Daniel O'Neill (editor)

Daniel O'Neill
Memorial to Daniel O'Neill at his gravesite in the Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh.
Born	1 January 1830 Cloughbawn, County Wexford, Ireland
Died	30 January 1877 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Known for	Editor and owner of the Pittsburgh Dispatch newspaper

Daniel O'Neill immigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1851, settling in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He became editor and owner of the Pittsburgh Dispatch newspaper along with his brother Eugene M. O'Neill. O'Neill served several terms on the Pittsburgh City Council.

Daniel, born Daniel O'Connell O'Neill, at Cloughbawn, County Wexford, Ireland on New Year's Day, 1830. His father, Mr. Hugh O'Neill, was principal of a school there. His mother was Kate (Navin) O'Neill. He was the eldest of twelve children.

O'Neill's interest in journalism began at an early age and he was a contributor to the Wexford Independent.

O'Neill emigrated to the United States in 1851 and settled in Pittsburgh. His first job was as a reporter with the Pittsburgh Dispatch newspaper, then owned by Colonel J. Heron Foster. After five years with the Dispatch, O'Neill took a job as local editor of a rival newspaper, the Chronicle. When the American Civil War broke out he covered the news for the Chronicle as a war correspondent.

Returning to Pittsburgh after the war, O'Neill purchased a share in the Dispatch Over time he and his brother Eugene M O'Neill eventually acquired full control of the Dispatch and Daniel acted as business manager and editor. Perhaps his impact at the paper can be summed up by comments which appeared at the time of his death;

In addition to his activities with the newspaper, O'Neill served several terms in the Pittsburgh City Council and was a member of the Electoral College of Pennsylvania.

Daniel O'Neill was first married to Mary O'Neill, daughter of James O'Neill and Rebecca Burchell on 12 April 1853. They did not have children He was next married to Emma Seely (1851–1910). Together they had three children, Florence O'Neill, a writer and composer who eventually joined his father managing the Dispatch, Emily Martha O'Neill and Daniel O'Neill.