Biographies: Washington Twp, Clinton County, Iowa Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Annette Lucas ClintonRoots@aol.com ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF WASHINGTON TWP. From the book "The History of Clinton County Iowa" by L. P. Allen (1879) JOHN BLESSINTON, Superintendent of Clinton County Poor Farm; P.O. Charlotte; born in County Longford, Ireland, in October, 1825. His parents, John and Margaret Blessington, emigrated to Vermont in June, 1839; they removed to Wisconsin in the spring of 1847; in the fall of that year, he went to Lowell, Mass., where he worked in a woolen factory for eight years; he came to Clinton Co. in 1855, and located in what was then Lyons Township, now Hampshire Township, where he lived till 1863; he then removed to Welton Township and engaged in farming; in 1866, he went to Lyons and engaged in the mercantile business. He was City Marshal of that town for two years; was appointed to present position in February, 1876, succeeding Mr. William Cotton, now deceased. His parents, now dead, came to Clinton Co. in 1851. Mr. Blessington married Mary A. Howley, of Massachusetts, native of Ireland; they have six children -- Mary Ann, now Mrs. Robert Stuart, John Margaret L., Edward J., William H. and Herbert L.; have lost four sons -- Charles F., died in May, 1878, aged 22 years; the others died in infancy. WILLIAM M. BURKE, farmer, Sec. 27; P.O. De Witt; born in County Longford, Ireland, in May, 1816. He came to New York about 1839; went to Danville, Penn.; in 1846, he went to Louisiana; stayed about one year; then followed steamboating on the Mississippi till 1850. He entered his present farm in 1851; he then returned to St. Louis, where he lived about three years; then returned to his farm, which he has since occupied. He married Bridget Casey, a native of Ireland, then of St. Louis; they have ten children -- James, Mary, William, Peter, Margaret, Kate, Francis P., John J., Agnes and Michael A.; lost two children in infancy. Mr. Burke has 160 acres of land. GEORGE BENTON, farmer, Sec. 27; P.O. De Witt; born in England, July, 1811; he came to New York in 1836; where he lived two years; then removed to Davenport, Iowa. He married Mary Folk, a native of Illinois; came to Clinton Co. in 1845, and settled in Deep Creek Township; he removed to Washington Township in 1848, and entered a farm in Section 24; he settled where he now lives in 1852. Has had nine children, seven are living -- George A., Richard E., William E., John Dillman, Mary E., and Susan; lost first child, Sarah A., and third, Casper C. Mr. Benton owns over 400 acres of land. TIMOTHY CRANNEY, farmer, Sec. 36; P. O. De Witt; born in Queen's County, Ireland, in 1826; he came to America in the fall of 1852; lived in Kentucky one and a half years; came to Clinton Co. in 1854; bought the farm he now owns in 1860; his wife was Mrs. Mary Reed, formerly Mary Flannery; has three children -- James, John and Charles; Mrs. Cranney has three children by former marriage -- Catharine, Thomas and William. Mr. Cranney's farm contains 160 acres. JAMES CUMMINGS, farmer, Sec. 2; P.O. De Witt; born in County Kildare, Ireland, near Dublin, about 1827; he came to America with his parents in 1850; he went to Baltimore, Md.; remained about six months; then went to Pittsburgh; remained one year; then came to Clinton Co., and purchased his present farm; returned to Pittsburgh; settled on his farm the next spring. He married Ellen Dunn; they have one child -- Margaret; has eighty acres of land. JOSEPH CASSIDY, farmer, Sec. 31; P.O. De Witt; born in County Monaghan, Ireland, in 1835; his parents, Michael and Catherine Cassidy, came to America in 1848; they lived one year in St. Louis, then went to Dubuque and lived one year; thence to Scott Co., for one year; thence to Clinton Co. His father died in 1876; his mother resides with her son Joseph. The farm now owned by Joseph is a part of two farms, entered by his father and his brother James, in 1854. James died in January, 1872. Mr. Cassidy married Betsy Callan, also a native of County Monaghan. They have four children -- Margaret, Ann, Betsy and James. Mr. Cassidy has about 500 acres of land; he located on 240 acres of present farm in the fall of 1865. JOHN DOLAN, farmer and stock-raiser; resides in Sec. 12; P.O. Charlotte; born in County Mayo, Ireland, in 1816. He married Catharine Murphy, native of same county; he came to the United States in 1848; he lived one and a half years in Rutland Co., Vt.; then removed to Livingston Co., N. Y., where he lived about three years; he then went to Illinois; remained one year, and came to Clinton Co. in 1854; purchased part of his present farm in 1855; has eleven children -- Martin, Thomas, Kate, Mary F., Ann I., Sarah E., Michael, Eliza, Theresa, James and Eva Alicelis; has lost three sons