JOSEPH GILMAN GILROY.
Joseph G. Gilroy is a farmer of Exira township, Audubon county, Iowa, where he is the owner of two hundred acres of fine farming land. Mr. Gilroy farmed with his father until 1902, when he took over the farm owned by his father. This farm is well situated and is highly productive and well improved. Mr. Gilroy has invested about five thousand dollars in improvements on the place since he purchased it.
Joseph Gilman Gilroy was born on November 12, 1868, in Exeter, New Hampshire, and is a son of Patrick and Anna (Connoly) Gilroy. Patrick Gilroy was a native of the Emerald Isle, as was his wife also. Patrick Gilroy came to America when he was fourteen years of age and located at Exeter, New Hampshire, and here he worked as a farm hand, and as an overseer on a large farm. He moved to Illinois in 1870, and located at Genesee, in that state, where he was engaged in farming for eighteen years, at the expiration of which time he moved to Audubon county, Iowa, and purchased three hundred and sixty acres in Exira township. He was especially interested in stock raising, and made a considerable success of this business. He died on September 12, 1907. His wife had preceded him in death in 1894. They were both loyal and devout members of the Catholic church. They were the parents of two children besides Joseph G., Thomas L. and Mary Dorothy.
Joseph G. Gilroy was educated in the schools of Genesee county, Illinois, and after leaving school he farmed with his father and accompanied the family when they moved to Iowa. In 1902 he took over his father's farm and has made a specialty of raising hogs and cattle for the markets, and has done general farming, raising all the crops common to this section of Iowa.
Joseph G. Gilroy was married on March 30, 1902, to Nellie M. Tracy, the daughter of John and Mary (Butler) Tracy, and to this union two children have been born, who are now living, Anna Laura and May Dorothy. Nellie M. Tracy was born in Henry county, Illinois. Her parents were natives of Ireland, who came to America when they were young. Her father located first in New York state, where he was employed on a farm. Subsequently he was a farmer in Canada, and after living there for about ten years, came back to the United States, and located in Illinois. In 1854, he purchased a farm in Illinois, where he lived until his death in 1891. His wife died on January 30, 1899. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are living, Richard, Henry, John, Kate, Jennie and Mrs. Gilroy.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gilroy are members of the Cathohc church, in which they take an active interest, and to the support of which they are liberal contributors. Mr. Gilroy is a Democrat, but has not taken an active part in political matters, owing to his extensive farming interests, which he gives all his time and attention. However, he is interested in all public movements which have for their object the advancement and welfare of his community, and is ranked among the earnest and enterprising men of his community.
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Transcribed from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 682-683.
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