Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-27
OBITUARY..
Death "i John Il. Nfcl:ovcrn. Esq.

S"A" VA SOu" 4pCNsONCfus Esq.
The many friends and acquaintances OF
our well-known and highly esteemed fel-
low citizen, John r. McGovern, esq.,. will
be panied to learn Of his sudden decease,
which sad event occurred Sunday evening
at his residence in Mannheim township, just
north OF the city limits. For some
time back MIR. McGovern had been in
ailinS health, bat his rugged constitu-
ton and hrm courage served him in good
stead in resisting the approaches of death.
W: moro occasions than one, when his con-
ditiOn was known to be very precarious.
by tie sheer power Of will he succeeded in
driving off tho grim monster and with re-
markable vitality rallied from the prostra.
tion. On Wednesday or Thursday of last
week he showed manifest signs of failing
and was obliged to take his bed, but
Sunday he seemed considerably
brighter, and expressed desire
to sit up. About nine O'Clock in
tho evening while his wife was with
him in his room, and the other members of
his family We're seated inithe parlor below,
the invalid expressed himself rs feeling
much better. and asked to be seated upon
a chair close by the bed. AS his wife with
one arm around him assisted him to 4 re.
clining posture and with tho other hand
reached for 4 chair, the sick man suddenly
threw his head to one side, and first Civin"
utterance to sharp exclamation, muir
INJURED his wife's name, and falling back
in her arms died 4 few moments later. The
other members Of the family FASTENED
quickly to the chamber of death, but be-
fore their arrival the devoted husband,
loving father and kind friend had passed
beyond the power OF human assistance.
While suffering from complication Of
disorders, the immediate cause Of MIR.
McGOvern's death was Il drOpsical affec-
tiOn of the heart.
John Il. McGOvern was born in county
Cavan, parish of Temple Port, Ireland, in
1916, and was consequently ut the time of
his death aged Is years. Ho cmisrated to
this country in 1896. being then quite Il
young man. AS he is widely known in
this community, and indeed throughout
the state, rs Il successful contractor, q
brief sketch of some of the more import
ant works upon which he was engaged
will not be without interest. His first
connection with railroad building was in
1916, when the late Richard McGrann had
the contract for constructing tho New
York Il Lake Erie road fOr Il portion OF
this work MIR. McGOvern, associated
with the late Andrew Reilly, secured
4 ub-cOntract, which he successfully full
filled. MIR. McGOvcrn next superintenlled
the construction Of u tunnel ut Columbia,
and subsequently,, in connection with the
late Bernard Mct'rann and the late John
Reilly, contracted for and completed por-
tiOn of the Pennsylvania Central railroad,
from Altoona to Pittsburgh. lie was next
associated with Hugh Barr, Of Philadel-
phia, in tho building of a portion of the
Lebanon Valley road this was quite an
extensive work, occupying three years in
its performance he was similarly in
terested i'm the construction of tho East
Penn road from Reading to Allentown,
his partner in this enterprise being Andrew
Crumlish and his next venture was Il
street contract Of considerable proportions
in the city of Wilmington, Del. On tho
Northern Central road, in Dauphin county,
MIR. Mc(;Overa had al important contract,
and i'll this he was associated with the late
Major VIM. NJ. Wiley. lie built that por-
tiOn of the Reatlin. & Columbia railroad
from Reading to Silver Springs, and sub
scquently laid the ties aud iron ON the entire
road. In connection with Michael Reilly
he contracted for and built that portion Of
the road extending from thi; city to Man
helm, and his next important enterprise
was the construction Of the Sunbnry Il
I.ewistOwn railroad, extending from
LewistOwn to SelinsgrOye, i distance OF
"A miles ; Michael Reilly was also as
sOciated with him in this large work, and
another of our we'll known tOwnsmeD,
Thomas McGOvern, father Flaw oil
deceased, superintendcd the track lay ing
on the work. The last contract
of deceased was some six years ago, and
was for the building of u road to be known
as the Union Central in Schuylkill county,
near POttsvilie, but the enterprise falling
through, MIR. McGOvern had recourse to the
courts for protection Of his interests where
he secured Judgment, and where litigation
is still pending. For tho past few years
MIR. McGOvern has devoted himself exclu-
sivcly to the cultivation of the fifty acres
Of fertile land that compose his large and
farm in Mannheim township.
AS will be gathered from the above i'm
perfect sketch, Mr. McGovcrn's career has
been busy and useful O:e, and one, too,
that has been crowned with we'll ll-deserved
and substantial success. But, amid all
the care and activity of his business affairs,
bis love Of the home and the tireside were
exempliiied in his everyday
a
position on the slight emi-
nence sloping of to the Lititz turnpike,
Just outside the city, in Mannheim town
ship, was in the trucst sense Of the word a
home, where, surrounded by his wife and
: family OF interesting children, the
husband and father was privileged
TO pass in comfort the declining
years of well>speht life. His pc
genial disposition manifested it
self in the real pleasure he derived in con-
'tantly entertaining his friends, and es-
pccially his young friends and those OF
MS family, at his cheerful home. He him
self overflowed with gay spirits and
music and mcrriment SD accorded with his
Kindly temperament that anyone embOly-
ng in their nature attributes Of that
'rder invariably received cordial welcome
1t his household. Until within the past
rear or SD his had been
amiliar figure upon our streets, his
laily custom being to drive into .
own, where he was SO highly esteemed
throughout wide circle of friends fOr his
,enial disposition and that integrity Of
and firm devotion to principle
hat were leading traits in his scolnpositiOn.
iradually his visits have grown less fire.
luent, until towards the last they ceased
lltOgether and his sturdy form and hale
ace were misse,l from our streets. The
warm grasp Of his hand is relaxed, the
lihdIy light Of his eye has gone out, but
heir memory will linscr fragrant in the
of many whose tears fall in
lent unison with the grief of those at
lOme who mourn the death OF an affec.
iOnate father and husband. Mr.. McGov-