Henry Emmet O'Neill II : Short Biography

Henry Emmet O'Neill II     Ancestry Life Story

When Henry Emmet O'NEILL was born on June 26, 1856, in Ireland, his father, Henry, was 52 and his mother, Margaret Law, was 35. He married Ellen Helena O'NEILL on September 13, 1883, in Kansas City, Missouri. They had seven children during their marriage. He died on April 11, 1912, in Florence, Kansas, at the age of 55, and was buried there.

Life Sketch of Henry Emmett O'Neill II

In 1875, our great-grandfather Henry E. O'Neill II, at the age of 19, and his brother Hugh, left the farm in Ireland where they had experience in farming and raising animals and came to America. They landed in Boston and spent a few months with their sister Rose and her husband James O'Reilly who resided there. For several years, they roamed around the country (Boston, Texas, Colorado, Dodge City) and took up living life on the range. Henry II worked for three years as a Brand Inspector in Kansas City. Both men decided to settle in Florence, KS.
In the US Census of 1880, both Hugh and Henry were farmers living in Pearlette, County Meade, Kansas.
In those frontier days, the number of eligible women for marriage was scarce in Kansas. That might be the reason why both men went looked back to their homeland Ireland to search for a wife.
According to his obituary in The Florence Bulletin, 18 April 1912, in December 1882, Hugh went back to Ireland for a month's visit, and incidentally, his last visit to his native land. (We have a ship's manifest {26 Feb 1883} that suggests that Hugh and Henry went together to Ireland).
In July 1883, Hugh returned to Ireland and married Mary O'Neill.
Hugh and Mary were married 30 Jul 1883 in Ahoghill, County Antrim and came back to the US and brought Mary's sister, Ellen, with them. Henry met them in Kansas City, MO, and he and Ellen were married in Kansas City on 12 Sept 1883.

The two O'Neill brothers married two O'Neill sisters, but the two O'Neill families were not related. (That makes us 100% Irish on the O'Neill side of the family.)
After their marriage, Henry and Ellen came to Florence and lived there a few months before moving out onto a farm four to five miles northeast of town. Hugh and Mary settled on an adjoining farm. Henry and Hugh proceeded to buy up large parcels of land in both Marion County and Chase County, north and east of Florence, KS. The farms ranged from 80 to 1650 acres in Marion County. In the fall of 1883, Henry and Hugh purchased property belonging to George Ramsey, paying $1700 for it. In November 1883, Henry purchased the Count DePengre farm, consisting of 1650 acres, situated 5 miles east of Florence. They became very prominent farmers and cattle entrepreneurs. According to church records there, all the children were born there. Ellen and Henry lived on this farm until the fall of 1901, when they moved back to Florence.
Henry II obtained his Certificate of US Citizenship on 8 Mar 1889.
The Bureau of Land Management has records of and a map of Henry and Hugh's land dated 13 Apr 1889. (available on its website)
According to a newspaper item dated 28 May 1890, "Henry and Hugh O'Neill, residing a few miles east of Florence are two of our staunch and well-to-do farmers and are each preparing to erect nice dwellings on their farms".
Hugh was still purchasing land in June 1891, according to a deed in our possession.
Henry and Ellen had 7 children:
• Mary Henrietta (Etta): 28 Jul 1884 - 9 Nov 1974
• Helen Frances Mary (Nell): 13 Aug 1885 - 6 May 1967
• Katherine Josephine (Kate): 10 Nov 1886 - 2 Feb 1962
• Margaret Teresa: 11 May 1888 - 25 Aug 1960
• Henry Emmett III: 14 Sept 1890 - 17 Jan 1948
• Elizabeth Angela (Bess): 12 Apr 1892 - 26 Oct 1978
• Rose Martina (Tina): 20 Jan 1894 - 17 Dec 1962

On 21 Nov 1891, Henry was made guardian for his brother Hugh's children and trustee of the considerable amount of property Hugh had accumulated by that time. The property was turned over to Henry for $1. Hugh's other property was sold to Henry for $5000. There are guardianship documents and letters from his sister, Jane O'Neill Livery, protesting Henry's guardianship.

In 1901, Henry sold all the properties and bought a huge house at 609 Main Street in Florence. They moved from the farm to Florence.
Henry died 11 April 1912 due to cancer of the stomach, according to his certificate of death. (His brother Hugh had also died of stomach cancer in 1897). Ellen died in 1924.
The week before he died, The Florence Bulletin (4 Apr 1912) reported: "Henry O'Neill, Sr. and Dr. Haas went to Kansas City Tuesday. Mr. O'Neill has been in poor health for several weeks and went there to consult a specialist. After a short visit with his daughter, Mrs. G.E. Heiler (Etta), he expects to go to Excelsior Springs, MO for a month's stay."
Ellen joined him in Kansas City later that week.
The Marion Review 18 Apr 1912) reported; "Henry O'Neill died at Kansas City last week, after undergoing an operation for cancer of the stomach, and the remains were brought back to Florence and placed in a vault in the cemetery at that place Saturday. Mr. O'Neill was well and favorably known in Marion County, having resided near Florence for many years."
He was 55 years, 9 months and 15 days of age.