Clare Souvenir Book-1935

Notes on Pioneer Settlers

Mr. Joachim Marco
Father of Mrs. Joe and Mrs. Charles (Josie) Martin.

Mrs. John Daley (Anna Lahiff)
Born in Co. Clare, Ireland, Aug 20, 1820. Resident of Webster County for 66
years. Died March 9, 1931. Age 110 years. Mother of 7 children. Mrs. Daley
was known throughout the State for many years as the oldest living resident
of Iowa.

Mr. Thomas McMahon
Father of John, Pat and Mike McMahon and Mrs. W.L. Condon. He came to
Webster County in 1868.

Mr and Mrs. Simon Cain
Came to Webster Co in 1860. Parents of 6 sons and 2 dau.

Mr and Mrs James Donahoe
Parents of Thomas Donahoe, of Clare,  one of the oldest poineer settlers
still living. James Donahoe came ot Webster County in 1855.

Mr and Mrs. Lawrence Quinn
Lawrence was born in Ireland in 1833 and died in Clare, Iowa, 1914. She was
born in Ireland in 1835. She died in 1910. Came to Webster County in 1871.

Mr and Mrs. Thomas Barrett
Parents of John Barrett, who is one of the oldest residents of Clare.
Came to Webster County in 1872. Moved to Clare in 1886. He was first Mayor
of the town of Clare. Died August 28, 1902. Mrs. Barrett is 91 years old and
lives with her daughter, Mrs. Louis Gletty at Iowa Falls, Iowa.

Mr and Mrs. John Fogarty
Her maiden name was Mary Lennon, dau. of Pat Lennon & Ellen Keating. Born
February 22, 1858 and died August 12, 1934.
Mother of Mrs. David L. Fitzgerald of Clare Parish.

Mrs. Michael Delamore
Catherine O'Neil was born in Ballymore, Ireland, in 1848. Came to America in
1868. Married Michael Delamore in 1871 and moved to the farm, where she
lived until her death, July 2, 1931.
Michael Delamore, born in Cavan, Ireland, in 1829. Came to America in 1852.
Served in the army from 1855 to 1860. Settled on farm in 1861. Lived there
till his death in September 1897.

Mr and Mrs James Cain
Married in Corpus Christi Church, June 15, 1883, by Father T.M. Lenihan.
James was born in New York, March, 1857. Mrs. Cain died on Sept. 23, 1928.
They are the parents of 8 children. Six of them are living now.

Mr and Mrs Will McElroy
Parents of James and Will McElroy of Clare Parish. Will was born in County
Tipperary, Ireland, Feb. 2, 1838. Married in Dubuque, Dec. 31, 1866. Came to
Webster County in March, 1869. Died April 26, 1904. Mary Jane White McElroy
was born in St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 23, 1841. Died July 11, 1891. Seven
children.

Mr and Mrs. David Coughlon
David Couglon, born August 15, 1848, in Ireland. Died may 11, 1928. Ellen
Coughlon, born Oct. 1, 1854. Died June 9, 1928. Both buried in Corpus
Christi Cemetery at Fort Dodge. Parents of David Coughlon were Jeremiah
Coughlon and Ellen Daly who were married in the Parish of SS Peter and Paul
, City of Cork, Ireland on the 17th Aug 1844 by Rev. Michael B. Shea.
Witnesses were Cornelius Daly and Mary Collins.

Mr and Mrs Jerry Coleman Sr.
Parents of Jerry Coleman the second, who is the father of Jerry, the third,
who is teh father of Jerry the fourth.

Mr and Mrs Jerry Coughlon
Parents of nine children. Mrs. Coughlon, Ellen Nash, was born Dec. 24, 1865
in Fort Dodge. She died Dec. 18, 1919. Mr. Coughlon came to Webster county
in 1868. He came from Ireland in 1856. He died Feb 24, 1923. Their son Frank
lives in the Clare parish.

Mr and Mrs. Patrick Condon
Patrick came to Webster County in 1856. He married Bridget Meagher in 1859.
He died in October, 1889.

Mr and Mrs Patrick Ivory
He was born in Dublin, Ireland, march 17, 1830. She (Ellen) was born in
Kilkenny, Ireland, Oct 12, 1848. Caem to America. Married in Boston. Came to
Webster County in 1871. Mr. Ivory died in 1905. Mrs Ivory died Oct. 21,
1913. They are buried in  the Clare Cemetery.

Mr and Mrs Maurice Henry
Came to County in 1874. Born in Wisconsin. Pioneers of Clare. He was the
first janitor of St. Matthew's Parish. Their daughter is married to Will
Dunn (brother of Father Ed Dunn) in Gilmore Parish. Seven children in Henry
family.

Mr and Mrs John English
Pioneers in Webster county. Their son, John, lives in Clare Parish.

