Scanlan, Matthew (1821-1891)

SCANLAN

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 1/22/2009 at 13:56:49

Matthew Scanlan
1821 - July 23, 1891

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.55, Council Bluffs)
M. Scanlan, meat market, Council Bluffs, came to Council Bluffs in May, 1876, adn has been in his present market since. He served seven years' apprenticeship at his trade in Philadelphia, Penn., beginning at the age of fourteen and serving till he was twenty-one years old. He was born in Philadelphia, Penn., in 1821. His parents died when he was small, and there being no free schools at that time, he did not go to school after he was fourteen years old, and then only attended night schools. Once during his apprenticeship, he ran away, but the next morning, seeing that a reward of $100 was offered to any one who would return him, he went back on his own account, knowing that he would be caught if he did not do so. After he was twenty-one years old, he worked only about two months in Philadelphia. Then went to Pittsburgh, Penn., and followed steamboating for about six years. During this time, he went down to New Orleans on a tow-boat, and was afterward on the Gulf of Mexico for some time. In 1848, he was married, in Pittsburgh, Penn., to Miss Martha Sneathen. He then began butchering in Pittsburgh, Pnn., and from there went to Wheeling, W. Va., and remained there till 1876, when he came to Council Bluffs. He has four children living - two sons and two daughters, all married. He is Republican in politics, and was a Whig before the Republican part was organized. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and I. O. O. F.