Patrick and Bridget Noon Kirk

KIRK, FINNEGAN, NOON, MCGRUDER

Posted By: Dick Offerman (email)
Date: 2/8/2008 at 12:56:36

THE FAMILY AND ANCESTORS OF PATRICK AND BRIDGET NOON KIRK By Dick Offerman, Rev: Nov 2019

Patrick Finnegan Kirk was born on March 3, 1844 in Townland of North Comasasana, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, Ireland. His father was Thomas Kirk, who was born in County Mayo, Ireland and died in New Orleans in 1857. Patrick’s mother was Rose Finnegan, who was born in 1818 in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, Ireland. Rose died on November 9, 1902 and is buried in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Lawler, Iowa.

Bridget Ann Noon was born on June 1, 1853 in Lake County, Illinois. Her parents were Peter and Mary McGruder Noon. Mary McGruder’s family came from Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, Ireland Patrick and Bridget are both buried in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Lawler, Iowa.

Patrick spoke of how hard life was in Ireland at that time under British rule along with its persecution of Catholics. Patrick spoke of how the poorer Irish received shoes as an inducement to attend the British schools. There was a price on one’s head for attending mass and Patrick spoke of going to mass in secret, held in caves or private homes. Patrick was thirteen when he and his mother came to the United States, landing in New York City on July 2, 1857 after a six-week voyage. They headed west immediately to Lake County, Illinois, arriving there on August 1st. His father Thomas Kirk was already in this country and was fatefully killed working on a lumber barge in New Orleans while his wife and son were in transit to the United States. Thomas’s resting place is unknown.

Patrick and his mother stayed on in Chicago with his father’s siblings, Owen, Julia and Frank Kirk. They were considered well to do at that time. Owen Kirk was listed as having lived at 9534 Winston Avenue, Chicago, Illinois at the time of his death. Owen’s birthdate was June 15, 1815 and date of death was August 1, 1902. Owen, Julia and Frank lie in Olivet Cemetery, Chicago, IL in Lot 31, and Section 18. In researching Patrick’s history, I am amazed at how time has passed the exact dates of his arrivals and moves. He must have been a very strict record keeper. His obituaries list him as moving to Waucoma, Iowa in March, 1865. My mother’s first cousin, Mrs. Edna Hoey told me that Patrick built a log cabin southeast of Lawler, Iowa on the blacktop just south of town that heads east to Waucoma. Today’s maps refer to this road as 210th St or White Tail Road.

Edna said the cabin was located on the south side of the road at the spot where the road curves slightly to the north, just east of Crane Creek. Edna said Patrick had to walk that road to Waucoma to get work and supplies. His records indicated that he moved to Crane Creek as Lawler was originally named, on October 14, 1869. The Milwaukee Railroad was being constructed at that time and Patrick worked on a grading crew. Patrick later worked for ten years in the Greene & Lovejoy grocery store and for six years in the J. E. Landon drug store.

Patrick was elected to the Justice of the Peace office in his township for forty years – as a Democrat of course. He was especially proud of the fact that in all of those years he never had any of his decisions overturned by a higher court! One of Patrick’s obituaries said, “He was a man of great individuality”. In all of my genealogy research, this is the best statement I have heard about one of my ancestors! It was in Lawler that he met Bridget Ann Noon and in his 27th year and on her 18th birthday, June 1, 1871 they were married by Rev. P. Harrison. Their marriage license in the Chickasaw County courthouse in New Hampton, Iowa is in Marriage Book One, page 24. To this marriage were born twelve children.

