 1889, and in conjunction with his brother John bought the First Bank of Burwell, then operated by the First National Bank of Orel. As an important step in strengthening their banking institution the brothers bought the Garfield County Bank and merged it with the First Bank. Mr. Doran was married at Boone, Iowa, to Miss Ettie Satterlee. Of the four children born to them only one, a son, reached maturity. The latter is now associated in business with his father. It is especially for his activity in affairs pertaining to the welfare of his own village and district that Mr. Doran has earned the thanks of his neighbors and constituents. When the county seat question came up for the last time none was more active than Thomas Doran. He has also been a prominent member of the school board for fourteen years, and one of the town board almost continually since its organization. In 1900 his brother's health failed. This led to the sale of the bank to Dann Bros. Mr. Doran and family now spent a year in restful travel in California and old Mexico. Upon returning home in 1901 he engaged in stock-raising. His ranch is one of the largest in this part of the state, and is the home of many hundred head of cattle and horses. Several other enterprises in which he is interested should not be overlooked. Thus he became a member of the prominent lumber business of Cram & Co, in 1897. A few months ago he purchased A. A. Graber's hardware store and placed the same in charge of his son, and nephew. As stated above, Mr. Doran represents the 49th District in the State Legislature. He is a republican in politics, and his popularity is shown by the fact that he carried his district, which is strongly populistic, by no less than 252 votes.
The Trail of the Loup, 1906

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