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John Fagan
Born April 20, 1844 |
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John Fagan, a progressive farmer of Scotch Grove township and one of the representative citizens of Jones county, was born in County Meath, Ireland, April 20, 1844. His parents were Thomas and Mary (O'Brien) Fagan, both natives of the Emerald isle, who came to the United States in 1847. They located first in Jersey City, New Jersey, where Thomas Fagan found employment in a starch factory. There strong traits of character—industry and the capacity to con-trol men-won for him rapid promotion and he became foreman of the plant before he had been there many years.
Nine years after his arrival in this country, he came to Iowa, in 1856, taking up his residence in Scotch Grove township, Jones county. He purchased first eighty acres of government land, for which a brother-in-law, Michael O'Brien, had secured a warrant, paying a dollar and a quarter an acre for it. On that farm he engaged in agricultural pursuits with a success that enabled him to add to the original tract from time to time until at his death he owned five hundred and forty acres of valuable land in Jones county. Consequently, in 1898, when his life was brought to a close, in the eighty-first year of his age, he was accounted one of the more prominent agriculturists of his section of the county, able to bequeath to his sons, not only a substantial legacy of land, but also an honored name. His wife passed away a number of years previous to his death, at the age of sixty-eight years.
John Fagan was reared at home, acquiring under his parents' guidance important lessons in the practical affairs of life. He attended the common schools and was graduated from the high school of Monticello with the class of 1868. At the age of twenty-five he began to teach, and for the next twelve years devoted himself to educational, work.
It was in 1877 that he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, when he purchased ninety acres of his present farm, on section 23, Scotch Grove township. Like his father he has added to the original tract until he owns today three hundred and forty acres of rich and arable land. On it he has pursued diversified farming, which has brought him a gratifying return upon his investment of thought and labor. As industry and good manage-ment have brought to him success he is today numbered among the prosperous and respected men of Scotch Grove township.
On the 18th of February, 1873, Mr. Fagan was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Rogers, of Washington township, this county, her parents being numbered among the early settlers of this section of the state. Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Fagan six survive. They are Thomas L., who is a miner in Butte, Montana; Lewis T., a mechanical engineer in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and James H., John W., Francis L. and David A., who are at home. Mrs. Fagan died November 12, 1907, and, having been a devout member of the Catholic Church, her demise was attended with all the consolations of that religion. Mr. Fagan and his children are also adherents of that faith and are faithful in their attention to their religious duties. In politics he has given his support to the Democratic Party, but has never evinced any desire to hold public office. His influence, nevertheless, has been far-reaching, as is that of any man whose life is ordered by sound principles of honor and integrity.
Source: History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 538. |
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