Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 471
MICHAEL FITZGIBBON

Michael FITZGIBBON, a successful farmer living on section 24, of Calhoun Township, came to Harrison County in the month of March, 1837, and settled on his present place, which he bought from the heirs of William McDONALD. This place consists of one hundred and sixty acres, now all well improved. He built a house in the winter of 1886-87, which is 14 x 26 feet, and everything about the place gives evidence of thrift and good management.

Mr. FITZGIBBON was born in the County of Limerick, Ireland, about 1846, and at the age of eleven years was left an orphan, his mother dying when he was ten years of age and his father a year later, after which he worked out receiving the handsome sum of twenty-four shillings a year, and followed this until he came to America, in 1871, never receiving higher than $40 per year. When twenty-four years of age he bid farewell to old Erin, took boat for America, landed in Castle Garden, and immediately went to Melrose, Mass., where he worked six weeks at $1.75 per day, which, to him, seemed big money. After that he came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by rail. His elder brother was living there at the time, and he worked in that section at $12 per month for about a year, and then went to work on the Northwestern Railroad as a section hand, continuing this for three years, receiving from $1.25 to $1.50 per day, from which he managed to lay by about $20 per month. He then worked for his brother a year, bought him a team and commenced farming for himself on rented land until he came to Harrison County. He came to America with no means, but has been prospered reasonably well in this country.

January 9, 1878, our subject was married to Mary SENNETT, a native of Iowa, born June 26, 1855. She was the daughter of William and Katherine (PURCELL) SENNETT. Mr. and Mrs. FITZGIBBON have reared a family of five children, all of whom are still living�Margaret, Edward J., William J., Katherine and Salome. The family belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, and Mr. FITZGIBBONS, is his political belief, is in sympathy with the Democratic Party.

Mr. FITZGIBBON'S brothers and sisters are Thomas, Patrick, William and Richard.

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