Lawyers and Lawmakers of Kentucky, by H. Levin, editor, 1897. Published
by Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago.  Reprinted by Southern Historical
Press.  p. 211.  Jefferson County.

JOSEPH THOMAS O'NEAL, of Louisville, was born in Woodford county,
Kentucky, on the 7th of February, 1849, and is descended from one of the
pioneer families of Virginia, where in 1701 located three brothers of
the name who had emigrated from the Emerald Isle to secure homes in the
new world.  From one of these brothers was descended Louis O'Neal, who
was born in Virginia and served as a soldier in the colonial army during
the war of the Revolution.  He became the founder of the family in
Kentucky, locating in Jessamine county during the closing years of the
eighteenth century.  His son, George O'Neal, the grandfather of Joseph
T., was born in Jessamine county in 1789, and the father, Merrit
Singleton O'Neal, became one of the leading farmers of that county. He
married Elizabeth, daughter of Younger Arnold, a farmer of Woodford
county, where his parents had located in pioneer days on their emigration
from the Old Dominion.
     Thus Joseph T. O'Neal is connected with two families of long
identification with the history of his native state.  He attended the
common schools of Woodford county until fifteen years of age, when he
became a student in the Woodford Academy, of Versailles, Kentucky, an
excellent institution of learning under the direction of Professor Henry.
He afterward pursued his education in the Kentucky University in Lexington
and subsequently matriculated in the law department of the Michigan
University, where he was graduated with the class of 1873.
     In the fall of that year Mr. O'Neal came to Louisville and entered
upon the practice of law in the office of Judge John Roberts.  He has
since been a member of various well-known and prominent law firms.  His
first partnership was with William L. Jackson, Jr., and Zach Phelps, under
the firm name of O'Neal, Jackson & Phelps; this was succeeded by the firm
of O'Neal & Phelps; and the next change was made by the admission of
Joseph Pryor to an interest in the business, under the name of O'Neal,
Phelps, Pryor & Seligman, but in October, 1894, by the withdrawal of two
members, the firm became O'Neal & Pryor, and January 1, 1897, Judge
W. S. Pryor, formerly chief justice of the court of appeals, was admitted
to the firm which is now Pryor, O'Neal & Pryor, Judge W. S. Pryor having
an office at Frankfort.  Since his admission to the bar Mr. O'Neal has
given his entire attention to the practice and has succeeded in securing
a large and lucrative clientage.  Many of the cases which he has handled
have been of a very important character.  The characterizing elements of
his professional career are indefatigable industry and the most thorough
preparation of his cases.  Thus sure of his position, with an accurate
knowledge of the authorities and precedents which make firm the position
he has taken, he proves a formidable opponent in forensic encounters.
He has never laid aside professional duties to seek the honors and
emoluments of political preferments, having been once a candidate before
the people.  He was named for judge of the court of appeals, at the
primary election of the Democratic party, but was defeated by a small
vote of two hundred.
     Mr. O'Neal married Miss Lydia E. Wright, daughter of Joseph and
Ellen (Briscoe) Wright.  Her father is a prominent merchant and distiller,
operating the Sugar Valley distillery in Bullitt county, Kentucky.  The
Wrights were of English descent, through the Hedges of England, and came
to America in the early part of the eighteenth century locating in
Virginia, whence they removed to Kentucky.  Mr. and Mrs. O'Neal have four
children: Meritt D., Joseph T., Goodloe and Emmett.  Mr. O'Neal holds
membership in the Baptist church and belongs to the Masonic fraternity and
the Knights of the Ancient Essenic Order.

O'Neal Arnold Wright Briscoe Hedge
=
Jessamine-KY Bullitt-KY Woodford-KY MI VA England Ireland

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/oneal.jt.txt