O'CONNOR, John Henry, Beeville Weekly Picayune, Thursday, 4 Jul 1895, pg 4:

JOHN HENRY O'CONNOR
A Good and Noble Man Passes Peacefully to the Reward of Those Who Love Their Fellow Men

A gloom was thrown over the entire city Sunday morning when it was known that John Henry 
O'Connor was dead. It was hard to realize that such was really the case, for only the day before 
and throughout the entire day he was mingling with his friends downtown with his accustomed 
cheerfulness, apparently in as good health as he has been for a long time, and when in the 
evening he went home no one thought that he would never be seen in the city at his office again, 
nor did he or his family once think that he was so near his end, up to the time of retiring for the 
night there was no premonition of the sad revelation that was to startle his family and friends the 
next morning. 

He retired Saturday night at the usual hour apparently in usual health, his slumber was as sweet 
and sound as usual, in fact there was nothing to indicate the near approach of death, nor was his 
presence discovered until Mrs. O'Connor went to call him to breakfast, then it was found that his 
spirit had departed and naught remained of the fond husband, the indulgent parent, the kind 
neighbor, the upright gentleman, the efficient officer, but the cold lifeless body, but upon it there 
was that calm satisfied smile that betokened a state of peace, his countenance was calm and serene, 
his body was in a natural state, relaxed as in sweet repose, showing that his exit from this life was 
as gentle and quiet as the setting of the sun, and may we not indulge the hope that the spirit of our 
friend and fellow townsman is now basking in the sunshine of an endless day, where cares, sickness 
and pain are, unknown. 

Mr. O'Connor was perhaps as well known as any man in this portion of the state and to know him 
was to love and admire him, he could count his friends by the score, in fact, everybody was his friend. 
His health had been poor for quite a while, but his friends indulged the hope that he was improving 
and we fondly hoped that he would be with us for a number of years.  In his death, his wife loses a 
kind and affectionate husband, his children a loving father, and the community one of its best citizens, 
the county a good officer, and all a warm hearted friend.  Peace to his ashes.

BIOGRAPHICAL
The subject Of this sketch was born in New Orleans, La., April 3rd, 1854, died at Beeville, Texas, 
June 30, 1895, age, forty-one years, two months and twenty-seven days. He came to Texas when a 
small boy and resided with his parents at Lamar, Aransas county Texas, but later on returned to 
New Orleans to complete his education, graduated at Soule university, about 1873; was engaged 
for a long time in the mercantile business at St. Marys, Refugio county, and later on in Beeville; 
was three times elected county treasurer of Bee county.

It was the good fortune of the writer to be intimately acquainted with Mr. O'Connor, for over twenty 
years, a part of the time associated with him in business and during three years, working under the 
same roof, no harsh word ever passed between us, no unkind feeling ever existed in the mind of 
either toward the other. We worked together, visited together, ate at the same table, almost lived 
together and my appreciation of the man and his noble qualities are but feebly expressed in the 
words: "I loved him" Kind and pleasant, liberal to a fault, charitable to all and possessing the higher 
and nobler attributes of man. His honesty of purpose and straight forward dealings were known of 
all men; his even temper and kind disposition, worthy of imitation. May we recommend his virtues, 
emulate his good to the world and cast the mantle of charity over the faults he may have had. A good 
citizen, a faithful county official, a dutiful son, a devoted husband, and an indulgent father has been 
called home. Such a man was big hearted, noble John Henry O'Connor.
His Friend.