Iowa Old Press
Palo Alto Reporter
Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa
Jan 13, 1899
OBITUARY
Mrs. Rose Dwyer, died at her home in this city on Saturday, January 7, 1899, shortly after twelve o'clock. The cause of her death was undoubtedly old age, as she had no specific disease that would result in death. Mrs. Dwyer was born in Tipperary county, Ireland, and had arrived at the advanced age of eighty-six years, when she was summoned from earth. Her husband died in Ireland a number of years ago and thirteen years ago Mrs. Dwyer came to this country, and settled in this county. The greater share of this time she was a resident of this city, residing with her daughter, Mrs. Anna Dobensky. Mrs. James Carmody was another daughter, and Mr. M. Dwyer, her son. The funeral took place from Assumption church, on Monday, at 10:00 a.m. and the body was interred in St. John's Cemetery.
Mrs. Mary Mahan, wife of M.E. Mahan, of Walnut
township, died at her home in that township, on Sunday morning, January 9th, at
10:00 o'clock Her death followed confinement and was entirely unexpected, for a
few hours before her death, she was feeling quite strong and thought that the
services of the attending physician were no longer required. A sudden
change for the worse took place, and in a couple of hours afterwards she passed
away. Mary Ann Conlon, was born in Morris, Ill., in in the month of December,
1861. Her parents, M. and Mrs. Thomas Conlon, removed to this county in the
early sixties, and were among the early pioneers of Great Oak township. It was
here that the deceased grew to womanhood, and prepared herself for the duties of
life. For several years, she taught in the public schools of the county with
success, and followed her chosen avocation until her marriage with M.F. Mahan
which took place thirteen years ago.
Mrs. Mahan's death was sad indeed as she leaves six children
without the tender care and love so essential to childish nature, and which
makes a home a place of sunshine and happiness. The deceased was a devoted and
exemplary member of the Catholic church and ever sought to put into practice
those christian virtues that should characterize every true follower of the
lowly Nazarene.
The funeral took place from Assumption church, on Tuesday
morning at 10:00 o'clock, the services being conducted by Reverend Kelly of
Graettinger. The remains were borne to the grave, in St. John's Cemetery, by
Chris, John, Thomas, William, Frank and Michael Conlon, the six brothers of the
deceased.
[Deceased was the daughter of Thomas Conlon and Anna Muldoon, of county Westmeath, Ireland.]
JAMES FITZGERALD
On Sunday morning the people of Emmetsburg were
startled by the intelligence that Mr. James Fitzgerald, one of the oldest and
best known citizens of Emmetsburg, had passed to the great beyond. The Monday
before his death, Mr. Fitzgerald was around apparently enjoying his usual
health, but be contracted a severe cold, which brought on serious complications,
and he quietly passed away on Sunday morning, after only about three days
illness.
James Fitzgerald was born in the county Kilkenny, Ireland,
June 7, 1820, consequently he had passed his seventy-eighth birthday, when he
was summoned thence. He studied for the priesthood in one of the schools of his
native country, but upon the completion of his education, he changed his mind,
and decided to enter upon a business career. In conformity of this idea, he
emigrated from his native country to Australia and was engaged in business
there. After a stay of five years in Australia, he decided to come to America,
where he arrived in 1869, and settled in the old town of Emmetsburg, purchasing
the only store that was then in the place. Here he entered upon a very
successful mercantile business. When the Milwaukee road was built, and the new
town located, Mr. Fitzgerald moved his building over and conducted the business
until 1887, when he retired.
As a business man he was quite successful, and accumulated
considerable property. In those early days, when the country was sparsely
settled, and times were hard, and money and crops scarce, and grass-hoppers
plenty, Mr. Fitzgerald proved a blessing to many a poor man, for he carried them
on his books for a number of years, and trusted them with the necessities of
life, when it looked extremely doubtful whether they would be able to recompense
him. Many of the old settlers can testify that he proved a friend in time of
need. Shortly after coming to Emmetsburg, in 1869, he was united in marriage to
Miss Theodosia Warren, who survives him. No children were born to them, and Mr.
Fitzgerald has no near blood relation that survive him. His surviving relatives
in this section are his three nephews, M.F. Kerwick, J.F. and Wm. Nolan, and his
niece, Mrs. Washington, who resides near Ruthven.
The funeral took place from the Catholic church on Tuesday
morning, at 9:30 o'clock A requiem high mass was celebrated by Rev. J.J. Smith
and the body laid to rest in St. John's cemetery.
[James Fitzgerald and Theodosia Warren adopted Honora Finn -adopted name
Annie Fitzgerald- after the death of her mother, Honora Joynt Finn at her
birth.]
P.F. Gylling went to Hoprig, the fore part of the week, to
look after the store in that place. Barney Benson, who was running it was quite
sick, and could not attend to the business, hence Mr. Gylling was compelled to
go up. Mrs. Gylling ran the business here while he was absent.
The Sioux Rapids Republican changed hands January 1, 1899 and
is being published by Charles Colwell, formerly of the Sioux Rapids Press. It
will be remembered that the Republican, under its former editor made a bitter
personal campaign upon Judge Holsell and Judge Quarton. We presume this had
something to do in bringing about the change.
The ice men are in the midst of their ice harvest, we presume
in anticipation of January thaw, that rarely comes. However, the ice is of
excellent quality, and about two feet in thickness. C.E. Taylor has quite a
number of teams at work and expects to have his big house filled by the end of
the week. Harrison & Moore are also at work, and will soon have their supply
in their house.
J.H. Knoblauch & Co have deepened the basement of their
store, to over seven feet in the clear, put in a new floor and ceiled it. The
walls will also be plastered and the basement fixed up in good shape. They
expect to shortly put in a stock of groceries which they will carry in addition
to their stock of dry goods. The room will be lighted by gas, and everything
fixed up in first class shape.
