Original Rootsweb Co. Tyrone Community Site
Letters from Kildress 1879-80
Scanned copies of the original letters may be seen at
Hedgehog55
These letters were kindly sent to me by Virginia Cook of Oroville,
California, a granddaughter of John Loughran, born in Kildress Parish. They
were written by friends and relatives in Kildress, to John Loughran, in
Larksville, a coalmining town near Wilkes Barre in Pensylvania. My interest
in the letters is that my ancestors on my mother’s side, Michael Monaghan
and Hannah McGerrity, came from the Dunamore area of Kildress Parish, and
would have been relatives of some, if not all of the people involved in this
correspondence.
The
letters as whole give an insight into life in America and particularly in
Tyrone in the 1879-80, the content of the letters range from gossip about
the romances of people in the parish, to reports of impending starvation
within the space of a few lines. I
have attempted to faithfully transcribe the letters, reproducing the
original spelling, punctuation and capitalisation.
Dunamore NS*
Cookstown,Tyrone
7th April 1879
My Dear John
When I parted with you on Saturday
morning I thought I should have seen you again that day in Cookstown:
but “while man proposes God disposes” Truly however I and all the rest
are very lonesome today when you are not here.
But I trust you can bear up in your much regretted departure from
the midst of friends and acquaintances and that even amongst those
Yankees you will be able to chat freely while your mind I hope will
never forget those you left behind you.
I hope you will not let your spirits
sink [?] for no matter whether if ever you come back or no I can
promise to you that Mary Ann will remain faithful to the last, for I saw
her last night and she even
cried when I told her you were
gone for good . Don’t forget
what I told you about her.
You might write me a few lines tonight
or tomorrow before you leave; but in any case write me from Liverpool.
I trust you enjoyed yourself yesterday amongst the belles of
Cookstown
All the scholars are lonely, very
lonely for you. Trusting
yourself, your father & mother, Sarah Ann, Minnie and all the rest are
all well and wishing you a safe and easy voyage with kind regards and
best wishes I remain dear Johnny
Yours sincerely
John J Monaghan.
Barney & Charley are always talking of
you to-day.
Father Keenan was talking to me just
now about Friday night and sends you his blessing.
*N. S. - National
School The book”Kildress Rolling Back The Brambles” records that the
master of Dunnamore School in the 1880s was John J Monaghan of Dunamore.
The 7th of
April 1872 was a Monday. Presumably
John Loughran was somewhere in Ireland en route for Liverpool, perhaps
still in Cookstown or in Belfast?
Dunamore Nat. School
Cookstown, Co Tyrone
Ireland
May 15 1879
My dear John
Many thanks for your beautiful letter
which was as welcome as it was expected and very many more thanks for
your high estimation of the “exiled Irishman” which I assure you I
appreciate with a most sincere heart.
I see you have not yet quite forgotten the dear ones left behind
you in this, our emerald isle.
You will in time; still I hope you will never forget to foster and
cultivate a love for the land of your birth
- never forget the happy
evenings and nights spent among friends on the green meadows and heather
clad hills that surround the home of your birth in that mud –
bespattered townland of iniquity and sin – unfortunate
Killukan*.
Need I say, my dear John, that all we
felt more or less lonesomeness after your departure from amongst us; and
had the thing happened unexpectedly, which luckily it did not, the shock
would have been all the greater.
We felt that in your moving from our midst, society here
had lost a worthy benefactor and a genial member.
However as the Almighty is the Dispenser of all things, we poor
mortals must acquiesce in whatever he ordaineth for us.
And it is thus that “friend after friend departs”, for where is
that union among hearts that must not come to an end?
Was it not fortunate that you were not
in that vessel that perished?
And must you not all congratulate yourselves on being not only so
blessed as to have missed sailing in the “Republic”* but also in being
highly favoured with such beautiful weather and such a speedy passage;
Assuredly, if you had everything your own way you should not have
desired more gracious things for the whole of you I am sure, walking on
deck in that picture and emblem of despair – the “oak leviathan” – and
looking around on the grand and majestic ocean, you had almost fancied
that time had ended and eternity had begun.
