JOHN MONAHAN

John Monahan, deceased, was for many years one of the prominent farmers of Cedar county, where he had made his home for a long period. His birth occurred in County Mayo, Ireland, but at the age of fourteen years he came to the United States with his parents who located in Vermont. There he grew to manhood and was married on the 3d of October, 1857, to Jane McCormick, also a native of County Mayo, Ireland, who was born on the 15th of August, 1837, and was brought to the United States when sixteen years of age, her family also locating in the Green Mountain state. It was in 1858 that Mr. Monahan and his wife came to Iowa and located on a farm four and one-half miles south of Clarence in Fairfield township, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land, retaining the same up to the time of his death. Later, however, he purchased the Jacob Snyder farm near Tipton, comprising a quarter section, and upon that place continued to reside until called to his final rest April 7, 1891, at the age of fifty-nine years. At that time he was the owner of four hundred acres of very valuable and well improved land, all of which was acquired through his own untiring efforts, for on starting out in life for himself he was without capital and was compelled to make his way in the world unaided. In connection with general farming, he was also considerably interested in the raising and breeding of fast horses.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Monahan were born ten children, of whom George is now a resident of Tipton and John of Chicago, while Elizabeth, the wife of John Early, makes her home in Davenport. Michael R. attended a school of telegraphy at Janesville, Wisconsin, and at the age of sixteen years was given the position of telegraph operator and station agent. A few years later he was sent to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he was cashier in the railroad office of the Wisconsin Central and later became auditor in the Chicago &Northwestern Railroad office at Chicago, but at the time of his death was at the head of a railroad agency in the latter city, where he passed away at the age of twenty-nine years. Charles, the next of the family, is now a resident of Des Moines, Iowa. Anna married John Dean, a resident of Ottawa, Kansas, who died October 5, 1903, and she now makes her home in Tipton owning and occupying one of the finest residences of the city. She has two children, Evangeline K., now a student ot Notre Dame, near South Bend, Indiana, and Genevieve, who is attending school in Tipton. Frank lives on the home farm in Fairfield township. William is a resident of Kansas City. Harry makes his home in Tipton. Mary is the wife of Henry Lohman of Clarence, Iowa. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Monahan has lived in Tipton and has become widely and favorably known here.

Although Mr. Monahan started out in life for himself empty-handed, he always made the best use of his advantages and at the time of his death was regarded as one of the most prosperous farmers of his community. He was able to give his children good education advantages and he reared a family of which any parent may be justly proud.