Cummings, Patrick 1853-1943 and Mary Esther Sheridan Family

CUMMINGS, SHERIDAN, MCDERMOTT, HIER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 2/3/2022 at 04:15:31

Cummings, Patrick (1853-1943) and Mary Esther Sheridan Family

This story was taken from pages 60-61 of the Rock Valley St. Mary’s Catholic Church Book written for the centennial of the church about 1982. The Centennial Book was compiled by Elaine Beumer. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society and some research notes were added.

PATRICK CUMMINGS was born at Belvedere, IL, on March 17, 1853, and with his parents moved to Claremont, Iowa while he was still a boy and he grew up there. He married MISS MARY ESTHER SHERIDAN at Menominee, Illinois in 1879 and after living for a year or two at Claremont they moved to Rock Valley where Mr. Cummings and his wife’s uncle, William Sheridan, started a grocery store.

A few years later Mr. Cummings had a chance to go to work in the Huntting Elevator Company’s grain elevator here. After learning the grain business he became auditor for the company, which position he held for 30 years, until he retired in 1915.

He had lived here continuously since 1882 and was a member of the Rock Valley school board for nearly 30 years. Mr. Cummings audited all the Huntting elevators between McGregor, Iowa and Chamberlain, S.D., on the Milwaukee line. He made many acquaintances and became widely known in scores of towns.

Of Irish descent, an unusual circumstance was that his birthday anniversary was St. Patrick’s day, the 17th of March. For years, many friends stopped in to congratulate him on that day. Mary Cummings passed away on January 28, 1895. Pat passed away on December 27, 1943. They were the parents of William Joseph, who died in infancy, Irene and Alberta.

MARY IRENE married Dr. John Cavanaugh in 1906. She spent her married life in Chicago.

ALBERTA was born on February 12, 1883. She lived with her father, and cared for him after the death of her mother. Besides the wonderful care she gave to her father her entire life, she is remembered as being an excellent cook. Many of us in Rock Valley enjoyed her brown bread.

When her sister Irene, became ill she went to Chicago to care for her. She never missed a day in ten years in calling on her in the hospital. After the death of her sister, Alberta stayed on in Chicago until her death. She passed away on March 9, 1965 and was buried at St. Mary’s.

OBITUARY OF PATRICK CUMMINGS
Patrick Ambrose Cummings resident of Rock Valley since 1882, passed away quietly Monday evening in his sleep. He would have been 91 years old next March 17.
Mr. Cummings was born at Belvedere, IL, on March 17, 1853, but his parents moved to Claremont, Iowa, while he was still a boy and he grew up there. He married Miss Mary Esther Sheridan at Menominee, IL, in 1879 and after living for a year or two at Claremont they moved to Rock Valley where Mr. Cummings and his wife's uncle, William Sheridan, started a grocery store. A few years later Mr. Cummings had a chance to go to work in the Huntting Elevator Company's grain elevator here. After learning the grain business he became auditor for the company, which position he held for 30 years, until he retired in 1915. He had lived here continuously since 1882 and was a member of the Rock Valley school board for nearly 30 years.
Mr. Cummings audited all the Huntting elevators between McGregor, IA, and Chamberlain, SD on the Milwaukee line. He made many acquaintances and became widely known in scores of towns.
Of Irish descent, an unusual circumstance was that his birthday anniversary was St. Patrick's day, the 17th of March. For years, many friends have stopped in to congratulate him on that day.
Mrs. Cummings passed away on January 28, 1895, and a baby son, William Joseph, died in infancy. Two daughters survive, Miss Alberta Cummings, who has cared for her father so well during the advanced years of his life, and Mrs. Irene Cavanaugh of Chicago.
Mr. Cummings had been in poor health during the past year. Last week he suffered a fall which hastened the end. He was in bed five days before he died but it was not realized that his condition was very serious until Sunday. On Monday, Dec. 27, he passed into a coma from which he never awakened, dying at 5:15 that afternoon.
Funeral services for the pioneer citizen were held this Thursday morning, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, in charge of the pastor, Father David McGoey.
Many friends regret the passing of this staunch citizen who was noted for his integrity and sound judgement.
Rock Valley Bee, December 31, 1943

