John O'Neill (November 22, 1768 – January 26, 1838) was an American military officer, manufacturer and lighthouse keeper. He defended

Havre de Grace, Maryland Havre de Grace (), abbreviated HdG, is a city in Harford County, Maryland, Harford County, Maryland. It is situated at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the head of Chesapeake Bay. It is named after the port city of Le Havre, France, which ...

, during the

Raid on Havre de Grace The Raid on Havre de Grace was a seaborne military operation that took place on 3 May 1813 during the broader War of 1812. A squadron of the British Royal Navy under Rear Admiral George Cockburn attacked the town of Havre de Grace, Maryland, ...

on May 3, 1813, during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

. He then served as lighthouse keeper at

Concord Point Light Concord Point Light is a lighthouse in Havre de Grace, Maryland. It overlooks the point where Susquehanna River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, an area of increasing navigational traffic when it was constructed in 1827. It is the northernmost lig ...

from 1827 to his death.

Early life

John O'Neill was born in Ireland on November 22, 1768. He came to America at the age of 18.

Career

In 1794, O'Neill served under Henry Lee in the

Whiskey Rebellion The Whiskey Rebellion (also known as the Whiskey Insurrection) was a violent tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 and ending in 1794 during the presidency of George Washington. The so-called "whiskey tax" was the first tax impo ...

in Pennsylvania. Around 1798, O'Neill joined the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. He then moved to Havre de Grace and bought a lot two streets from the shore. He started a nail factory there. He rebuilt the nail factory after it was damaged in the War of 1812. In 1809, O'Neill was commissioned ensign of a company of militia in Maryland by Governor Edward Lloyd. During the War of 1812, O'Neill was the second lieutenant of a company of militia in the 42nd Regiment in

Harford County Harford County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 260,924. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is al ...

. He manned the Potato Gun Battery, between Bourbon and Fountain streets in Havre de Grace on May 3, 1813, when the British raided Havre de Grace commanded by Lieutenant George Westphal. Other accounts claim that O'Neill manned a gun battery at Concord Point instead of the Potato Gun Battery. He was later captured in town while trying to rally the militia. He was held prisoner on the HMS ''Maidstone'' and was sentenced to be shot by Admiral

George Cockburn Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet, (22 April 1772 – 19 August 1853) was a British Royal Navy officer. As a captain he was present at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797 during the French Revolutionary Wars an ...

. O'Neill was injured in the hip while firing the battery and wounded Lieutenant Westphal. His daughter Matilda is credited with helping encourage the release of O'Neill, but President

James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...

stepped in to get him released. For his defense of Havre de Grace, O'Neill was appointed as first keeper of

, a lighthouse in Havre de Grace, by President John Quincy Adams in 1827. He served in that role until his death.

Personal life

O'Neill married Mary. They had two sons and one daughter, William, John and Matilda. His descendant Millard Tydings was a senator. O'Neill was a vestryman at St. John's Episcopal Church. During the War of 1812, O'Neill lived at a house on Washington Street, between Bourbon and Fountain streets. He later lived at the lighthouse keeper's house, also known as the O'Neill House, across the street from the lighthouse. O'Neill died on January 26, 1838. He was buried at Angel Hill Cemetery in Havre de Grace.

Legacy

For his bravery, O'Neill received a sword from the City of Philadelphia on July 4, 1813. On November 14, 1914, a monument and cannon was dedicated at Concord Point to commemorate O'Neill.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:O'Neill, John 1768 births 1838 deaths 18th-century Irish people People from Havre de Grace, Maryland United States Navy sailors Maryland militia People from Maryland in the War of 1812 War of 1812 prisoners of war held by the United Kingdom American manufacturing businesspeople American lighthouse keepers Episcopalians from Maryland