Sullivan-McKean-Potter County PA Archives Biographies.....IRELAND, Joseph M. 1859 - 
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  File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
  Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 17, 2007, 10:45 pm
  
  Author: Thomas J. Ingham (1899)
  
      JOSEPH M. IRELAND. - Doubtless many of our readers, in tracing their
  ancestral lines to the point where uncertain tradition brings their researches
  to an early and unsatisfactory ending, have realized the value to future
  generations of this attempt to preserve in substantial form the information yet
  obtainable concerning the genealogies of our citizens, together with such
  account of the men of this day as will serve to continue the record for
  posterity's use.
  
      In the case of the subject of this sketch, a well known citizen of Ricketts,
  Sullivan county, the first ancestor of whom there is any authentic record was
  one Isaac Ireland, who died about two hundred years ago, leaving a cane that has
  been handed down through six generations and which is now in the possession of
  our subject. In each generation the eldest son has been named Isaac in honor of
  this ancestor, but unfortunately no definite account has been preserved of their
  history. The family has long been identified with the town of Truro, Cornwall,
  England, and Isaac Ireland, our subject's grandfather, was born and reared there
  and during his youth learned the sawmaker's trade. He married a Miss Mitchell,
  of Cornwall, and some years later removed to the township of Percy, Ontario,
  Canada, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their years. They had the
  following children: Thomas Isaac, a farmer in Percy township; Electa, the wife
  of George Bush, of Green Bank, Ontario; Daniel, a lumberman at Mariposa,
  Ontario; Louisa, who became the wife of Willard Gould, a farmer near Hersey,
  Michigan; and John Seley, the father of our subject.
  
      John Seley Ireland was born in Cornwall and was about eleven years old when
  his parents moved to their new home in Canada. He learned the saw-maker's trade,
  returning to England for that purpose, and for several years was employed in
  that capacity in mills at Chicago, Illinois, and Green Bay, Wisconsin. During
  the Civil war he became interested in lumbering and at one time he owned a large
  amount of valuable timber land in Northwestern Wisconsin, but the fire of 1871
  swept over the tract, causing the loss of his entire investment. For one year he
  was in the hotel business at Green Bay, being proprietor of the Fox River House,
  but soon after the fire he located at Whitehall, Michigan, where he was employed
  as a sawyer. Later he left a similar position in Muskegon, Michigan, and after a
  time he formed a partnership with Mr. Gregory and opened a saw-repairing shop in
  that city. The venture proved successful, and he and our subject, who had come
  into possession of some capital, decided to build a shingle mill at Muskegon.
  This burned, proving a total loss, and Mr. John Ireland then removed to Fort
  Bragg, California, taking a position as saw-filer in a mill. He also spent some
  time in a mill at Puget Sound but afterward located at Keating Summit,
  Pennsylvania, as a saw-filer in a sawmill. After a few years he and our subject
  took a contract which did not turn out well, and on June 1, 1897, he removed to
  Ricketts, taking employment as a saw-filer. He owns farm property in Cattaraugus
  county, New York, and he and his wife, whose maiden name was Maria Mitchell, are
  now residing there. Mrs. Ireland is a native of Cornwall, England, and a
  daughter of Sophia and Joseph Mitchell. Two children have been born to them,
  namely: Isaac, a sawyer by trade, who died at Buffalo, N. Y., at the age of
  thirty-one, leaving a widow and two children, who are now residents of Muskegon,
  Michigan; and Joseph M., our subject.
  
      Joseph M. Ireland was born November 25, 1859, in Percy township, Ontario,
  Canada, and when four years old accompanied his parents to Green Bay, Wisconsin,
  where he remained about nine years, the family then removing to Muskegon. Before
  he attained his majority he learned the saw-maker's trade, working with his
  father and later with the Branch Crook Saw Company, at St. Louis, and on
  completing his apprenticeship he found employment in a mill at Muskegon. At
  first he was kept at ordinary work, but as his ability and skill were seen he
  was promoted to a position as sawyer and from that time to this he has never
  worked for less than five dollars per day, and at times has received as high as
  twelve dollars. In 1887 he came to Pennsylvania, taking a place as saw-filer in
  the mill at Austin, where he remained seven years and a half. The following year
  was spent in operating a sawmill in McKean county on his own account, but the
  venture resulted in a total loss of his capital. He then passed one year at
  Thornton, Arkansas, and three months at Monroe, Louisiana, as a saw-filer, and
  since that time he has been with Trexler & Turrell, of Ricketts, in the same
  capacity. He came with the intention of staying one month, but has now been in
  their employ more than a year, his efficient service being highly appreciated by
  the company.
  
      On August 7, 1881, he was married, at Au Sable, Michigan, to Miss Anna
  McFarlane, a native of Appin, Canada, and a daughter of Malcolm McFarlane and
  Janet nee Mac Master, who were both born in Scotland. Three children were born
  of this union: Jeannette, born June 20, 1882; Francis M., June 22, 1884; and
  John Malcolm, August 14, 1886. The family now resides in Bradford, where the
  children are attending school.
  
      Politically Mr. Ireland is a staunch Republican and while residing in Austin
  he served as a member of the town council. Socially he is identified with the
  Masonic fraternity, having united in 1882 at Au Sable, Michigan, with Au Sable
  Lodge, No 243, F. and A. M., and Iosco Chapter, No. 83, R. A. M. He also belongs
  to the council at New Orleans, Louisiana, the commandery at Coudersport,
  Pennsylvania, and the Mystic Shrine at Buffalo.
  
  
  Additional Comments:
          Extracted from: 
            
          History of Sullivan County Pennsylvania
          by Thomas J. Ingham
            
          Compendium of Biography
            
          The Lewis Publishing Company
          Chicago: 1899
    
    
  
  
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