John M. Carney 1836-1913

CARNEY, BLISS, BROWN, PARKER, SEAGER, PECK

Posted By: Marilyn Norris Holmes (email)
Date: 5/13/2008 at 20:35:05

Grinnell Stewart Library Obituaries online.

J.M. CARNEY, OF GILMAN, IS DEAD
Prominent Resident of City to the North Succumbs to a Sudden Attack of Heart Failure.

LIVED IN GRINNELL DURING EARLY LIFE

Was One of Freshman Class Which Left College to Enlist for Service In Civil War.

J.M. Carney, of Gilman, died suddenly last Wednesday. The funeral was held at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon from the home in Gilman. Rev. V.B. Hill, pastor of the Congregational church, conducted. Mr. Carney's life was in many ways closely connected with the history of Grinnell. He was a strong, good man. The Marshalltown Times-Republican tells of his career as follows:

"Death came suddenly at 5:30 Wednesday morning to John M. Carney, first mayor of Gilman, for a long time justice of the peace, and prominent citizen of the town. Mr. Carney's death was due to an attack of heart failure, and followed an acute illness of only fifteen minutes. Mr. Carney had been in failing health, however, all winter.

"The death of Mr. Carney removes from Gilman one of its best citizens, a man whom the entire community respected, and one who, knowingly, never did any man a wrong. Mr. Carney will be missed especially in the Congregational church of Gilman in which he had for years been a pillar.

"John McCormack Carney was a native of Essex county, Massachusetts, where he was born Oct. 10, 1836. When he was a child his parents moved to Lawrence, and in 1851 to Pittsburgh, ( ? ) father being a railroad contractor. ( ? ) Carney gave promise of a railway career as a young man, and entered the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad as a clerk at Crestline, O. He believed greater opportunities to be open to young men in the west, however, and came to Poweshiek county in the fall of 1854.

"Mr. Carney entered the academy of Iowa College, and upon attaining his freshman year in college in 1861, he enlisted with every other member of his class for service in the civil war.

"Mr. Carney chose the cavalry branch of the service, and at the age of 25 enlisted in Company E, Fourth Iowa, on Sept. 14, 1861. He was promoted from the ranks and became regimental commissary sergeant on March 1, 1863, and veteranized Dec. 14, 1863, when he re-enlisted for the remainder of the war. His final discharge dates from August 10, 1865, when he was mustered out at Atlanta, Ga.

"After the war Mr. Carney returned to Grinnell, where he entered the employ of Prof. L.F. Parker, who was running a book store. Mr. Carney later purchased the store, operated it for a time, and then engaged in the hardware business. He remained in Grinnell until 1875, when he moved to Gilman and engaged in the real estate and insurance business, which he has since followed.

"After a residence in Gilman of only one year Mr. Carney was chosen as the first mayor of the town when it was incorporated in 1876. Mr. Carney had served for twenty-seven years as a justice of the peace for Greencastle township.

"Mr. Carney had been twice married. His first wife was Lizzie Bliss, whom Mr. carney claimed as his bride Aug. (20?) 1868?. She died in Gilman at the age of 27, on Dec. 30, 1875. In the spring of 1880 Mr. Carney took as his wife Miss Emma Brown of Gilman, who bore him five children. They all survive with the mother. The children are Mrs. Robert L. Parker, of Traer, Earl Carney, of Des Moines; Ralph (I.?) Carney, of Omaha; Mrs. Willard Seager, of Gilman, and Fred Carney, a student in Grinnell College. There are one brother and sister living, J.L. Carney, of Marshalltown, and Mrs. M.J. Peck, of Terre haute, Ind."