McGOVERN, THOMAS F.

MCGOVERN, CULLEN, GOLDEN

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 1/11/2004 at 16:03:41

Biography reproduced from page 295 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Thomas F. McGovern, one of the representative citizens of Kossuth county, resides at Whittemore, Iowa. He was born in Platteville, Wisconsin, in September, 1861, his parents being Phillip and Margaret (McGovern) McGovern, both natives of County Caven, Ireland, who came to this country and located near Platteville, Wisconsin, in the ‘30s. The father at once found work as a laborer in the lead mines that were being opened up at Platteville and at this work he remained until 1848, when he joined that innumerable throng of gold hunters who were being swept coastward by the far-famed craze of “gold in California” and which awakening has passed into American history as the gold fever of 1849. On reaching California he was far better prepared than many who made the hazardous adventure from the fact that he had much practical knowledge of mining. He remained in California for three years, during which time a fair measure of success attended his efforts and after securing a substantial interest in a partially developed mine, he returned to Wisconsin, bringing with him his earnings in gold dust which he exchanged for cash at Galena, Illinois. With cash in hand he returned to Platteville, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land. He then immediately returned to California to look after his mine, which was known as the Horseshoe mine and was located at Horseshoe Bend. He remained on this property and in the mining business in various parts of California for another term of three years, when he returned and in 1857 married and settled on his farm and began its development. He prospered in all his business ventures and was thus enabled to make investments, which he continued to do until he was the owner of seven hundred and twenty acres of land, all of which he operated, continuing its development and bringing it to a high state of production. The later years of his life he spent in quiet and retirement in the city of Platteville, Wisconsin, where he died in 1904, his wife following him to the better land in 1909.

Thomas F. McGovern was reared and educated in Platteville, Wisconsin. He remained with his parents until he was nineteen years of age, when on March 9, 1881, he came to Whittemore, Kossuth county, Iowa, and settled on a farm his father had purchased in 1880. This place he improved and, being a farmer by birth and choice, prosperity attended his efforts and he was soon enabled, out of his savings, to purchase the place he had rented from his father. On this farm he continued to live until he became proprietor of several farms. In 1893, he retired from the active work of the fields and established his residence in the town of Whittemore. He still owns three hundred and twenty acres in Palo Alto county, which he operates and where he makes a specialty of Percheron horses. Since 1893 he has dealt heavily in live stock, having also a coal business in connection with his other interests in Whittemore. He is a stockholder in the German American Bank of Whittemore and in the Whittemore Elevator Company.

On the 7th of January, 1886, Mr. McGovern married Miss Katie Cullen, a daughter of Terry and Bridget (Golden) Cullen, both of whom were natives of County Caven, Ireland. To this union four children have been born: Frankie, who passed away in March, 1887; Alice, a music teacher at Whittemore; Thomas A., a student in the law department of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana; and Imelda, who graduated in 1912 from St. Joseph’s Seminary at Dubuque, Iowa. In politics Mr. McGovern is now and has ever been a faithful democrat. He has served as supervisor of Palo Alto county and has also served as a councilman for the town of Whittemore. He and his family are communicants of the Catholic church of that place.