Keegan, Margaret (Mrs. Michael), 1864-1924

KEEGAN, MCGINN

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/17/2016 at 21:41:05

From the Rock Valley Bee, April 18, 1924:

MRS. MARGARET KEEGAN

Mrs. Margaret Keegan passed away at her home northwest of Rock Valley, Thursday April 10. She was born near Petersville, Clinton county Iowa May 15, 1864, where she spent her early life and grew to womanhood.

On March 6, 1889 she was united in marriage to Michael Keegan at Clinton Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Keegan moved from Clinton onto the farm northwest of Rock Valley in Lyon County soon after their marriage and there she resided until her death. Mr. Keegan died February 2, 1916, and since that time Mrs. Keegan and the children have conducted the affairs on the farm.

Mrs. Keegan leaves five sons and three daughters, Raymond, William, John, Francis, and Mae, Elizabeth and Eleanor [yes, only four sons were listed], all of whom were at home with their mother during her last illness. She also leaves a nephew and niece, William and Mary Hudson, who have made their home there since the death of their mother some years ago.

Mrs. Keegan was a woman who was esteemed and respected by all who knew her. She was loving wife and mother and will be greatly missed by her children and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held at St. Mary's church in Rock Valley Saturday morning and a large number of friends and relatives gathered to pay their last respects to the departed. Among the relatives from a distance were:

Mr. and Mrs. D. E. McGinn, of Delmare, Ia.; Mr. and Mrs. John McGinn, of Delamr[Delmare], Ia.; Mr. Wm. McGinn, of Maquoketa, Ia.; Mr. F. P. McGinn, of Chicago; Miss Gertrude McGinn, of Davenport; Mrs. Wm. Hudson, of Rapid City, S.D.; Mr. Frank McGinn of Lowler, Ia.; Mrs. Margaret Fitzsimmons and daughter Gene, of Sioux Falls; Mrs. Mary Dowley, of Carthage, S.D.; Mrs. H. Soeur, of Alton Iowa.

Friends from a distance were: Mr. and Mrs. John Linnan, Maurice; Mr. and Mrs. Robert McCool and son, William, of Madison, S.D.; Mrs. Henry Echman of Madison, S.D.; and Mr. Geogre[George?] Fahey of Sioux City, Iowa.

* * * * * * * * * *

There are also Resolutions of Sympathy from the Catholic Daughters of Court St. Ann, No. 215, of which her daughters Mae and Elizabeth were members.

An obituary in the Alton Democrat, April 19, 1924 gives basically the same information, adding the name of her fifth son (Leo), her birth name (McGinn), that she had grown up in the environment of a country home at Petersville, and that she had been in delicate health for some time.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index gives her birth date as 19 May 1864.