Patrick Sheridan
Patrick
J. Sheridan
– (1830 – 1895) Emigrated to U. S. in May 1855. He was born in
Easky, county Sligo, Ireland, March 30, 1830, and died in April 20, 1895, in
Rutland Township, Humboldt County, Iowa.
The following obituaries appeared in the April 30, 1895, Humboldt
Republican Newspaper:
First
Resident of Rutland, Iowa - Patrick Sheridan
- by S.H.Taft
By the death of Patrick Sheridan, which occurred on Monday, April 20, Humboldt
County has lost one of its most worthy citizens and the Christian church a
conscientious and devoted member. Mr.
Sheridan was one of a large family, eight of whom, five brothers and three
sisters, survive him. Two of his brothers are Baptist ministers. He was born in
Eskey county, Ireland, on March 23, 1830, where he lived until twenty-five years
ago, when he came to the United States and settled in Cascade, Iowa, in 1855,
from which place he came to Humboldt county in 1857 and took up a prairie farm
on section twenty in what is now known as Rutland township, where he has since
resided. He put up a small log house and proceeded alone to break up and
cultivate his farm. When I came to Iowa in 1862 1 found him the only resident of
what is now the village of Rutland. The wild unbroken prairie extended on every
side of his lonely dwelling with nothing to break the monotony of the scene
except one deserted log house not far off and the old dragoon trail which passed
near his farm over which the general government had marched its soldiers and
sent its supplies to its forts in the far west. The larger game, elk and
buffaloes, had, with the Indians, gone farther west, but muskrats, minks, foxes,
and wolves were numerous and the furs of these animals which bore a high price
during the war, helped keep hunger from many a pioneer's humble home during
those early days. Besides which wild ducks, geese and cranes were to be seen in
countless numbers. In the midst of this solitude I found Mr. Sheridan full of
hope and cheer, the secret of which I soon learned, for on remarking to him one
day that he was in as much need of a companion as was Adam in the Garden of
Eden, he replied, "I know that well, and am soon to go back to Dubuque
county for a wife." In 1863 he married Miss Margaret L. Barton, of Cascade,
Iowa, and brought her to transform his lonely house into a loving home.
Eight children, four sons and four daughters, were born to them, all but
one of whom are living; Maggie when but fifteen years old, passed on to the
spirit world. Mr. Sheridan did well his part as a pioneer and will ever be held
in kindly and grateful remembrance by all who have known him. He was a man of
sterling integrity, with strong moral and religious convictions to which he ever
sought to be true. He took a deep interest in those questions, which pertain to
the social and moral well being of society.
He took an active part in the organization of the Free Will Baptist
church in Rutland, and in the building of its house of worship. While a devoted
member of that church, his Christian sympathy and fellowship were not bounded by
theological lines but went out freely to all, of what ever name, who possessed
the spirit of love and sought to bring in God's kingdom of righteousness and
peace. The light of the Heavenly Father's love as revealed by Jesus of Nazareth
gave to our brother strength and peace to the last.
His funeral was held in the Free Will Baptist church and was largely
attended by old settlers from all parts of the county.
Very few of the pioneers who came to Humboldt County, prior to1860, are
now living. Soon the last one will have passed away, but the influence for good
of a truly Christian life like Mr. Sheridan's will never pass away.
DIED
SHERIDAN-At his home in the village of Rutland, Humboldt County, Iowa, on Monday
April 20th, 1896 of complication of diseases, Mr. Sheridan aged 66
years - 27 days. The funeral took
place Wednesday afternoon April 22nd and the remains were laid away in Union
Cemetery at Humboldt. Mr. Sheridan
came to Humboldt in 1857 and took up 160 acres of Rutland township and his home
has been upon the same land ever since. He
was at the time of his death the oldest resident of his township as well as one
of the very few remaining oldest settlers of the county. He has seen the county
grow from a thinly settled strip along its three beautiful streams to its
present populous and prosperous state. He was the soul of honor and in all his
business transactions and public duties in which he bad been called to serve, he
was conscientious in the extreme. It
is the life of the likes of himself that in a new country makes a broad and deep
foundation of good citizenship. He was born in Sligo parish of County Esaky,
Ireland. In May 1855, he came to
America and after living in Minnesota and Cascade Iowa; he came here in the
year
above noted. He was married to
Margaret L. Barton, June lst 1868 at Cascade and together they have reared a
large family who are a credit to them and to the town and county they call home.
Mr. Sheridan was for many years an important factor in the township of
Rutland and held the office of trustee fifteen years, was Justice of the Peace
five years, was township clerk at various times and a member of the school
board, in all of which positions he honored the office. The funeral service was
held at the Free Will Baptist Church, of which he was a member, in Rutland, and
a large concourse, of old settlers and friends accompanied the funeral cortege
to the place of interment yesterday.
__________________________________________________________________________
Father*
Patrick Sheridan
(b. circa 1793, d. 25 Jun 1877)
Mother*
Margaret Walsh
(
, d. Jun 1835)
__________________________________________________________________________
Birth*
30
Mar 1830
Easky, County Sligo.
Marriage*
01 Jun 1863
Margaret L. Barton
; Cascade, IA.
Daughter:
27 Apr 1864
Ella Jane Sheridan
(b. 27 Apr 1864, d. 28 Mar 1952); Rutland,
Humboldt County, IA.; married Henry Gregory
Daughter:
__ ___ 1865
Mary Esther Sheridan
(b. 1865, d. 21 Feb 1935); Rutland, IA.;
married Wesley T. Davenport
Daughter:
__ ___ 1865
Maggie A. Sheridan
(b. 1865,
)
Son:
__ ___ 1869
John P. Sheridan
(b. 1869,
)
Son:
cir __ ___ 1872
William J. Sheridan
(b. circa 1872)
Son:
cir __ ___ 1877
David B. Sheridan
(b. circa 1877)
Daughter:
25 Feb 1879
Sadie E. Sheridan
(b. 25 Feb 1879, ); Rutland,
Humboldt County, IA.
Son:
Richard B. Sheridan
Death*
20 Apr 1895
Rutland, Humboldt County, IA.
__________________________________________________________________________
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