John Hogan

HOGAN, WILLIAMS, PARLE, FLYNN, POWERS

Posted By: Deb Abbott (email)
Date: 10/13/2001 at 12:13:03

The Fort Dodge Iowa Messenger, Wed., Feb 21, 1906, page 4.

John Hogan of Colfax Township who lived 5 miles east of Fort Dodge, died at the family residence February 16, 1906, after a brief illness of a few days. Services were conducted by Rev. Father Heelan at the Sacred Heart Church. The impressive ceremony of Requiem High Mass was offered up for the eternal repose of the departed soul, after which a fitting eulogy was pronounced. The long funeral procession then wended its way to the Catholic cemetery north of the city where a final tribute of love and loyalty was paid to the venerable pioneer, the revered friend, the obliging neighbor, and the beloved father, ere his remains were lowered from view into the silent tomb.
Deceased was born in Tipperary County, Ireland, April 12, 1824, which shows his age, when the death summons came, to be eighty-one years, ten months, and four days. Fifty seven years ago, when in the very bloom of vigorous manhood, he bad good bye to loving friends and native shores, and with an ambition limited only by impossibilities, embarked for the New World, where with willing hands and fervent heart, he was to carve out his future career. On the sixth of April, 1849, he landed in New York, where he remained a few months then going to Columbus, Ohio, staying there until the fall of 1855. His next move was to Des Moines, Iowa. After a month's sojourn here, he set out for Fort Dodge, Iowa, arriving on the third day of November 1855. Here he made his home for fifteen years, in the meantime aided materially in the development of this city, which was then a town of few people and small dimensions. It was while in Fort Dodge, in the year 1857, he was united by the holy bonds of matrimony to Mary Williams, who was a native of the same county in Ireland as himself. In 1870 Mr. Hogan, and his wife moved to their farm in Colfax Township, six miles east of Fort Dodge. They endured all the hardships of pioneer life, and at the same time enjoyed the pleasures of a happy home. By both precept and example, they taught their children lessons of obedience and devotion and gave them likewise every opportunity for intellect advancement. When all had grown to maturity, death called one day and took this devoted mother. The date of her death was May 3, 1897.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hogan were born eight children, all of whom are living except their oldest daughter, who died five years ago. The surviving members all reside in Webster county. They are, Annie, wife of John Parle, Maggie, wife of John Flynn; Nellie, wife of William Powers; James Hogan; John Hogan; Patrick Hogan and Catherine Hogan. They were present during the last days of their father's life, and, as the Angel of Death hovered about the room, and the clock of time ticked in harmony with the summons for Eternity, the sorrowing children, viewing the calm and hopeful countenance of him who, though in the very embrace of death, was courageous, seemed to infer from it all their last paternal lesson- "Father you taught us how to live now you are teaching us how to die."
We unite in paying honor to his memory and to offer our heartfelt sympathies to those who have been called upon to sustain so great a bereavement. There was an unsullied purity in his private life, and, in all his public dealings, there was an inflexible integrity, an unimpeachable honesty, a Spartan-like simplicity, a kindess and a moderation, that will never cease to be cherished in the grateful remembrances of all who mourn his loss. He lived for something worthy of life and its capabilities and opportunities- for noble deeds and Christian achievements, so now let us hope that his soul may be wafted on the wings of prayer to heaven's brightest gate; that it may pass as straight to its Maker as a sunbeam leads to the bosom of a flower; that it as been transferred to that higher and purer sphere where it may shine on with undiminished brilliancy through all eternity.

Submitter's note: John Hogan and Mary Williams are my 2nd great grandparents.