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JAMES FITZPATRICK is a native of Ireland, having been born
in Queen's county, on the sixth of January, 1830. He is a son of
Edward and Catherine (Finley) Fitzpatrick, natives also of
Ireland. James is the fifth of a family of seven children born
to his parents. He was reared in his native place to the age of
eighteen, when he came to the United States, in 1848, and made
his first permanent stop in Delaware county, Iowa, locating in
Colony township. He purchased a squatter's claim, consisting of
one hundred and sixty acres, on which he settled and which he
improved. He resided there until 1865, converting his prairie
claim into a well tilled homestead, which he sold at a fair
price, and buying another place of one hundred and sixty acres
lying in Elk township moved to it, where he has since resided.
His present homestead is in section 28, about a mile south of
the town of Greeley. He owns three hundred and ninety acres
lying in one body, all of which is under fence, and the greater
part of which is under plow. He is devoted exclusively to
agricultural pursuits and is a farmer in the highest and best
sense of the word. His place shows this; for it is a model of
neatness, order and thrift. He has one of the best residences in
the township, and large well constructed barns to properly house
all of his implements, grain and stock, an abundance of which he
keeps on hand at all times. He gives some attention to dairy
matters, being interested in the Greeley Cooperative Creamery
Company, and milking on an average about twenty cows. Mr.
Fitzpatrick came to the United States a poor young man, and here
made his start, having taken almost every important step
affecting his welfare in life since becoming a citizen of this
county. And not the least of these steps was his marriage, which
occurred November 12, 1859. The lady on whom his choice fell for
a companion in life was Miss Mary H. Foley, a native of Canada,
born in May, 1844. This union has resulted in the birth of the
following children: Edward, Katie and an infant, all of
whom are now deceased; James, Michael, Julia, Alice, Ellen,
Thomas, Dennis, Mary, Bernard, Katie, Martin, John and Loretta.
Mr. Fitzpatrick has taken much interest in the general
prosperity of his community, and has done the part of a good
citizen in promoting its welfare. Although no politician he is a
stanch democrat, and occasionally takes a hand in local
politics. He enjoys the esteem and confidence of those who know
him and is a valuable citizen of his adopted county. |