OBITUARY OF MARY CUMMINGS
FULL OF HEROISM
The Serene and Beautiful Life of Mrs. P. A. Cummings
A serene life full of heroism and beauty was crowned with precious death January 28, at 11 o'clock a.m. when the gentle soul of Mrs. P. A. Cummings passed away from earth.
Mrs. Mary Esther Sheridan Cummings was born at Menominee, Ill., in 1856, and was educated at the Dominican Convent at Sinsinawa Mound, Wis. On October 21, 1879 she was married to Patrick A. Cummings and they resided at Claremont, Ia., for about one year when they removed to Rock Valley.
She leaves her husband and three children, Irene, Alberta and an infant son and she was the family idol. Her mother, Mrs. William Sheridan, her brothers, J. H. and N. E. Sheridan of Bancroft and J. P. Sheridan of Gresawall, Col., her sisters Mrs. G. H. Doyle of Hazel Green, Wis., Mrs. J. L. Johnson and Miss Essie Sheridan of Bancroft survive the deceased.
Her death though not unexpected has cast a gloom over the large circle of her acquaintances. Living here for so many years she gave of the rich perfume of her life to all. Her life was short counted by years; but counted by words of cheer, by smiles, by loving deeds of usefulness for others, it was a life full to the brim whose happiness can hardly be measured--a life which planted seed for good which shall yet ripen and enrich the hearts of all who knew and loved her. It was as impossible not to love her as not to love the sunshine and the birds and flowers. She was strong and womanly in character firm principle [a word or two seems to be missing here], an earnest and devout Catholic a loving and tender nature.
The relatives who were present at the funeral were: Mrs. Mary Sheridan, Mrs. J. L. Sheridan, Mrs. J. L. Johnson, Miss Essie Sheridan, N. E. Sheridan of Bancroft; Mr. and Mrs. J. Keenan, of Blooming Prairie, Minn.; Mrs. G. H. Doyle, Hazel Green, Wis.; Mrs. John Powers and Mrs. Joe Larkin, of Sinsinawa Mound, Wis., and Mrs. Mary Cummings of Claremont, Ia.
Requiem mass for the soul of the deceased was celebrated by her pastor, Rev. Father Phelan, at 11 o'clock Wednesday morning who preached a beautiful sermon and paid a high tribute to her noble virtues and Christian qualifications. [There follows a lengthy quote from his sermon, about the certainty of death.] He exhorted his audience to secure the best means for a happy death.
In extending his sympathy to the surviving members of the family he said that Mrs. Cummings was a dutiful daughter, a fine sister, a faithful wife and a good mother. Nearly ever since his appointment here she was his friend, and as a friend he wished to pay to her memory a humble tribute of his respect and esteem. She left in town few equals and no superiors to her in those Christian qualities that go to adorn a woman. Being here for fourteen years many of his hearers could as well testify to her many noble qualities as he.
Her life was one of virtue and her death was truly edifying. It would bring tears to the eye to listen to the narration of those incidents of faith and piety that her attendants witnessed in her last conscious hours on earth. Her life was characterized by faith, charity was manifested in her words and deeds, and her dying words expressed a firm hope that her Almighty Father would reward her with a home in heaven. Precious in the sight of the Lord must be such a death. Death has no terrors for such a pure soul. With what confidence could she not appear in judgment before her Savior, dying as she did, with His sacred name upon her lips. No sooner had her spirit quit its earthly tenement than it winged its flight to the realms of bliss to sing God's praises throughout the never ending cycles of eternity. [followed by a sentimental poem]
Source: Rock Valley Register, February 1, 1895.
* * * * * * * * *
From the Alton Democrat of Feb 2, 1895: Rock Valley News :
Mrs. P. A. Cummings died at her home in this city on Monday. She had been sick only a few days with neuralgia.
NOTES:
The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Cummings, Mary Esther born 25 Sep 1854 died 28 Jan 1895 buried St. Mary's Cem. Rock Valley IA. Her husband Patrick Ambrose Cummings 1853-1943) was also buried there.
From the obit of Patrick in the Rock Valley Bee of Dec 31 1943: He married Miss Mary Esther Sheridan at Menominee IL in 1879. They lost a baby son William Joseph--also in the Sioux County Cemetery Index, died 1895--two daughters survive, Miss Alberta Cummings and Mrs. Irene Cavanaugh of Chicago.)

RESEARCH NOTES: added by Wilma J. Vande Berg

According to a family report on ancestry.com (by others) Patrick was the son of Peter Cummings 1830 Ireland and Mary McDermott 1830 Ireland

A separate family report has Peter Cumming about 1830 Ireland wife Mary Mc Dermott born about 1828, Children Patrick 1853, Ellen 1855, Mary 1859, James 1861, Anna 1864 and William 1867.

1860 census of Clermont, Iowa has Peter Cummings 35 born 1825 Ireland and Mary born 1828 Ireland Cummings 32, children Patrick 7 born IL, Ella 6 and Mary 10 mo.

In a family report on ancestry.com (by other family members) Mary Esther’s parents were – William Sheridan born 1824 Killnkere, Ireland died 8 Oct 1870 Sinsinawa, Grant Wisconsin. His wife was Mary Hieronymus Hier 1838-1907 Their children were Patrick Sheridan 1838-1907, Mary Esther Sheridan Cummings 184-1895, William Sheridan 1856-1886, Sarah Sheridan 1857-1892, Imelda L. Sheridan 1858-1937, Catherine E. Sheridan 1859-1922, Nicholas Edward Sheridan 1850-1936, Catherine Ellen Sheridan Johnson 1861-1930, James Henry Sheridan 1864-1952, Arthur A. Sheridan 1866-1888, Edward Arthur Sheridan 1866-1888, John Patrick Sheridan 1868-1897, Esther Veronica ‘Essie’ Sheridan Underkofler.

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