Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection

Authors

Don Nicoll

Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

1-31-2003

Interview Number

MOH 389

Abstract

Jane Frances O’Connor was born March 13, 1960 in Augusta, Maine. She was one of twelve children born to Barbara (Murray) and Dr. Francis J. O’Connor, both from Dorchester, Massachusetts. Her father was head of radiology at Augusta General Hospital and president of the Augusta Rotary Club in 1965 and 1966. Her mother was an artist and musician who stayed at home while the 12 children were young. After growing up in Augusta in a nonpolitical family, Jane attended University of Southern Maine and later Trinity College in Washington, D.C. In the summer of 1980 she became an intern for Beverly Bustin-Hatheway, accompanying her travels around the state as a field representative to Senator George J. Mitchell, and spent much of the summer helping pack up Senator Muskie’s papers, etc. that needed to be preserved. In June 1981, O’Connor accepted a full time position as receptionist in Senator Mitchell’s office in Washington, D.C. and stayed in that position for about eight years. After George Mitchell’s departure from the Senate, she went to work for a trade association in the Capitol Hill area, where she continued to work at the time of this interview.

Scope and Content Note

Interview includes discussions of: family background; Muskie anecdotes; Beverly Bustin- Hatheway; George Mitchell anecdotes; U.S. Senate staff relationships; and the Washington to Maine car trip.

Use Restrictions

Copyright Bates College. This transcript is provided for individual Research Purposes Only; for all other uses, including publication, reproduction and quotation beyond fair use, permission must be obtained in writing from: The Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College, 70 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, Maine 04240-6018.

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