William K. Mulroney 1844-1901

MULRONEY, HAND

Posted By: Bonnie Hand (email)
Date: 8/10/2008 at 05:34:23

From The Palo Alto Reporter June 27, 1901

Another Pioneer Gone

Palo Alto county lost another of her pioneer settlers on Saturday, by the death of William K. Mulroney, of Nevada township. Mr. Mulroney's death was caused by the kick of a horse. He was leading one of his horses to water and his son another one, and his son's horse in kicking at the horse Mr. Mulroney was leading, he was struck in the abdomen by the feet of the horse. He was just the right distance to get the full force of the kick, and was landed some little distance on his head and shoulders. The force of the blow was so great that blood vessels in the abdomen were weakened, and it is thought that they burst, causing his death. The accident occurred Friday evening about 5 o'clock, and Mr. Mulroney died Saturday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock.
The deceased was born in the county of Kilkenny, Ireland, April 4, 1844 and was in his 58th year when death called him hence.
When but a small boy his parents moved to this country, and for a few years lived in New York. In 1847 they moved to Watertown, Wis., and resided there three years, after which they returned to New York. Shortly after coming to New York state his father died, and in the fall of 1859, the mother with the family moved to Palo Alto county, and settled on a farm in Nevada township. He it may be said that Kerien, as he was called, grew from boyhood to manhood amid the privations and hardships of a pioneer life. At one time he drove a stage from Fort Dodge to Spirit Lake, and had many experiences in this line and endured the extremes of heat and cold on his journeys to and from Spirit Lake. In the winter of 1864, while hauling corn from Irvington to Spirit, he, in company with Joseph Mulroney and Henry Archer, got lost on the prairie and came near perishing.
In 1877, he was married to Miss Catherine Hand, and to them were born seven children, five sons and two daughters, five of them whom survive him. Mrs. Mulroney died about eight years ago.
The deceased was a man of the strictest integrity and honor, whose word was always kept sacred. He was industrious and saving, and accumulated considerable property during his life time. In habits he was beyond reproach, and during his entire life he was a teetotaler. His untimely death is universally regretted, as all realize that a splendid citizen has passed to the realms beyond the vision of man.
The funeral was held from Assumption church on Monday, being conducted by Rev. J.J. Smith. It was largely attended and his remains were carried to their last resting place by his life-long friends, Robert, John, Thomas and William Shea, and J.P. Crowley and Thomas Kirby. Rev. Smith spoke feelingly of the deceased, as he had been his pastor and friend from boyhood.