Obituary Record

Clark O'Hanlon
Died on 1/23/1940
Buried in Blair Cemetery

25 Jan., 1940 - The Enterprise

(Photo)

#1-Dies After Six Months Illness-Passes Away Quietly-Outstanding Blair Citizen

Clark O’Hanlon, well know in this county and state passed away quietly Tuesday morning at about eight o’clock. He had been ailing for more than six months and every possible medical aid had been tried to bring him back to his normal health.

Deceased was a native of this county. He was born in DeSoto February 24, 1869, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard O’Hanlon, pioneer settlers of this county. His early education was that of the district school in the Bono School District, where his father homesteaded and, when later a farm was purchased near Herman, he attended the Herman schools and later he was a student at the State Normal School of Shenandoah, Iowa.

After returning home he studied law with L. W. Osborn and afterward formed a partnership with him which lasted until Osborn received the appointment of minister to Samoa.

In 1893 he married Bertie J. Reed of Blair and to this union six children were born, four of whom are living, Reed Sr., Philip, Luther, and Miss Frances, all of Blair.

The firm of O’Hanlon, O’Hanlon and O’Hanlon, consisting of the father and two sons, Reed, Sr., and Philip, has been the pride of the elder O’Hanlon since its inception and is well known throughout the state.

Besides his law practice the deceased was engaged in other lines of endeavor. He obtained an interest in the Commonwealth Life Insurance Company of Omaha and acted on the board of directors and as general counsel. The company sold out and he and others of the company bought the North American National Life Insurance Co. of Omaha. In this he acted as vice-president and counsel. This continued until 1925 when Mr. O’Hanlon disposed of this interests.

During this time the family resided for three and one-half years in Omaha and the law firm here was known as O’Hanlon and Maher with the elder son, Reed Sr., and Wm. J. Maher in charge. Blair, however, was home to the deceased and the family moved back to Blair where a new arrangement was made with the law firm and he again identified with the practice here.

After returning to Blair he formed a partnership and organized the Nebraska-Iowa Oil Company of which he was president at his death.

He took much interest in politics and was county attorney from 1895 to 1899. He served as Mayor of Blair in 1904 and 1904. He was elected County Judge in 1908 but resigned from the bench in 1911 to resume his practice. He was a member of the Insanity Board, of the Cemetery Board and of the board of the Congregational Church. He was also active in lodge work in both the Masonic and Odd Fellows and served for years a chairman of the Democratic Central Committee.

His was, indeed, a full life. He enjoyed the activities in which he engaged and was interested in everything about him and he will be greatly missed in the community.

The funeral services will be held Friday, January 26, from the Methodist Church with Rev. James Roman in charge and interment will be made in the Blair Cemetery.

#2-Rites Held For Clark O’Hanlon-Friends Pay Tribute To Late Attorney; I.O.O.F Group Present

First Methodist Church was filled Friday afternoon as services were conducted for Clark O’Hanlon, 70, veteran Blair attorney who died last Tuesday. The Rev. James H. Roman, pastor of the Congregational Church which Mr. O’Hanlon attended, officiated. Pallbearers were Mr. O’Hanlon’s three sons, Reed, Philip and Luther, and three grandsons, Robert O’Hanlon, Clark O’Hanlon, Jr., and Reed O’Hanlon, Jr. Interment followed in the Blair Cemetery.

In his sermon, the Rev. Roman, eulogized Mr. O’Hanlon for his philosophy of life and his long record of community service.

The alter of the church was banked with flowers sent by friends and various organizations.

Members of the I.O.O.F. Lodge, of which Mr. O’Hanlon had long been a member and was past state grand master, attended the services in group and formed at attention outside the church as the casket was carried out. Members of the state grand chapter, including E. S. Davis and Walter Hoagland of North Platte, attended, as did delegations from other I.O.O.F. groups.

Representative of the Washington, Douglas, Dodge, and Burt County bar associations were present. District Judge James M. Fitzgerald, Willis G. Sears, William A. Day, Herbert Rhoades and John A. Rine attended.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Find a Grave Memorial # 117679387

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