Hayden, John 1861-1943 and Julia Keegan Family

HAYDEN, KEEGAN, SULLIVAN

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 2/24/2022 at 22:37:20

Hayden, John 1861 – 1943 and Julia Keegan 1864-1928 family

This story was taken from page 89 of the Rock Valley St. Mary’s Catholic Church Book written for the centennial of the church in about 1982(?). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added.

JOHN HAYDEN, a native of Illinois, came here in 1884. He was born December 15, 1861, on the farm of his parents near Le Salle, Illinois. He and JULIA KEEGAN were married at St. Mary’s Church on December 28, 1887, with Father Phelan solemnizing the ceremony. They farmed from the spring of 1887 until 1904 when the family moved to town. For a couple of years he worked in the gravel business but in 1906 he branched out for himself in the sand and gravel business. In those days the heavy stuff was all handled and loaded by the shovel method but in 1917 the business had grown to such an extent that he added a conveyor belt, scraping the gravel onto the belt with a team. In 1920 he was awarded contracts for supplying part of the gravel for the Hull-Perkins paving and the Sheldon-Hartley paving on Highway 18. He then added a steam shovel at the gravel pit. Mr. Hayden retired from the business in 1922. The couple had the misfortune of losing six children in infancy and their son, James, died January 9, 1916, at the age of 21 years. Mrs. Hayden died December 19, 1928. Earle Hayden was the only surviving child.

EARL HAYDEN was born October 26, 1896, in Rock Valley. He graduated from Rock Valley High School and served in the Army with overseas duty in France during world War I. He later married Pauline Appel of Heron Lake, Minnesota in 1926. He also worked with his father in the sand and gravel business and operated a trucking firm. He managed the state liquor store in Rock Valley for several years and later opened and operated his own tavern until his death November 20, 1964. Earl and Pauline had five daughters: Lorraine, Margaret, Marilyn, Karen and Julie. Marilyn died in infancy and Karen died February 13, 1965.
Lorraine Hayden married Ed Schieffer of Hartington, Nebraska, at St. Mary’s on June 1, 1957. They are the parents of five sons: Tom, Mike, Tim, Mark and Jim. Tom was married on October 10, 1981, to Wanda Miller of Hartington. Lorraine and Ed own and operate a publishing and printing business in Hartington.
Margaret Hayden was born in Rock Valley on September 29, 1932. She attended Briar Cliff College and taught kindergarten in George, Sibley and Sioux City. She married Kenneth A. Bonthuis on July 9, 1955. Ken is employed by the Shearson American Express Company in Sioux City and they are members of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. They have three children. Mary Beth was born March 30, 1957, and graduated from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She married Allen Delaney from Ankeny, Iowa, and lives in Des Moines. She is employed by the Iowa Credit Union as a financial consultant. They have one child, Jason Allen. Daniel Joseph was born May 8, 1960, graduated from the University of Iowa and will attend medical school in the fall of 1982. Joni Therese, born July 27, 1968, has completed eighth grade at Hoover Junior High in Sioux city.
Julie Hayden is a teacher in the Omaha, Nebraska Public School System.

OBITUARY OF JOHN HAYDEN died 11 Sep 1943 Rock Valley IA
His death record states his parents were James Hayden and Mary Sullivan both born in Ireland.

Rock Valley Bee of Friday September 17, 1943
Operated Gravel Pit Here for Many Years
John Edward Hayden, native of Illinois who came here in 1884 as a young man of 23 years and helped break the prairie in this vicinity, died Saturday Sept 11, at this home in Rock Valley after an extended illness.
Born December 15, 1861, on a farm near LaSalle, Illinois, he grew to young manhood there and came to Rock Valley in the Spring of 1884, the same time that D. J. Scanlan and many others located here. Breaking prairie was the big thing around here in those days and everybody went to work at it who could get the equipment. Mr. Hayden got his start in that way and located on a farm of his own a few years later.

Just before the blizzard that claimed so many ____(not legible ) of January, 1888, he met Miss Julia Keegan , they were married at St. Mary’s church at Rock Valley on Dec 28, 1887, with Father Phelan solemnizing the ceremony. At that time they their home where John McKeegan’e farm is now located at but the following spring moved to their own farm which was located three miles north and one mile west of Rock Valley. In 1904 the family moved into town.

For a couple of years he worked in the gravel business for Wilson, who operated a dray line here at that time, but in 1906 branched out for himself in the sand and gravel business. In those days the heavy stuff was all handled and loaded by shovel method but in 1917 the business had grown to such an extent that he added a conveyor belt, scraping the gravel onto the belt with a team. In 1902 when he was awarded contracts for supplying part of the gravel for the Hull Perkins paving and the Sheldon Hartley paving on highway 18 he installed a steam shovel at the gravel pit. Mr. Hayden retired from business in 1922.

The couple had the misfortune to lose six children in infancy and their son James, died Jan 9, 1916. The wife and mother died Dec 19, 1928. Earle Hayden of Rock valley is the only surviving member of the family.
He is also survived by one brother, James Hayden,of De Smet, SD who attended the funeral services, and by two sisters, Miss Minnie Hayden and Mrs. Morgan Flaherty both of San Jose CA.

Funeral services for the highly respected pioneer were held on Tuesday morning at S.t Mary’s Catholic church with Rev. Father David McGoey officiating. Pallbearers were the Messers, Henry Kaskie, E. R. Scanlan, Pat Rielly, J. H. Kearns, Martin Cullinan and Frank O’Meara. Interment was at St. Mary’s cemetery here.

OBITUARY OF JULIA HAYDEN
From the Rock Valley Bee, December 21, 1928:
Mrs. John Hayden Died Wednesday
Mrs. John Hayden passed away at her home in Rock Valley Wednesday morning after a few days illness with pneumonia. She was reported to be improving some Tuesday and hopes held out for her recovery at that time, but a change for the worse took place Tuesday evening and she continued to fail until the end came. A further account will be given next week.
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From the Rock Valley Bee, December 28, 1928:
MRS. JOHN HAYDEN PASSED AWAY
As briefly announced last week, Mrs. John Hayden passed away last Wednesday afternoon, December 19, following three days of illness with pneumonia. She had been troubled with asthma for some time but was not taken seriously ill till three days before her death.
Mrs. Hayden was born at Lyons, Clinton county, Iowa, November 25, 1864, where she spent her early life and grew to womanhood. She came to Rock Valley in the spring of 1886, and lived here continuously until the time of her death. She had many friends here and her sudden death is mourned by them, as well as by her husband and son, and other relatives.
She was united in marriage with John Hayden at Rock Valley, Dec. 28, 1887. To this union eight children were born, six of whom died in infancy, and one, James, who died Jan. 9, 1916. She leaves her husband and one son, Earle, one sister, Mrs. James Lowery and one brother James Keegan, all living in Rock Valley and vicinity.
Funeral services were held in St. Mary’s church in Rock Valley Friday morning. The services were largely attended and many beautiful floral offerings were in evidence. Many friends of the bereaved family extend sympathy to them in their great sorrow.
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Her death certificate has Julia Hayden, wife of John Hayden; born Nov. 25, 1864 in Lyons, Iowa; father James Keegan, mother Shehan (no forename given), both born in Ireland; resident of Rock Valley 32 years; died at about 6 a.m. December 19, 1928; cause, “pneumonia (flu) complicated with bronchial asthma with severe anginal pain”; buried at Rock Valley. (She does not appear in the Sioux County Cemetery Index, however.)

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