A new book chronicling the long and fascinating history of the famed O'Keefe ranch family is now available to read.
The O'Keefes of O'Kanagan is an in-depth book looking into the multiple branches and generations of the family that gave the ranch its name.
The novel is authored by Ken Mather, who has been researching western Canadian heritage for over four decades. The text is written with creative nonfiction elements, telling a story through the eyes of the people, avoiding the dry text of some historical books.
Mather is an award-winning writer of B.C. history. He was also the live-in manager and curator of the O'Keefe Ranch for 20 years (1984-2004).
The O鈥橩eefe Family approached Mather to research and record the history of the three families started by Cornelius O鈥橩eefe. The O鈥橩eefes of O鈥橩anagan was adapted from that research and has been approved by the O鈥橩eefe family.
The book explores colonial ranching history, but it also examines a number of other aspects of life in the mid-1800s in B.C.. This includes the experiences of working-class families and immigrants, connections with the Syilx people of the Okanagan Nation, the multi-faceted roles of women in early colonial B.C., and the experience of Irish Catholic settlers (who were regarded negatively by other religions).
"A meticulously researched account of the life and times of cattle baron Cornelius O鈥橩eefe," said Ian Pooley, Okanagan historian. "In lively and engaging prose, Ken Mather recounts the saga of a family-run ranch that is intricately linked to the history of both the local Syilx people and white settler farming and ranching in the Okanagan Valley.鈥�
A book launch event free to attend will be hosted on Tuesday, May 6, at 6:30 p.m. at the Vernon Library (2800 30th Ave). The book is also available to purchase at heritagehouse.ca/products/the-okeefes-of-okanagan and through Amazon.