Thoughts of the deeply planted love of home, the associations on
the mountains brow endeared to the memory by hours of enjoyment of happy
childhood – these and others , I am sure came often and rushing across
the imagination in those dreary days and nights spent on board ship, and
oh! the thought of such recollections entering one’s mind on an angry
and tempestuous sea is enough to make a person’s blood run cold in his
veins. You certainly have
reasons I say to be thankful for such a beautiful passage.
And I earnestly pray and fondly cherish the hopes that your good
luck in being so favoured, may give you courage and determination to
re-cross the Atlantic on a future day to see the friends and the girls
that you have left behind you.
Remember my dear John, that very many here, and myself among them, would
be very glad to see you once more; and of course I need not say that I
hope our hope and wishes will be realised.
Scarcely anything worth mentioning has
occurred here lately. Felix and
Jane are doing nothing since you left, as Felix is now working in
Cookstown and does not be at home every Sunday.
You have reason to hope that some of the milliners or dressmakers
of the town will “catch” his fancy and that you can claim your own
on a future day. I was not
in that quarter since the night of the Convoy, nor I can’t tell when
I may. I was not speaking to
Miss Monaghan since you left. I
hear Mikey Francis is doing it “big”.
But of course “any port in a storm”.
Thomas Mick [?] McKenna and the Mrs have left the other day for
the New World. There are some
others also who have gone over there lately, and I hear of some that are
now going. There is some word
that Peter Quinn, Corvanaghan (you knew him at school) is for
Philadelphia in a few days; but I’m not sure.
The weather has been very fine since you left.
All the potatoes are “set”, and a good deal of turf cut as well.
No marriages, no deaths, except
[page missing?]
[The lines below were written
vertically across the left hand margin of page one, from bottom to top.]
I just got your letter on Tuesday, so
that you cannot say I delayed long in replying.
I did not see Ms McCullagh since the night of the Convoy .
The Sunday school was commenced here
on last Sunday week. There are
no teachers stopping except a few Mininea*girls
- Betty Quinn was inquiring about you ===== I trust you are all
well and not lonesome. Please
write soon again.
*Republic I can
find no reports of the loss of a vessel of this name.
*Killucan is a
townland about ½ a mile south of Dunamore
*an old spelling of the
Kildress townland now written Meenanea, about ½ a mile north of Dunamore
Dunamore May 19th 1879
My dear John
In reply to your very kind and welcome
letter duly to hand, for which I feel obliged, I have to tell you, your
friends and mine are all well and in good health thank God and I hope
the receipt of this shall meet you and your family enjoying the same as
for news of the country nothing has happened of any importance since you
left since and except that Joseph McHugh wife has a young heir or
heiress I have not been able to ascertain which, Unfortunately there has
been no marriages nor yet there has been no death.
My dear John I think it strange you
have not inquired how your dearest so, so was or is it possible that a
ride across the Atlantic has produced such an effect upon you that her
beautiful form has entirely vanished from your mind.
My dear John I have to congratulate you on your very speedy
voyage and for having the luck of escaping the ship that was wrecked.
It was certainly an omen of “Good Luck” and I hope also of the
bright prospects that awaits your career hereafter.
I have not the least doubt that by
perseverance and energy you shall figure as a man of great importance
either as a literary man or a merchant or a council or perhaps a
representative of some body of men as many an Irishman before you have
acquired by their energy and enterprise.
But no matter whatever your future
occupation or profession may be may be your future destiny I know
devotedness to the Irish cause and your religion shall ever form the
prominent feature of your character.
I am glad to find you have a house
of your own besides secured a house beside you soon shall have one
of your own and also that you are contented for after all it is the
principle thing
Dear John Your presence I now miss in
the church and indeed I think it strange not to see you there a form
that was so constant in attendance.
How little I thought two years ago
dear John that you would be across the billowy of the Atlantic but no
person can tell what may be their future destiny
Dear John accept this short and
hurried letter but in my next I will write a more lengthened one and
give the news that may happen in the meantime.
