Farrell, Richard

FARRELL, TIERNEY, MANNING, LANAGAN, CRANNON, LAUGHLIN, HAND, DOWLING, NOLAN, HANNA, MULDOON, TIERNEY, KEEGAN, MCCORMICK, SULLIVAN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/14/2003 at 19:36:18

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

RICHARD FARRELL.

Among the substantial and enterprising farmers of Deep Creek township is the gentleman whose name introduces this review. He was born in County Cavan, Ireland, November 13, 1845, and was only six years old when he came to the United States with his parents, Martin and Mary (Tierney) Farrell, who were also natives of County Cavan. They were three months in crossing the briny deep to the port of New Orleans, and then went up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Clark county, Ohio, where they spent four years. By way of the same streams they then came to Lyons, Iowa, and lo-cated in Deep Creek township, on an eighty-acre tract of unbroken prairie land, which an uncle had purchased for the fa-ther as the government price of one dollar and a quarter per acre. He kept adding to his property as his financial re-sources permitted until he had three hundred acres of fine farming land.

The subject of this sketch is the oldest in a family of ten children, the others being as follows: Bridget, widow of Thomas Manning and a resident of Center township, this county; Thomas; Peter, who wedded Mary Lanagan and lives in Or-ange township; Anna, wife of Timothy Crannon, of Minnesota; Maria, wife of John Laughlin, of Bryant, Iowa; Catherine, wife of Andrew Hand, of Hampshire township; James, who lives on the old homestead on section thirty-four, Deep Creek township; Martin, who married Elizabeth Dowling and resides in the same township; and John, who owns the old home farm. The father died in 1896, aged eighty-seven years; the mother in 1899, aged seventy-eight, and both were laid to rest in St. Mary’s cemetery, Bryant, Iowa.

Richard Farrell obtained his education in the district schools near his boyhood home, and gave his father the benefit of his labors on the farm until twenty-five years of age. He was married, January 1, 1870, to Miss Hester Catherine Nolan. Her parents, James and Mary (Hanna) Nolan, were born, reared and married in County Down, Ireland, and came to America in 1851, landing at Boston, Massachusetts, after a voyage of twelve weeks. They first located in Douglas, that state, and later lived at New Englandville, Massachusetts, until 1854, when the father returned to Ireland on account of his health, and died there in 1855. In 1857 the mother went to live with her parents in Center township, where she spent a few years, and then married Thomas Muldoon, who died in 1873. She now makes her home in Lyons. By her first mar-riage she had five daughters, namely: Jane, wife of Thomas Tierney, of Deep Creek township, this county; Nancy, who married Thomas Keegan, and both are now deceased; Mary, who lives with her mother in Lyons; Hester Catherine, wife of our subject; and Susan, wife of Andrew McCormick, of Palo Alto county, Iowa.

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Farrell were as follows: Mary, at home; Martin, who is a graduate of the Chicago Col-lege of Law, and is now engaged in practice in that city; Anna Frances and Jennie Theresa, twins, the former now the wife of Jay Sullivan, of Bryant, Iowa, the latter a teacher; Catherine, at home; Esther Louise, a music teacher; Rose, at home; James; Richard; John, who is attending St. Joseph’s College in Dubuque; Clara, who died at the age of five years, and was buried in St. Mary’s cemetery; Bryant, Thomas and Oswald, at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Farrell began their domestic life upon an eighty-acre farm on section twenty-eight, Deep Creek township, and later added to it one hundred acres, which is now well improved, he having erected a fine modern residence, a good barn and other buildings upon the property. He carries on general farming quite successfully. By his ballot Mr. Farrell supports the Democratic party, and he has filled several local offices, including that of school director. He and his family are members of St. Mary’s church of Bryant, and are well liked in the community where they reside.