John Counihan/Counihen (ca. 1818-1912)

COUNIHAN, COUNIHEN, CAMSHER, HERDER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 9/7/2016 at 17:07:10

From Nevada Representative December 17, 1912 (front page)

JOHN COUNIHEN.

John Counihen died at his home in this city Friday afternoon his death following his accident when the door of his barn fell on him on the previous Tuesday. His age was about 94 1/2 years and the general condition of his health had warrant the belief that he would live to his hundredth year if no accident should befall him. Age however had so little affected his activities that he tried to fix a barn door in a high wind and so an extremely rugged life was prematurely cut off.

Mr. Counihen was born in County Kerry, Ireland, June 24, 1818 and died at Nevada, Iowa, December 23, 1912 aged 94 years 5 months and 19 days. He grew up in Ireland and about the latter '40's he came with the deed of Irish immigration to America. He came west, was married at Indianapolis on December 12, 1853 to Miss Margaret Comsher who after 59 years of their wedded life now survives him. They lived for a time in Indiana and came there in 1856 to Story county which has ever since been their home. When they located near Johnson's Grove Mr. Conihen's fortune consisted of a team, $12, a wife and one baby; but he and the wife went to work and prospered on their farm until 1899 when they moved from the farm into Nevada. Their family had in the meantime grow to eleven of whom eight children survive. Of this number Patrick and Edward and Miss Kate have continued to live with the old folks or in this vicinity and there returned for the funeral Michael from Kansas City, Mrs. Fred Herder from Kentucky and John from Utah. The absentees were Timothy and James who are in the far west.

The funeral of the honored patriarch was conducted from St. Patrick's church Monday forenoon by Father Nichols.