Will Hood
The father of John T. Hood. Lived at Clare 8 months. Then he became ill and
died at Clare in 1880. He is buried in Lizard Cemetery.

Mr and Mrs Henry Fox.
Came to Webster County in 1863. Homsteaded on the present Lowenberg farm,
which was for many years called "The Fox Farm"

Bridget Spellacy Collins
Born Feb 1, 1809, in County Clare, Ireland. Caem to Pittsburg, pa., in May,
1852; to the Lizard Township, Pocahontas County, in 1855. Died April 25,
1919.

Catherine Kinnerck Calligan
Born in County Clare, Ireland, on June 24, 1883. Came to Pittsburg, Pa., in
1853. Came to Lizard in Pocahontas County in 1855. Died April 25, 1919.

Mr and Mrs John Condon
Came to Webster County in 1855. John died in October, 1923. Mrs John Condon
died in April, 1924. Parents of Mrs. Mary McDermott and W.L. Condon of Clare
Parish.

Mr and Mr Thos Loftus
Mr. Loftus died Oct 12, 1914. Age 79. Married Ashland, Penn., Feb 12, 1856.

Mr and Mrs Ed Mahoney
Came to the County in 1871. Homesteaded on the presnt Frank Coughlon farm.
Two of their grandchildren live in Clare Parish- Mrs. Anna Cunninghan and
Mrs. Urban Lawler.

Mr and Mrs Edward Dunn
Both born in Kilkenny, Ireland. He, on Sept. 25, 1848. She, on Jan 6, 1856.
(Julia) came to Iowa in June, 1876, and have lived on same farm all the time
since then. Parents of 9 children (5 sons and 4 daughters.)

Mr and Mrs Michael Lahiff
Came to Webster County in May, 1866. Mr. Mike Lahiff was a pioneer business
man of Clare. At 77 years of age he is light on his feet and has lost none
of his skill as an artist at jigging.

Mr and Mrs Patrick Crilly
Mrs. Crilly (Rose Ann Donahoe) was the first white child born in Pocahontas
County.

Mr and Mrs Andrew Funschion
Came to Webster County 65 years ago. Later moved to Dubuque where both died.
Mrs. Funschion was an aunt of Mrs. Jerry Coleman.

Mr and Mrs Jerry Coleman
Came to County in 1870. Mr. Coleman died February 24, 1923.

Mrs. Richard Allen
Mother of Will, Mary and Richard Allen and Mrs. John Moore. She came to
County with other early settlers.

Mr and Mrs David Lawler
Mr and Mrs Lawler came to Webster County in 1866. Parents of 14 children.
Mr. Lawler died April 1, 1922. Mrs. Lawler died at age of 88 on June 17,
1929. 59 descendants mourn her loss. Nine children survive her: Robert,
James, Edward, John, Frank, Anna, Mrs. Margaret Condon, Mrs. T.A. Cavanaugh,
Sister Carmilla; also 40 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

The Condon Brothers
James, John, Dave and Pat came to Webster County in 1855. They arrived in
Fort Dodge when it was little more than a row of log cabins. James was the
first of the brothers to die, Jan. 28, 1921, age 93 years. He was the first
of the family to come to the county. He walked from Des Moines to Fort Dodge
in the winter of 1855.

Mr and Mrs David Mulholland
Mrs. Mulholland was  Margaret Condon.

Mr and Mrs Hanrahan
Parents of James Hanrahan-first Graduate of St. Matthew's.

Charles Donahoe
Born in Pocahontas County, Dec. 12, 1861. Moved to farm south of Clare.
Lived there until 23 years old then entered business in Clare. Married Agnes
Calligan, June 25, 1895. Died on July 2, 1930.

Mr. Peter McCabe
First white boy born in Pocahontas County.

Jules Chalus
Born in Sumanauk, Illinois, Aug. 9, 1883. Came to Webster County in 1897. He
married Mary Hood. Jules died on August 27, 1929. He was one of the leading
businessmen of Clare.

Mr and Mrs Con Griffin
Con was a pioneer hardware merchant and livestock dealer in Clare. He was
born in Kentucky in 1857 and lived in Clare 30 years. He died in Chicago
May, 1921, leaving a widow and seven children. Mrs. Griffin moved to Fort
Dodge.

John Hanrahan
Died at the age of 101 years. Grandfather of John, Roger, Margaret Hanrahan
and Mrs. J.J. Delamore.

Mrs. Patrick Griffin
Mother of Frank Griffin of Clare Parish. Maiden name was Margaret Burke.
Came to Webster County in 1883. Died in 1905. Husband Patrick died near
Madison, Wisconsin.

