Patrick J. Halligan

HALLIGAN

Posted By: Rebecca Foster (email)
Date: 9/5/2014 at 09:32:41

OBITUARY.

HALLIGAN.

At the family residence, 725 Perry street, today at 1:40 a.m. occurred the death of an old and respected resident of Davenport, Patrick J. Halligan. His demise is a sad shock to his family, coming entirely unforeseen as the result of an accident. Last Saturday about 1 o'clock Mr. Halligan was going north on Harrison street, and on reaching Fourth street noticed a wagon coming along in his direction just as he started to cross. His vision being impaired in one eye by senile cataract, he failed to notice a horse driven to a buggy coming in an opposite direction. He advanced therefore and the buggy horse dashed against Mr. Halligan with great force, hurling him violently to the pavement, his head striking against the iron step at the crossing, cutting an ugly gash vertically down the forehead through the eyebrow, and inflicting a severe contusion on the cheek. Mr. Halligan was helped to his feet by sympathetic bystanders and removed to his home, where medical skill was summoned to his aid. On complaining of severe pain in his chest, he was examined thoroughly, and no ribs were found fractured, neither were there any external signs of the terrific blow he had received on the right side from the moving horse. He, with the family, desired nothing said about the occurrence, as it was evident that it was entirely accidental and as no serious results were expected. Wednesday, however, heart weakness suddenly developed, induced by the congested state of the lungs, occasioned by the shock, and a rapid decline followed until death occurred as stated.

Mr. Halligan was the son of John and Mary Young Halligan, who after their marriage moved from England, the county of their birth, to Ireland, locating at Summerhill, Meath county, Ireland. Here the lately deceased was born, on Aug. 31, 1825, and remained until his twenty-fourth year. At the age of twenty he left the Episcopal fold and became a Catholic, adhering to that faith the rest of his life. He left the old country in 1819, arriving in New York on July 15. He was married the next year, on Oct. 27, 1849, in Patterson, N.J., going thence to Peru, Ill. After two years he came to Davenport, arriving here on Aug. 17, 1853. After a few years passed in other occupations, Mr. Halligan entered the employ of the Davenport Gas company, where he remained for about thirty years as collector and general foreman. There survive to mourn his loss his wife and six children, John, James, Thomas, William, Mary and Joseph.

The funeral takes place Friday morning with services at Sacred Heart Cathedral at 9 o'clock. Interment in St. Marguerite's cemetery.

Source: Davenport Daily Leader; Davenport, Ia.,Thursday, December 19, 1895