Illinois State Senator. The first woman to serve in the Illinois legislature and the first to serve in both houses of the Illinois General Assembly. Elected in 1922, she held office longer than any woman in the nation. She was a voice for women's rights, education, and civil rights for over forty years.
Lottie Holman O'Neill was born on November 7, 1878, in Barry, Illinois to Thomas Frank and Mary Robbins Holman. Lottie had one sibling, brother Elmer Wallace Holman. Her early years were spent on a farm in Barry, Illinois and later in Minnesota. She was educated in business and moved to Chicago, where she met and married Irish immigrant William Joseph O'Neill in 1904. He arrived in the U.S. in 1902 via San Francisco. The O'Neill's settled in Downers Grove, Illinois, where the family remained for over sixty years. William J. & Lottie Holman O'Neill had two sons, Elmer Holman O'Neill and William J. O'Neill, Jr.
Senator O'Neill was part of the Republican party. She served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1922-1951 and as a member of the Illinois Senate from 1951-1963.
She served the Forty-first District, which spread from Elgin on the south and Indiana on the east, covering Will and DuPage counties. She was a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention. Senator O'Neill was the guest of honor at Downers Grove's O'Neill Junior High when it was named for her in November 1957. On January 14, 1976, a statue was dedicated to her and is located in the capitol rotunda in Springfield, Illinois.
Senator Lottie Holman O'Neill died on February 17, 1967. She was buried with her family in Oak Crest Cemetery in Downers Grove.
Lottie Holman O'Neill was born on November 7, 1878, in Barry, Illinois to Thomas Frank and Mary Robbins Holman. Lottie had one sibling, brother Elmer Wallace Holman. Her early years were spent on a farm in Barry, Illinois and later in Minnesota. She was educated in business and moved to Chicago, where she met and married Irish immigrant William Joseph O'Neill in 1904. He arrived in the U.S. in 1902 via San Francisco. The O'Neill's settled in Downers Grove, Illinois, where the family remained for over sixty years. William J. & Lottie Holman O'Neill had two sons, Elmer Holman O'Neill and William J. O'Neill, Jr.
Senator O'Neill was part of the Republican party. She served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1922-1951 and as a member of the Illinois Senate from 1951-1963.
She served the Forty-first District, which spread from Elgin on the south and Indiana on the east, covering Will and DuPage counties. She was a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention. Senator O'Neill was the guest of honor at Downers Grove's O'Neill Junior High when it was named for her in November 1957. On January 14, 1976, a statue was dedicated to her and is located in the capitol rotunda in Springfield, Illinois.
Senator Lottie Holman O'Neill died on February 17, 1967. She was buried with her family in Oak Crest Cemetery in Downers Grove.
Illinois State Senator. The first woman to serve in the Illinois legislature and the first to serve in both houses of the Illinois General Assembly. Elected in 1922, she held office longer than any woman in the nation. She was a voice for women's rights, education, and civil rights for over forty years.
Lottie Holman O'Neill was born on November 7, 1878, in Barry, Illinois to Thomas Frank and Mary Robbins Holman. Lottie had one sibling, brother Elmer Wallace Holman. Her early years were spent on a farm in Barry, Illinois and later in Minnesota. She was educated in business and moved to Chicago, where she met and married Irish immigrant William Joseph O'Neill in 1904. He arrived in the U.S. in 1902 via San Francisco. The O'Neill's settled in Downers Grove, Illinois, where the family remained for over sixty years. William J. & Lottie Holman O'Neill had two sons, Elmer Holman O'Neill and William J. O'Neill, Jr.
Senator O'Neill was part of the Republican party. She served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1922-1951 and as a member of the Illinois Senate from 1951-1963.
She served the Forty-first District, which spread from Elgin on the south and Indiana on the east, covering Will and DuPage counties. She was a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention. Senator O'Neill was the guest of honor at Downers Grove's O'Neill Junior High when it was named for her in November 1957. On January 14, 1976, a statue was dedicated to her and is located in the capitol rotunda in Springfield, Illinois.
Senator Lottie Holman O'Neill died on February 17, 1967. She was buried with her family in Oak Crest Cemetery in Downers Grove.
Lottie Holman O'Neill was born on November 7, 1878, in Barry, Illinois to Thomas Frank and Mary Robbins Holman. Lottie had one sibling, brother Elmer Wallace Holman. Her early years were spent on a farm in Barry, Illinois and later in Minnesota. She was educated in business and moved to Chicago, where she met and married Irish immigrant William Joseph O'Neill in 1904. He arrived in the U.S. in 1902 via San Francisco. The O'Neill's settled in Downers Grove, Illinois, where the family remained for over sixty years. William J. & Lottie Holman O'Neill had two sons, Elmer Holman O'Neill and William J. O'Neill, Jr.
Senator O'Neill was part of the Republican party. She served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1922-1951 and as a member of the Illinois Senate from 1951-1963.
She served the Forty-first District, which spread from Elgin on the south and Indiana on the east, covering Will and DuPage counties. She was a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention. Senator O'Neill was the guest of honor at Downers Grove's O'Neill Junior High when it was named for her in November 1957. On January 14, 1976, a statue was dedicated to her and is located in the capitol rotunda in Springfield, Illinois.
Senator Lottie Holman O'Neill died on February 17, 1967. She was buried with her family in Oak Crest Cemetery in Downers Grove.
Bio by: Susan Bailey Robinson
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