John Hogan

HOGAN, WILLIAMS

Posted By: Deb Abbott (email)
Date: 10/13/2001 at 15:47:47

Biographical Record of Webster and Hamilton Counties, IA- 1888 page 521

John Hogan, section 30(? 39?), Colfax Township, is a native of Tipperary County, Ireland, born April 12, 1824. He was reared a farmer and educated in his native parish, remaining there until manhood. The last day of February, 1849, he left Ireland and went to Liverpool and from there sailed for America and after an uneventful voyage, landed in New York, April 6. He found employment as a laborer on the Hudson River Railroad and in the fall of 1849 went to Ohio, and worked near Columbus until the following spring. He was there employed by the State in the stone quarries three miles from Columbus, five consecutive summers, and during the winter worked at whatever he could find to do. In the fall of 1854 he went to Gough's Landing, Mississippi, where he was employed in building a levee and in the summer of 1855 worked at Columbus for the late Colonel Madira, coming to Iowa in the fall of that year, landing at Des Moines October 1 and about a month later came to Fort Dodge.
At that time there were but few settlers in Fort Dodge, and none between that place and Webster City. He lived in Fort Dodge from November 3, 1855 until October 26, 1870, when he moved to the farm where he now lives. While in Fort Dodge he worked as a laborer at anthing he could find to do, and being industrious was able the greater part of the time to find profitable employment.

In August, 1857, he was married to Miss Mary Williams who was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, but came to this country in 1851 with her two brothers and two sisters.

When Mr. Hogan settled in Colfax Township, he had 160 acres of land, but by industry and the help of his family they have added to it until they now have 280 acres of valuable land. Commencing in a small way with savings of a few years, he has kept steadily increasing in worldly possessions unti he now is numbered among the well-to-do farmers of the township.

Mr. and Mrs. Hogan are the parents of eight children: Mary, Anna, Catherine, James, Maggie, John P., Nellie and Patrick, all at home. They are an intelligent family and have made the most of the educational advantages afforded them. Mr. Hogan has never aspired for official honors, but has served as treasurer of the school board seven years. He has always been among the foremost to encourage any enterprise for the public good. He is an advocate of temperance and has always been a total abstainer, having signed the pledge when sixteen years old at a meeting conducted by the celebrated Father Mathew, and has always religiously kept this pledge and considers this the mainspring of his successful business life. He has never given much attention to politics, but usually casts his suffrage with the Democratic party. He and his family are members of Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

Submitter's note: John Hogan is my 2nd great-grandfather.