BIOGRAPHY: Francis Joseph O’CONNOR, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 284-6
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FRANCIS JOSEPH O'CONNOR, one of the most prominent and popular members of the 
Cambria county bar, is a son of James and Elizabeth (Croyle) O'Connor. He was 
born at what was then called Forwardstown, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, August 
11, 1860.
     The grandfather of Mr. O'Connor was Francis O'Connor, a native of Ireland, 
who came to America about the year 1812. Soon after his arrival he married 
Margaret Josephine McNulty, and settled in Jenner township, Somerset county. He 
was a man of force and energy, and when the contracts for building the 
Harrisburg and Pittsburg pike were let, he contracted to construct a large 
section of that important thoroughfare. He was successful in his undertaking, 
and after the completion of the work he accepted a further contract to keep a 
portion of the pike in repair. Francis O'Connor remained a citizen of Jenner 
township until his death, and there, on November 5, 1820, James O'Connor, the 
father of the subject of our sketch, was born. He was educated in the common 
schools of his native county.
     In 1850 he had an attack of the "gold fever," and made what was then a long 
and perilous trip to California. He remained there a short time, then returned 
to Somerset and began the study of law with the Hon. Edward Scull, of the town 
of Somerset. In 1854 he was admitted to the bar, and practiced at Somerset for a 
number of years. Subsequently he moved to Jenner township, and formed a 
partnership with Samuel Gaither, Esq. Later this was dissolved and he entered 
into a partnership with General Coffroth for the practice of law. While engaged 
in practising law he operated his farm in Jenner township, and also dealt 
somewhat in real estate and live stock.
     He was united in marriage A.D. 1851, to Elizabeth Croyle, and to this union 
were born the following children: John A., merchant, who resides on a part of 
the old homestead, and is postmaster at Connor; Margaret, deceased; James B., 
attorney-at-law, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Francis J.; Peter J., at present 
preparing for admission to the bar; Philip, now in the employ of the Hartford 
Paving and Construction company, and Bertha M., teacher in the Johnstown 
schools. Having trained their children to habits of industry, and educated them 
to fill places of influence and usefulness, James O'Connor and his excellent 
wife continued to live quietly on the old homestead in Somerset county, until 
October 5, 1896, when Mr. O'Connor died, surrounded by wife and family, whom he 
loved so well, and at his own request his body was laid at rest in the little 
country grave-yard near his former home.
     Francis Joseph O'Connor was educated in the common schools of Somerset 
county, and at special schools known as normal schools. These "normals " were 
subscription schools, for the preparation of teachers and usually taught by 
those whose education and experience fitted them for a professorship in state 
normal schools.
     While a mere boy in years, Mr. O'Connor began teaching, and taught seven 
terms in the common school and five terms of normal school, in his native 
county.
     But the life of a successful teacher in a country school was far from being 
the goal of Frank O'Connor's ambition, and he soon sought a wider field for the 
exercise of his talents. Accordingly, he entered the law department of the 
University of Michigan as a student, and made such good use of his time there, 
that he graduated from that institution in the spring of 1884, with the degree 
of LL.B., and was admitted to practice before both the supreme court and the 
circuit courts of the State of Michigan. After graduating he returned to 
Somerset county and taught school for a year. Then, having passed the 
examination for admission to the bar of his native county, May 8, 1884, he began 
the practice of law at Somerset, May 4, 1885.
     Having been admitted to the bar of Cambria county, November 9, 1886, he 
came to Johnstown and opened an office on Franklin street, opposite the old 
post-office building. Here he was joined a year later by his brother, James B. 
O'Connor. The firm of O'Connor Bros. soon built up a paying practice, and 
continued until 1889, when he was elected district attorney of Cambria county, 
the firm was dissolved, and he has since occupied the commodious and convenient 
offices in the Woolf Block.
     In 1894 he was elected city solicitor by the councils of the city of 
Johnstown, and performed the duties of that office for the term of two years, 
for which be was elected, his term expiring in May, 1896.
     On the 28th of October, 1891, Mr. O'Connor was united in marriage to Miss 
Margaret Bailey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Bailey, of his adopted city.
     Mr. O'Connor has the happy faculty of winning both the friendship and the 
respect of those with whom he associates. He is at home anywhere, and can adapt 
himself to any company. He is a born orator, and when he has occasion to address 
an audience or a jury, his earnest words, with his fine presence and splendid 
physique, make a strong impression.
     In politics Mr. O'Connor is a democrat, and in 1889 was elected district 
attorney on that ticket. He performed the duties of that office for a term of 
three years. He was nominated by his party for a second term, but dissensions in 
the party led to the defeat of the entire county ticket, and he failed of 
election.
     He is one of the acknowledged leaders of his party in the county, and as he 
is young, able and ambitious, there is little doubt that he will yet be called 
upon to fill high office in the county or state.
     During the heated campaign 0f 1894 he became involved in a controversy with 
Gen. Hastings, then a candidate for governor of the State. The controversy grew 
out of Gen. Hastings' administration of affairs at Johnstown immediately after 
the great flood of May 31, 1889, and was taken up, commented upon, and discussed 
generally pro and con by the press in and without the State. The matter 
culminated in a suit at law, which was disposed of by agreement in the court of 
common pleas at Ebensburg, June 20, A. D. 1895, in such a way that it gave great 
satisfaction to Mr. O'Connor and his friends.
     Since the preparation of this work was begun Mr. O'Connor received the 
unanimous indorsement of the Democratic county convention for congress, and was 
afterwards tendered the nomination for this high office by the congressional 
conference of the district, which he declined in favor of R. C. McNamara, of 
Bedford county.