William J. O'HARA [Parents] was born about 9 Jul 1873 in Cootehall, Co. Roscommon and was christened 9 Jul 1873. He died 26 Nov 1931 in Philadelphia and was buried 1 Dec 1931 in Holy Cross Cemetery, Philadelphia. William married Susan (Susie) MCMENAMIN on 29 Apr 1903 in St. Charles Boromeo Church, Kellyville, Pennsylvania.
Sponsors at William's baptism were Patrick O'Hara and Joanna O'Hara.
A William James O'Hara from Cootehall, Co. Roscommon emigrated to the United States in 1897 aged 24. Our William was born in 1973 (which would have made him 24 years of age in 1897) and he had a brother named Joseph (the William who emigrated also had a brother named Joseph), so it's very likely that it was our William who arrived in Philadelphia from Ireland on 25 April 1897.
The William who emigrated was met on his arrival in Philadelphia by a "cousin" named Hubert O'Hara. We don't know exactly how Hubert (or Hugh, as he was also known) was related to William. He arrived in New York on 16 February 1893 aged 25 and it's thought he emigrated from Co. Roscommon. His occupation was given on the ship manifest as "coachman" but by 1894 Hubert was working in Philadelphia as a bartender. On 4 May 1898, in Philadelphia, he married Rose Gallagher (born in Ireland in 1873) and they had eight children: Mary (born March 1899), Margaret (about 1900), Rosanna (about 1901), Elizabeth (about 1903), Helen (about 1905), Teresa (1910), Hugh (lived 1912-1915) and Frances. Two of their daughters joined the Sisters of St. Joseph, becoming Sr. Ann de Lourdes and Sr. Rose Mystica. Hubert died on 17 June 1943. A birth record was located on the FamilySearch website (Irish Civil Registration pages) for a Hugh O'Hara who was born in the Carrick-on-Shannon registration district of Co. Roscommon in 1870. It's possible this record relates to William's cousin Hubert.
Shortly after his arrival in Philadelphia, William also found work as a bartender. He eventually ran his own saloon in Philadelphia and his cousin Hugh became a liquor dealer. Both were very successful businessmen and their families lived comfortable lives. Even during Prohibition (1920-1933) William was able to continue in business by making his own liquor in the basement of his home which his daughters would transport to the saloon a few blocks away. It's not known how Hugh managed during this period.
William's grandson Jerry Dallahan tells us that William had a sister named Mary back in Ireland and that he had a cousin, Rev. Robert E. McKeon, living in St. Louis, Missouri.
