Monday, February 26, 2007

Dr. Frank H. O'Connor obituary

From the Plattsburgh Sentinel, December 30, 1913 ....

Dr. O'Connor Dies Suddenly
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Well Known Brattleboro Surgeon, a
Native of Keeseville Succumbs to
Heart Failure
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    Dr. Frank H. O'Connor, 43 years old, one of the prominent surgeons of southern Vermont, president of the Valley Fair association, member of the Congress of Clinical Surgeons of America and one of the leading citizens of the town, died at his desk in Brattleboro at about 3 o'clock last Friday afternoon.
    Dr. O'Connor sang Thursday evening at St. Michael's Catholic church Christmas exercises where he was choir director and made his morning calls Friday, seeming cheerful to all who met him, although he had complained of slight pain near his heart for several days.
    He was born in Keeseville, and was the son of David and Katherine (Taylor) O'Connor. He graduated from St. Joseph's college, Burlington, and spent some time in the School of Philosophy at Montreal before entering the medical department of the University of Vermont, where he became one of the leading baseball pitchers in the college world. He was persuaded to go to Dartmouth for the last two years of his college course. During his college baseball career he played summer ball in the Northern league and was well known in this city.
    He joined the Philadelphia National league team but his arm failed him and he gave up professional baseball. He graduated from Long Island college hospital in Brooklyn, in 1898, and did hospital work at St. Mary's hospital in New York before going to Bellows Falls where he practiced until 1904, when he moved to Brattleboro.
    He had always taken active interest in the welfare of this town and in January, 1910, was elected president of the Valley Fair association.
    He was resident surgeon for the Boston and Maine railroad, surgeon at the Memorial hospital, medical examiner for several life insurance companies and Leo council, Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the Windham County, Connecticut Valley, and Vermont State Medical associations. Dr. O'Connor was a past grand knight of the Leo council and was state deputy in 1908.
    He married, December 26, 1899, Miss Bridget Kelly of Burlington who survives him. He also leaves one sister, Mr. R.H. Nichols of Saratoga Springs, and one brother, David O'Connor of this city.

2 comments:

Steve said...

I was wondering why you found this, until I saw the baseball tie-in. Interesting story. Is that why you posted it? Or is he a long-lost relative?rgnjlwns

Mark Aubrey said...

It was more for the baseball tie-in than anything. No relative of mine. Or yours. I was looking to see if I could find a box score for a game that I have an account of, put in the key words and this pops up. Never did find a story about the other game.