Name: Phineas Eugene O’Connell
Purpose: Seeking experiences in the west to be used in writing western novels.
Description: “Finney” or “Gene” as he is often called stands 5’ 8” tall and weighs 147 Lbs. He has an oval shaped face with steel grey eyes and dark brown hair kept short, with no facial hair. At age 21, he prefers to be clean; immaculately dressed. He understands he will need to get a bit dirty for his adventures and is willing to make that sacrifice. He appears to be a fancy lad from Boston because that is how he dressed when he attended university.
Backstory: Finney was a boy during the Civil War. His father too old for the war, worked as the community doctor in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Typically, a fishing village, Phineas had no intention of sailing, working with fish or working as a doctor. He appreciated the gentle life his father provided him and his seven brothers and sisters, but Finney was a dreamer.
He read the newspapers during the war, enthralled with the stories about the war and life out west. As a young boy he desired traveling to the frontier and living the life of a cowboy; going on adventures and learning how to survive.
While studying English, Writing and Rhetoric at Amherst College, Phineas became infatuated with life in the wild west. He decided he would travel out west to experience life in the west and write novels about his experiences. While a student at Amherst, he played on the college baseball team, earning a nick name as Three-fingered-Finney. It never stuck and disappeared when he traveled west. The nickname had more to do with how he threw a baseball. When most of the other players used all five fingers, Finney used only three; the forefinger, middle finger and thumb to throw the ball. His accuracy was so fine, he was played at Pitcher for the Amherst team.
After packing his bags, buying a Colt Single Action, Army pistol or
Peacemaker chambered in .45 caliber and a few outfits he thought would fit in out west, he said his good byes to his family and boarded a train. It was a trip that took him more than a few weeks. When he arrived in Pecos, Texas, he thought maybe he was in over his head. He purchased a horse. He nothing about horses, but bought a Morgan horse for $90 and named him Josiah or “Josie”. The horse was dark brown with a white splotch or line running down the face of his long nose. Finney purchased a saddle blanket, western saddle with horn, saddle bags, bed roll and a 100’ length of rope because every photograph he saw of the old west, cowboys had ropes on their saddles.
With his gun belt strapped on, .45 Colt SAA on his right hip and every bullet slot filled around his belt, he mounted Josiah, heading west in the open country. He had a knife to skin small animals in the even he caught one, but wore his old brown bowler; the same one he wore at Amherst College. He didn’t feel right with the western style hat and decided he would keep the bowler as a signature of his past.
In his saddle bags, he stored a writing tablet, inkwell and pens as well as some hard tack in case he couldn’t find food and a feed bag for Josiah as well as some fruit and vegetables for the horse as treats and a small copy of the bible. He carried the money his father gave him on his person at all times.
His first night in the desert, he felt as though he were going to starve, He couldn’t find anything to hunt to cook and he couldn’t start a fire with the flint and tinder he used. The next day he rode about ten miles before setting up camp. He tried again with the fire and could not start a fire. He did however hunt and kill a rabbit, but failed to cook it. On his third day, he came upon a stranger who had a fire and asked if he would share his fire with him. The man was friendly. Finney cooked the rabbit and shared it with his host. He finally sated his three day old hunger.
After a week on the road, Finney made it to Sweetwater, having adjusted to life on the road. The sacrifice of being dirty, he committed to himself in New England was nothing compared to the sacrifice of food he endured at the beginning of his journey. Fortunately at the saloon, he was able to purchase a meal and a beer at the saloon. Phineas was a happy man.
Equipment: - Colt Single Action, Army pistol or "Peacemaker" chambered in .45 caliber
- Three western shirts (white, light blue, red)
- Three pair of trousers (blue, brown, black)
- Western style boots (brown)
- Brown leather vest
- Brown bowler (hat)
- Morgan horse named Josiah or “Josie”.
- saddle blanket
- western saddle with horn
- saddle bags
- bed roll
- a 100’ length of rope
- gun belt
- 100 rounds of .45 ammo
- a knife
- a writing tablet
- inkwell
- pens
- hard tack (ate it up on the ride to Sweetwater)
- a feed bag for Josiah
- an assortment of fruit and vegetables for the horse as treats
- a small copy of the bible.
- $235 (remaining money his father gave him as a gift)
Relationships: - Ezekiel O’Connell, Father, wealthy New England Doctor. Phineas loves his father, writing letters to the man while away from home.
- Charlotte O’Connell, Mother, Kind hearted woman who worries about her children daily.
- Albert O’Connell, 29, brother, chose a life on the sea in the US Navy serving as a Lieutenant.
- Frederick O’Connell, 28, brother, plays the violin in the Boston City Orchestra. Teaches music in Boston.
- Clara Donohue (O’Connell), 26, Sister, married Arthur Donohue who works as a Law Enforcement officer in Gloucester.
- Isabella Grieve (O’Connell), 24, Sister, married Walter Grieve who works as a fisherman.
- Harold O’Connell, 22, brother, married Julia (Murphy) and works in Finance in Boston. Graduate of Boston College
- Sophia O’Connell, 19, sister, student at Emerson College studying Latin.
- Edward O'Connell, 17, Brother, student at Boston College.
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