Bernard immigrated in 1881 and was a prominent construction contractor in Connellsville, Pa. He started as a coke driver for the Cambria Iron Company for a year and then worked for the B&O Railroad, becoming a foreman for a construction gang that laid the first section of the double track between Connellsville and Pittsburgh. Bernard then was a time keeper for the W.J. Rainey Coal Co., and then for six months he was a patrolman on the Connellsville police force. Bernard bought 74 acres of the old Rogers homestead, Cross Keys, in 1896, and was a dairy farmer for four years. He owned the farm until 1908. His contracting business started out in a small way in 1888 but grew to the point where in 1908 he gave up farming He built a brick residence in Connellsville on North First St. In 1909, he formed a partnership with his son-in-law J.W. Madigan, which became known as O’Connor and Madigan, later known as Penn Contracting Co. Bernard was also the proprietor of the Viktor Hotel, later known as the West Side Hotel, from 1904-1908. Bernard also had a coal mine at Vanderbilt. It was reported that he suffered from blood poisoning in the 8 years prior to his demise.

Rose immigrated from Ireland as a young girl.