O'REILLY, James, R. O. bishop, born in County Cavan, Ireland, about 1850 ; died in Wichita, Kansas, 26 July, 1887. He emigrated to the United States in his boyhood, and soon afterward entered the Catholic ecclesiastical seminary at Milwaukee, where he followed a course of theology and philosophy. He was ordained priest in 1874, and appointed a few months afterward pastor of Irish Creek, Kansas He was next transferred to the cathedral of Leavenworth, where he acted as assistant, and also attended Fort Leavenworth and Kickapoo. He was then for several months pastor of the cathedral. In 1881 his labors began to affect his health and he went to Europe, visiting Ireland, Italy, and other parts of the continent. After his return, in March, 1882, he was made pastor of Topeka, where he advanced the interests of his church material]y. He made purchases of property in North and South Topeka, began a church for colored people, and spent large sums in other improvements, he was nominated first bishop of Wichita, and appointed by the pope on 6 July, 1887, but died before the bulls of consecration reached him.