Thomas O'Connor (writer)

Thomas O'Connor (b. 1 September 1770 Dublin, Ireland; d. 9 February 1855 Sands Point, New York) was an Irishman who in 1801 emigrated from County Roscommon, Ireland, to New York where he devoted himself chiefly to journalism.

Thomas O'Connor was the second son of Charles O'Conor (1736-1808) of Mount Allen and the grandson of the famed historian and antiquarian, Charles O'Conor O'Conor Don (Irish: Cathal Ó Conchubhair Donn) of Belanagare (1710-1791). The elder Charles wrote Dissertations on the ancient history of Ireland, as well as several other important historical works. This branch of the O'Conor family (O'Conor Don or Ó Conchubhair Donn in Irish) is one of Europe's most ancient, which has an unbroken line to A.D. 75, which includes Rory O'Conor or Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (d. 1198) last High King of Ireland.

A member of the United Irishmen, he took the oath from Wolfe Tone. O'Connor was actively involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 The failure of this revolutionary attempt of that year caused him to leave his native land. He emigrated to New York City in 1801, where he found among the residents of that city one Hugh O’Connor and family. Hugh O’Connor (a fellow countryman but not a relative) had, with his family, emigrated in 1790, or not long previously, from Sligo, Ireland. Thomas and Margaret, a daughter of Hugh O’Connor, were married in 1803. There were two children as a result of this marriage, both born in New York City: Charles O’Conor (1804-1884) and Eliza Margaret O'Conor (1810-1894).

When O'Connor first emigrated to the United States from County Roscommon in Ireland, he was associated with William Kernan (father of Francis Kernan) and others in establishing a settlement on a tract of 40,000 acres in Steuben County, New York. The chief aim of this enterprise was to establish an Irish Catholic colony. Some relatives accompanied the family, including Thomas' father, Charles, who died there in 1808. He eventually abandoned the enterprise, returned to New York City, and spent the rest of his life there. He devoted himself largely to literary pursuits, contributing to the journals, writing and publishing books, and editing various periodicals, including the Military Monitor, established in 1812, the Shamrock, and the Globe, founded in 1819.

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