Anna Maher Donahue, 1825-1917

DONAHUE, MAHER

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 8/15/2010 at 18:12:04

DEATH OF OLDEST SETTLER
Mrs. Edward Donahue Dies at Home of Daughter, Mrs. Hattie Brown, 27th of September

SETTLED IN COUNTY JULY 4, 1857

Mrs. Edward Donahue, the oldest white woman settler of Emmet county died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Hattie Brown, on North Ninth street in this city, Thursday, September 27th [1917] of old age, being at the time of death 92 years, 6 months, and 25 days of age. Funeral services were held from the Catholic church in this city at nine o'clock Saturday and the body was taken to Emmetsburg for burial in the family lot in the Catholic cemetery. She is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Hattie Brown, of this city.

Miss Anna Maher was born in Kildare, Ireland, February 21, 1825. In 1852 she came with her parents, John Maher and Bridget Coine Maher to this country [New York City] where they owned stores. Anna's brother, John, a rover by nature, had visited the High Lake area in the summer of 1856 and reported to his family of the abundance of game and fish there. All the following winter he kept the Maher family and his friend, Ed Donahue, entertained with his tales of the west. In the spring the parents and sons sold their stores in New York City and started on June 1st for the land they had heard so much about.

They traveled through Chicago to Dubuque where they purchased stock and provisions. When they reached Fort Dodge they stopped for a few days of rest. While there Anna Maher and Edward Donahue were married. The group reached Mud Lake in High Lake Township, Emmet County, Iowa on the fourth day of July, 1857.

Mrs. Donahue lived there continuously until 1889 when she moved with her children to Estherville, where she lived until claimed by death September 27, 1917.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Donahue, two daughters and a son. The daughter, Mary, and son, Edward, died several years ago. Mr. Donahue, the husband, died thirty-five years ago, the tenth of last February.

Mrs. Donahue told many tales in her true Irish wit of her early days, many of which were of the hardships of the winters. She said the lakes and streams abounded in mink, muskrats and other fur-bearing animals which were caught and taken to market in exchange for produce. They had caught as many as seven mink in one night in the chicken coop and it was but little trouble to get them anywhere.

Source: Estherville Daily News, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa; October 3, 1917.