HARRIGAN
Smith/Fenner associated families

(Submitted by Leanne Kay Harrison,
President of Buchanan County Historical Society)

Margaret (Harrigan) Smith parents were Jeramiah and Catharine (Devert or Devereaus) Harrigan, both natives of Ireland.  Crossing the Atlantic, they landed in New York, where Margaret was born Jan. 1, 1850.  (they also had four sons, James, John, Michael and William.)  Afterward, 1854, they made their way to Buchanan County, Iowa where Jeramiah purchased a farm of 240 acres; which he had purchased in 1850.  In his early years he was, a man of nerve, mind and ability.  He showed great ability in the purchase of land etc., but, in about one year after this purchase, he became perfectly insane, the result of a years’ severe illness.  Though he passed through 34 years of this affliction, he was yet a stranger to his family.  His wife, Catharine, had unsurpassable patience in caring for him during all those years. 

June 29, 1861 James Harrigan (b. NY 7/10/1843) enlisted as a private in Company E 5th Iowa Volunteer Infantry with Capt. D. S. Lee of Independence as Captain.  His enlistment records shows mustered in Burlington, Iowa July 15, 1861 for a period of 3 years, age 18.  At age 21 his Medical Descriptive List shows admission December 15, 1863 and discharged from service on a medical March 16, 1864. 

Michael enlisted as a private in Company H 27^th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, his enlistment records show born Oneida, NY age 20, enlisted for 3 years; blue eyes, dark hair, fair complexion 5 ft 3 ¾ in.., occupation harness maker.  Mustered in Oct. 3, 1862 at Dubuque, Iowa.   

John also enlisted in Company E.  James served his country two years eight months, being wounded in the Red River Campaign and the Battle of Pleasant Hill, returned to help operate the family farm.  John was killed in the army near Little Rock, Arkansas in 1865. 

Catherine passed away 5/6/1881 and is buried in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery.  Jeramiah passed away 7/12/1884 at the I.H.I. (Iowa Hospital for Insane) of ‘manical exhaustion’.  In politics he was an active Democrat and his religious belief was that of the Catholic Church.  He is buried next to his wife in St. John’s Cemetery Independence, Iowa.  On 7/28/1918 William Harrigan (a son) passed away of ‘valvular heart disease’ and had been sexton of the Church Cemetery.  The picture shows him standing on grave.

When Jeramiah died his holdings were E half of NW quarter of Section 20 Twp. 89 range 9 which was sold for $40 per acre ($1600.) and NE of the NW Section 20 Twp. 89 range 9 which was sold for $30 acres ($1200) in 1886 when the estate was settled.  (Homer Dilts and Gerald Appleby were the owners of this land in 1972-near Otterville, Iwa).

At the time Jeramiah died James was listed as one of the heirs, age 42, living County of Leavenworth, State of Kansas; Mike, age 45, living Spirit Lake, Iowa; Margaret (Harrigan) Smith (Trevor’s gg grandmother) age 36 insane; and William, age 33, living Independence, Iowa.

William Harrigan, b. NY 7/7/1852 was a familiar figure in Independence, in which vicinity he had made his home for so many years.  For a number of years he was employed in railroad surveying in Utah and Colorado.  He became sexton of Wilson Cemetery in 1900 and served in that capacity until his death in 1918.  (his house was on the edge of the cemetery).  He was one of those quiet, unassuming men whom everyone liked and the more thoroughly one became acquainted with him the more he thought of the man.