and two daughters. Mr. Dolan owns about seven hundred acres of land; he is one of the most successful farmers of Clinton Co.; he came to the county twenty-five years ago, a poor man; has now several fine farms, well stocked and improved. GEORGE FARRELL, farmer, Sec. 24; P.O. Charlotte; born in the city of Dublin in 1828; he came to the United States about 1849; purchased his present farm in 1853. His first wife was Jane Collin, a native of Ireland. His present wife was Catherine Lawler; Mr. Farrell has five children by his first marriage and seven by second. He has 160 acres of land. BERNARD FLANNERY, farmer, Sec. 18; P.O. De Witt; born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, about 1820; he came to America, December, 1848; Mr. Flannery visited various parts of the country before he settled down; he landed in New York, then visited Connecticut; returned to New York; went to New Orleans, then to Memphis and other parts of Tennessee, and came to Clinton Co., December, 1850, and entered his present farm. He married Margaret Trimbull, daughter of Michael Trimbull; they have nine children -- Michael, Mary, John, Peter, William, Sarah, Bernard, James J. and Lawrence. Mr. Flannery's home farm contains 220 acres; he also has another farm of 200 acres. REV. JOHN B. GAFFNEY, Pastor of St. Patrick's Church, Washington Township, and of St. Mary's Church, Hampshire Township; P.O. Charlotte; Father Gaffney was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1843; his parents, John and Margaret Gaffney, emigrated to the United States in 1848; they first settled in Pennsylvania; removed to Dubuque in 1851. Father Gaffney received his literary education at St. Francis' College, Cambria Co., Penn.; pursued his theological studies at Pittsburgh Seminary, completing the course in 1865; he was ordained in the fall of 1865, by Bishop Henni, of Milwaukee; his first charge was the pastorate of St. Paul's Church at Burlington; was transferred in 1866, to Otter Creek, Jackson Co., where he remained till 1878, when he assumed his present charge, succeeding the Rev. Father Brady; Father Gaffney is an earnest laborer in the cause of temperance, and has established a temperance society in connection with his church in Hampshire Township; one already existed in Washington Township when he assumed his present duties. ANTON HANSMAN, farmer, Sec. 7; P.O. De Witt; Mr. Hansman was born in Baden, Germany, in 1835; he came to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1855; he removed to Illinois in the fall of 1856; he bought part of his present farm in the fall of 1859, and settled thereon in 1862. He married Margaret Sophy, a native of Canada; have five children -- Mary, John, Charles, Albert and Caroline. Owns 400 acres. FRANCIS HOGARTY, farmer, Sec. 24; P.O. De Witt; born in Ohio in 1833; his parents, John and Lucy Hogarty, removed to Davenport in 1844; his father died in February, 1864; his mother resides in Davenport. He married, in 1855, Margaret McGarry, daughter of Enos McGarry. Mr. Hogarty lived in Scott Co. one year after his marriage, and came to Clinton Co. in 1857; he purchased a farm in Sec. 34, Washington Township, which he sold in 1866, and settled in Center Township, where he lived six years; he purchased his present farm in 1865, which is the farm formerly owned by his father-in-law, Mr. Enos McGarry. He has six children -- Elizabeth, Francis, Minnie, James, Annie and Jarvis R. Mr. Hogarty has 200 acres of land. PATRICK LAWLER, farmer, Sec. 2; P.O. Charlotte; born in Queen's County, Ireland, March 16, 1808; he emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1846; came to Clinton Co. in 1849; he lived in De Witt Township two years, then purchased present farm. He married Elizabeth Reed, a native of Ireland; she died in June, 1862; they had ten children -- Ann, Catherine, Fanton, Elizabeth, Mary, Margaret, Theresa, Simon P., William and Edward; Mr. Lawler's present wife was Miss Margaret Lawler, a native of Ireland. He has nearly 300 acres of land; is engaged in general farming and stock raising. JOHN J. McDONNELL, farmer, Sec. 26; P.O. De Witt; Mr. McDonnell was born in New York July 4, 1816. His parents moved to West Virginia, thence to Pennsylvania, then to Ohio, and to Iowa in 1854, and settled in Davenport. His father died in Davenport about 1856. Mr. McConnell came to Clinton Co. in 1858, and settled on Sec. 23, Washington Township. He purchased his present farm in the fall of 1866. He married Catharine McGarry, a native of Ireland; have four children -- Patrick, William, James and Hugh. John, the oldest son, enlisted, in 1861, in the 26th I.V.; was mortally wounded at the battle of Arkansas Post. Mr. McDonnell has 160 acres of land; his son Patrick owns 200 acres of land in Sec. 26; James has 160 acres in Sec. 23. JOHN McELHATTON, farmer, Sec. 