I will conclude by bidding you Good
bye, and sending my best respects to you and your mother and sisters
I remain dear John your sincere and
devoted friend
Patrick Monaghan
P.S. I send you a paper by this post.
Do not forget but write soon again.
P. Monaghan
Killuckan
Dec
28th 1879
My dear John it is with pleasure that
I take my pen to write you these few lines to let you know that I am
well & in good hoping this note finds you in good health & [?] I
received your kind letter in due time I thought you quite forgot to
write atall My dear Johny I was very glad to hear how well you were
getting along & how well you were doing I often be talking about
how lucky you were to get away the time you did, because there is
very little to be made in this country at present as you remarked in
your last letter there are some young men stoping in this country
that can’t afford the price of the tobacco however the people here don’t
seem to be discouraged for my part I think if I was as hard dealt with
as some of them I would try some other land
My dear John there are a great many
young men leaving this country this last month there left Killuchan for
England Mick Lagan and Joe Lagan Robert Loughran and Bernard Loughran
(Ned) I expect you have Frank
Devlin over there this Christmas he left here on the 9th or 10th
of December for America I hope he has got a nice passage
you wanted to know how we got the crops saved the beginning of it
with us here was the last days of September from the first of October we
had fine weather but with little drying the crops were saved pretty well
after a months hard work no
rain fell from first of October to this
there was a hard frost these three weeks last
Dear John I was glad to hear how well that country was doing so
well I was by the paper that it was improving that wagers was rising
rapidly I see by your letter you had a nice time of it while in
Philadelphia if you were in this country you would scarcely get away for
one day & then if you would too you would not see much worth looking at
dear john I haven’t a mother then I wont stop all my days
round here of course there is something
that binds me it is something I really can’t explain to you now
perhaps I am persuaded that Ireland is a nice place to live in & that I
never was happier than I am at present or that I am socialising with
[the rest of the letter is missing]
Killuchan Jan 16 th
1880
My Dear Johny I now take the
opportunity of writing a few lines in answer to your kind and welcome
letter which gives me great pleasure to hear of you being in good
health; which this little note leaves me in a present thanks be to God
for his kind mercy to me. My
dear Johny I trust you will forgive me for my ingratitude of not writing
to before now : the truth is I was almost shure that I would have the
wedding to tell you about in this letter but it seems that it is as far
back as ever I was to get married to Jane *Lougheren Pady Andy [Written
above] on new years day last but she took sick with a sore throat at
that time so i never went back
since near her for I think it was not the will of God that we should
join together in marriage: I was to get one hundred pounds with her now
and at the old folks death the devide of all the effects about the house
but I never intend to go on with it now and I suppose that I will be
another year single yet: unless that you direct me where to get one now:
dear Johny this was the worst year that any man minds to see for
it was a complete failing of every thing it was after Halloween when the
corn was got in and for the potatoes the people will not have the seed
and for turf there is none I may say:
and their is a very bad price for every thing
in the markets unless butter that is doing pretty well now when
the people has scarcely any to sell it is fifteen pence per pound now
Dear Johny if you were ever in this
country now you would not know it: the half of the farmers in this
country is away in England and America and left their wives and familys
behind them and plenty of debt to pay also you would see every day
gruppies [?] seasing in some direction and the poor peoples good centing
for half price for their [go to bottom of first page] is no one to bid
for them
[Is the text below the conclusion of
this letter?]
Dear Johny I must tell you that I am
doing pretty well only that I have a very busy time of it since I came
here: I had the best corn that was in this country this year and got it
pretty well saved I had
thirteen stacks and the potatoes done pretty well with me also but their
was not a turnip in this country this year with the constant wet but I
trust in God that this new year will be better it is appearing very well
the it is very fine since it began
Dear Johny all your friends here is well and Joe McKenna is
singel yet and I think will till he sees what will the times turn to:
their is a great deal of deaths in this country this winter and
their was only too marriages at Dunamore since you left here
Dear Johny I have no more to say at
present only I wish you * all sort of good and happiness for the new
year and the same for ever: I will concude by sending you my love to
you* in the warmest manner give my best respects to your father mother
Sarahann Mary ellen maggy and little Mick
I remain your affectionate and ever loving friend until death
PM [- Peter Monaghan?]
good day and God be with you all**
**Written up
margin of the page.
