Thomas O'Neill

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Thomas O'Neill

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

In April, 1906, Thomas O’NEILL, in company with his son John Francis, opened a shoe store in Dover, the same being known under the firm name of T. O’NEILL & Son. During the seven years of its existence this establishment has increased in its proportions and patronage until it is now known as one of the finest shoe stores in Morris county. A line of strictly high-class goods is carried and the store caters to a very select trade.

Thomas O’NEILL, senior member of the firm, was born in Ireland, in 1843, and in that country he obtained his preliminary educational training and learned the trade of shoemaker. He continued to live on the Emerald Isle until he had reached his twenty-fifth year, and in 1868 immigrated to the United States, settling first in New York City and subsequently removing thence to Dover, New Jersey. He has been a resident of this enterprising little city for the past forty-five years and until January, 1906, was proprietor of a shoe shop where he made and repaired shoes. On the latter date he opened the modern shoe store referred to above and he is now gradually retiring from active participation in business. He is a son of John and Honora (BEGLEY) O’NEILL, the latter of whom died in Ireland. The O’NEILL family consisted of the following children:

Thomas;
Margaret, wife of Thomas CRONAN;
Mary, wife of Michael O’ROURKE;
Catherine, wife of John MYERS;
Anna, wife of John GREEN.

In 1874 Thomas O’NEILL married Julia STACK, a native of Ireland, whence she came to America with her parents in early youth. She is a daughter of Michael STACK and she had two sisters and one brother, namely: Johannah, Mary, John. Four children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. O’NEILL:

Catherine, wife of William McCARTHY, and they have three children: Thomas, William Jr., John;
Anna, deceased;
John F., mentioned below;
Thomas, deceased.

Mr. O’NEILL deserves credit for his success in life as he is strictly a self-made man. He and his wife are communicants of the Catholic church.

John Francis O’NEILL, junior member of the firm of T. O’NEILL & Son, was born in Dover, New Jersey, January 7, 1875, and he is the third in order of birth of his parents’ four children. He was educated in St. Mary’s Parochial School and initiated his active career in the employ of the Union News Company, for which concern he worked for six months. In 1893 he entered his father’s shoe shop and there served an apprenticeship of a year and a half. He then accepted a position as clerk in the shoe department of the George RICHARDS Company, in Dover, continuing to be employed there for the ensuing thirteen years. In January, 1906, in company with his father, he opened the shoe store now well known as that of T. O’NEILL & Son. This business has been a success from the start and is constantly growing larger. Mr. O’NEILL is independent in local politics but in national affairs votes the Democratic ticket. He was reared in the faith of the Catholic church and is a valued and appreciative member of the K. of C. at Dover.

This biography was transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003).