The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-11-09
From he Chicago Tine.
Death of Dr.. William B. Egan.
BRIsF SKETCH UE HIS LIFE

morning, at the age of about sixty years.
DR. Egan has been long anl prominent
" identified with the history Of Chicago.
lie WAS wildly known and universally res
pected as an honorable, high toned ger
tIeman of cholarly attainments and scen-
titic knowledge lie was tavorite with
every one, and not less SO for the genial
flow Of brilliant wit and anecIote with
which his conversation a. all times abound
ell.
DR.. Egan was born on tie banks Of the
far famed Lake Of killarney, in the county
of Kerry. Ireland. He was the Youngest
Of nine brothers, all of whom received
sound education, and utimatly became
II embers Of the learned professions, in
law. medicine or divinity. The subject
Of this sketch had determined at a very
early sge to cast his fortunes in the New
World, and when avery young man emf
grated to Canada. Soon after his arrival,
he obtained situation as a teacher in ons
of the schools of Quebec, and subsequent
" had charge Of schools in Montreal, New
York, and finally became teacher in the
erammer School Of the University Of
VIRGINIA, in which last instu,ion he attend
ed lectures and finished his medical stud
lea.
In 1887, shortly after obtaining his d,
pioma, he married in New York, aud At
forwards was induced to 90 tothe State Of
Mississippi, where he engaged in the prac
tice of his profession. Sickness and the
epidemics of the country, from which
neither himself nor family were exempt,
drove him once more to the North, and
at this time the low state Of The Ohio riv-
er induced him to get eastward by the
) wav of the Wabash route.
There were no railroads in these davs,
!, and travelling was necessarily slow and
f4tiouino. In their Tor Inward journey
the little party encountered some ctiirer,
> Of the United States army, who were buy.
inr horses in Indiana fer tie Sauh war--
, These officers had been At thica-o. which
was then called Fort Neai born, ana their
descriptions of the place and the county
around it. Induced DR.. Egau to determine
upon that route, 10y the way OF Detroit to
New York. Alter weary journey, Chi
cage was finally reached, and = Ingersoli'@
Hotel" ut The Point became their
resting place for tie time being. Chicago
At hi, lime was a small se,Il.f.rat-a
mere frontier town aud military station
RoDcrt Kinzie's storr, on the Wolf, Point
was the only notable place Of business III
, the neighborhood. Here DR. Egau h--
came acGuairtel with Billy Caldwell
I a. The Saoanash,D Lafranboiso. and Al
ooes Menominees and Po,awa,omies. The
last Of whom still survives at his home n
Leyden. in this county. The officers oi
the garrison at that time were Major W!
i cox. and af elwards Major Green. Ijo,to,
Maxwell, CAPTAIN Baxby Can't. Thomson
\ Iieut, Johnson, and Lieut.. Kirby Saith
Who wss killed in Nryiro Jnrinc Tie war
> with that couptrv.
L In those early davs. specnlation in real
5 estate derived an imretns through Dr
g Frsn's erre,nrise III, fr>t ...,.s-,. ans
n was the pun. nase of par. ct The Ea.E -
which the Tre,aoa. H,u.e NOV. stands
and upon this he built FIVE honses, wbicl
T were called Z" Epan's Row, This NAV be
t his first sDeculatIon in real estate in the
west. Subsequently his operations in thi.
peculiar speculation became of almost 81
gantic magntude, and many thousands 0
R acres nassed ,bropoh his hands in burino
Il and selling
!. During the session of tie legislature q
lS4l and 1912 DR.. Egan was instrument.
al in accomplishing the settlement Of Can
a al claims between the State and rurchas
. ers Of Canal lot in Chicago. The settle,
y ment of these claims may be consi!e,c,
: the epoch from which the city date. het
wonderful prosperity. Previous to that
j time real estate was apparently of bat
little more value than any other western
! villare but now commenced a new order
Of things Capitalists brought their none,
! here for investment-the population rapid
, Iv increased, dwelling houses conld not he
+ built fast enough to accommodate the
e steady stream ofnew corners, and fo- many
! wears subsequent, Chicago continued to
| increase in population, enterprise, and in
IL