War of 1812

John O'Neill was the first keeper of the Concord Point Lighthouse. Born in Ireland, he came to America at the age of eighteen. He was a gunsmith and served in the military during the Whisky Insurrection of 1794. He was married to Mary Virginia O'Neill and at some point moved to Havre de Grace where he ran a nail factory and served as a town commissioner. They had five known children, Jane, Anne, Matilda, John Jr., and William. His family home was at 220 S. Washington Street.

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John O'Neill became widely known for his heroic acts during the War of 1812 when, on the morning of May 3, 1813, British forces under Admiral George Cockburn attacked Havre de Grace. The story is told that as a member of the militia, O'Neill was manning the Potato Battery cannons at Concord Point when the British barges appeared. He began firing, but his fellow militiamen ran away. Firing the cannon alone, he was injured by a gun's recoil and fled into town. British forces landed at Concord Point and eventually captured O'Neill, who had continued to resist with musket fire. Word reached the town that he was to be hanged as a traitor the next day. His 16-year-old daughter, Matilda, along with several others, rowed out to Cockburn's vessel, the Maidstone. They brought evidence of O’Neill’s commission in the American militia and pleaded for his release. Cockburn gave Matilda his gold-lined snuffbox in honor of her bravery and promised to release her father, which he did.

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O'Neill became known as the "hero of Havre de Grace" and received a ceremonial sword from the citizens of Philadelphia in honor of his heroism. The sword carries the following inscription: "PRESENTED TO THE GALLANT JOHN O'NEIL FOR HIS VALOR AT HAVRE DE GRACE, BY PHILADELPHIA-1813." There are disputes about the exact events of the British attack, with some claiming that O'Neill's heroism is overblown and Matilda's actions are pure lore. However, both the snuffbox and the sword exist, handed down through the O’Neill Family, and are in the collections of the Maryland Center for History and Culture.

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Due at least in part to his heroic actions during the War of 1812, O’Neill was appointed the first Lightkeeper of Concord Point Lighthouse after its construction in 1827. He served until his death in 1838. Four of his descendants also served as keepers.