1880
Dunamore January 19
Sunday night
Dear Cousins Johnny & [?] i write you
these few to let you know that we are all well hoping in
the mercies of god that the arrival of these lines will meet you
all in the same I hope you will excuse me for not writing to you sooner
which i own was very ungrateful of me i was waiting from day to day to
have something new and pleasing to tell you but if i would wait for that
i suppose i would not write for a long time we got your letter or [?]
your mothers which i suppose was all the same Biddy or me will never
forget all of you and all the kindness your father and mother showed to
us we are thinking as long for yours and a lonely this day as we were
after you left at any rate you are all happy to be out of this country
I could not tell you how happy Biddy
was to hear from your letter that your mothers health was so good and
hopes continues so and if the Almighty hears her prayers your mother and
father will never have a sick head or anny of you neither She often
wishes she could go without anny thing on her head She is pretty well
this last few weeks we hope by this time that your father is getting his
affairs settled to his mind but i think the troubles will never cease as
your father could tell we had a great many deaths this winter Bernard
Loughrans mother Peter Para Ban Biddy Neal McGurk and a great many
others was all buried in a few weeks Mrs Geoffee[?] is rite well yet she
never came down stairs this winter
i think the Almighty is putting a
great many trials in our way to a a front of them is all our good friend
leaving us and i doubt a good deal of the money i have out on the
country is in great danger of
being lost your father and
mother Mick was all the good friends that would rise our hearts when
would come in now my brother Mick got his passage taken from Mick Quinn
on Yesterday on the American line to set sail on Saturday the 24 January
on the Pennsylvania Steamer
Mick must go he was ejected at may last Mick and me was over with the
agent in Armagh on the 8 January to see if we could settle with him
he would not do anything for him unless he payed all the Debt
first and then the rent that he could not do my mother was buried 4
weeks ago and the night we came home from Armagh* the gray mare was
dying So that was a great loss to him and you know it was a great loss
to us for if i could get her at anny time i wanted her i never the want
of a horse to now
So you see the loss of both Mick and
the gray mare we will feel it very hard if you can do any thing for
Mickey in the way getting work and advise him to be wise he promises to
do something for us he might send us the price of a house before may he
say if the agent does not sell the farm this season he can earn the
money he thinks in March 1881 he will be fit to meet him you can do a
all you can for me by encouraging him to help me he owes me a good Bill
which if he does not send it i might never get it Bernard Conway is in
Sixmilecross** today selling the mare if he sell he will be with him
don’t let Mickey forget writing as soon as he lands for we will think
very lonto [long to?] we hear from him we are waiting for a letter from
your father hoping to hear from you soon
we all join in sending
your father and mother and all the girls and little Mick our love
and best respects in the kindes manner
from your ever loving friends Peter
and Bridget Monaghan
*Armagh is 35
miles from Dunamore
*Sixmilecross
is 13 miles from Dunamore
1880
Liverpool
January 28th
My Dear Friend Michael
I write to let you know that Mick
Monaghan* and I are this length* on our way to America we will sail in
the SS British Empire tomorrow.
* Note from
Virginia Cooke This is the Mick Monaghan that Peter Monaghan was
speaking about, he is on the 1880 census with Michael Loughran in
Luzerne Co. Pennsylvania USA aged 33.
*’this length’ is
a direct translation of a phrase taken from the Irish language, The
‘Ordinance Survey Memoirs’ record that in 1833 the majority of
inhabitants of the parish spoke Irish.
