Moran, Joseph E.

MORAN, WINTER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 1/28/2003 at 19:14:29

JOSEPH E. MORAN
Joseph E. Moran, who is now so efficiently serving as sheriff of Clinton county, is one of the honored sons and most distinguished residents of the county. He was born in Eden township on the 11th of November, 1858, his parents being James and Catherine (Winter) Moran. The father was a native of County West Meath, Ireland, and the mother was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was in 1844 that James Moran emigrated to America and took his residence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in the livery business until 1852, when he came to Clinton county, Iowa, and purchased eighty acres of land in Eden township, which he improved and finally sold to George Burkenshaw. His first home here was a little board house of one room, but he prospered in his farming operations, and in 1873 purchased the old Barr farm of two hundred and forty acres of valuable land, which he converted into one of the best farms in the locality. This place is still owned by his widow, who makes her home with our subject in Clinton. The father died in 1891, at the age of sixty-eight years.
The subject of this review passed the days of his boyhood and youth on the home farm and attended the public schools of the neighborhood. He began his business career when a young man as a clerk in Clinton, and in 1880 entered the employ of C. Lamb & Son as watchman, being employed in that capacity for four years. He was next shipping clerk for T. M. Gobble, a wholesale grocer, and was with the Chicago & Northwestern Railway for a time. For six years he was a member of the police force of Clinton, and was then again with the railroad company until appointed deputy sheriff under T. J. Hudson, in which capacity he served for four years.
In 1899 Mr. Moran was elected sheriff on the Democratic ticket. The county has a very fine jail, erected in 1885, and occupied since the 6th of January, 1886. It is built of brick in modern style of architecture, and is three stories of height, with a basement for storage. The first floor is nicely fitted up as living rooms and office. The jail part is twenty-eight by thirty-six feet in dimension, with a cage in the center and cells for the prisoners, together with closets and bathrooms. There are also two cells for women prisoners and an office for punishment. The place is well ventilated, heated by steam and lighted by electricity, in fact is supplied with all modern conveniences, being one of the best jails in the state. It is worthy of note in this connection that there has never been a legal execution in this county. Mr. Moran is proving a very popular and capable official, and has the confidence and support of the best citizens of the county.  
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.