Tucker County, West Virginia Biography of DANIEL J. MORAN This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: **The Submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch.** This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 484-485 Tucker DANIEL J. MORAN. Serving in his second term as post- master of Thomas, Daniel J. Moran is one of the oldest citizens of this important mining and industrial community. He is a miner by occupation, and for years has been a man of influence among his fellow workers and a valued factor in every movement for the welfare and prosperity of the town. He has been a resident of West Virginia since 1886 and is a native of Maryland. He was born at Lonaconing in that state April 18, 1866, and comes of an Irish family of the best traditions. His father, Daniel J. Moran, Sr., was born in County Galway, Ireland, son of Daniel J. Moran, born at Ardrahen in County Galway. The grandfather spent his active life as a steward of an estate under Chris- topher St. George French. His two song were Thomas and Daniel J. Thomas, by the terms of English law, inherited all his father's property, and he brought his brother, Daniel J., to the United States and they located at Lonaconing, Maryland. Daniel J. Moran, Sr., was a Confederate soldier in the Ninth Louisiana Tigers. He was buried at Cumber- land, Maryland. Before his death he made the request that on St. Patrick's Day the Irish flag should be planted upon his grave, while on Memorial Day he wanted the flag of the Confederacy planted there. This request has been scrupulously carried out every year by his son. Daniel J. Moran was also a coal miner, and died at Cumberland May 16, 1900, at the age of about eighty-five. He married Mary Morrissey at Cumberland. She was born in Meville, Galway, Ireland, daughter of Patrick Morrissey. She came to the United States with her brother Martin about 1843, four years after her husband became an American. They were married in the Catholic Church, and both are buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery. She died in 1909, when about eighty years of age. Their children were six sons and six daughters, and the only survivors are three sons and three daughters. The three sons are: John, who was a coal miner at Lonaconing through his active life and is now living at Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania; Daniel James, of Thomas; and Michael, shipping clerk at McKaigs Steel Shafting Works in Cumberland. Daniel J. Moran secured his education in the public schools at Lonaconing, and was in the advanced class when he left to take up his vocation as a miner. He began work- ing in the mines at the age of fourteen, and until he was married contributed a large part of his wages to the fund for the common support of the family. When he came to West Virginia in 1886 he located at Elk Garden, was em- ployed in the mine there, and in 1894 removed to Thomas. He has done all the work connected with mine operations, and never had any idle time nor was absent from duty until he was made postmaster of the town. He was appointed postmaster after a spirited party contest on March 2, 1916, succeeding Abe L. Helmick, now state senator from this district. He was reappointed for his second term August 5, 1919. Mr. Moran cast his first ballot in Elk Garden and his first presidential vote went to Mr. Cleveland in 1888, He has been a staunch democrat through all the years, and was a member of the Election Board at Thomas until made postmaster. He was elected to the City Council, and was the only man in that election chosen on the democratic ticket. While he was in the council he made the suggestion that the number of saloons should be doubled in Thomas, a matter that increased the city revenue without increasing the distribution of beverages. At Thomas, May 29, 1893, Mr. Moran and Annie E. Moran were the first couple married in St. Thomas Catholic Church. Mrs. Moran was born at Terra Alta, Preston County, daughter of John and Bridget (Clark) Moran. Her father was a native of Westport, County Mayo, Ire- land, and that was also the native locality of her mother. However, they did not become acquainted until they came to this country, and they were married at Terra Alta. John Moran was a walker and watchman with the Balti- more and Ohio Railroad, and he is buried at Rodamers in Preston County. His widow died in Thomas many years later and is buried at Pittsburgh. Mrs. Moran has two surviving brothers, Dominick A., of Akron, Ohio, and John, of Pittsburgh. Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Moran the oldest is Mary, wife of Frank Baker, at Cumberland, Maryland. The son Michael served with the Sixty-eighth Aviation Corps at Dallas, Texas, until the signing of the armistice. Nellie, tlie third child, lives at Detroit, Mich- igan, and the youngest children are: Ena, a high school student, Reta and Daniel J.