Dunamore NS*
Cookstown,Tyrone
My dear John
2nd March 1880
I
trust you will pardon my delay in replying to your kind and welcome
letter duly received. However
you easily remember that my silence has not been nearly so protracted as
your own in replying to my last; but I shall just now dismiss this
subject with a hope that in future our letters to each other will be
more numerous, and our replies are more punctual.
I have to say thank you most sincerely
for your kindness in sending me so many papers, while I sent you so many
few – a circumstance which I can only attribute to inadvertence,
insomuch as I had several papers folded and addressed to you, but
invariably I might almost , forgot posting in due time to send you one
or two this week, and I trust you will forgive my seeming carelessness
in not sending papers more regularly.
I daresay Larksville is by this time
well supplied with representatives from Kildress, as I understand you
have got Michael Monaghan and Bernard Conway there – I trust all are
well. To give you an account of
the news of this place would be as impossible as it is unnecessary; for
I am quite certain, between letters and persons from Kildress, you are
very well posted up in all interesting intelligence.
But still I can hardly refrain from relating a few incidents of
more or less notoriety. Marriages – Patrick McCullagh has got tied to a
namesake of his from Plumbridge*.
She is of rather diminutive stature; large circular lips; nose
above ordinary size; and pretty neatly stopped, but of by no means
engaging appearance. “Betty
Dick” has again entered the portals of wedlock with a light,
ill-featured, unhandsome, middle-aged, beardy chap named Conway I think
from near Plumbridge*. Man! Had
you been on the road last Saturday night fortnight when this couple was
married you would have enjoyed, the fun was immense.
It was after ten of pm when they got spliced and even then the
chapel was half full. The crowd
carried him on McGurk’s Street to make him give drink; but his father
who had all the money ran away.
A party of couples surrounded the house afterwards; carried off the
cart, and went through a mock auction of it; took out the wedding bread
through a window; and finally succeeded in getting the old boy to stand
a gallon I believe. “Shibby Go” or Lagan got married on the second
Sunday of Lent to a fellow named Sharkey from Termon.
There was much fun that day too.
I need not tell you of the marriage of Pat Monaghan and Mary
Cassidy.
There have been no deaths that i
remember since Mikey Peddy went away, unless old “Biddy Banian” – the
basket woman. You can tell
Mikey too that the old “Captain” was buried a week or two ago.
I suppose you heard of the great
Strawmacklemartin Concert that took place in October.
I took a pretty conspicuous part in the programme; and the
concert was really good throughout.
I was also at another concert in Gortreagh in December or
January. It was held in a new
school there – I gave some readings and recitations.
The vocalists were all from Cookstown.
Your friend Joseph McKenna has been
unwell for some time – he was attended by priest and doctor, but I
believe he is now almost completely convalescent.
Since you left Patrick Girvin has gone
to Ballymena* – I got him myself into a most splendid shop there.
Charley has also left us – He is in Dublin – in St Patrick’s
since October; and I presume once he gets a situation he will take it
and come back no more, permanently.
Ned Small* is also gone to England; but he told me before he left
that America will shortly be his final destination.
Johnny Girvin is also gone to America last week.
But in fact it would be an impossibility to enumerate all those
who have betaken themselves to that glorious land - that home of plenty
the free and hospitable Columbia, since the beginning of winter.
This parish at present is in a most wretched and distressed
state. There are scores of
families without stock or even food of any kind.
A committee has been formed, who have obtained the sum of £45
from the Dublin funds for distribution*.
Likely if they get this sum monthly there will be no deaths from
starvation; otherwise there certainly must be.
The government is also going to supply the farmers with potatoes
and seed oats on very moderate terms, th...[?] the Poor Law Guardians;
and they have likewise given orders for all in great distress to receive
outdoor relief in the shape of food, fuel, and clothing, let the parties
so distressed be possessed of land or not.
But this last scheme will raise the rates to an enormous figure;
and if acted on in this union, poor – rate next year will reach about
3/- or 4/- in the £.
Mary Ann Quinn is still at school; but
for a length of time she has become such a beau – ideal for Joe Quinn
and John McGurk that they have her really pitched to such an elevation,
in her own imagination that she believes that when such extensive
sycophants and flatterers of her, that she should no longer condescend
to speak to ordinary individuals; so I think she has sealed her
affections for some yet unknown personage.