The boxing contest between R.M. Black, of this city, and
Yellowhammer, of Mason City, on Friday evening last, drew quite a crowd. Each
man had his second, a referee was selected, and the contest conducted in a
scientific manner. It was not a very even match as Yellowhammer out-classed
Black and scored the most points. Black is plucky, but needs practice. After the
first match, several local parties caught the fever and had a few rounds.
Sickness has increased wonderfully during the past week, and
it seems that almost everybody is ailing more or less. The prevailing trouble is
LaGrippe, which has a tendency to develop into pneumonia. Among those who have
suffered from it during the past week are Mrs. C.M. Henry, Mrs. J.P. Crose, R.A.
Carr, C.H. Terwilliger, Mrs. Frank Morris, O.W. Hodgkinson, and Frank
Illingworth. A great many children are also suffering from severe colds and the
physicians seem to find all that they can attend to.
Frank Kean, a son of J.P. Kean of Walnut township, arrived in
this city on Monday. Mr. Kean is at present located on Douglas Island, on the
Pacific coast, and returned from the Klondyke regions last August. He says that
there were thirty thousand men in Klondyke that would be glad to get an
opportunity to get out, as only a very few made any money at all. While in
Klondyke, Mr. Kean met several of the Palo Alto fellows who were there, among
them being Barry, Doyle and Larson. He only expects to stay in this vicinity
about a week, and then return to the coast.
On Monday a fellow short on cash, and long on cheek, tried to
run the latter on Krieger's restaurant, for an oyster stew. However, he slipped
up on it and had to dig up a quarter. He walked into the restaurant and ordered
an oyster stew and when he thought no one was watching, he slipped out the door
into the back room, and made for the alley. Jim Doyle was on the alert, and
caught the fellow before he got out of the back room and demanded the quarter.
The fellow was very indignant, to think that anyone should mistrust his honesty,
and hunted up a quarter, which he reluctantly paid over to Jim. He was honest,
however.
John Shartle, of Ruthven, an ex-member of Company K,
Fifty-Second Iowa, was a business visitor in this city on Friday. While here he
called on his former associates in army life. He is a brother of Miss Eva
Shartle, who was for some time one of the well-known teachers in this county.-- Estherville
Vindicator.
Mr. and Mrs. Soper entertained the officers and teachers
of he Methodist Sunday school on Wednesday evening. Music and social intercourse
made the evening a very pleasant one indeed for all concerned. The refreshments
consisted of sandwiches, coffee, pine apple ice, various kinds of cakes and
fruits.
The entrance doors to the Congregational church have been
repainted, grained and varnished. The work was done by A. Stone.
The marriage of Mr. W.J. Dunphy and Miss Mary Shea, was
solemnized in Assumption church, on Monday morning, Rev. J.J. Smith officiating.
The bride was attended by Miss Bridget Shea, and Joseph Littleton, was
groomsman. Only the relatives and a few of the most intimate friends of the
contracting parties were present, to witness the nuptial ceremony. Both the
bride and groom are well known to the people of Emmetsburg and vicinity, and are
highly respected for their estimable qualities. The young people will go to
housekeeping in Nevada township, followed by the best wishes of their many
friends.
The following is taken from an article in the Emmet County Republican,
written in reference to the business change in the firm of Soper, Allen,&
Alexander of that place.:-
"Captain Soper settled at this place and engaged in the
practice of law in 1871, and has continued in practice here and at Emmetsburg
continuously ever since. He has been connected with almost all important
litigation in Emmet and Palo Alto counties during the past twenty-five years,
and has had much experience and remarkable success in both the courts of this
state and the United States. As attorney for the American Investment Company, he
has had charge of important cases in the courts of most of the states of the
union, and is familiar with the practices of all adjoining states. The affairs
of the American Investment Company having been closed up, Captain Soper will
devote much time to the business of the Estherville firm, and will be in
constant communication with the office, spending much of his time in the office.
He will be in attendance at all terms of court in the county, and will give
personal attention to all matters as may be desired.
Mr. Alexander, the new member, is a graduate of Cornell
college, and of the State University of Iowa Law School, and has been in
constant practice of his profession, at Emmetsburg, for the past five years. He
has been connected with practically all of the litigation growing out of the
business failures in Palo Alto county during the past five years and will make a
specialty of commercial law and litigation in both state and federal courts. He
will move his family to this place shortly.
Mr. M.L. Brady, who had been visiting his uncle, Patrick Brady, and other friends in this section for ten days or more, returned to his home at Minooka, Illinois, Sunday.
P.F. Maguire, of Aryshire, returned from hsi Allamakee county visit last Wednesday. He was accompanied by his cousin, Dennis Ryan, who will visit with him for a short time.
Geo. Baker has been distributing some very handsome calendars for the Farmers' Mutual Hall Insurance Association. They are among the neatest we have seen. Accept hearty thanks, George.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kane's little child, aged about two months, died Monday and was buried in the Catholic cemetery at this place yesterday. Their many friends sympathize with them in their loss.
Mrs. Sears, of Seattle, Wash., who had been visiting her daughter, Mrs. J.K. Martin, left for Minneapolis Monday morning where she will visit another daughter for a short time. From there she will return home.
There was a big educational meeting at Ruthven Saturday. There was a splendid program and the attendance was very large. The entire town turned out. Supt. Anna Donovan attended and took an active part in the proceedings.
A few nights ago Mrs. Anthony Finn, of Rolfe, undertook to make some ginger tea for a cold and, through a mistake, opened a package of insect powder instead of ginger. A doctor had to be called to save her life. It was a close call.
Submitted by: C.J.L. Mar 2004