John O'Rourke (December 1, 1834 – May 5, 1882) was an American politician and businessman.

Career

Born in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, O'Rourke emigrated to the United States in 1857 and settled in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

. He was a book-keeper for the John Fitzgerald firm of Milwaukee and a time conductor for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. He served in the

6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of the war as a part of the famous Iron Brigade in the Army of the Potomac. Service The 6th Wisconsin was rai ...

and in the 1st Illinois Light Artillery, Battery L during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. He then moved to

Juneau County, Wisconsin Juneau County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,718. Its county seat is Mauston. History Before white settlement, before loggers and explorers, the area that is now Juneau Count ...

and continued to work for the John Fitzgerald firm. In 1868, he served in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

for Juneau County and lived in the town of

Kildare, Wisconsin Kildare is a town in Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 557 at the 2000 census. History It was named after the town and county of Kildare in Ireland. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has ...

. He also served as Juneau County treasurer. In November 1874, O'Rourke moved to

Plattsmouth, Nebraska Plattsmouth is a city and county seat of Cass County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 6,502 at the 2010 census. History The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed the mouth of the Platte River, just north of what is now Main Street Pla ...

and was the assistant cashier for the First National Bank. He was elected treasurer of the Plattsmouth Board of Trade in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. In April 1881, O'Rourke was elected mayor of Plattsmouth and served until 1882 just before his death. He was involved with the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. O'Rourke died in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

Legacy

O'Rourke was the subject of the American Civil War song "

When Johnny Comes Marching Home "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" (Roud 6637), sometimes "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again", is a popular song from the American Civil War that expressed people's longing for the return of their friends and relatives who were fighting in the ...

." The lyrics were written by

Patrick Gilmore Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (December 25, 1829 – September 24, 1892) was an Irish-born American composer and bandmaster who lived and worked in the United States after 1848. While serving in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, Gilmore ...

, the brother of his future wife, Annie Maria Gilmore.

Notes

External links

* 19th-century Irish people 1834 births 1882 deaths Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923) People from Plattsmouth, Nebraska People from Juneau County, Wisconsin Politicians from Milwaukee People of Illinois in the American Civil War People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Businesspeople from Nebraska Businesspeople from Wisconsin Nebraska Democrats Mayors of places in Nebraska County officials in Wisconsin 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American businesspeople Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly {{Wisconsin-WIAssembly-Democratic-stub