Mr and Mrs Con Rial
He was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1828. Came to Illinois ans was
married there. Came to Webster County in 1856 and settled on the old
homestead 3 miles south of Clare. Mrs. Rial died in 1888. Con died in
November, 1899. The were the parents of 8 children, 3 of whom died in
infancy: Mrs. P.H. Cain, Jan 7, 1929; C.J. is dead; Mrs James Lawler died
June 18, 1935. Mrs. P.J. Byrne, Josie and Jerry Rial are living now.

Mrs. Elizabeth Ennis
Mother of Mrs. G.W. Lennon of Clare. Pioneer of Clare. Died Feb 8, 1913 age
95 years.

Mr. John B Cain
Son of Simon and Ellen Cain. Married to Ellen Maher in 1893. Two sons,
Marvin and Ervin.

Mr and Mrs Patrick Doyle
Patrick Doyle was born in Ireland February 24, 1845. Came to Chicago at age
of 17 years. Worked on blast furnaces in the steel mills until he was 21.
Married Winnifred Burke, daughter of Philip and Bridget Burke. Parents of
ten children and raised Emma Flynn, no Mrs. James Dunn of West Bend, Iowa.
Patrick Doyle came to Webster County in 1870. He died December 17, 1926.
Mrs. Doyle died in 1896.

Mr and Mrs Ed Hood
Brother of John T Hood. Died in 1928. Buried in Clare Cemetery. Mrs. Hood's
maiden name was Downey.Parents of Mrs. Walter Strait of Clare.

Mr and Mrs Owen Bray
Owen Bray, born in County Meath, Ireland. Came to Iowa in 1854. Died in
1887. Mary Bray was born in County Cavan, Ireland. Came to America in 1865.
Died in 1898.

Mr and Mrs Thomas Doran
Both born in Ireland. He in 1828. She (Elizabeth) in 1837. Came to Webster
County in 1881. He died August 30, 1906. She died February 3, 1900.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From St. Matthew's Parish
Clare, Webster Co, Iowa
1886-1979

Mr and Mrs. Richard Allen Family

     Richard Allen came from Ireland in the early 1850s and settled at Port
Washington, Wisconsin, where he married Mary Ann O'Hare in 1859. They moved
to a farm near Garry Owen in Jackson County, Iowa. In 1870 he came to
Webster County and homesteaded land 2 1/2 miles southeast of Clare. They
were the parents of 9 children- Bridget (Mrs. John Moore), James, Margaret,
Mary, Richard, William, George, Edward and Katherine (Mrs. Arthur Luchow).
     Richard married Elizabeth Harrison.
     William, born October 2, 1873, married Annie Williams, born December
31, 1876, at Coalville on April 19, 1904. They were the parents of six
children- Mildred (Mrs. Vincent Halligan, deceased), Dorothy (Mrs. Joseph
McMahon), George, Mary (Sister Mary Williams P.B.V.M.), Ruth (Mrs. Robert
Brand) and Eileen deceased.
     George Allen married Rose Ascherl and were the parents of nine
children- William, James, Dr. Terrence, Ann Marie (Mrs. Kevin Amick),
Patrick, John, Richard, Mary Antonya (Mrs. Gene Riley) and Sheila.

Mr and Mrs William Condon
     William and Catherine (Williams) Condon were members of the Assumption
Parish of Ballyporeen, Diocese of Waterford, Ireland in the year 1835. They
were the parents of Patrick, David, James and  John, who were among the
early settlers in the area.
     The Condons, with other members of their family, came to Webster
County, a short time after their son's arrival.
     Their daughter, Ellen, was the first school teacher in Jackson
township. She married Peter Donahoe and was the mother of Joe and James
Donahoe., former parish members.
     The Condon Brothers, James, John, Dave and Pat, came to Webster County
in 1855-1858. They arrived in Fort Dodge when it was little more than a row
of log cabins.

Mr and Mrs. Patrick Condon.
     The Condon name has been familiar in this area for almost 125 years.
Patrick, the eldest son of William and Catherine Condon, was born in Ireland
in 1826. He and his brothers came to Des Moines by stage from Pennsylvania
in 1855. They were joined by nine other men in Des Moines and set out on
foot for Fort William (Fort Dodge) making the entire trip in four days.
     Patrick homesteaded in what is now Johnson township, Section 3. He
married Bridet Meagher, a native of Ireland, at St. Mary's Church, Iowa
City, Iowa. They were the parents of seven children: George, William L.,
John P., Patrick, James, Margaret and Mary Ellen (Mayme)- Mrs. Tim
Harrington.
     Patrick attended school in Ireland ans was considered one of the best
educated men in the community. He surveyed land and laid out most of the
roads in Jackson township and was one of the first surveyors elected in
Webster County.
     Patrick (1826-1889) Bridget (1830-1907)

