Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-02-05
LONG LIFE ENDED
Michael Donshue, Waterbury's Pio- neer Irishman Pasted Away
 To-day at Age of 8s.

neVS ntsoAn0W 0SoC0 nW0y
 To-day at Age of 89.
 Michael Donahuc the oldest Irish resident of Waterbury, died early this morning at his home, 70 Linden street. He attended divine service at the church of the Immaculate Conception yesterday morning, WAS at vespcrs in the afternoon and later was present at Il meeting of the Holy Name society ill St Patrick's hall. In the evening he was taken with q weak spell and the family called Father Brennan, who visited him at 10 o'clock. At that time his condition did not appear serious, but during the night he became weak CT and finally passed away at 1:43 this morning.
 Michael Donahue was born June IS, 1877. in Crosserlough, Cavan. Ireland. il farming district about mile from the town of Kilnaleck and three miles from Ballyjamesduff. He was the son of Bryan Donahue and Ellen Lynch. we'll to do farmers and highly respect ed residents of that place. The family consisted of five brothers and three sis ters, Thomas. Patrick. James, Michael, Anne. Bridget and Mary.
 Mir Donahue received his education In the old chapel building where Thomas Keough. who afterwards came to this country, taught the youth of the parish years before national schools were established in Ireland. In the spring of 1886, accompanied by Patrick Riley and Michael Lynch. both nE rr-lSa T saI laln Inn Iaf for the United States. starting from Dublin in a wash tub as he used to refer to the ship which was named < the John Russell. It took seven weeks and three days to make the trip, q I pretty good passage in the time of the \ old sailing vessels, considering that It l was not uncommon for some of them | to be out three months and over. The 1 party reached New Haven by boat and came to Waterbury on the stage, there being no railroad connection between here and New Haven at the time nor | for years after. There were about g. 900 people in Waterbury at the time. | including half dozen Irishmen. one 1 of whom was Mir Donahue's brother, II Patrick. It was dusk when the old | stage coach stopped at Union street Il and the three strangers stepped of II and after considerable inquiring found Il their way to the residence of Cornelius Donnelly, who resided on Bucks hill. near what was later known as the Henry Brown place. where they were given cordial reception. The next night all the Irish boys about town called upon them and few hours xx-hsl la1 f..Il ytvtn of times. Among those who made up the party were Michael Neville, Patrick DOnahue, James and John Byrnes and James Grear. Timothy COrcOran. one of Waterbury's famous wire drawers. who was said to have been smuggled over in barrel. was not here when Mir Donahue and his friends arrived hut he put in an appearance little later. Tn those days the house now occupied by Edward Pagan on East Main street. then tenanted by Michae. Neville and Patrick Delaney. was q, favorite meeting place for the few Irishmen and Irish women in Water bury and it was a rare treat 10 listen to Mir DOnahue tell about the many pleasant evenings he spent there with young fellows and girls. all of whom were called to their reward long before he received the final summons. In fact. he attended the funeral of al- most every man and woman of his own nationality whom he knew here when he was a young man.
 MT Donahue was first employed at Benedict & Burnham's. then small copcern across the street from the companys present mammoth plant. Here he formed the acquaintance of Aaron Benedict. from whom he learned many of the hard facts of life which he always claimed were of incalcnlable benefit to him in after time and espe- cially during his career as business man.
 In 1S3I Mir Donahue went to New Haven. where he remained short time. when he returned to Waterbury. and not finding business good in the shops he decided to try his hand at farming and spent few months at the business in Watertown: but this kind of work was not congenial to his nature and being anxious to see more of the country he started for Toledo. O.. and worked for time on the Wa bash and Erie canal. with James Byrnes. John Byrnes and William Gal lagin of this city as fellow laborers. He came back to Waterbury in the fall, but struck out for Toledo again the following spring and remained there that summer, when he returned and spent the rest of his life here He was employed at different times at the Scovill Manufacturing Co. the Water bury Buckle Co and other places. and in 1912 he was hack at his old jOb at Benedict X Burnham's when he made np his mind to go into business with fhe late John Hart. who was then con ducting q grocery and liquor store on Bridge street. in the building which still stands on the east side of the bridge and owped by John T. Phelan. Later the business was removed to East Main street. where NJ. Heffernan conducted a grocery until ha made room for M. Doran. Finally the part nership was dissolved and Mir Dona- hue afterwards conducted the Neville tavern. which stood on the site of what fs now known as the DOugherty block on East Main street. opposite the lm- maculate Conception church. He was also located in a store on the site of Dr Donahue's block at the corner of East Main and Brown streets. ana where the CorcOran residence stands. ,..,- sI.. F,,,,.sf.n If Dr,l.lfn and East