He is the Johnny that the Civil War song, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was written about by his brother-in-law Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore per contributor Russ Krueger.
Biography written on Capatin O'Rourke in "Andrea's History of the State of Nebraska" in the Cass County section per contributor Casscogirl.
CAPTAIN JOHN O'ROURKE, Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank, was born in Ireland in December, 1834, and employed as a practical miller until his emigration to America in 1857. He first located in the city of Milwaukee, Wis., remaining there three years in the capacity of a book-keeper, then entering the employ of John Fitzgerald (now of Lincoln, Neb.), at that time contractor on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad; as clerk and paymaster at Neenah, Wis., and subsequently at Greenfield, Mass., in the same employ. In April, 1861, he enlisted in the "old Montgomery Guards" at Milwaukee, attached to the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, being almost immediately commissioned Captain of Company D, of which he continued in charge until December, 1861, re-enlisting and receiving his commission as Captain of Battery L, First Illinois Light Artillery, in February, 1862. on February 10, 1864, while in the advanced line of the army before Petersburg, W. Va., his left shoulder was broken and himself taken prisoner, being first confined in Libby Prison Hospital, then in prison at Macon, Ga, and subsequently at Charleston, S. C., where he was one of the six hundred officers who received the fire of the Union guns, during the siege of that city. After five unsuccessful attempts to escape, made at various times, he at last, and all alone, succeeded in eluding his guards at Columbia, S. C., in March, 1865, after thirteen months of imprisonment, reaching the Union lines at Charleston four weeks thereafter. He was then appointed paymaster's clerk, a position which he retained until the cessation of hostilities in the fall of 1865. In 1866, returned to Milwaukee, where he kept books for a short time, then locating and remaining in Juneau County, Wis., as one of the firm of John Fitzgerald & Co. for several years. In the fall of 1867, was elected to represent Juneau County in the General Assembly, and, in 1868, as County Treasurer. At the expiration of his term of office, he entered the employ of John Fitzgerald as confidential clerk and secretary. Coming to Nebraska arid locating at Plattsmouth in November, 1874, he was appointed Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank, and has been annually re-elected since. Was elected Treasurer of the Plattsmouth Board of Trade in 1881, re-elected in 1882, and elected Mayor of the city in April, 1881 for a term of two years. He was married in Milwaukee January 19, 1875, to Annie M. Gilmore, a native of that place, and has four children--Marie E., John Gilmore, Annie Louise and Joseph Thomas.
Federal pension cards = Applied for veterans pension 6-18-1884 in Nebraska. His widow Annie M. O'Rorke applied for pension 11-6-1894 in Nebraska. Her file will have proof of marriage and her full date & place of death etc... His file may have birth place in Ireland.
Provided by contributor, Martin W Johnson
Biography written on Capatin O'Rourke in "Andrea's History of the State of Nebraska" in the Cass County section per contributor Casscogirl.
CAPTAIN JOHN O'ROURKE, Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank, was born in Ireland in December, 1834, and employed as a practical miller until his emigration to America in 1857. He first located in the city of Milwaukee, Wis., remaining there three years in the capacity of a book-keeper, then entering the employ of John Fitzgerald (now of Lincoln, Neb.), at that time contractor on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad; as clerk and paymaster at Neenah, Wis., and subsequently at Greenfield, Mass., in the same employ. In April, 1861, he enlisted in the "old Montgomery Guards" at Milwaukee, attached to the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, being almost immediately commissioned Captain of Company D, of which he continued in charge until December, 1861, re-enlisting and receiving his commission as Captain of Battery L, First Illinois Light Artillery, in February, 1862. on February 10, 1864, while in the advanced line of the army before Petersburg, W. Va., his left shoulder was broken and himself taken prisoner, being first confined in Libby Prison Hospital, then in prison at Macon, Ga, and subsequently at Charleston, S. C., where he was one of the six hundred officers who received the fire of the Union guns, during the siege of that city. After five unsuccessful attempts to escape, made at various times, he at last, and all alone, succeeded in eluding his guards at Columbia, S. C., in March, 1865, after thirteen months of imprisonment, reaching the Union lines at Charleston four weeks thereafter. He was then appointed paymaster's clerk, a position which he retained until the cessation of hostilities in the fall of 1865. In 1866, returned to Milwaukee, where he kept books for a short time, then locating and remaining in Juneau County, Wis., as one of the firm of John Fitzgerald & Co. for several years. In the fall of 1867, was elected to represent Juneau County in the General Assembly, and, in 1868, as County Treasurer. At the expiration of his term of office, he entered the employ of John Fitzgerald as confidential clerk and secretary. Coming to Nebraska arid locating at Plattsmouth in November, 1874, he was appointed Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank, and has been annually re-elected since. Was elected Treasurer of the Plattsmouth Board of Trade in 1881, re-elected in 1882, and elected Mayor of the city in April, 1881 for a term of two years. He was married in Milwaukee January 19, 1875, to Annie M. Gilmore, a native of that place, and has four children--Marie E., John Gilmore, Annie Louise and Joseph Thomas.
Federal pension cards = Applied for veterans pension 6-18-1884 in Nebraska. His widow Annie M. O'Rorke applied for pension 11-6-1894 in Nebraska. Her file will have proof of marriage and her full date & place of death etc... His file may have birth place in Ireland.
Provided by contributor, Martin W Johnson
He is the Johnny that the Civil War song, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was written about by his brother-in-law Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore per contributor Russ Krueger.
Biography written on Capatin O'Rourke in "Andrea's History of the State of Nebraska" in the Cass County section per contributor Casscogirl.
