Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 462
HENRY FITZGIBBON

>Henry FITZGIBBON, whose farm is situated on sections 19 and 30, of Calhoun Township, near the old village of Calhoun, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1878, to remain, but had been there the autumn before.

He was born in the County of Limerick, Ireland, in about 1839. He is the son of James and Mary (MARKAHAN) FITZGIBBON. The father followed farming in Ireland and died there in 1859; the mother dying a year earlier. They reared a family of six children�five sons and one daughter. Our subject and four others came to America. However Henry remained in Ireland at the home of his parents until after their death. He came to this country in April, 1862, landing at New York harbor and from there went to Bureau County, Ill., and worked on a farm for two years, and then rented land until he came to Pottawattamie County, in the spring of 1865. The first year or two after coming to Iowa he worked about a sawmill and rafted on the river, and after that followed farming.

He was married April2, 1867, to Laura LEWIS, a native of New York, born October 9, 1843. She is the daughter of Nelson and Katharine (MOULTER) LEWIS. The father was a farmer who located in Wisconsin in 1853, and in 1866 came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where he stayed until after the Indian trouble, when he pushed on further west; lived in Nebraska three years, but in 1873 went to Oregon where he died November 12, 1890. His wife died in Oregon, March 15, 1880. They reared a family of seven children, of which our subject's wife was the third child.

Of Mr. FITZGIBBON'S parental family, it may be said that her grandmother on her mother's side, was Martha BATHIS ROBBINS, who lived to be nearly ninety years of age. Mrs. FIITZGIBBON'S father's mother was Mary Ann MICKS, and she lived to be ninety two years old, and her husband, Elias LEWIS, was in the War of 1812, as was her grandfather on her mother's side. Nelson LEWIS, father of Mrs. FITZGIBBONS, was always noted for his good disposition and honorable traits of character. Reuben LEWIS, brother of Nelson LEWIS, was one of the first emigrants to California�going through with Kit CARSON and Gen. John C. FREMONT'S expedition, and was six months on the way. He was not heard from for twenty five years, but when they heard from him it was learned that he was one of the wealthiest men in that part of the country, and upon finding that his people were in Wisconsin, he returned to that State, and finding his father had died, he took his mother with him to Oregon, where she afterwards died. He had a large landed estate on the Pacific Slope, and was a man of great prominence.

Mr. and Mrs. FITZGIBBON are the parents of ten children---Anna M., John H., James N., Katie I., Grace L., Rosa M., Harry M., Maggie S., Frances A., Daisy M., all living and at home. The family are members of the Roman Catholic Church, and in his political views, he is a Republican, and has held many of the local offices. Ann and John, children of our subject, are graduates of the Missouri Valley High School, while James, Kate and Grace are attending the same school at present. Mr. FITZGIBBON now owns five hundred and sixty acres of land, two hundred of which are under the plow, and the remainder in timber, meadow and pasture land. When he came to the country he had no money, and all that he possesses of this world's goods, he attributes to hard work, good management and the form of government under which he lives.

While living in the old country, Mr. FITZGIBBON commenced working out when fourteen years of age, at farm labor, receiving ten shillings for three months' work. He then worked for a farmer and grain dealer. For two years he followed this and was compelled to be on the road every other night, to be on hand the next morning at the market place. In this way he secured money enough to take passage for America, where he worked on a farm for $8 per month for two years, (he received $15 the last year). He then bought horses for the Government, making a neat profit. He closed his business in Illinois and came to Iowa City, where he attended school six months. He married a young, well-educated wife and many were the evenings they sat together, she giving him instructions until twelve o'clock. In this way he became proficient in mathematics, etc. Not having much chance in early life himself to obtain a good education, he is aiming to give each one of his children a good opportunity.

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