Patrick Joseph Sullivan 1857-1943

SULLIVAN, HARRINGTON, MCKIBBEN, STEINER, PARSONS, FINN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 6/22/2013 at 01:00:50

P.J. Sullivan, 87, Dies After Severe Stroke
In Good Health Until His Illness Yesteday
Patrick Joseph Sullivan died at his home early this morning after suffering a severe stroke yesterday. Sullivan, 87 year-old Estherville resident, celebrated his birthday Sunday. He had been enjoying good health until he had a stroke yesterday.

Born Feb. 14, 1856, [Per cemetery records, 1857] in Bantry, County Cork, Ireland, he came to the United States when he was 20 years old. He worked as a sailor for several years shipping between Boston and South American ports. Later he came to Iowa and lived in Estherville where he worked for the B.C.R. and N. railroad.

Wed at Belmond
On Dec. 20, 1883 Mr. Sullivan was married to Elizabeth Harrington who came from Bantry, Ireland, also. They were married in Belmond, Ia., and made their home permanently in Estherville.

Patrick Sullivan was one of the first members of the Catholic parish in Estherville and the church here was named for St. Patrick because of Mr. Sullivan and some of the other original parish members who were named Patrick.

Sons All Attorneys
Elisabeth Harrington Sullivan passed away three years ago. Surviving members of the family are three sons, all of them attorneys. John F. and William J. Sullivan of Mandan, N.D. and Joseph Sullivan of Milwaukee; and three daughters, Mrs. G.T. McKibben of Des Moines, Mrs. Frank J. Steiner of Armstrong, and Mrs. F.G. Parsons of Estherville. Also living are 16 grandchildren and one sister, Mrs. David Finn of Belmond.

Funeral arrangements will not be completed until all members of the family have been heard from. Mass probably will be celebrated Thursday at St. Patrick’s church. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, February 16, 1943)

P.J. Sullivan, Retired R.I. Engineer Died Monday Night
Patrick Joseph Sullivan, 87, died at his home Monday morning at 2:45. A severe stroke suffered Sunday was the cause of death.

He was born February 14, 1886 [1856] at Bantry, County Cork, Ireland and came to the United States when he was 20 years old. For several years he worked as a sailor between Boston and South American ports. He worked for the B.C.R. & N. railroad at Estherville later where he continued to live. He was a locomotive engineer and retired in 1926 at the age of 70.

He was married to Elizabeth Harrington on December 20, 1883 in Belmond, Iowa. She also came from Bantry, Ireland.

Mrs. Sullivan preceded him in death three years ago. He is survived by three sons, John F. and William J. Sullivan of Mandam, N.D.; Joseph E. Sullivan, an FBI man of Milwaukee, Wis.; three daughters, Mrs. G.T. McKibbens of Des Moines, Mrs. F.G. Parsons of Estherville, Mrs. Frank Steiner of Armstrong, sixteen grandchildren, one great-grandchild and a sister, Mrs. David Finn of Belmond, Iowa.

Funeral services were held Thursday morning at St. Patrick’s Catholic church with Father Bowen of the La Sasalette Seminary at Milford in charge.

The pallbearers were Fred G. Larson, D.A. Bagan, A.V. Bormann, F.J. Kennedy, Ed H. Neppl and John Sullivan from Graettinger. Burial was in the Catholic cemetery in Estherville. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, February 18, 1943)