O'Neill, William died 1940

ONEILL, MCCORMACK, MELVIN, ROCHE, GRATH, GROVES, BALL, POWERS, MANNING, NELSON, HEALEY, GAVINS

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 10/18/2023 at 12:34:46

Clayton County Register, 07 Aug. 1940.

WILLIAM O'NEILL

On Wednesday, July 24, a World War veteran, Wm. O'Neill, of McGregor, died at Hines Memorial hospital at Chicago. His death followed a long illness, the result of being gassed in the Battle of the Argonne.

Wm. O'Neill, the son of Thos. and Catherine O'Neill, was born on a farm near Harpers Ferry, Iowa, 42 years ago. On America's entry into the World War, he enlisted at Waukon and went to Camp Dodge for training. On May 16, 1918, he sailed for France in Company E of the 130th infantry, 33rd Division, Illinois National Guard. In this outfit of trained soldiers, which was one of the hard fighting divisions of the A.E.F., he saw six months of active service, including bitter fighting on the Marne, at Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel and the Argonne. It was in the last battle that he was gassed. After the armistice he was with the army of occupation in the Valley of the Rhine. He returned to his native land on May 20, 1919.

Thirteen years ago he came to McGregor which has since been his home, and where he engaged in business, in partnership with his brothers, operating a pool hall and tavern. He was married at St. Raphael's Cathedral, Dubuque, on February 26, 1924, to Miss Monica McCormack, who, with five children, are left to mourn the loss of a kind husband and father. The children are: D. J., Keith, Yvonne, Maureen and Norman. A son, Elmer, preceded him in death as did his aged father and one brother. He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Catherine O'Neill of McGregor, and five brothers, Tom of Dubuque, George of Mankato, Minn., Leo, Ambrose and Cyril, of McGregor; and two sisters, Mrs. Urban Melvin and Marcella, also of McGregor.

Funeral services were held Sunday, July 28, at St. Mary's church, McGregor. The Rev. Father J. J. Horsfield officiated at a Requiem Mass, with two nephews, Leo and Billie O'Neill, Jr., as Mass servers. Full military honors were accorded him by the American Legion of McGregor and Veterans of Foreign Wars of Prairie du Chien, in both of which organizations he held membership. The throngs of relatives, friends and ex-service men who filled the church to capacity and followed the body to its final resting place, spoke eloquently of the place he held in the hearts of those who were left to mourn his untimely death.

Burial was made in the Paint Creek* cemetery. The casket was carried by comrades of the World War, Frank O'Brien and Tony Snyder of McGregor, Clem Brazill, Tim Collins and George Sullivan of Harpers Ferry, and Corp. James Hefferon of Prairie du Chien. Services at the grave were conducted by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Relatives from out of town attending the services were: Thos. Roche, E. O'Neill, Mr. and Mrs. A. Grath, Mrs. Josephine Roche, of Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Groves, Mrs. Mary Groves and daughter Marie of La Crosse; Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Ball, Mrs. Ed. Powers, Elizabeth Manning, Mrs. Tom Manning, Mr. and Mrs. L. J. O'Neill, Sr., and daughter Ruth, Mr. and Mrs. T. P. O'Neill, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nelson, Mrs. Jas. Healy and son Merle, Harold Roche and Mrs. Joe Gavins, Dubuque; as well as many friends and relatives from Monona, Postville, Waukon, Lansing and Harpers Ferry.

So passes, in the prime of manhood, another of that brave and idealistic band of American youth who gamely, if mistakenly, fought "the war to end all wars" at a frightful cost to themselves. Wm. O'Neill gave his life for his country indeed, though not, 'tis true, on the battlefield.

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*Burial is in Paint Rock cemetery, rural Harpers Ferry