Marshall-Leavenworth County KS Archives Biographies.....Duigenan, Michael Josepph 1842 - 1915 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com July 21, 2005, 7:02 pm Author: B. F. Bowen MICHAEL JOSEPH DUIGENAN. The late Michael Joseph Dttigenan, of Marysville, one of the pioneers of Marshall county and for many years one of the wealthiest and most influential residents of the county, was a native of the Emerald Isle, but had been a resident of this county since 1870 and had therefore witnessed the development of this region since the days of the early settlement of the same. He was born in the city of Dublin, Ireland, in November, 1842, of Irish parents, but was reared in London, to which city his parents had moved when he was a child. He lost his parents in the days of his youth and he later went to South America, making his home in the city of Buenos Ayres for some time, later coming to the United States and settling at Chicago, where he remained until he came to Kansas in 1870 and located at Marysville, with the interests of which city and of Marshall county he was actively and prominently identified the rest of his life. During his boyhood in London Mr. Duigenan had learned the trade of saddler and harness-maker and had worked at that trade both in Buenos Ayres and in Chicago. Upon locating at Marysville he bought the harness shop that had been established there by Nierman & Switzer and at once engaged in business, eventually becoming very successful. Mr. Duigenan had the utmost confidence in the future of Marysville from the very beginning of his residence there and shortly after his arrival there made considerable investments in town lots, which turned out very well. Upon his marriage two years later he built a handsome residence in Marysville and there established his home, making that his place of residence the rest of his life. He rapidly extended the business of his harness shop and presently had one of the most extensive establishments of that sort in northern Kansas. At the same time he was making judicious investments in Marshall county farm lands and it was not long until he came to be regarded as one of the wealthiest and most substantial citizens of the county. At one time he owned five or six farms in this county and went in quite extensively for cattle raising. He retained to the end his fine ranch of eight hundred and forty acres six miles south of Marysville and took much pride in the development of the same and in raising the standard of the live-stock bred on his place. Mr. Duigenan had inherited a bit of property in London and after his marriage made four trips back to that city, incidentally increasing his investments there. He also had extensive investments in bonds and owned, besides his beautiful residence in Marysville, a business block and other property there. During the nineties Mr. Duigenan gave much attention to cattle raising and was known as one of the most enterprising stockmen in this part of Kansas. In later years he spent much time in travel and had not only visited most of the chief points of interest in this country, but in Europe. In 1913 he made a pilgrimage to the Vatican at Rome and out of a party of seven hundred he was the only American, the rest all being foreigners, and received the papal blessing of the supreme pontiff. Mr. Duigenan was an ardent member of the Catholic church and among the benefactions revealed by his last will and testament was one bequeathing four thousand dollars to Catholic institutions. Politically, he was a Republican and from the very beginning of his residence in this county took an active interest in political affairs. For some time he served as a member of the Marysville city council and he also served for years as a member of the local school board. Mr. Duigenan died at his home in Marysville in May, 1915, leaving a widow and five children. On July 13, 1872, at Stratford, Ontario, Michael J. Duigenan was united in marriage to Rachel Cooper, who was born at that place on June 6, 1854, daughter of John and Rosanna Cooper, natives, respectively, of England and Ireland. John Cooper, who was a substantial brick manufacturer, was born at Enkfing, England, in 1818, and when a young man emigrated to Canada. For two years he and his wife made their home in Marysville. In 1888 he returned to his boyhood home in England and there died on February 18, 1898. To Mr. and Mrs. Duigenan five children were born, namely: Kathleen, who married J. C. Grindle, of Marysville: Charles Joseph, a draughtsman, who is at home: Francis, a pharmacist at Kansas City; Elizabeth, who married Omer Fulton, and Madeline, who is at home. The Duigenans have a very pleasant home at Marysville and have ever taken a proper part .in the social, cultural and religious activities of their home town, earnest factors in the promotion of all movements having to do with the advancement of the common welfare. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions by Emma E. Forter Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/marshall/bios/duigenan46bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb