Sullivan County PA Archives Biographies.....DEEGAN, Jeremiah 1833 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 11, 2007, 12:26 am Author: Thomas J. Ingham (1899) JEREMIAH DEEGAN is numbered among the pioneer settlers of Sullivan county. For sixty-five years he has resided in this locality, coming here long before the county was organized, it then constituting a part of Lycoming county, while the town of Dushore was then called Cherry. He was born in Kingston, New Jersey, on the 7th of September, 1833, and is a son of Jeremiah Darby and Alicia T. (Birmingham) Deegan. His father was a native of county Kildare, Ireland, born in 1783. He acquired a fair education, and while a resident of the Emerald Isle engaged in boating. In 1827 he crossed the broad Atlantic to America and took up his residence in Easton, Pennsylvania, but soon afterward removed to Kingston, New Jersey, where he was employed on the construction of the state's public works until the spring of 1833. That year witnessed his arrival in Sullivan county. He purchased a farm in Cherry township, and in the fall of the same year brought his family and household effects by wagon to his new home. Here he cleared a small farm, and by diligent efforts and careful economy managed to provide his family with all the necessities and many of the comforts of life, and to give his children good common-school privileges. In his native county Jeremiah D. Deegan was united in marriage to Miss Alicia T. Birmingham, a lady of excellent family and superior education, who was born in Dublin, 1799. His death occurred in 1851, and his wife, long surviving him, passed away on the 14th of April, 1886. To this worthy couple were born the following children: Mary, the eldest, a native of Ireland, became the wife of Patrick Mooney, but both are now deceased. James was born in Ireland, December 5, 1819, raised a company during the Civil war and went to the front as captain, gallantly serving his adopted country through that momentous struggle. Returning from the war, he became one of the leading and influential citizens of Sullivan county, was justice of the peace, associate judge for two terms, and for one term represented his county in the state legislature. He died in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, September 24, 1882. Catherine, the next of the family, was born in Ireland and is the widow of John Groves, her home being in Leadville, Colorado. Margaret, also a native of Ireland, died in infancy, while the family were crossing the Atlantic to the New World. William, born in Easton, Pennsylvania, died in infancy; John, born in New Jersey, served for three years in the Civil war and afterward went to the Indian Territory, where his death occurred. Jeremiah is the next of the family; William, born in Cherry township, Sullivan county, died in infancy; Thomas, born in Cherry township, April 22, 1839, enlisted in the Union army, was wounded at Fredericksburg and died from his injury, January 9, 1863. William H., born in Cherry township, May 18, 1841, resides in Dushore, and is section foreman for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company. He was married October 23, 1877, to Miss Catharine Miner, and to them have been born seven children: John F., Viola, Alice, James H., Thomas A., William J. and Mary. The last died in infancy. Jeremiah Deegan was only a few days old when brought by his parents to Sullivan county. Here he obtained a good common-school education, and when sixteen years of age began driving a team used in connection with the construction of the New York & Pennsylvania canal. He was thus employed for about two years, after which he learned the wagonmaker's trade, although he never followed that pursuit. He found employment in the lumber woods and on the river booms for about four years, and was then, by his brother, placed in charge of some contract work on the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, being thus engaged until October 28, 1861. On that date Mr. Deegan offered his services to his country and enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. On the 28th of November, 1861, he was made second lieutenant of his company, at Camp Curtin, was promoted first lieutenant January 16, 1863, and on the 13th of March, of the same year, took command of the company with the rank of captain. He participated in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Cedar Mountain, the second battle of Bull Run and many other engagements, and won his promotion as the result of gallant and meritorious conduct while under fire. He resigned from the service and received his honorable discharge May 10, 1863. Returning to the north, Mr. Deegan purchased a farm in Cherry township, Sullivan county, and engaged in its cultivation for two years. He then disposed of that property and entered the employ of Hon. George D. Jackson as clerk in his general store, where he remained two years. Through the succeeding five years he was with the State Line & Sullivan Railroad Company, prospecting for coal. He then resumed farming, purchasing a tract of land in Cherry township, which he operated for eighteen months, when, selling, he removed to Dushore and worked for one year as a laborer on the railroad. He next rented the Dushore House, then the leading hotel in the town, conducting the same for ten years, when he embarked in the confectionery business. Selling that enterprise a year later, he established a livery stable, which he sold after six months. In Partnership with Ambrose Ferrell he purchased the Hotel Lopez, at Lopez, Sullivan county, and together they carried on business until the death of Mr. Ferrell. Mr. Deegan then rented his interest in the hotel to Mrs. Ferrell and afterward sold to her, in May, 1898, since which time, on account of delicate health, he has lived in Dushore, retired from active business. Mr. Deegan was married, April 5, 1863, to Miss Ella B. Smith, who was born in Monroeton, Pennsylvania, March 19, 1843. Her father, Jonas P. Smith, was born in Camden, Oneida county, New York, June 25, 1810, and at an early day located in Monroeton, where he engaged in merchandising and later conducted a hotel. He was married July 1, 1840, to Miss Fidelia S., daughter of Jared and Sophia Woodruff, and to them were born two children: Ella B., now Mrs. Deegan; and Emma B., who married W. K. Taylor, and after his death married Jesse Schoonover, of Towanda, Pennsylvania. Mr. Smith died December 1, 1849; his wife, March 23, 1856. To Mr. and Mrs. Deegan have been born nine children: George T., whose sketch follows; W. Francis, who was born May 25, 1865, and died on the 9th of October of the same year; Alice P., who was born September 27, 1866, and is the wife of Henry J. Castle, of Lopez, Pennsylvania; Emma B., who was born May 8, 1868, and is the wife of James P. Carmody, of Towanda; M. Eugene, who was born September 12, 1869, and is a locomotive fireman on the Lehigh Valley railroad, his home being in Sayre, Pennsylvania; Oscar J., who was born November 1, 1873, and died March 30, 1874; J. Leonard, whose sketch appears on another page of this work; Margaret E., who was born April 22, 1877, educated in St. Elizabeth's College, of Allegany, New York, and is now in the employ of Jonas Long and Sons, of Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania; and Bessie A., who was born November 22, 1882, and is still with her parents. The family are devout members of the Catholic church, while socially Mr. Deegan is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic, and politically is identified with the Democratic party. He is one of the prominent and highly esteemed citizens of the county, and has most capably served as school director and a member of the town council. He is highly esteemed for his sterling worth, and in the community where his life has been passed has many warm friends. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Sullivan County Pennsylvania by Thomas J. Ingham Compendium of Biography The Lewis Publishing Company Chicago: 1899 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 8.5 Kb