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St. Andrews Bay Pilot, April 10, 1884Obituary
Mr. Henry O'Neill died at his residence in this town on the morning of Thursday, the 3rd inst., after having reached the patriarchal age of 92 years and 5 months. Mr. O'Neill was a native of the town of Dromore, County Tyrone, Ireland; from whence he emigrated in March, 1818, and arrived at St. John, on May the 12th of that year, where he remained two three years. Having secured a subcontract for supplying provisions to the troops then quartered in the garrison at St. Andrews, he in the year 1821 removed from Saint John to this town. In the year 1823 he returned to Saint John and married Bessie, daughter of the late Charles Judge, of that city. She was the first member of the Choir of St. Malachi's church, and was considered a fine singer. Mr. O'Neill brought his bride to Saint Andrews, where they have resided ever since. Mrs. O'Neill now in her 82nd year, survives him.
Fifty years ago, he made a tour to the utmost verge of the then settled limits of the United States, but saw no place he liked as well as Saint Andrews. He always had a strong passion for agricultural pursuits, which resulted in his purchasing 54 years ago the fine farm which he for so many years successfully cultivated, and took such a deep interest in up to within a short period of his death. He also in the year 1828 acquired that town block known by his name, and around it he planted a white thorn hedge, the quicks for which he imported from Belfast, Ireland.
Mr. O'Neill was a man of sterling integrity, possessed of strong religious convictions, a loyal son of the Church of his fathers, yet while stoutly maintaining the purity of the faith, he had charity for all those who differed from him. He was a consistent advocate of total abstinence, which he illustrated by a consistent personal adherence thereto. His hand was always open to the appeals of charity, very many can testify to the generosity of his disposition. He always took an active interest in the promotion of any enterprise for the benefit of the town, and an intelligent view of all public affairs.
He raised a family of 12 children, 7 boys and 5 girls all of whom save one (John who died at the age of 25 years) survive him. Four sons and three daughters live in St. Andrews. One daughter and one son the youngest, reside in Guttenburg, N. J., where he is pastor of a R. C. Church, the rest are in Dakota. The remains of the late Mr. Henry O'Neill were interred in the R. C. Cemetery last Sunday afternoon. No stronger proof of the respect entertained for him could be given than of the immense concourse of all classes of the residents of the town, who followed his remains to the church, where the last offices were performed by the Revd. F. O'Neill, assisted by the Revd. J. O'Flaherty.
The late Mr. O'Neill has been a resident of St. Andrews for 63 years, and has survived all his contemporaries, who came to the town, when he did. Of all the men in business then not one is left, indeed there are few if any of the Irishmen who lived in Saint John when he arrived there, left behind him. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, a good citizen. May he rest in peace.