John J. Madigan, assistant depot master at the Union Depot, Vincennes, Ind., was born in county Limerick, Ireland, November 1, 1848, and is a son of Michael and Ann (Dailey) Madigan, natives of the same county. Michael Madigan, about the year 1850 came to America, leaving his wife and second son, James, in Ireland, with the understanding that they were to follow him a year or two later, while John J., our subject, the eldest of a family of seven children born to his parents, was to remain in the old country a few years longer. Accordingly John J. lived with his maternal grandmother about five years, and then, being nearly eight years old, crossed the ocean in company with his maternal uncle, Timothy Dailey, a lad of fifteen years, and joined the parents, who at first located in New York state, whence they removed to Chillicothe, Ohio, and finally settle in Vincennes, Ind., July 27, 1866. While living in Ohio, Michael Madigan, although engaged in farming, became a railroad employee, later a contractor, and died in Vincennes as the age of seventy-three years; his widow, at about the same age, still resides in Vincennes, but is in feeble health. Of the children born to Michael Madigan and wife, beside John J., the second born, James, was drowned near Chillicothe, Ohio; Mary Ann, who was married to Wesley Sprinkle, a farmer of Knox County, Ind., died some years after marriage, leaving one daughter, who also died when about sixteen years old; Margaret is still unmarried and lives with her mother; Michael, still unmarried, is employed in the baggage-room at the Union Depot in Vincennes; Henry, yet single, is a machinist, and makes his home with his mother. John j. Madigan has passed over thirty years of his life in the employ of railroad companies in various departments, including work as tracklayer, section hand, brakeman and baggage-master. For four years prior to being placed in his present position he was employed as a car repairer for the E.&T.H. Railroad Company, and for a time was a member of the Vincennes police force, his experience in the latter capacity leading to his appointment to the office he now holds which partakes of the character of a private policeman to the Union station, and this appointment was made about two years ago. All these years Mr. Madigan has faithfully performed his duty, and his advancement from post to post fully proves that he had given satisfaction to his various employers. The marriage of Mr. Madigan took place in St. Louis, Mo., in November, 1877, to Miss Katherine Healey, who was born in Ireland, July 11, 1852, but was brought to America in childhood by her parents. Mr. Healey, who was a farmer, became dissatisfied with life in American and with his wife returned to Ireland, leaving Mrs. Madigan to make her home with an elder sister, the wife of Thomas Murray, an engineer of Pacific City, Mo., who died in 1893, leaving two sons and one daughter. Daniel and Margaret (Desmond) Healey, the parents of Mrs. Madigan, were natives of county Cork, Ireland, where, after their return from America with their two sons, John and Timothy, the y passed the remainder of their lives. To the marriage e of Mr. and Mrs. Madigan have been born five interesting children, vis: Michael Joseph, Shirley May, Mary Ann, John Daniel and Stephen Christopher -- the eldest being a telegraph operator at the Union depot, and the others attending St. John’s parochial school, at Vincennes. The family are all members of St. Francis Xavier Church, and Mr. Madigan is a member of the A.O.H. In politics he is a democrat, and as a citizen is highly esteemed by all who know him. I found this information in “History of Catholicity in Indiana Volume II.” A.W. Bowen & Co. 1896.
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 03:16:08 +0000
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