Michael Francis McNamara

MCNAMARA, GEARON, BOLAND, LINCOLN

Posted By: Pat McNamara (email)
Date: 1/5/2015 at 09:12:53

M. F. McNamara
Extracted from Portrait and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Counties, Iowa, 1894 Reprinted by Higginson Book Co., Salem, Massachusetts, p. 511-512

M. F. McNAMARA, Supervisor of Dubuque County, is one of those progressive, wide-awake farmers who find both pleasure and profit in cultivating the soil, and by means of dignity and ability tend to raise the standard of their chosen occupation. His possessions aggregate five hundred and forty acres on section 27, Table Mound Township, and they form one of the most valuable and highly cultivated tracts in the county.

Our subject was born in the city of Dubuque, August 17,1840, and is the son of John McNamara, a native of Ireland, who came to America when a lad of seventeen years. The latter was born June 24, 1804, and prior to his emigration had received a fair education in the public schools near his home. In 1835 he located in Dubuque, where he worked in the lead mines by the day for a time, after which he engaged in business for himself for twelve years. At the end of that time John McNamara purchased four hundred acres of land in Table Mound Township, which he placed under admirable tillage and resided upon until 1874, when, having accumulated a handsome fortune, he retired and moved to the city of Dubuque. He was well and favorably known throughout the county, and departed this life April 6,1880, greatly mourned by all who knew him. His brother, Michael McNamara, was a civil engineer and for a time was inspector of arms and ammunition in the army, and served under General Jackson for five years.

The maiden name of our subject's mother was Bridget Gearon, of French descent. Her father served as a Colonel in the French army. Mrs. McNamara was born in Ireland, and when fifteen years of age was orphaned and emigrated with friends to America. She made her home for a time in Troy, N. Y., after which she came to Dubuque, and in 1839 was married to John McNamara. She departed this life in 1861 at the age of fifty years.

The parental family of our subject comprised one daughter and three sons, of whom M. F., was the eldest. John, born in 1841, died at the age of twenty years; Catherine, born in 1843, became the wife of James Boland, of Dubuque, and James E. was born in July, 1845, and died May 21, 1891. M. F. received his primary education in the schools of Dubuque, and also attended in Table Mound Township. He afterward carried on his studies in Bully's College, in Dubuque, from which institution he was graduated in 1873. The year prior to receiving his diploma, however, he opened a grain and commission business with M. Brown, and continued to operate with him for four years. At that time our subject disposed of his interest in the business and moved to Parsons, Kan., where he engaged in the same business and at the same time owned a half-interest in a steam flouring mill in that city. He remained there until the spring of 1881, when he returned to Dubuque and located on the old homestead, having previously purchased the property from the rest of the heirs. He has since carried on the business of a general farmer, giving special attention to raising of fine grades of stock, and has on his estate some of the finest and most valuable animals to be found in the county.

Mr. McNamara cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, and continued to vote the straight Republican ticket until an effort was made to nominate Grant for the third term, since which time he has cast his ballot for Democratic candidates. He has been the recipient of various offices of trust within the power of his fellow-townsmen to bestow, and for three terms was Clerk of his township and is now serving his second term as County Supervisor.

October 6, 1876, our subject and Miss Bell Armstrong were united in marriage. The lady was born in Nebraska City, Neb., in October, 1858. Her grandfather served as a patriot in the Revolutionary War, and made his home where is now the city of Cincinnati, before there was any indication of its reaching its future greatness in numbers. To Mr. and Mrs. McNamara there have been born three sons and five daughters, bearing the respective names of Estella K, born in 1878, who is attending school in Dubuque; John A., born in 1879; Jennie, in 1882; Lorena, in 1883; Lettitia B., in 1885; Willard F., in 1886; Leona, in 1888, and Michael F., in 1890. Mr. McNamara is a devout member of the Catholic Church, in the faith of which he is rearing his children.