Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 662
BARNEY MCELROY

Barney MCELROY, an enterprising resident of Harrison Township is a native of the county of Louth, Ireland, born December 25, 1835, the son of Peter and Mary (MCCOY) MCELROY. His mother died when he was but three months old, and four years later he came to America with an uncle, and remained in New York State eight years. When fourteen years of age, engaged at the tailors� trade which he followed nineteen months. After this he spent four summers on the Delaware & Hudson Canal, and then located at Amboy, Ill., engaged with the railroad and also dealt in grain and lumber. The last few years he remained in Illinois he followed car repairing, and July 3, 1869, came to Harrison County, Iowa, and located at Dunlap. For fourteen years after he came to Dunlap he was engaged with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company as car repairer. He next purchased a team and engaged in the draying business for eight years. On account of ill-health, disposed of that is now living a retired life in the north-east part of town, where he owns a comfortable and valuable home on Montague Street.

Our subject was married July 31, 1864, to Anna E. FERREN, who was born in the County of Louth, Ireland, April 30, 1844, the daughter of Peter and Bridget (MURTAUGH) FERREN. She came to this country while young. Mr. and Mrs. MCELROY are the parents of nine children--Henry F., a resident of Portland, Ore., where he is Teller of the First National Bank. The date of his birth was August 17, 1865; Minnie, born October 6, 1867, has been a teacher in the public schools for the last five years; Jennie, born March 26, 1870, engaged at dress-making in Dunlap; Nellie, born July 10, 1872, has been teaching school one year; Emma, born February 19, 1876, at home; James, born March 18, 1878, clerking in a restaurant; Willie, born May 10, 1881; Asa, born March 7, 1885; Jesse, born May 11, 1887, died September 12, 1880.

Politically Mr. MCELROY is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and he and the family are members of the Roman Catholic Church. The oldest son, Henry, was engaged as book-keeper and clerk for some eight years in the general store of J. B. PATTERSON, and during the years of 1888-9 was a member of the firm of PATTERSON & MCELROY, of Dunlap.

In 1861 our subject went to Memphis, Tenn., where he was employed at compressing cotton, and after four years was drafted into the Rebel Army but after three days� drilling he and a comrade (his partner) MCANORTNEY, decamped for the Union lines, walking from Memphis, Tenn., to Cairo, Ill., which was attended with great danger and much privation.

The father of Mrs. MCELROY, Peter FERREN, came to Dunlap, Iowa, in 1867, and opened a meat market and boarding house, remaining in that place until 1882 and then removed to Omaha with three of his daughters. After three years in the meat business he engaged at farming prior to his moving to Omaha, where he is now living a retired life. They reared a family of eight children--Mary, wife of T. F. LONY, of Omaha; Annie, wife of our subject; Jennie, deceased; Maggie, wife of J. B. PATTERSON, of Dunlap, Iowa; Henry, a resident of Marion, Iowa; Katie, deceased; Jennie, clerk in N. B. FALCONER�s store, Omaha; Nellie, wife of A. L. COOPER, of Omaha.

Mr. MCELROY had but one brother and one sister--Patrick, a resident of Sullivan County, N.Y., and Elizabeth, deceased, wife of Thomas MCENONY. Our subject erected two residences in Dunlap and improved a farm about one mile south of that place. He is a highly respected citizen of Dunlap, always proving himself true to every interest of his community.

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