The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-02-24
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
|: IN MEMORIAM !:
Patrick G. Lyons.

Gently to one of gentle mould, like
thee, n
AS light winds, wandering through
groves of bloom,
Detach the delicate bloom from the
Close thy sweet eyes calmly and with
out pain,
And we will trust in God to see thee
once again."
When death marked for his own one
whom we love, the thought of loss so
great overwhelms us. We think of the
lonely DAYS to come and would, if only
for an hour, postpone the blow which
will take the loved one from us. We
long for power that would enable us
to stay the unrelenting feet of the
hours in their onward march; but
Death, grimvisaged and remorseless,
comes on like the whirling storm, which,
in its impartial fury brushes down alike
the giant oak and the lily.
| After lingering illness of over year
Patrick c. Lyons departed this life at
his home in jamestown, Tuesday morn
ing, Feb. Z, 1906. The deceased was
born near Killmallock, County Limerick,
Ireland, December, 1929. In l848 he
came to America, landing at New York
where he worked for about a year. The
next few years were spent at South
Berwick, Me-, and Salmon Falls, n. III.
From there he went to St. Louis, Mo-.
where he attended school of pharmacy,
after which he took a position as drug
clerk for Park Russell & Co.. Here he
married Miss Anna Mahoney, in May,
llS53. Is
| In 1860 he came to Minnesota, settling
in jamestown, Blue Earth county, where
he purchased quarter section of land
on which he built his present home. He
was scarcely settled in his new home
when the thunder of Sumpter's guns
echoed up the northern hillsides and
with a spirit Characteristic of the man
he Joined the noble host that went out
to share the dangers and hardships of
that mighty conflict.
At the close of the war he returned to
his home at this place where he has
| since resided. Being an industrious man
with fine business capacity, he kept
adding to his worldly possessions, be:
coming, long before his death, one of
Blue Earth county's most. prosperous
as we'll as one of her most prominent
citizens. A few years ago he was can,
didate for the Legislature on the demo-
cratic ticket and was defeated by only
seven votes, the county being strongly
republican.
The funeral procession left the house
at 1880; Thursday morning and march
ed a distance of one-half mile to the
Catholic church of which he was a de-
vout member. The active pallbearers
were T. B. Murtaugh, Robert Madigan,
James Mape, Daniel Brown, John Neary
and w. j. Sichler. The honorary pail
bearers We're John Quirk, John L.
Meagher, P, w. Smith, L. w. Smith,
Patrick McGrath and Hon. G. L. Ben
ediet of Mankato. The procession was
made up of large concourse of friends
and neighbors, including the members
of the M. w. A. and A. o. II. lodges
who marched in body. The floral trib-
utes sent by friends who knew and ad-
mired him were numerous and beautiful.
After the celebration of requiem high
mass Father Maloney of Faribault, as
sisted by Fathers O'Brien of Waterville
and Carey of st. Peter and sermon by
Father Carey his remains were inferred
in the Catholic cemetery at this place,
Father McCabe officiating at the grave.
The surviving members of the fam
lily are his widow, Mrs. Anna Lyons,
Richard, William A. and p. M. Lyons !;
also two daughters, Mrs. j. ]. Mccarthy
and Miss Katie, all Of this place.
| The deceased was a man of vast am
bition combined with great strength of
character. He was upright and just in
all his dealings; never failing to ex-
tend helping hand to the needy; ever
ready with gentle words of consolation
and pity for the erring and always
quick to defend those who stood in need
of defender. Possessed with a mind
well stored with useful knowledge he
was at all times an entertaining man to
meet.
In the Marysburg church yard, after
"a well.spent life, he is sleeping his last
sweet sleep in the shade of the cedar
trees, which far back in the vanished
years his own. hand planted. Noiseless-
ly, one by one those grand old veterans
of the early days are dropping out in
life's great march-one by one they are
giving way to that conquerer before
whom none can stand. Quickly the re-