Charles & Elizabeth (Fox) Ronan

RONAN, FOX, STRATTON

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 3/16/2020 at 18:55:14

Charles Ronan was born in the state of New York in 1839, the son of an Irish immigrant. The family moved to Iowa in the early 1840’s settling in the Sand Springs area.

Elizabeth Fox was born in County Meath, Ireland Feb. 1, 1839. She came with her family when they immigrated to Connecticut in 1851 and on to Iowa in 1854.

Charles and Elizabeth were married at Cascade in 1863 and took up farming southwest of Farley. The homestead was in Section 24 of Dodge Township. Charles fell through a hay chute in his barn and was killed in 1889. Mrs. Elizabeth Ronan moved from the farm in 1921.

Children born to this union include: Edward, John, Frank, Charles, Nick, Mike, Mary Elizabeth, Annie, Maggie and Catherine.

Of the family that remained in this area: One daughter joined the BM sisters- Sister Jane Francis.

John moved into a house on the west end of 1st avenue. He never married but raised Nick and Anne Ronan’s four children, who were orphaned when both parents died in 1924. The children were: Charles, Firman, Bernard and Betty.

Elizabeth married James Stratton. They farmed northwest of Farley in Section 1, Dodge Township.

The only members of the Charles Ronan family living in this vicinity now are the descendants of Catherine. She was born 1892 and was adopted by Elizabeth Ronan at the age of two. Catherine married Albert Fox and they farmed most of their married life in Section 8, Taylor Township.

The History of Farley, Welu Publishing, Copyright, 1996.