CAPTAIN JOHN O'ROURKE, Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank, was born in Ireland in December, 1834, and employed as a practical miller until his emigration to America in 1857. He first located in the city of Milwaukee, Wis., remaining there three years in the capacity of a book-keeper, then entering the employ of John Fitzgerald (now of Lincoln, Neb.), at that time contractor on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad; as clerk and paymaster at Neenah, Wis., and subsequently at Greenfield, Mass., in the same employ. In April, 1861, he enlisted in the "old Montgomery Guards" at Milwaukee, attached to the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, being almost immediately commissioned Captain of Company D, of which he continued in charge until December, 1861, re-enlisting and receiving his commission as Captain of Battery L, First Illinois Light Artillery, in February, 1862. on February 10, 1864, while in the advanced line of the army before Petersburg, W. Va., his left shoulder was broken and himself taken prisoner, being first confined in Libby Prison Hospital, then in prison at Macon, Ga, and subsequently at Charleston, S. C., where he was one of the six hundred officers who received the fire of the Union guns, during the siege of that city. After five unsuccessful attempts to escape, made at various times, he at last, and all alone, succeeded in eluding his guards at Columbia, S. C., in March, 1865, after thirteen months of imprisonment, reaching the Union lines at Charleston four weeks thereafter. He was then appointed paymaster's clerk, a position which he retained until the cessation of hostilities in the fall of 1865. In 1866, returned to Milwaukee, where he kept books for a short time, then locating and remaining in Juneau County, Wis., as one of the firm of John Fitzgerald & Co. for several years. In the fall of 1867, was elected to represent Juneau County in the General Assembly, and, in 1868, as County Treasurer. At the expiration of his term of office, he entered the employ of John Fitzgerald as confidential clerk and secretary. Coming to Nebraska arid locating at Plattsmouth in November, 1874, he was appointed Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank, and has been annually re-elected since. Was elected Treasurer of the Plattsmouth Board of Trade in 1881, re-elected in 1882, and elected Mayor of the city in April, 1881 for a term of two years. He was married in Milwaukee January 19, 1875, to Annie M. Gilmore, a native of that place, and has four children--Marie E., John Gilmore, Annie Louise and Joseph Thomas.
Federal pension cards = Applied for veterans pension 6-18-1884 in Nebraska. His widow Annie M. O'Rorke applied for pension 11-6-1894 in Nebraska. Her file will have proof of marriage and her full date & place of death etc... His file may have birth place in Ireland.
Provided by contributor, Martin W Johnson
Biography written on Capatin O'Rourke in "Andrea's History of the State of Nebraska" in the Cass County section per contributor Casscogirl.
CAPTAIN JOHN O'ROURKE, Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank, was born in Ireland in December, 1834, and employed as a practical miller until his emigration to America in 1857. He first located in the city of Milwaukee, Wis., remaining there three years in the capacity of a book-keeper, then entering the employ of John Fitzgerald (now of Lincoln, Neb.), at that time contractor on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad; as clerk and paymaster at Neenah, Wis., and subsequently at Greenfield, Mass., in the same employ. In April, 1861, he enlisted in the "old Montgomery Guards" at Milwaukee, attached to the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, being almost immediately commissioned Captain of Company D, of which he continued in charge until December, 1861, re-enlisting and receiving his commission as Captain of Battery L, First Illinois Light Artillery, in February, 1862. on February 10, 1864, while in the advanced line of the army before Petersburg, W. Va., his left shoulder was broken and himself taken prisoner, being first confined in Libby Prison Hospital, then in prison at Macon, Ga, and subsequently at Charleston, S. C., where he was one of the six hundred officers who received the fire of the Union guns, during the siege of that city. After five unsuccessful attempts to escape, made at various times, he at last, and all alone, succeeded in eluding his guards at Columbia, S. C., in March, 1865, after thirteen months of imprisonment, reaching the Union lines at Charleston four weeks thereafter. He was then appointed paymaster's clerk, a position which he retained until the cessation of hostilities in the fall of 1865. In 1866, returned to Milwaukee, where he kept books for a short time, then locating and remaining in Juneau County, Wis., as one of the firm of John Fitzgerald & Co. for several years. In the fall of 1867, was elected to represent Juneau County in the General Assembly, and, in 1868, as County Treasurer. At the expiration of his term of office, he entered the employ of John Fitzgerald as confidential clerk and secretary. Coming to Nebraska arid locating at Plattsmouth in November, 1874, he was appointed Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank, and has been annually re-elected since. Was elected Treasurer of the Plattsmouth Board of Trade in 1881, re-elected in 1882, and elected Mayor of the city in April, 1881 for a term of two years. He was married in Milwaukee January 19, 1875, to Annie M. Gilmore, a native of that place, and has four children--Marie E., John Gilmore, Annie Louise and Joseph Thomas.
Federal pension cards = Applied for veterans pension 6-18-1884 in Nebraska. His widow Annie M. O'Rorke applied for pension 11-6-1894 in Nebraska. Her file will have proof of marriage and her full date & place of death etc... His file may have birth place in Ireland.
Provided by contributor, Martin W Johnson
Inscription
CAPTAIN JOHN O'ROURKE (large headstone)
COMPANY D
6TH WISCONSIN VOL.
DIED MAY 5, 1882
Requiescat in pace (Rest in Peace - Latin)
CAPT. J. O. ROURKE (military marker)
CO. L.
1ST ILL. L.A.
GAR 1861-1865 STAR MEDALLION (indicates service in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Civil War.)
Family Members
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