Peter Edward Whalen, died 1926

WHALEN, SHORTT, RILEY, TENNEY, RAY, CONNOR, ODONNELL

Posted By: Matthew Whalen (email)
Date: 8/21/2011 at 22:38:26

Funeral Service for Lycurgus Farmer

Lycurgus, Ia. March 4. –Special: Peter Whalen, one of the best known farmers of this community, died Tuesday noon at the home of his sister Mrs. James Riley in Waukon.

The deceased was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Whalen, pioneer residents of Allamakee County. He is survived by five sisters, Mrs. Martin Tenney, Minneapolis; Mrs. Rosie Day (sic-Ray), New York City; Mrs. John Connor and Mrs. James Riley, Waukon, and Mrs. Anton O’Donnell, Lycurgus; also 6 brothers John, St. Paul; Lawrence, Minot N.D.; James of Idaho; Thomas of Washington; George, Waukon, and Joseph, who resides on the home farm.

The funeral, which was largely attended, was held at St. Mary’s Catholic church at Lycurgus Thursday morning, Rev. Father McNamara, the pastor, officiating, with burial in the family lot at St. Mary’s cemetery.

~Dubuque Telegraph Herald, March 4 1926.

~Notes:
March 4th was a Thursday, so his date of death was March 2nd (as his cemetery record at St. Mary Cemetery indicates). Peter was the son of Thomas and Eliza Shortt Whalen. Mrs. Martin Tenney is Elizabeth Whalen, Mrs. Rosie Ray (it looks like a “D” and not an “R” in the paper copy, but it is Ray) is Rose/a Whalen, Mrs. John Connor is Anna Whalen, Mrs. James Riley is Johanna Whalen, and Mrs. Anton O’Donnell is Alvaretta Whalen.

Peter’s date of birth on his Cemetery record in Woodmansee’s “Allamakee County Burial Grounds” is February 26, 1878. But on his World War I Registration Card he lists his date of birth as September 10, 1875. The 1880 Federal Census lists him as 5 years old, and the 1885 Iowa Census as 10, but the 1900 Federal Census gives his month and date of birth as Feb. 1878.