Joseph Patrick O'Hara (January 23, 1895 – March 4, 1975) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

Early life

O'Hara was born in

Tipton Tipton is an industrial town in the West Midlands in England with a population of around 38,777 at the 2011 UK Census. It is located northwest of Birmingham. Tipton was once one of the most heavily industrialised towns in the Black Country, w ...

Cedar County, Iowa Cedar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,505. Its county seat is Tipton. The county is named for the Cedar River, which runs through the county. Cedar County is located between t ...

, on January 23, 1895. He attended the public schools and graduated from

Spirit Lake, Iowa Spirit Lake is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,439 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Dickinson County. The town is located along the western shore of East Okoboji Lake, in the Iowa Great Lakes reg ...

, High School. During the First World War, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant of the Infantry in the Officers’ Reserve Corps and later promoted to captain in the

Quartermaster Corps Following is a list of Quartermaster Corps, military units, active and defunct, with logistics duties: * Egyptian Army Quartermaster Corps - see Structure of the Egyptian Army * Hellenic Army Quartermaster Corps (''Σώμα Φροντιστών ...

, serving from May 13, 1917, to August 15, 1919. With overseas service, he was commissioned as a major of Infantry in the Reserve Corps. O'Hara also attended

Inns of Court The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. There are four Inns of Court – Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple. All barristers must belong to one of them. They have ...

, London, England, and graduated from the law department of

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...

South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...

. In 1920, he was admitted to the bar in 1921, and was commenced practice in

Glencoe, Minnesota Glencoe is the county seat of McLeod County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,631 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water. U.S. Highway ...

Careers

O'Hara served as an attorney for various villages, cities, towns, and school districts, as well as county attorney of McLeod County (1934 – 1938). He was then elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to the 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 81st, 82nd, 83rd, 84th and the 85th congresses on January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1959.

World War II

O'Hara was an outspoken ally of

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...

, and was avowed isolationist. This was considered particularly aggregious at the time because this was after the fall of France and before Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union, and at that time Britain was very much alone. After an especially contentious argument outside of congress over a bill titled H.R. 1776 (which provided funding for the British military in early 1941),

Edward E. Cox Edward Eugene "Eugene" or "Goober" Cox (April 3, 1880 – December 24, 1952) served as a U.S. representative from Georgia for nearly 28 years. A conservative Democrat who supported racial segregation and opposed President Franklin Roosevelt's " ...

, Stephen Pace,

Paul Brown Paul Eugene Brown (September 7, 1908 – August 5, 1991) was an American football coach and executive in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Brown was both the co-founder and first coach of the Clevela ...

Albert Sidney Camp Albert Sidney Camp (July 26, 1892 – July 24, 1954) was an American politician, educator and lawyer. Biography Camp was born in Moreland, Georgia. The Camp family was a colonial family with ancestors arriving in the American colonies during th ...

Carl Vinson Carl Vinson (November 18, 1883 – June 1, 1981) was an American politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for over 50 years and was influential in the 20th century expansion of the U.S. Navy. He was a member of the Democratic ...

Sam Hobbs Samuel Francis Hobbs (October 5, 1887 – May 31, 1952) was a United States Representative from Alabama. Biography Born in Selma, Alabama, Hobbs attended the public schools, Callaway's Preparatory School, Marion (Alabama) Military Institute ...

Pete Jarman Peterson Bryant ″Pete″ Jarman (October 31, 1892 – February 17, 1955) was a U.S. Representative from Alabama. Early life Born in Greensboro, Alabama, Jarman attended the public schools, the Normal College, Livingston, Alabama, and Southern ...

Henry B. Steagall Henry Bascom Steagall (May 19, 1873 – November 22, 1943) was a United States representative from Alabama. He was chairman of the Committee on Banking and Currency and in 1933, he co-sponsored the Glass–Steagall Act with Carter Glass, an ac ...

George M. Grant George McInvale Grant (July 11, 1897 – November 4, 1982) was an American politician and Democratic Representative from Alabama. Early life George McInvale Grant was born in Louisville, Alabama on July 11, 1897. He attended public schools i ...

Frank W. Boykin Frank William Boykin Sr. (February 21, 1885 – March 12, 1969) served as a Democratic Congressman in Alabama's 1st congressional district from 1935-1963. The son of sharecroppers, Boykin became the wealthiest man in Mobile, although his entrepre ...

L. Mendel Rivers Lucius Mendel Rivers (September 28, 1905 – December 28, 1970) was a Democratic U.S. Representative from South Carolina, representing the Charleston-based 1st congressional district for nearly 30 years. He was chairman of the House Armed Se ...

James P. Richards James Prioleau "Dick" Richards (August 31, 1894 – February 21, 1979) was a lawyer, judge, and Democratic Party (United States), Democrat United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from South Carolina between 1933 and 1957. H ...

Hampton P. Fulmer Hampton Pitts Fulmer (June 23, 1875 – October 19, 1944) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented South Carolina in the United States House of Representatives from 1921 – October 19, 1944. After his death, his wi ...

Herbert Covington Bonner Herbert Covington Bonner (May 16, 1891 – November 7, 1965) was a Democratic U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1940 and 1965. Born in Washington, North Carolina, Bonner attended school in Warrenton. He served in the United State ...

and

John L. McMillan John Lanneau "Johnny Mac" McMillan (April 12, 1898 – September 3, 1979) was a United States representative from South Carolina. Born on a farm near Mullins, he was educated at Mullins High School, the University of North Carolina, as well ...

all denounced O'Hara to the press. All 15 of the aforementioned southern representatives attacked O'Hara personally when speaking to the media. Richards said that O'Hara's "lack of manhood was only surpassed by his lack of sense." George M. Grant called O'Hara "two-faced and gutless." Hery B Steagall said it was "unfortunate that Mr. O'Hara has no sense of honor." Herbert Covington Bonner called him "unmanly and shameful." Hampton P. Fulmer said O'Hara was "nothing but a damned fool." Peter Jarman said that "When Hitler says jump, Mr. O'Hara asks ''How High?''." When asked "Do you respect Representative O'Hara?", Albert Sidney Camp responded "No!" Edward E. Cox said that it was "a shame, because Joseph O'Hara was a man once." O'Hara voted against the

Civil Rights Act of 1957 The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was the first federal civil rights legislation passed by the United States Congress since the Civil Rights Act of 1875. The bill was passed by the 85th United States Congress and signed into law by President Dwigh ...

. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1958 to the 86th congress, but he resumed the practice of law in Washington, D.C., where he resided. He died in

Bethesda, MD Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...

, on March 4, 1975. His interment is in

Gate of Heaven Cemetery Gate of Heaven Cemetery, approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of New York City, was established in 1917 at 10 West Stevens Ave. in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, as a Roman Catholic burial site. Among its famous residents is b ...

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References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ohara, Joseph Patrick 1895 births 1975 deaths University of Notre Dame alumni Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota People from Tipton, Iowa People from Spirit Lake, Iowa People from Glencoe, Minnesota Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Silver Spring, Maryland) 20th-century American politicians Notre Dame Law School alumni