Patrick and Bridget remained in Lawler except for a move back to Chicago in 1894 and they returned to Lawler a year later. Bridget spent the last few years of her life with her daughter Nellie Hughes’ family in New Hampton after she fell and injured her hip. Patrick and Bridget are buried in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Lawler, Iowa. Patrick and Bridget’s children are as follows:
• Mame Kirk. Mame died as an infant.
• Thomas Kirk. Thomas died as an infant.
• Rose Ellen was born July 3, 1875. Rose Ellen or Nellie as she was called was my grandmother. Nellie was a teacher in rural Chickasaw County schools. Nellie taught at the red brick schoolhouse west of new Hampton, Iowa and it was a coal deliveryman named Andy that caught her eye. Nellie married Andy Hughes of New Hampton on April 18, 1899 in Lawler. Andy ran a successful coal and dray business in New Hampton, Iowa. Andy and Nellie had nine children. Nellie was a teacher by training, known for her sharp mind and sharp wit. I found documents that showed Nellie purchased the small house in Lawler where her parents, Pat and Bridget spent the latter part of their lives. I assume the money for this house came from her teaching salary. Nellie and Andy are buried in Calvary Cemetery, New Hampton, Iowa.
• Clara Kirk. Born August 12, 1877. Clara married Harry Stevens on October 17, 1894. They had four daughters and the grandson of their daughter Rose, Mike Zurcher of Dubuque, Iowa provided me with valuable historical data on the Kirk family as well as some beautiful pictures. Harry passed away in 1908 at the age of 40 and he lies in Lansing, IA. Clara died in 1918 at the age of 41 and she lies in Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Lawler, IA.
• Germanus (Guy) Kirk. Born on May 28, 1879. Guy was a printer by trade and his obituary states that he “worked in many of the leading shops of this country and was recognized as one of the real experts of this trade”. He died of tuberculosis and had been at the sanitarium in Oakdale (Iowa City) Iowa for seven months prior to returning home to Lawler six weeks before his death. I list his death as in 1938 but his obituary mentions his siblings and it lists his brother Elmer Kirk as “Private Elmer Kirk of somewhere in France”. So he might have died in 1918 while Elmer was serving in World War I. Guy lies in Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Lawler, IA without a tombstone.
• William Kirk. Born November 26, 1881. William (Uncle Willie) was a career Navy man. He enlisted March 23, 1900 in Chicago, Illinois. His obituary stated that he had visited every continent except Australia. He went through the Suez Canal twice, had been to England twice, and went to the Philippines twice – spending two years there. He spent his first tour of duty in the Far East including China, Japan and the Philippines. He returned to the United States in February, 1904 on board the U.S.S Solare and was honorably discharged in San Francisco, CA. William then spent four months at home before re-enlisting in Chicago on July 18, 1904. He served on many large battleships including the U.S.S. Lancaster, Richmond, Yorktown, Buffalo, Wilmington, Texas, Nevada, Brooklyn and the U.S.S. Minnesota. William died at the Army & Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas on Christmas Day, 1907 of some type of stazia (sp?) after two months of treatment. William lies in Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Lawler, IA.
• Anna Mae Kirk. Born September 20, 1882. Anna (Aunt Nannie) married James Beard and had one daughter, Evelyn Beard Doore. Anna and James lived in Charles City, Iowa and are buried there.
• Catherine Regina Kirk. Born January 21, 1884. Catherine (Aunt Jeannie) married Charles Shepherd June 10, 1906 in Lawler and they had seven children. Charles was a postman in Lawler for 38 years. His father was a well known country doctor who had his son accompany him on many wintertime horse drawn home visits. Jeannie lived in Lawler most of her life except for a year in Chicago when she was a child and one year in New Hampton after she was married. Jeannie died on November 10, 1964. Jeannie is buried alongside Charles in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Lawler, IA. Jeannie and my grandmother Nellie appear to have been close as sisters and I have a number of family postcards and pictures.
• Cora Kirk. Born August 8, 1886. Cora died at the age of three. Cora is buried in Lawler, Iowa.
• Leo Elmer Kirk. Born June 25, 1888 He was named after Pope Leo. Uncle Elmer as he is affectionately called in our home was a celebrated World War I veteran. He enlisted in the service on February 27, 1918. He was with the 44th Company, 20th Engineers and spent his service duty in France. Later in life he ran a landscape business in Dubuque, Iowa and lived at 162 Locust St. Uncle Elmer had a weakness for the bottle and his nieces told many lively tales. From spending too much time lying in the roses in France, to helping arrange funeral flower bouquets as well as demonstrating fine military marching routines, Uncle Elmer was the source of much fun and entertainment. Uncle Elmer died in 1959 and lies in Dubuque, IA.
• Olive Kirk. Born March 19, 1890. Oilve died at three months of age.
• Francis Kirk. Born June 4, 1894. Frank died as an infant.