Changes

(2) Faye Gipson (divorced<br> (since Faye G. Frasier)<br>

(2) Faye Gipson (divorced<br> (since Faye G. Frasier)<br>

(3) Karen Jane Ashby O'Neal (married 1993-2016, her death)

(3) Karen Jane Ashby O'Neal (married 1993-2016, her death)

'''Children''':<br>

'''Children''':<br>

Four daughters from second marriage:<br>

Four daughters from second marriage:<br>

:Not to be confused with Texas historian and attorney [[Bill Neal (Texas)|Bill Neal]]

:Not to be confused with Texas historian and attorney [[Bill Neal (Texas)|Bill Neal]]

'''John William O'Neal''', known as '''Bill O'Neal''' (April 8, 1942 &ndash; November 3, 2025), was an [[United States|American]] [[author]] who penned than forty books and more than three hundred articles and book reviews on the American West. His work focuses on gunfighters, law enforcement officers, and ghost towns. He has also written on [[Country music]], with emphasis on [[Texas]] artists, [[baseball]], and children's books, including one about the first [[Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving]] celebrations held in Texas.

'''John William O'Neal''', known as '''Bill O'Neal''' (April 8, 1942 &ndash; November 3, 2025)<ref name=obit/> was an author of fifty-nine books and scores of articles on the American West. His work focuses on gunfighters, law enforcement officers, and ghost towns. He has also written on [[Country music]], with emphasis on [[Texas]] artists, [[baseball]], and children's books, including one about the first [[Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving]] celebrations held in Texas.

==Background==

==Background==

O'Neal was born in Corsicana in Navarro County in east central Texas to William Causby "Bud" O'Neal (1915–1991), a 1939 Bachelor of Science graduate of [[Texas A&M University]] in [[College Station, Texas|College Station]], and the former Jessie Standard (1918–2002), originally from Lampasas in west central Texas. O'Neal's maternal great-grandfather drove [[cattle]] on the Chisholm Trail; his maternal grandmother, Janie Lucile Standard, came to Texas in 1881 in a covered wagon. Bud and Jessie married on April 9, 1940, and owned a [[farm]] retail store in Corsicana. O'Neal has a younger sister, Judy O'Neal Smith (born March 20, 1944), and a brother, Michael Ross "Mike" O'Neal (born June 25, 1952) of Carrollton near [[Dallas]].

O'Neal was born in Corsicana in Navarro County in east central Texas to William Causby "Bud" O'Neal (1915–1991), a 1939 Bachelor of Science graduate of [[Texas A&M University]] in [[College Station, Texas|College Station]], and the former Jessie Lucille Standard (1918–2002), originally from Lampasas in west central Texas. O'Neal's maternal great-grandfather drove [[cattle]] on the Chisholm Trail; his maternal grandmother, Janie Lucile Standard, came to Texas in 1881 in a covered wagon. Bud and Jessie married on April 9, 1940, and owned a [[farm]] retail store in Corsicana. As a little boy, O'Neal spent treasured hours at the Ideal, Palace, and Grand theatres in Corsicana, figuratively riding the range with Gene Autry and [[Roy Rogers]]. O'Neal has a younger sister, Judy O'Neal Smith (born March 20, 1944), and a brother, Michael Ross "Mike" O'Neal (born June 25, 1952) of Carrollton near [[Dallas]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/bill-o-neal-obituary?id=59965851|title=Bill O'Neal obituary|publisher=legacy.com|date=November 5, 2025}}</ref>

In 1960, O'Neal graduated from Corsicana High School. He thereafter enrolled at, first, Navarro College in Corsicana and then Texas A&M University-Commerce, then known as East Texas State University in Commerce, a city in Hunt County. He received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] and [[Master of Arts]] from A&M-Commerce in 1964 and 1969, respectively. O'Neal served as athletic director and head football coach at Anna High School (1967–1968) and at Waskom High School in Harrison County (1968–1970). He first married the former Kathryn Berry of [[Dallas]].  After their divorce, O'Neal married Faye Gipson of Garrison in Nacogdoches County, who remarried and took the name Faye G. Frasier of [[Corpus Christi]].  

In 1960, O'Neal graduated from Corsicana High School. He thereafter enrolled at, first, Navarro College in Corsicana and then Texas A&M University-Commerce, then known as East Texas State University in Commerce, a city in Hunt County. He received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] and [[Master of Arts]] from A&M-Commerce in 1964 and 1969, respectively. O'Neal served as athletic director and head football coach at Anna High School (1967–1968) and at Waskom High School in Harrison County (1968–1970). He first married the former Kathryn Berry of [[Dallas]].  After their divorce, O'Neal married Faye Gipson of Garrison in Nacogdoches County, who remarried and took the name Faye G. Frasier of [[Corpus Christi]].  

In 2007, he was named the "Best Living Non-Fiction Writer" by ''True West Magazine.''​

In 2007, he was named the "Best Living Non-Fiction Writer" by ''True West Magazine.''​

O'Neal is a former Texas state historian, a position to which he was appointed in 2012 by [[Governor]] [[Rick Perry]]. He spoke at a public forum on March 24, 2013, at the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum in [[Austin]] on the topic, "The Leadership Roles of Sam Houston."<ref>West Texas Historical Association newsletter, March 20, 2013.</ref>

From 2012 to 2018, O'Neal was the Texas state historian, a position to which he was appointed by then [[Governor]] [[Rick Perry]]. He spoke at a public forum on March 24, 2013, at the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum in [[Austin]] on the topic, "The Leadership Roles of Sam Houston."<ref>West Texas Historical Association newsletter, March 20, 2013.</ref>

On August 10, 2013, O'Neal addressed the summer advanced degree commencement at his ''alma mater'', Texas A&M at Commerce; university president Dr. Dan Jones presented him with an honorary doctor of letters degree. The Bill O'Neal Hall, a new dormitory at Panola College, is named in his honor.<ref>Tai Kreidler, "Texas State Historian Awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters and Dormitory Named in His Honor," West Texas Historial Association newsletter, August 19, 2013.</ref>​

On August 10, 2013, O'Neal addressed the summer advanced degree commencement at his ''alma mater'', Texas A&M at Commerce; university president Dr. Dan Jones presented him with an honorary doctor of letters degree. The Bill O'Neal Hall, a new dormitory at Panola College, is named in his honor.<ref>Tai Kreidler, "Texas State Historian Awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters and Dormitory Named in His Honor," West Texas Historial Association newsletter, August 19, 2013.</ref>​

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In the fall of 2015, O'Neal's last action as an historian was the presentation of a paper at the East Texas Historical Association conference in which he advocated for the importance of citizen historians.<ref>Special

In the fall of 2025, in his last action as an historian, he presented a paper at the East Texas Historical Association conference in which he advocated for the importance of citizen historians.<ref>Tai Kriedler, Special

WTHA E-Newsletter: Bill O'Neal Death, November 4, 2025.</ref>

WTHA E-Newsletter: Bill O'Neal Death, November 4, 2025.</ref>

He died at the age of eighty-three. His services were held at Central Baptist Church in Carthage, where he had married his third wife

O'Neal died at the age of eighty-three. His services were held at Central Baptist Church in Carthage, where he had married his third wife

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==