Biographies

Lottie O’Neill was the first woman elected to the Illinois General Assembly, where she served for 40 years. When she retired, she was the longest-tenured female elected official in the United States. Before the Capitol: A Life at Home On June 13, 1904, Lottie Holman married Irish immigrant William Joseph O’Neill (1875–1925). Along with their two sons,  they moved to Downers Grove in 1908 where they raised their family. Lottie devoted herself to civic and volunteer work, serving in the Red Cross, Campfire Girls, Downers Grove Women’s Club, and President of the Parent Teachers Association. Widowed in 1925 at midlife, Lottie faced the loss of her husband with resilience and determination. Despite personal loss, she continued to raise and guide her family. Elmer Holman O’Neill (1905–1963), Lottie’s oldest son, married Stella Martha “Peggie” Babin (1907–1989). They had two daughters. Stella was remembered on her gravestone as “A Gentle Soul, Wife,