Thomas O'Farrell

OFARRELL CURRAN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/24/2010 at 21:07:34

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Thomas O’Farrell
By Evelyn L McKenna

Thomas was born in County Kerry, Ireland, on February 6, 1844. During his boyhood he attended the Christian Brothers School in Ireland for school years. He left Ireland on May 13, 1863, with his parents and nine brothers and sisters. They first went to Boston, then New York state and came to Iowa in 1871, settling on a farm in Section 15, Liberty Township, Woodbury County. He was engaged in farming and stock raising. He retired from farming in March, 1890, and moved into town, where he resided for a years, serving several terms as Mayor. In March, 1904, he purchased a farm in Section 3, Lakeport Township, upon which he moved and made his home for some years. While a resident of Lakeport, he served as township clerk and school director.

Mr. O’Farrell was married on July 6, 1881, to Margaret Curran, of Salix, and they were the parents of four children: John, who died at the age of three months, in September 1885; Mrs John ‘Bridget’ Molan; Mrs Joseph ‘Berniece’ Kreiber; and Miss Mary O’Farrell. Mrs O’Farrell died at his home on August 27, 1911, and was buried in the Salix Cemetery, a part of his own farm which he donated for that purpose.

Bridge and Berniece lived in Sioux City, while Mary remained in Salix. Bridget died on May 10, 1973. Berniece now lives in Illinois, with her son. Mary taught school in the area in the early 1900’s and managed her farm, until her death on June 22, 1973.

A six-unit elderly housing, ‘O’Farrell Villa’, was built on a portion of the family’s property, in Salix.