Representative Frank Aloysius O’Connor View All Years

FRANK A. O’CONNOR

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable Frank A. O’Connor, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

Frank A. O’Connor was born at Independence, Iowa, August 2, 1875. He attended public and parochial schools at Lawler, Iowa, the Iowa City Academy and the State University of Iowa, graduating in the law school in 1898. He was admitted to the Bar the following year, and with William Avery Smith, now a member of the Iowa Supreme Court, opened a law office and practiced law at New Hampton, Iowa. This partnership continued for 44 years, and in 1918 they moved to Dubuque, Iowa.

Mr. O’Connor was elected county attorney for Chickasaw County in 1902 and re-elected in 1904. He was elected State Representative from Chickasaw County and served in the Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth General Assemblies, becoming minority party leader of the Democrats in the session of 1911. In May, 1922, he became United States Attorney for the district of northern Iowa. He was delegate-at-large from Iowa to the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore in 1932. He was chairman of the Iowa Delegation of the Democratic National Convention at Chicago in 1940, and placed the name of Henry Wallace of Iowa in nomination for vice president.

Mr. O’Connor served on the Iowa Governor’s Council of Defense in World War I during 1917 and 1918. In 1934 he entered federal service, becoming general counsel for the Farm Credit Administration at Omaha and later became its general agent, being responsible during this time for the operation of the FCA, including the four credit banks set up by the congressional act. He served in this capacity until June 1, 1937.

He was president of the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce, member of the Board of Governors of School of Religion at the University of Iowa, and trustee and member of the Board of Regents of Loras College.

He was united in marriage on November 24, 1904, to Mary Agnes McNevin of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who, with a son Gerald, was killed April 6, 1934 in an auto-train collision.

Mr. O’Connor died at his home in Dubuque, Iowa, June 20, 1954. Surviving are his wife, the former Mrs. Mabel Conover, whom he married in March, 1939; his two sons, Charles E. and Francis J. O’Connor of Dubuque; five grandchildren; three brothers and four sisters.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-sixth General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable Frank A. O’Connor, the people of Chickasaw County and the entire State of Iowa have sustained a great loss and the House expresses its appreciation of his character and public service and tenders, by this resolution, its sincere and heartfelt sympathy to his beloved family in their great sorrow and loss.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

AMOS C. PETERSON,

CHAS. R. BURTCH,

MARTIN E. SAR,

Committee.