|
p. 279. REV. JEREMIAH O'SULLIVAN has been
an able leader of the Catholic Church in Iowa for eighteen
years, and several communities have expressed their regard for
him not only as a priest but as a man and citizen. Father
O'Sullivan is now a pastor of the Catholic Church at Guthrie
Center.
He was born near Killarney, Ireland, October 13, 1879, son
of Patrick and Julia O'Sullivan. The O'Sullivan family are
direct descendants of the houses of O'Sullivan Beare and
McCarty Mor-Earls of Munster. Father O'Sullivan was educated
in St. Brendan's Seminary, Killarney, and in St. Patrick's
College at Carlow, and was ordained to the priesthood in June,
1905. For several years he was engaged in missionary work as
assistant pastor, in England, and in addition to regular
parish duties he was chaplain to the regiments stationed in
Bradford and Pontefract, Yorks. In 1909 he invented and
patented a vibration and wrench proof bolt burr and axle cap
for high speed engines and machines. While in Pontefract,
Yorks, he took an active part in the British general election
of 1910, which was conducted on the Irish Home Rule question;
he supported the Liberal candidate, Mr. Handel Booth, who,
with the aid of a unanimous Irish vote, was elected member of
parliament for that borough, thus increasing the strength of
the supporters of the Irish Home Rule bill, which was
subsequently passed.
Father O'Sullivan came to the United States in April,
1911, being assigned duty in the diocese of Davenport, under
Bishop Davis. For a few months he was chaplain pro tem at St.
Joseph's Academy at Des Moines, and was then given the Sacred
Heart Parish at Woodbine, Harrison County. Later he was made
pastor of the congregation of the Sacred Heart at Chariton,
Iowa, and form there was transferred in August, 1923, to the
church at Guthrie Center.
Father O'Sullivan is a scholar, possesses a wide knowledge
of men and affairs, and since coming to this country has
informed himself thoroughly on political and social
conditions. Under the auspices of the International Lyceum and
Chautauqua Association he has lectured in several states in
America. Some of his subjects were: "Relations of Labor and
Capital," "Conditions of the Laboring Classes and a Living
Wage." He has also frequently written for the press. People of
all classes have entertained for him a high regard, and what
the Chariton Leader said of him when he left Chariton as
"being a man of attainments, a scholar, student and thinker,
with a personal following here who will regret to see him
leave," is typical of the esteem paid him in other
communities.
Father O'Sullivan since coming to Guthrie Center has built
a fine new parish rectory at a cost of approximately $12,000.
He has been an active member of the International Lyceum and
Chautauqua Association since 1913, and was a member of the Van
Ward Club of Chariton form 1917 to 1922, and is a member of
the Guthrie Center Rotary Club.
p. 379
HON. FRANK. A. O'CONNOR, one of Iowa's
ablest lawyers, is a partner in the prominent Dubuque firm of
Hurd, Lenehan, Smith and O'Connor. In addition to the splendid
work that has made his reputation as a lawyer, Mr. O'Connor
has contributed in notable measure to the increasing vitality
and usefulness in the life of the state of the Democratic
party organization. The party has on several occasions paid
him honors that are given only to an outstanding leader.
Mr. O'Connor is a native of northeastern Iowa, and was
born at Independence, Buchanan County, August 2, 1875. His
parents, Timothy and Ellen (Curran) O'Connor, were born in
County Kerry, Ireland. His father came to this country when
fourteen years old and his mother was brought before she was
two years old. Timothy O'Connor lived at Galena, Illinois,
just before the civil war. While there he came to know the
quiet ex-army officer who was a clerk in his father's leather
store, Ulysses S. Grant. Afterwards, in 1864, Timothy O'Connor
moved to Dubuque and for many years conducted a farm in
Dubuque County. In 1865 he drove a freighting wagon drawn by
mules across the western country carrying supplied to the
scattered settlements of mining communities. Two years after
arriving in Dubuque, Timothy O'Connor married, and he and his
wife had a large family of thirteen children, nine sons and
four daughters. Timothy O'Connor died December 8, 1913, and
his wife on September 16, 1890.
After the death of his mother, Frank A. O'Connor grew up
in the home of his grandfather, Patrick Curran, at Lawler, and
lived there with his aunt and uncle, James and Hannah Curran.
He has never been able to exhaust his gratitude to these
splendid people form whom he derived constant encouragement in
his efforts to make good use of his talents. His education in
the meantime had been derived from the public and parochial
schools. Subsequently he enrolled in the University of Iowa,
taking special work in the Liberal Art School for two years,
and for two years was a student in the law department. He was
graduate with the LL. B. degree in 1898. Mr. O'Connor first
practiced at New Hampton, Chickasaw County. He lived there
twenty years, and during that time made a name for himself in
county politics, serving for four years as county attorney.
Mr. O'Connor was a member of the Thirty-third and
Thirty-fourth General Assemblies of Iowa. The work of these
notable legislatures in fully reviewed in the general history
volumes. The Thirty-fourth General Assembly, it will be
recalled, was deadlocked during most of the session over the
election of a successor to United States Senator Jonathan P.
Dolliver. Gov. B.F. Carroll has appointed Lafe Young to fill
the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Dolliver. This struggle
in the Legislature marked the climax of the internal
dissensions that had almost wrecked the Republican party of
the state. In this General Assembly the Democrats had
thirty-eight members in the House and sixteen member in the
Senate. Mr. O'Connor was the accepted leader of the Democratic
forces, and it was in recognition of that leadership that hte
full party strength in both Houses was given to him as the
Democratic candidate for the United States Senate during
several days of the deadlock.
Mr. O'Connor went to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1912, as
delegate at large from Iowa. While some of the Iowa Democrats
were pledged to the nomination of Champ Clark, Mr. O'Connor
early recognized the statesmanship and political availability
of Woodrow Wilson, and aided materially in bringing about the
nomination of the New Jersey governor. President Wilson
appointed Mr. O'Connor United States Attorney for the Northern
District of Iowa. He held that office from January, 1914,
until January, 1922. He was district attorney during the World
war period, handling with remarkable efficiency and tact the
many complicated cases that arose as result of the war. In
addition to his duties as a federal official he was by
appointment of Governor Harding a member of the State Council
of Defense.
Mr. O'Connor removed from New Hampton on July 1, 1918, to
Dubuque, and has since been affiliated with the distinguished
law firm of Hurd, Lenehan, Smith & O'Connor, with offices in
the Bank and Insurance Building. With his ripened powers and
long experience in public life he has continued to be one of
the most influential citizens in the state of Iowa in all
matters of public interest and welfare.
Mr. O' Connor is a member and former president of the
Dubuque Chamber of Commerce. He has given his influence and
assistance in the promotion of worthy civic movements. He is a
member of the Dubuque County, Iowa State and American Bar
Associations and member of the Alumni Board of the State
University.
He married November 24, 1904, Miss Mary Agnes McNevin.
She was born at Cresco, Iowa, and for a number of years taught
school in Minnesota. They were married at Indianapolis. The
three sons of their marriage are: Gerald F., born September 4,
1905; Charles E. O'Connor, born March 30, 1908; and Francis
John O'Connor, born March 29, 1916. Gerald graduated A. B.
from the University of Iowa in 1928, and Charles E. graduated
with the A. B. degree in the class of 1929 from the State
University and is now a law student there. |