Mary and Catherine desire me to send
you their kindest regards and best wishes.
I think Mickey Francis has Jane
entirely to himself as Felix McAleer is in Cookstown*. I was just once
in Teebane* since you left – no more.
Please send me that “charmer” you met in the train when you write
again till I pass judgement on her – don’t forget.
Kindly convey my kindest regards and fondest wishes to Sarah
Anne, Minnnie and the rest, not forgetting Mikey Teddy, and accept the
same yourself in the warmest manner from
Yours ever faithful well wishes
John J Monaghan
P.S.
I forgot to say that your friends, so
far as I know are all in the enjoyment of good health.
I think the “Irishman” auctioned his hay a few days ago; but he
would permit nobody else to do so.
A Miss McElhatton of Mountfield* –
Joseph Loughran’s sweetheart has entered upon connubial bliss with a
widower – Andrew McGlivey [?] of Gortin- I think there can be no doubt
that Joe and Maria McGurk will join, so far as appearances go.
Please write soon and don’t forget –
I’ll expect a little from you immediately after Easter.
Let us know how are your sisters, especially Sarah Ann, and if
they are at any business; also how are your father and mother, and if
your father has got all matters settled yet; or is it still your
intention to pursue a course of your own.
So trusting you will write soon as I am thinking long to hear
from you again.
I am, as ev...
John......
Charley Mikey Teady has gone to
Cookstown to – day to buy clothes for America – He will leave in less
than a month. Write soon
*Plumbridge is 19 miles from Dunamore.
*Ballymena
is about 35 miles from Dunamore.
* There is no Ned or Edward Small on the 1881 census of England
and Scotland, so perhaps he had already gone to the USA
*The Nation [The Irish Nationalist Newspaper] reported on 18 Feb 1880
that a grant of £23 had been made to neighbouring Pomoroy to be spent on
food fuel and clothing. On
Tuesday, 9 March 1880 a correspondent from Dumore [sic] Kildress warned
that dire distress is staring the people of Kildress Parish in the face,
and hundreds of families are without food, fuel, and clothing.
Our condition, if not worse than that of the worst district in
Ireland is certainly as bad. We
very much require help, and if a charitable public do not assist us, and
the popular press make our condition known, our people must necessarily
starve. The letter was
published in the Freeman’s Journal of 11 March 1880.
The edition of Friday, 19 March 1880 reported that the relief
committee chaired by the major of Dublin had granted £25 for relief in
Kildress ( in addition to grants to Cappagh and Clonoe in the same
locality and two days earlier, on 17 March, £20 for Lissan, Cookstown,
Tyrone. The edition of the 18
May 1880 reported that a grant of £10 was made to Kildress, Cookstown,
Co Tyrone. While the reports
from early 1880 are mainly from Connaught, as the year progressed more
reports of distress in Tyrone appear.
John J Monaghan was co-opted onto the relief committee late that
month, as reported in the Freeman’s Journal Sat. 20 March 1880 -
“KILDRESS RELIEF COMMITTEE
A meeting of the above committee was held in the usual place on
Tuesday evening. Amongst those
present were – Rev. Isaac Ashe, Rector [Church of Ireland], chairman
Rev. P M’Namee P,P [RC Parish Priest]., vice – chairman; Rev. W. Wray
P.M. [Presbyterian Minister Orritor Church] Rev. J Keenan C.C [Catholic
Curate].; Messrs. B. Loughran, PLG[Poor Law Guardian].; C. Moorhead,
P.L.G.: T. Black, P.L.G.; J. Brown, &c.
From the statement of accounts submitted it appeared that during
the week ended 14th inst., 420 families, comprising 2,100
individuals had been relieved out of a sum of £45, made up of £25 from
the Mansion House [Mayor’s fund] and £20 from the Land League.