Mr and Mrs Thomas Dolan Family
     Thomas Dolan was born in County Cork, Ireland of Mary and Thomas P.
Dolan. Bridget Friel was born in Dublin, Ireland. They were married in Grand
Junction. Later they moved to Rolfe where Thomas Dolan drove the mail from
Rolfe to Jefferson. Sometimes he stayed overnight at the Stagecoach Inn west
of Ft. Dodge. It took 4 days for return trip to complete the route. Later,
they decided to move to Clare, Ia. where Thomas could work on the building
of the railroad. Later, he was a section hand on the same railroad.
     12 children were born to this union. They have 14 grandchildren, 113
great grandchildren & 6 great great grandchildren.
     Notes: In 1953, Thomas Dolan was 83 years of age. Born Oct. 12, 1852.
Came ot Clare in April, 1889. Married-62 years. Children: Loretta Lowder,
Mable Hood, Ann Fallon, Agnes Emmons, Patrick Dolan, Mayme Steiner, Julia
Lynch, Sarah Downey, Thomas Dolan.

Mr and Mrs James Donahoe Family
     James Donahoe was born in Bailieborough, Ireland (County Cavan). His
wife Ann (Garahan) was born in Cootehill, Ireland (County Cavan). They
emigrated to America in the year 1839 and settled in Hazelton, Penn. Here
two children were born, Thomas and Peter. James worked as a coal miner until
1856, when he, his wife, two children and her paretns Peter and Rose
(Reilly) Garahan, came to the "Lizard Settlement". The trip was made in a
covered wagon drawn by oxen. James pre-empted a claim 1/2 mile south and a
short distance west of the location of St. Patrick's Church, on he south
side of the road. There they built a sod house,. Five more children were
born- RoseAnn, the first white child born in Pocahontas county, who married
Pat Crilly; Mary Jane (Mrs. Matt McCreary); Charles; and tow other children
who died at an early age of "sinking chills." One boy was found dead a short
time after he returned from the prairie where they had traps set to catch
prairie chickens.
     When the report was heard that the Indians were on the warpath (Spirit
Lake Massacre), the Donahoe family hurriedly prepared to go to the fort in
Fort Dodge for protection. A horse and an ox were hitched to a wagon and
they traveled through a severe snow storm.
     At the end of seven years, James discovered the land he was living on
and improved was located within the Government Land Grant made to the
railroad company. he was unable to obtain a title to the land so the family
moved to a farm 2 1/4 miles southwest of Clare. In 1889 they moved to the
town of Clare.
James (1817-1899) Ann (1823-1895)

Doyle Family
     Patrick Doyle was born in Ireland, February 24, 1845. He came to
Chicago at the age of 17 years and worked on blast furnaces in the steel
mills until he was 21. He married Winnefred Burke, daughter of Philip and
Bridget Burke. He came to Webster County in 1870. They were the parents of
the following children: Mrs. Tom C. Hood, Mrs. John English,Mrs. John P.
Fitzgerald, Sister Placid, Mrs. John Coughlon, John, Terry,Phil Doyle and
Mrs. Dan Fitzgerald.
     John Doyle, son of Patrick and Winnefred, was born in Deer Creek
township in 1874. He married Eleanor Coughlon, daughter of David and Ellen
Coughlon. Eleanor was born in a log cabin north of the Deer Creek Lutheran
Church in 1878. John and Eleanor were married at Corpus Christi in 1903.
They were the parents of five children.

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Ivory
     Patrick was born in Dublin, Ireland, March 17, 1830. Ellen Phelan was
born in Kilkenny, Ireland October 12, 1848. They were married in Boston and
came to Webster County in 1871. The Ivory family lived on a farm west of
Clare. They were the parents of several children including Mrs. Ed Benoit
and Mrs. Joe Meyer Sr. who were longtime members of the parish. Their son
Robert, the father of Mary Ivory (Mrs. Leonard Myer), was the first recorded
baptism in the parish register. He was baptized by Father Norton pastor of
St. Patrick's Lizard Church.

Mr and Mrs Edward Mahoney
     Edward Mahoney was born in County Clare, Ireland, Oct. 19, 1822. He
emigrated to America and settled in Cook County, Illinois, in 1845, and was
married to Mary Keefe in 1850. On April 1, 1871, he arrived with his family
in Webster County and for thirty one years claimed this their home. They
were the parents of twelve children, including John, the father of Mrs.
Urban Lawler and Mrs. Anna Cunningham. Mrs. Mulroney died two days after her
husband's death.

Mr and Mrs Con Rial
     Cornelius Rial was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1828. At an
early age he came to America and settled in Illinois. He was married there
to Bridget Burke, who was born in Ireland in 1832. One of the earliest
pioneer couples in this area, they arrived in 1856 and settled on the
homestead 3 miles south and 3/4 miles east of Clare. Con and Bridget were
members of St. Matthew's parish. Bridget died June 11, 1888 and Con died
November, 1899.