Charles T Nolan 1855-1935

NOLAN, CONWAY, LAUGHLIN, LIBERT

Posted By: Cathy Joynt Labath (email)
Date: 2/18/2007 at 16:09:38

About 10/17/1935 Newspaper Unknown:

P.A. Pioneer Laid to Rest on Saturday

Charles T Nolan, one of the original settlers in historical Irish colony here, passed away last Thursday. Came to this county in 1856. His father was first Emmetsburg postmaster. Extra large funeral. Splendid sermon is given.

Charles Nolan, one of the first settlers in the historical Irish colony of Palo Alto county, died at the home of his son John a short distance north of Emmetsburg at 10:00 o'clock last Thursday forenoon. He had been ill with kidney trouble for about ten days before death. Funeral services were held at St. Thomas church here Saturday forenoon. A solemn requiem high mass was offered by the pastor, Father McNerney, assisted in the ceremony by Father Finnegan, of the Assumption parish and Father McEvoy of Ruthven. The active pallbearers were J.W. Conway, L.P. Hickey, J.J. King, T.J. Conway, Charles Stewart and C. G. Nolan. Honorary pallbearers were M.F. Brennan, P.C. Jackman, P.T. O'Brien, W.F. Egan, B.J. McEvoy and John Hammes.

Eighty-five Knights of Columbus attended the services in a body. Present, too, at the funeral were J.J. Mahan, Graettinger, Mrs. Steve Guerdet (nee Ellen Mahan) of Armstrong, and Mary Neary Murphy, of this locality, the only remaining survivors of that notable group of settlers who established the Irish colony here in 1856. The church was packed to overflowing with attendants at the services, and a very large number of cars followed the remains to St. John's cemetery, where burial was made in the Nolan family plot. The Foy Funeral home was in charge.

Charles Thomas Nolan was born at Elgin, Ill., December 17, 1855. Thus, he was almost 80 years of age at the time of death. In April, 1856, the family left Elgin destined for Sioux City. The trip was made in covered wagons drawn by ox teams. At Fort Dodge the travellers were informed by a government surveyor of a good location on the Des Moines river north and west of that city. And thus the destination was changed wit hthe result that seven families, including the Nolans, arrived and established the historical Palo Alto county Irish colony in what is now Emmetsburg township on July 7, 1856, after almost three months of weary travel behind their ox teams.

The following fall those pioneers, being warned of Indian raids in the Spirit Lake territory, left for Fort Dodge. They returned before cold weather, however, to harvest their hay and other food crops, after which the entire winter was spent in Fort Dodge.Coming back to Palo Alto in the spring of 1857, the Nolans took up a homestead on the west shore of Medium Lake here, erected a log house and started to improve the land. This property remained in the Nolan family ever since, and it was here that the gentleman of whom we are writing grew to sturdy manhood and carved for himself and important place in the development and upbuilding of this locality.

It was in this log house that the first Emmetsburg postoffice was established. John Nolan, father of the deceased, being postmaster. Of this postoffice McCarty's History of Palo Alto County says: "When the postoffice was first established at Nolan's, the mail which came once a week was put in a big milk pan and the settlers would come over on Sunday afternoons and pick out their own mail from the pan."

Very Rev. J.T. Finnegan gave a splendid sermon at the funeral services in which he impressively traced the brave and useful life of Mr. Nolan from birth to the grave. To say the least, Father Finnegan's words filled his listeners with much respect for the daring hearts and courageous souls who pioneered this country and turned it into the luxurious surroundings we now enjoy.
On October 14, 1874 Mr. Nolan was married to Miss Alice Jane Conway. Mrs. Nolan passed away in 1924. Ten children were born. Four died in infancy, Bridget, Ann Johanna, Catherine and Patrick. Mary Ellen Laughlin died in 1913. Five survive as follows: Mrs. Alice Libert, Iowa City, John and Tom, both of Emmetsburg, James, Cedar Rapids, and Will, Chicago. He is also survived by 18 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. One brother, P.V. Nolan, resides in Emmetsburg.

The death of Mr. Nolan serves to remind us of the pioneers who came to this county when all was a wilderness. It would be impossible for the present generation to imagine the untamed condition of Iowa prairies in the year 1856, at which time the Nolans came here . Those of us who complain of hard times and adverse conditions now, wonder, with something akin to awe, how human beings could be brave enough to start out in covered wagons drawn by plodding oxen on a trip requiring three months time.

To find what? Only a wild and stubborn expanse of land; that guaranteed nothing: that promised little except a crude living, in summer heat that blistered and wintry blasts that came out of the northwest in death-dealing severity. Plus roaming Indians that threatened massacre at any time.

All these conditions were met cheerfully and courageously. They were not only met but overcome in a most convincing manner. Churches were erected, communities were formed. Slowly, but surely, the sturdy manhood of the early settlers conquered the wilderness, to win happiness and prosperity, and to hadn civilized communities of the highest type to the generations that followed.

In this early pioneer march Charles Nolan was among the earliest. He typified the true manhood that it took to accomplish what has been accomplished in Palo Alto county since it was mere prairie. Only the strongest faith in the Almighty, plus an unconquerable heart could have withstood what the and his fellow pioneers endured. Surely that faith and its resultant good works carry great eternal merit and there is every reason to believe that Mr. Nolan is enjoying his well deserved reward now.

The high esteem in which he was held was shown by the constant stream of people who attended his wake, by the overcrowded church at his funeral services, by the extra long line of automobiles that made up the procession to the cemetery. A great tribute to a worthy man. But even at that, it all was only a small gesture in the way of payment of the immense gratitude that people of this territory owe to the memory of men like Mr. Nolan.

May the sorrow of his family be assuaged by their pride in his grand manhood, and may his brave soul forever rest in peace.