Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2022
John O’Connor was born around 1825, probably in Ireland or maybe New York. He moved west, and ended up in LaSalle, Illinois, near Chicago in 1858. John married Catherine Neafsey (or Nefsey), who was born in Ireland, in 1858.
The family came to Minnesota in 1859 or 1860. In 1861, the family lived in Glendale Township, Scott County, Minnesota, which is near present day Savage. They lived near Thomas Neafsey, his wife, Mary, and two children, Patrick and Catherine. Thomas was the brother of Catherine Neafsey O’Connor.
The O’Connor family in 1865 consisted of John and Catherine, along with their children: Edwin, age 8, Mary, age 7, Julie, age 5, Catharina, age 2, and John Jr., age one.
While Catherine Neafsey O’Connor was taking care of the five children, John O’Connor volunteered and joined the Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company I. Catherine probably did not support his enlisting, but for John it was one way to get money for the family.
As the Ninth Minnesota Infantry I company and other companies were recruited and headed to Fort Snelling for training, Thaóyate Dúta or Little Crow (1810-1863) and others, hungry and not receiving provisions, attacked New Ulm and other settlements on Dakota land. The regiment spent the next year on the frontier duty, its companies scattered throughout the state. The Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment were involved in defending colonist-settlers in Minnesota, and then defending people in the South, according to “Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment” on MNopedia.
During the Civil War, the regiment served for three years for the Union, culminated in the Battle of Nashville, a battle in which its members fought side-by-side with men from three other Minnesota regiments.
John was found drunk on guard duty, and was sent to a military prison. He spent a year in prison and was released with highest regard for his character and work ethic. John worked as a brick layer and stone mason in prison, which he later used when he returned to Minnesota.
When John was released back to his regiment, John was involved in the Battle of Nashville. During that time, John received an injury to one of his eyes.
The Ninth mustered out of the service at Fort Snelling on August 24, 1865. The Ninth Minnesota Infantry suffered six officers and 41 enlisted men killed in action or who later died on their wounds, plus another three officers and 224 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 274 fatalities.
John returned to his family in Glendale and shortly after, bought a house in downtown Shakopee. Henry and Mary F. Hinds sold their house on Second and Market Street to the O’Connors for $200. It was near the train tracks and is now at The Landing in Shakopee.
John and his family spent regular time at the Church of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Shakopee. The church was often called the Irish Church. The Church of the Immaculate Conception, which was just a few blocks from St. Mark’s, was erected by 1866. It was not until 1876 that the church became St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
John O’Connor worked at the Schroeder Brick and Lime Manufacturing Company. It was one of the leading and most prosperous business enterprises of the city and was well known in the northwest. The brickyard was located north of Bluff Avenue between Market and Minnesota Street. The bricks were from near the Minnesota River, near Huber Park. Many of the early buildings in Shakopee were made from these bricks. The work that John did was only for eight months of the year. The rest of the year, he was out of work.
To make it worse, John and Catherine’s son, Johnnie, died suddenly on October 31, 1866. Johnnie was five years, eight months old, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Shakopee.
John had a long and lingering illness due to the eye injury he suffered in the war. The injury turned cancerous. He was turned down for support from the military.
John O’ Connor died in June of 1878. He was buried next to his son at Calvary Cemetery. His wife, Catherine Neafsey O’Connor, died on April 13, 1897 in St. Paul.
Bibliography
Hutchinson, Matthew W. “Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment.” MNopedia, 11 March 2013. https://www.mnhs.org/mnopedia/search/index/group/ninth-minnesota-volunteer-infantry-regiment.