Veazie Winthrop O' Hara (1891-1979)

Portrait from the Wichita Beacon, February 4, 1923.

   After a bit of a break, we're back to highlight the life of oddly named diplomat Veazie Winthrop O'Hara, who gained wide experience in world affairs all before reaching the age of thirty, serving as U.S. Vice Consul in France, Italy, and Spain. One of a handful of oddly named diplomatic officers profiled here over the past five years, O'Hara's first name "Veazie" is also one of the most unique, this being the first instance of it I've seen. 

   The third in a trio of oddly named Kansans profiled recently, Veazie Winthrop O'Hara was born on August 23, 1891, in Partridge, Reno County, Kansas. The youngest of ten children born to Henry Clay and Durilla Loretta O'Hara, Veazie W. O'Hara attended Fairmount College and in 1916 graduated from Clark University in Massachusetts. Prior to graduating, O'Hara worked in civil engineering and also dabbled in the life insurance business for a time.

   In 1915 Veazie O'Hara entered the U.S. consular service, passing an examination in August of that year. He would become a consular assistant in May 1916 and in November of the following year became Vice Consul at Bordeaux, France. He remained in Bordeaux until 1918 and in the next year was transferred to Trieste, Italy. His time in Trieste extended until 1920, and during his service as Vice-Consul reported that "there was a great demand for cotton in that city, and that the Banco Italiana di Sconto will take 1,500 bales of cotton on trial consignment."

   O'Hara continued his rise through the diplomatic corps in late 1920 when he was selected as Vice-Consul in Barcelona, Spain. His period of service extended over two years, with the Washington Herald later noting that he returned to Washington in December 1922 on a sixty-day leave of absence. In a February 1923 writeup in the Wichita Beacon, O'Hara reported on his time at the consulate, remarking:

"At Barcelona, Mr. O'Hara said the bulk of his work in the commercial end of his position has to do with the textile trade, which is the largest industry at that place. American cotton is the largest single item taken into Barcelona. Textile and nuts are exported. Voluntary and called for trade reports make the duties of the consul extremely heavy in a seaport city. Another item at such a place is the clearance of vessels and the handling of discharged and deserted seamen. Other duties include protection of American citizens and interests, citizenship, passport services, handling estates of deceased Americans, witnessing marriages, recording of vital statistics and much miscellaneous correspondence.

From the Wichita Beacon, January 24, 1923.

   Following his return to the United States, Veazie O'Hara received the appointment as consul in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where he served until his resignation in July 1923. He married in October 1925 to Belle McLean Callum (1889-1977.) The couple later had two daughters, Constance Belwyn and Dorothy Isabel O'Hara. Despite living to nearly ninety years of age little else could be found on Veazie O'Hara following his time in diplomatic service, except a death notice which denotes his being a "retired salesman." Widowed in 1977, O'Hara died in Winter Park, Florida on March 1, 1979, at age 87. He was later interred alongside his wife at the Partridge Cemetery in Partridge, Kansas.