Dennis M. O'Connor Public Library

Dennis Martin O'Connor, II, born October 31, 1906, into a South Texas pioneer family, was the eldest son of Thomas and Kathryn Stoner O'Connor and the great-grandson of Thomas O'Connor, who emigrated from Ireland with the Power-Hewetson Colony in 1833 and helped establish the Town of Refugio. He attended Dallas University and graduated from the University of Texas, served in the United States Navy during World War II as a Lieutenant-Commander, and married Dorothy Hama of Victoria, Texas, on May 31, 1931. Following family tradition, he built a ranching empire in the Texas Coastal Bend and spent untiring efforts breeding up the ranch stock. His hobbies included fishing, palm trees, animals, meteorological studies, and photography, and he was very knowledgeable on all these subjects. His desire to help people, young and old, was shown by his gift of a public library to Refugio County and his endowment for its upkeep, and he also made unselfish contributions to improve the quality of life in South Texas. He died at his home in Refugio County on January 16, 1997, and was laid to rest beside his ancestors in the family cemetery near Saint Dennis Catholic Church, built by his mother Kathryn.

Refugio, Texas · United States