Whalen, Peter Henry 1842-1920

WHALEN, WHELAN, BUNCE, BUNER, HIGGINS, LAUGHLIN, REGAN

Posted By: Matthew Whalen (email)
Date: 4/11/2015 at 13:53:52

(Please see notes at the end of these obituaries. There are a number of factual errors)

PETER HENRY WHALEN DIES

Peter Henry Whalen, one of the old and highly respected citizens of this city, passed to his eternal reward Thursday, March 25, 1920. Death came after a general decline covering a period of three years.

The funeral was held Saturday from St. Benedict’s Catholic church in this city. The officiating clergymen were Rev. Father Hogan of Decorah and Rev. Father Whalen, a nephew of the deceased, of Rockwell City, Iowa. The remains were placed in the receiving vault in the Phelps cemetery. Later they will be buried in the Catholic cemetery south of this city. Among those who attended the funeral were the deceased’s only brother, Patrick Whalen, and his wife of Lycurgus, Iowa.

Peter Henry Whalen was the son of Patrick and Anna Whalen. He was born in Utica, New York, June 10, 1842, and received his education in that city. While young he came to Allamakee county, Iowa, and in 1856 came to Decorah. On June 16, 1875, he united in marriage with Ellen Bunce, the wedding taking place in Waukon. To this union two children were born, Monnie K., and Anna C., both of whom survive. The widow also survives. All live in this city.

For many years Mr. Whalen kept a store in the building now occupied by Agrim Lee’s tailor shop. In 1901 he retired from the mercantile business. For a number of years since that time he has been justice of the peace for Decorah twp., and overseer of the poor.

Mr. Whalen always took a deep interest in public affairs. In politics he was a Democrat and was active in party affairs until the past several years. He was a man of profound convictions, intelligently arrived at. He was pleasant and agreeable and of a modesty that betokened an understanding of how small must needs be man’s knowledge in this world and of how trifling and insignificant is the part that any man really plays in the great drama played by mankind thru the ages.

In religion he was a Catholic. Peter Whalen was a good man. May he rest in peace.

source: Not sure what paper this is from. The next obituary is from the Decorah Public Opinion, so likely from another Decorah newspaper.

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Peter Whalen Dead

Peter Henry Whalen, one of Decorah’s well known pioneer citizens passed away Thursday morning at his home in this city, death being due to a general decline.

The deceased was born in Utica, New York, June 10, 1842, and received his early education in that city. He came to Winneshiek county in 1856, and had been a prominent and well known resident here until his death. He spent a short time in Allamakee county before coming here.

He was married to Ellen S. Buner (sic Bunce) in Waukon June 16, 1875, who with two daughters, Miss Monnie a teacher in the public schools and Anna C., assistant cashier of the Winneshiek County State Bank survive.

Mr. Whalen operated a general store here in Decorah for many years, retiring from the business in 1901. For a number of years after retiring from business he was justice of the peace and a commissioner of the poor.

He was a man possessed of an excellent education and always kept well posted on all the important events of the day. While in business here he was always well liked for his honesty and integrity, and always enjoyed the respect and esteem of everybody. The bereaved wife and daughters have the sympathy of many friends in their loss.

The funeral services were held Saturday morning from St. Benedict’s Catholic church. Rev. Father Whalen, a nephew of the deceased, read the mass and Rev. Father Hogan preached the funeral sermon.

Owing to impassable roads to the Catholic cemetery the remains were put in the vault at Phelps cemetery, until later when they will be interred in the Catholic cemetery.

Source: Decorah Public Opinion, March 31, 1920

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NOTES:
There are a number of corrections to be made to Peter Whalen’s information.

Peter was born in Ballyduff Townland, Ballygarret, Wexford, Ireland, son of Thomas Whelan and Hannah Higgins. He was baptized on June 11, 1841. The family emigrated to Oneida County, NY, in 1849. (In the 1850 and 1860 censuses his place of birth is given as Ireland.) His brother Patrick Whalen was the only sibling born in the US. After his father Thomas Whalen was found frozen to death on the road near Walesville, NY, on February 4, 1850, Peter Whalen came to French Creek Township, Allamakee County, with his mother Hannah Higgins Whalen and younger siblings in 1856, his mother purchasing the original property in January, 1857. I cannot locate him in the 1870 Census, so I am not sure when he settled in Winneshiek County, but Ellen Bunce was the Priest’s housekeeper in Waukon, Allamakee County, for that Census. He married Ellen Bunce in 1874, not 1875, according to the Marriage License found at the Allamakee county Court House.

Peter’s siblings in Allamakee would have been Eliza Whalen Laughlin (1830-1890), Thomas Whalen (1837-1920), and Patrick Whalen (1850-1923), all of French Creek township, Allamakee County, Iowa. His mother Hannah/Hanora Higgins Whalen and brother James Whalen appear to have died before 1870, but as Eliza Whalen Laughlin’s family isn’t recorded in the 1870 Census, it’s unknown who may have been living with her family. A brother William, who stayed in NY, apparently died in the Civil War. Fr. James Leo Whalen, who read the mass, was the son of Patrick and Julia Regan Whalen.

Additional obits for this family can be found on the Winneshiek co. obit board:

Winneshiek co. obit board
 

Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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