United States representative politician
Born in Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island, O'Connell attended the public schools. He was graduated from the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Dental College (now a branch of Temple University) in 1905 and commenced practice in Westerly, Rhode Island, the same year.
He taught in the local schools 1892-1902. During World War I he served for sixteen months with Headquarters Sanitary Train, Twelfth Division, and later as a major in the United States Dental Reserve. O'Connell was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-third, Seventy-fourth, and Seventy-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1933-January 3, 1939).
He was not a candidate for renomination in 1938. He died in Westerly, Rhode Island, December 6, 1941. He was interred in St. Sebastian Cemetery.
He served as member of the State house of representatives 1929-1932.