The following resolutions were unanimously adopted on the motion
of the Rev. P. M’Namee. P.P.:1. “That the best thanks of the Kildress
Relief Committee are due and hereby tendered to the Mansion House
Committee and to the Irish National Land League, for their generous
donations to relieve the distress existing in this parish”. 2. That as
it is customary to have two secretaries on committees such as ours and
as the duties devolving on one secretary are too onerous, I propose Mr.
J.J. Monaghan be added as a second secretary to assist Mr Brown”. 3.
“That we are thankful to the Editor of the Freeman’s Journal for letting
the conditions in our parish be publically known through his columns and
we trust he will continue to give insertion to our reports &c.” 4. “That
we again appeal to the charitable public to assist us by their
subscriptions as distress and destitution are daily increasing in our
midst” N.B. – Any donations
forwarded to the Rev. J. Ashe, Kildress, Cookstown: Rev. P. M’Namee,
P.P., do.; Mr J. Brown, do.; or Mr J.J. Monaghan, Dunamore, Cookstown,
will be gratefully received and acknowledged.”
*Cookstown
is 11 miles from Dunamore.
*Teebane
is about 2 miles from Dunamore.
*Mountfield
is a townland 9.5 miles south west of Dunamore.
The following biographies of John and his
father, Michael Loughran appear in the book “The
Progressive Men of Wyoming” 1902.
John Loughran, the gentleman whose name heads this article, is one of
Laramie county's enterprising stockmen, owning a well-improved ranch on
the Platte River about eleven miles east of Fort Laramie, where he has
been engaged in. the cattle industry since 1885, being a native of
Ireland and the son of Michael and Catherine (Slane) Loughran, both of
whom were born and reared in the Emerald Isle, and the mother sleeping
her last long sleep in the old ancestral burial ground in County Tyrone.
Michael Loughran was a well-to-do
farmer and land owner of that county and a man of considerable
prominence. Possessed of much more than ordinary intelligence and
judgment, he became an adviser among his friends and neighbors in
matters of business, in no small degree being a molder of public
opinion. In 1864 he came to the 'United States and engaged in mining
near Wilkesbarre, Pa., leaving his family in Ireland until he could
provide a comfortable home for them on this side of the water. After
passing eight years in successful mining operations in Pennsylvania he
returned to Ireland and brought his family to Wilkesbarre, where he
continued his work until 1881, when he disposed of his interests there
and moved to Denver, Colo., thereafter carrying on mining at Leadville
and vicinity and he was thus engaged when his death occurred on May 8,
1884. He was buried at Leadville. His wife died on November 5, 1895,
while on a visit to the land of her birth and, as already stated, rests
beneath the green turf of the beautiful island which she loved so well.
John Loughran was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on May 19, 1859, and
received his educational training in the schools of his native place and
at Wilkesbarre, Pa. When old enough to do manual labor he began working
with his father in the mines and remained with him until twenty years
old, when he started in quest of his own fortune, meantime accompanying
the family to Colorado. After working for some months in a
commission-house at Denver, he went to Leadville, near which place he
was engaged in mining until his father's death in 1884.
He came to Wyoming in 1865 [sic 1885?] and took up his present ranch in
Laramie County, and since that time he has been largely interested in
cattle1 raising, meeting with encouraging success in this important and
rapidly growing industry. Mr. Loughran's ranch lies in a beautiful
section of country, and it is all irrigable, the greater part being
susceptible of tillage. He has improved his place in various ways, has a
comfortable home, in which he takes great pride, as well as in his
lucrative business, which returns him a liberal income. He is a man of
progressive ideas and broad views, easily the peer of the leading
ranchers of the district in which he lives. His success as a stockraiser
has been commensurate with the energy he has displayed since engaging in
the business and to him as much as to any other man is due the credit of
giving an impetus to the industry in this section of the state.
Mr. Loughran has never married. [He did so in July 1903, the year after
the book was published] He was reared in the Catholic faith and remains
true to the teachings of the church. In politics he is a Democrat and
while active in his work for the party has no aspirations for office or
public distinction.
