Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-05
LIFE EXTINCT.
States Attorney OMara Passes
Peacefully Away.
His Demise at Mercy Hospital, Dav.
export, at 1858 this Afternoon
History OF His Life.

Patrick O'Mara. states attorney of
Rock Island county. died at the Mercy
hospital, Davenport, at five minutes to
four this afternoon, of Inflammation Of the
stomach, with which he had been an in.
tense sufferer for many months. he had
been afflicted with indigestion and kim
dred stomach ailments for q few years,
but within the past year the
malady had taken serious
turn. Last Thursday he was taken to
Mercy hospital at Davenport. and since
Sunday he has been in dying condition.
His stomach refused to retain nourish>
ment, and he starved to death.
Patrick O'Mara was born in County
Mayo. Ireland. August Q. 1s47. and when
yet child came to America with his
mother, Katherine OMara, his father,
after whom he was named, dying on the
voyage and was buried In the sea. There
| were eight children in the family, four
CT whom are dead. the surviving children
being John O'Mara, in the Illinois Sol
dicrs' home at Quincy; Mrs. James Ball
lard, of Toledo. Iowa; Mrs. VIM. Baker
and Mrs. Michael Kelly, of Edgington.
The aged mother of the deceased still re-
sides in Edgington township, where she
located after spending a few years in
Pennsylvania. Patrick was then seven
seven years old. and the early years of
his life marked the struggles Of poor
boy without advantages or aid other than
he made for himself. But he was indus.
tfious and honest and worked on the
neighb oring farms In Andalusia, Buffalo
Prairie and Edgington townships. being
employed for long time by Hon. W. F q.
Crawford.
When the war broke out Patrick was
seized with the spirit of patriotism and
was one of the first to express desire to
go to the front. But he was young and
his mother forbid his doing so. Finally,
| however, on his fifteenth birthday, he
and two of his brothers ran away from
| home to join the army and on Angus,
10, 1862, Patrick enlisted in company !
of the 126th regiment then commanded
| by Capt. Morris, and went to the front
for his adopted country. He was, as has
been said. but mere boy, but his in
tense patriotism and his never failing
bravery won for him the admiration OIL
his fellow soldiers and many of the
friends thus made were among hi
staunchest to his dying hour. One
brother fell upon the field, but the other
John. and Pat were mustered out July 12
| 1865.
The close of the war found O'Msra {
hearty, rugged, ignorant Irish boy, but al
| willing and determined to make something
| of himself and anxious to iprove every
opportunity to do so that he could COM
mand. Through the intercession of Mai
j. N. Beardsley he got into the soldiers
school at Fulton, where he received the
fundamental principles Of an education
he had saved up his army earnings and
then went to college at Galesburg for &
short term, acquiring enough of an edu-
cation to teach school for a while
He thought some of making school
teaching his profession. but finally turned
his attention to the law. He had man.
aged to scrape enough together to take
course OF study in iowa City Univer.
sity. Having done this he returned tt
Rock Island, and read in the off1c.
of P. T. McElherne and being admitted
became that gertleman's partner, the firm
name being McElherne & OMara, and i
continued until the senior members re
moval to Chicago, when Mr.. O'Mars
continued the practice alone. Being pc.
culiarly gifted in orstorical ability and
having q happy faculty of making the
most of things, he became at once a sue
cessful practitioner and was soon regard
ed as one Of the highest members of the
Rock Island county bar.
In 1876 the democratic party nominated
him for the office Of states attorney, bu
he was defeated by E. E. Parmenter. Ii
the fall of 1880 he was elected as minor.
ity representative in the legislature from
the Twenty-first district and was re-
elected in 1882. Here he gained consid,
cradle distinction throughout the state
through the ability he displayed and fore.
of eloquence and argument displayed il
debate.
In 1884 he was made the nominee O,
the democratic party for the Office Of
states attorney. but declined and the
same summer he changed his polite,
and supported Blaine during the remain
der of the campaign. In the spring OF
1887 the republican city convention
nominated him for city attorney, but in
the election ensuing he was defeated bv
VIM. McEniry. A year ago he was
nominated for states attorney on the re-
publican ticket, and was elected over
VIM. McEniry, democrat. In this cleo.
ton he attained the crowning ambition
of his life. his often expressed desire
from the time he was admitted to the bar,
being to be states attorney of Rock
Island county.
He had only fairly entered upon the
discharge Of the duties of the Office when
he broke down. but with will power
that was most remarkable. he stuck to
his duties and would not give up even