Preceded by William Armstrong Resting place Laidley Cemetery Occupation Dairy farmer | Succeeded by William Armstrong Political party Ministerialist | |
Full Name Michael O'Keeffe Spouse(s) Elizabeth Ryan (m.1922) Died 30 August 1941, Laidley, Australia | ||
Michael O'Keeffe (1854 - 30 August 1941) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.
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Biography
O'Keeffe was born at Cashel, Tipperary, the son of William O'Keeffe and his wife Ellen (née Heffernan). He was educated in Cashel and arrived in Queensland where he selected land in the Lockyer region ad became a successful farmer and grazier. In 1911 he became an immigration agent for Queensland, based in Ireland.
On the 10th July 1872 O'Keeffe married Elizabeth Ryan (died 1922) and together had four sons and six daughters. He died at Laidley in August 1941 and his funeral proceeded from St Patrick's Catholic Church in Laidley to the Laidley Cemetery.
Public career
O'Keeffe first entered politics as a councilor for the Laidley Divisional Board before unsuccessfully challenging William Armstrong for the seat of Lockyer in the Queensland Legislative Assembly at the 1902 Queensland state election.
At the 1904 Queensland state election he challenged Armstrong again and this time was successful. In 1907 however, Armstrong won back the electorate. O'Keefe stood one more time against Armstrong, this time in 1909 but was once again beaten.
He was a founder of the Queensland Farmers Co-operative Association and a director of the company from 1907. He was also a Director of the Booval Co-operative Dairy Company, and a member of the Laidley Agricultural Society.