Patrick Maguire 1797-1861

MAGUIRE, LYNCH, FAYLE

Posted By: Frederick P. Kopp (email)
Date: 2/13/2015 at 16:55:24

The Daily Democrat and News, Davenport, Iowa Saturday, February 23, 1861

ADDRESS
OF
JAMES GRANT
BEFORE THE
SOCIETY OF OLD SETTLERS
AT THEIR
FOURTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL
ON 23 FEBRUARY 1861

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of this society: — I had expected that in the natural course of events I should not have been called upon to perform the duty assigned me, for this night, until some future period. Older men and older members of this Association, gifted with ability and honored with esteem by you, owe a duty to the Society, in this respect which has not yet been performed, and it is to be hoped, that hereafter, they will feel, that they have not earned their diploma as Old Settlers of Scott county, until they have performed their share of writing your history and their own.

During the past year the following members of your Association have died:
…

Patrick McGuire (actual spelling was Maguire) was born in Ireland, and emigrated to this country when quite a young man. He settled in Davenport in 1839. He belonged to the humble, but honest poor of society; he toiled in the stone quarry, in the brick yard, with the bod, and with the plow, in the building of the homes and farms which others enjoy. He lived long enough, and was industrious enough to earn and own a farm of his own, on which he has left his family free from debt.

Many of the fine homes of Davenport, now owned and occupied by its wealthiest citizens, can boast of honest Pat McGuire as one of its builders.

He was a sturdy, honest yeoman, free from the blarney of his race; he was a strong Democrat in his politics, was able to read the newspapers, and performed above his class, on all public affairs. He died in this town on the 20th of January, 1861 aged 64 years.

During the last harvest, he was accustomed to rest his pitch-fork on his thigh, and the constant use of it, in one particular spot, bruised and produced a lump, which, from want of care, connected with old age, and habits, increased in volume until it endangered his life, and when the tumor was removed by a surgical operation, he was so exhausted that he died in sixty hours thereafter.