John O’Rear was a son of Benjamin Franklin (Doc) O’Rear of Maxin, Missouri. (See sketch No. 33). He was appointed Minister to Bolivia in 1917 by President Wilson and died of smallpox in La Paz. In 1928 a bill was introduced in Congress to erect a monument on his grave in Bolivia. The following newspaper clipping gives the story of his appointment:
Special Dispatch to the Globe-Democrat
Mexico, Mo, June 23. -- John D. O’Rear who has been nominated by President Wilson for minister to Bolivia, is a great-grandson of Josiah Bartlett of New Hampshire, who was one of the singers of the Declaration of Independence. Orear is the first Missouri Democrat to receive a diplomatic appointment of this character since the late Gov. T. T. ...(unintelligible)... was minister to Mexico ....(unintelligible)......