2; P.O. Charlotte. Mr. McElhatton was born in Ireland in 1834; his parents, John and Margaret McElhatton, emigrated to Ohio when he was an infant. They came to Clinton Co. about 1859; his father had charge of the Clinton Co. Poor Farm for three years; his parents afterward settled in De Witt Township; they are now deceased. Mr. McElhatton married Margaret Clarey, a native of Ireland; they have one child -- Elizabeth F.; also an adopted son. Mr. M. has 86 acres of land; settled on his present farm in 1861. JOHN J. McGARRY, farmer, Sec. 35; P.O. De Witt; born in Clark Co., Ohio, in 1837; his parents, Enos and Elizabeth McGarry, came to Scott Co., in 1854, to Clinton Co. in 1856; his father purchased and improved the farm now owned by his son J. J., where the family all resided till 1863; he purchased the farm of his father in 1866; his father died in 1875, aged 75 years; his mother resides with her son James, in Iowa Co. Mr. J. J. McGarry married Mary G. Lawler, daughter of Patrick Lawler, of Washington Township; has five children -- William A., Elizabeth, Mary M. Francis and John J. Mr. McGarry has 300 acres, in a fine state of cultivation. He has held various township offices; his father was Justice of the Peace of Washington Township for several years. CHRISTOPHER McGINN, farmer, Sec. 5; P.O. Charlotte; Mr. McGinn was born in Canada, in 1829. He married Ellen Hanrahan, a native of Canada. He came to Clinton Co. in the spring of 1853, and entered 80 acres of his present farm; has seven children -- Mary A., William, Ellen, Christopher, James, Margaret and Jane. Mr. McGinn's parents settled in Washington Township two years later than he did; they are now deceased; they had eight children when they came to Clinton Co., seven still living. Mr. McGinn has 220 acres of land; is engaged principally in stock-raising. THOMAS O'TOOLE, farmer, Sec. 4; P.O. Charlotte; was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, in 1829; his parents, Lawrence and Catherine O'Toole, emigrated to Canada in 1830. He married Sarah McAllister, a native of Ireland; they have had seven children, six of whom are still living -- Margaret, Mary, Lawrence, Thomas, John and James; the other died in infancy. Mr. O'Toole came to Clinton Co. and settled on his present farm in Washington Township, in 1851. His homestead farm contains 280 acres; he also owns a farm of 140 acres in Waterford Township; he is one of the successful farmers of Washington Township; is engaged extensively in stock-raising; makes a specialty of short-horns; has a fine herd of twenty of that excellent breed of cattle. MRS. ELLEN ROSSITER, formerly Miss Ellen Bryant, resides on Sec. 3; P.O. Charlotte; Mrs. Rossiter was born in Bath, England, in 1825. Married in 1848, James Rossiter, who was born in England, in 1812. The emigrated to New York in 1849; thence to Scranton, Penn.; they came to Clinton Co. in May, 1854, and settled on the farm now owned by Mrs. Rossiter. Her husband died Oct. 22, 1872. Mrs. Rossiter has had eight children, six are living-- Charlotte M., wife of John Spurrell, resides in Sac Co., Iowa; Martha E., John R., Simon C., William J. and Benjamin F.; has lost two children -- Lydia A. and an infant. Mrs. Rossiter and two of her children are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Rossiter was a member of this church for forty years. JOSEPH WIESE, farmer, Sec. 13; P.O. Charlotte; born in Holstein, Germany, in 1830; he came to America in 1856; he resided in Davenport one year; then purchased and settled on present farm. He married Lena Wiese, also a native of Holstein. They have eight children -- Dora, Emma, Mena, William, Caroline, Joseph H., Theresa and Clara. Mr. Weise has 280 acres of land; is engaged in general farming. HIRAM M. WHITE, farmer, Sec. 23; P.O. De Witt; born in Martinsburg, Berkeley Co., Va., in 1797. His parents removed to Champaign Co., Ohio, in 1806. Mr. White was a soldier in the second war with England, enlisting at the breaking out of the war in 1812, when he was but 15 years of age; he was a member of the 4th U.S. Volunteers. He was in Gen. Hull's army when that officer surrendered his army and the territory of Michigan to the British; participated in several battles of that war; he returned to Ohio in 1918. He cast his first vote for President Monroe. Was a Postmaster during the administration of J. Q. Adams, and also during that of President Polk. He married, in 1819, Elizabeth Williams, of Ohio; had nine children. He married, in 1850, Miss Mary A. Redford, a native of Ohio; they also had nine children; seven are living. He came to Clinton Co., and settled in De Witt in 1850, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for five years. He was Postmaster at De Witt during the last part of Filmore's administration. He located in Washington on his present farm in 1855.