John P. Skahill 1850-1890

SKAHILL, KENNY

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 4/21/2020 at 19:28:12

Cascade Pioneer, Published in Cascade, Iowa, Friday, January 31, 1890

Good Man Gone

Last week Cascade lost one of its very best citizens in the death of John P. Skahill. He was born in the city of Dubuque, June 1st, 1850. Three years later, his parents removed to Washington Township, Jones County, where he resided until he attained his majority. He spent his primary education in the public schools of the county and finished with a course at the famous College of Notre Dame at South Bend Indiana. In 1871, he was married to Miss Ann Kenny and shortly afterwards became a resident of Cascade. In 1877, he engaged in business for himself and was a leading business man of the town up to the time of his death. In 1886, he was appointed one of the commissioners to incorporate the town of Cascade and subsequently was elected a member of the town council, serving a full term but declined a re-nomination. As a member of the council he took a prominent part in formulating the ordinances for the local government of the town. Later while in business with J. A. Hayes, he acted as deputy postmaster, a position he filled with satisfaction to the public. There survive him of his family, his wife, daughters Mary, Jane, Lucy, and sons Henry and Charley. He was a kind husband and affectionate father and his domestic circle was truly a happy one.

Mt. Skahill was true type of what an American citizen ought to be. A true gentleman fashioned after the best of models, moral worth, and not personal possessions. He had a keen sense of honor and never stooped to mean actions. His standard was truth and rectitude, it was his law and his gospel and on which he built his personal reputation. Riches and rank did not count with him. He had more respect for the poor man built morally than the rich man with less rectitude. Humanity was sacred in his eyes and he believed in forbearance and charity to all men. He was a man of strong moral convictions and was fearless to proclaim them. In fact he was a man in every sense of the term a model for his fellows.