Owen Hugh O'Neill was born in Kilross, Ireland, in 1826 (the date of his immigration to the United States is unknown). Shortly after his arrival in the U.S., O'Neill joined the army. In 1857, he accompanied the forces under the command of Albert Sidney Johnston who had been sent to suppress Mormon opposition to Federal control of the territory. He first settled in Vallejo but later moved to Santa Rosa and Santa Barbara. O'Neill was a teacher at the Santa Rosa public school and, after receiving his medical degree from the University of the Pacific in 1864, opened a medical practice in Santa Barbara County. O'Neill died in La Graciosa, California, in 1875.
From the description of Letters and essays of Owen Hugh O'Neill, 1857-1874. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 228737969
