Decatur County Journal

March 30, l905

WILLIAM GROGAN was born in Kerry County, Ireland, January 2, l809; died

at his home in Leon, Iowa, March 25, l905, aged 96 years, 2 months and

23 days. Funeral services were conducted at the residence by Rev.

Richard Aide of the Catholic Church, March 27, after which the remains

were laid to rest in the Catholic Cemetery in Woodland Township.

The subject of our sketch was the second of seven sons and spent his

boyhood days on his father's farm and attended the parish school.

February 2, l843, he married BRIDGET FOLEY, who with five children--MRS.

KATE HARRIS, TADE GROGAN, MICHAEL GROGAN, MARY MCGRAW and HANNAH

BRADLEY, survive him. In l848, on account of the oppression of the Poor

Act in Ireland, he left his native land and came to the United States,

landing at New Orleans after a voyage of five weeks and three days on

the ocean. In the spring of l849, on account of an outbreak of cholera

in New Orleans, he moved to Indiana.

In l857 he moved to Decatur County and settled in Woodland Township,

being the pioneer of the Irish Colony in that township. He was the

first to leave his native land, the first to settle in the new "Ireland"

in this county and was instrumental in bringing his brother, PATRICK

GROGAN, CORNELIUS HANNAN, MICHAEL GRIFFIN, DENNIS MULLEN, PATRICK

MULLEN, MORRIS DAUGHTON, JAMES DILLON and BARTHOLOMEW HOLLAHAN from the

old home to the new one in this country.

Being trained in the Catholic religion in his native land, he was ever

ready to defend his faith in his new home and lived a zealous,

conscientious, Christian Catholic to the close of life. As an upright,

public spirited citizen, he was loved by all who knew him.

In his death, the community loses a useful citizen, the family a devoted

husband and a kind and indulgent father and the church an ardent

supporter. Although dead, he yet lives in memory.

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September 5, 200l