Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 860
STEPHEN G. MAHONEY

The MAHONEY family have been residents of Harrison county, Iowa, since its early history, and have been prominent factors in making this county one of the leading agricultural sections of the state. Mr. MAHONEY has engaged in general farming and stock raising since reaching his majority and has met with good success year after year in his chosen life work. He has been a prominent factor in the civic life of his community and has held various official positions with eminent satisfaction to all concerned.

Stephen G. MAHONEY, the son of Theodore and Emily (WAKEFIELD) MAHONEY, was born March 26, 1875, in Harrison county, Iowa, near Modale. His parents were natives of Maryland and Illinois, respectively, his father being of Irish descent and his mother of German and Scottish descent.

Theodore MAHONEY was the son of Stephen MAHONEY and wife. Martha Beaver was born in Barnsley, England, and came to the United States about 1848, where she was married to Stephen MAHONEY, who was his second wife, his first wife dying in Maryland when quite young. She was born in Elkhorn, Maryland. In April of 1850, with about one hundred and thirty other emigrants, the MAHONEY family started with their ox teams and wagons for the far west, which was then the Missouri river. They had started west with the intention of joining the Mormons, who had already gone from New York state to the west, but when they reached Council Bluffs, Iowa, they heard that the Mormons were practicing polygamy, so they decided to go no farther. They first located at Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, where the family lived until 1852. In that year the MAHONEYs came to Harrison county and located on Willow creek about one and one-fourth miles northeast of Magnolia. Their first home was a sixteen by sixteen foot log cabin with split shingles and a puncheon floor.

Stephen MAHONEY, Sr., set up the first saw-mill in Harrison county. He obtained his power by building a dam across Willow creek in order to have water enough to operate the mill. He sawed lumber for the first county court house at Magnolia, as well as for all the frame dwellings and stores which went up in the county seat. In 1853 he added a grist-mill to his establishment which was a very welcome addition indeed. Previous to this time the settlers had to go as far as Kanesville in order to get their grain ground and then had to wait for three or four days before their turn came. As has been mentioned before, the MAHONEYs came west with the intention of joining the Mormons, but owing to their hatred of polygamy they remained east of the Mississippi river and were among those who organized the Reorganized Church of the Latter-Day Saints. There were seven sons in Theodore MAHONEY's family, of whom Stephen G. was next to the youngest.

Stephen G. MAHONEY lived at home until he was married. He received a common-school and high-school education and later attended the State Normal at Albion, Idaho, for one year. He was married and lived on the home farm for a time, and after his father's death the estate was sold and he and his mother and brother, Edward, bought eleven hundred and twenty acres of land in Butler county, Kansas. They lived in that state for four years, and then exchanged their farm for five hundred and thirteen acres in Raglan township in Harrison county, Iowa. In 1903 Mr. MAHONEY took his share of the farm and later bought one hundred and twenty acres more. Mr. MAHONEY has made many improvements upon his farm and by giving due attention to stock and grain raising he has made a very comfortable income from his farm each year.

Mr. MAHONEY was married in Wichita, Kansas, April 24, 1900, to Olive CLAYTON. She was born in Illinois, October 29, 1879, and is a daughter of Albert and Elizabeth (DUNCAN) Clayton, both natives of Illinois, of English descent. Mrs. MAHONEY's parents went to Kansas from Illinois in 1898. Mrs. MAHONEY died October 8, 1913, leaving her husband with two children, Kenneth, born March 6, 1901, and Lyle, born May 2, 1907.

Mr. MAHONEY is a Republican in politics and has always taken an intelligent interest in local political matters. He was on the school board for four years and president of the board for two years. He is now serving as trustee of Raglan township and giving his fellow citizens conscientious service in this capacity. His wife was a member of the Presbyterian church and he is a hearty supporter of the same denomination. Mr. MAHONEY is a man of sterling character and many admirable traits, and has a large circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the county.

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