Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Dempsey, Thomas F ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 3, 2007, 1:41 am Author: Genealogical/Biographical Publishing Co THOMAS F. DEMPSEY, who has made his home in Troy Township since 1848, and for years has been one of the township's most successful farmers and stock- raisers, was born in County Kildare, Ireland, August 19, 1841, a son of John and Ellen (Shaughnassey) Dempsey. During the latter part of 1848 the family sailed from Ireland, in the good ship "Hottiniger," and after a voyage of five weeks and three days, during which time they encountered two severe storms and were wrecked, they arrived in New York. From there they proceeded up the Hudson River to Albany, then crossed the state on the Erie canal to Buffalo, going from that city via the lakes to Chicago. While on Lake Michigan a heavy storm arose, in which their ship was wrecked and then towed into port at Milwaukee. From Chicago they came to Joliet on one of the first canal boats that made the trip to this point. Settling in this county the father took up a tract of land in Troy Township, which he bought at the land sale at Lockport in the spring of 1849. No improvements had been made on the land, and there was not a house between here and Joliet Mound. The family moved into a log cabin, in which openings had been made for doors and windows; these apertures they closed with blankets. All night the wolves howled near the little cabin, their cries being the only sound that broke the stillness of the lonely region. Growing bold, they caught and killed a fine dog of which the family were proud; but, fortunately, their encroachments stopped on the outside of the house. Those early days were busy ones for the family, all of whom helped the father in his work of getting the land under cultivation and making needed improvements. He continued to reside on the same place until his death, in January, 1876, at the age of seventy-eight years. The mother died August 19, 1864, aged fifty-four years. She was the mother of seven children, viz.: Malachi, Thomas, John, Joseph, Mrs. Ann Ivans, Mrs. Bridget Riley, and David, of DesMoines, Iowa. Owing to the need of his assistance on the home farm, it was not possible for our subject to attend school regularly, and he studied mostly at night, with the help of his father and mother. When twenty-eight years of age he went to Chicago, with only $3 in cash, but with energy, determination and good health. He secured employment in butchering. Two months later he married. Economical and industrious, he was prospered and at the end of four years and seven months he had $2,800 in cash. He then returned to the home farm, as his father, who was growing old, needed his aid. The work was not new to him, as from the age of thirteen years he had been actively at work on the homestead, mostly buying and selling cattle, although he also cultivated the land. When he returned he took hold as before and assumed the management of the one hundred and thirty-five acres in the place. Afterward he purchased other land and now has about four hundred acres, which represents his energy and ambitious efforts. He has always been a man of great energy and perseverance. Perhaps no term so well expresses his character as the word "hustler." He well deserves the prosperity he has gained. He is known as a thrifty, industrious and honest farmer, who manages his affairs in a systematic manner. In farm products his specialties are corn and oats, of which he annually sells three and four thousand bushels, respectively. On his place, among other farm implements, is a corn sheller with a capacity of over three thousand bushels daily, operated either by horse or steam power. He does the hauling to Troy and Channahon for the two creameries, hauling from one to two thousand pounds a day. Cattle, horses and hogs are to be found on his place, his specialty being the breeding of Norman horses and good roadsters. As his father, Mr. Dempsey supports Democratic principles. For fourteen years he served as justice of the peace, for two years held the office of supervisor, and was also school trustee for many years. He is a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Minooka. In October, 1869, he married Nora Kenney, whose father, Michael, was engaged in farming in Troy Township and later removed to Joliet. Mrs. Nora Dempsey died in 1884 and was interred in St. Patrick's cemetery in Joliet. The second marriage of Mr. Dempsey, in October, 1896, united him with Josephine Burns, of Chicago. By his first marriage he had ten children, of whom Lennie and Josie are deceased. Ervin and John reside in this county; Alice is the wife of John Cudahy, of Manhattan; Thomas, Jerome, Robert, Bernard and Edward assist their father at home and relieve him of much of the work of managing the farm. Additional Comments: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present Biographical Publishing Company; Chicago 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/dempsey1625nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb