Posted on: PaloAlto County Obituaries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ia/PaloAltoObits/588 Surname: Nolan, Conway, McEvoy, Mulroney, Crowley, Dunigan, Kirby, Coonan, Maher, Mahan, Laughlin, Neary ------------------------- Emmetsburg Democrat, Wednesday, May 25, 1904 The Passing of a Pioneer On Wednesday morning of last week our citizens were surprised to learn of the sudden death of Patrick Nolan. He had been over town and at work in his garden on Saturday, the day he was taken sick; and only a few had learned of his illness until the news of his death reached them. The funeral took place on Friday morning when a very large procession, including many of the old settlers of the county, followed the remains from the home of the deceased in the east part of town to the Catholic church where the last rites of the church were performed by Rev. M. J. Costello. The pall bearers were E. P. McEvoy, J. T. Mulroney, M. H. Crowley, James Dunigan, Thos. Kirby and M. F. Coonan. Mr. Nolan was born in Dunmore, Kilkenny county Ireland, in 1833. He came to America at the age of 21 and lived for one year at Brooklyn, New York. He then moved west and spent a year at Elgin, Illinois. That year he started for northwestern Iowa. In company with Thomas Maher, who took a homestead on what is now a part of the town site of Emmetsburg, he went by team from Elgin, Illinois to Iowa City, and from there they came to this place on foot. He was one of the small party of pioneers from Kane county, Ilinois, who came out in 1856. In the spring of that year a party of six consisting of Ed and Miles Mahan, James and John Nolan, Lot Laughlin, and John Neary reached here and settled along the river. Mr. Nolan and Mr. Maher came later the same year. In the spring of 1857 Mr. Nolan was married at Fort Dodge to Johanna Conway, a sister of Mrs. John Nolan, and for forty years he lived on the old farm on the east side of the river, a short distance north of the old town site. This homestead is one of the historic spots of the county - always known to the early settlers and to travelers for its open-hearted hospitalty. The old settlers and the young people of thirty years ago can tell of many a pleasant evening spent at the home of "Pat in the Bush". Of the three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Nolan, two died of diptheria - one boy and one girl. The surviving son, M. J. Nolan, lives in the comfortable home on the east side where his father died. Mr. Nolan was for many years one of the leading and most successful farmers in the county. He purchased and fed a large number of cattle and employed several laborers during the entire year. However, later he met with some business reverses and retired several years ago and came to this city to spend his remaining days. He was a frank, outspoken, open hearted old gentleman and was when he had ample means a generous contributer to all worthy public enterprises. He gave willingly a helping hand to many a needy pioneer and furnished him food and shelter beneath his humble roof when there was no Emmetsburg and when stopping places were few and far between. His name and his praiseworthy deeds will often be recalled by those who knew him as a friend, benefactor, and upright citizen.