The Irish standard., 1913-11-08
MICHAEL GLEASON.

1uS6U6y 0IlernOO0 t08C MT. GkeaSOu
was dead, the thought that first found
expression on the lips of all who
knew him was that a good man was
gone-one Of Gods nobleman had fall.
en-. It was simply mike Gleason was
dead!" And that meant much to his
friends in Minneapolis and in the
Northwest. And his friends were lie.
gion. The mere details of Mr.. Glea.
sons career would not interest any
one outside his own family were 1t
not that, as Father O'Brien put 1t
in the funeral sermon, his life illus.
trates how the faith may be preserved
and the love for an ideal may be made
to fructify.
Michael Gleason was born in Water.
town, Mass, on the 18th Of July. 1856,
of Michael and Mary Boland who
short time before had come from near
Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland. An in
fant in arms he was brought to Henne.
pin county in 1857; and with his peo.
pie lived here until he was 10 years
old. Then the cry of Catholic colon
ization was in the air and young
Gleason went to De Graf, Mimi, where
he lived from 1876 to 1888. The i'm
mediate cause of his coming back to
Cahilltown, Hennepin county, was
that two brothers had died; and the
only one that was left, beside himself,
to inherit the original homestead was
his brother, Father Thomas F. Glea.
son who, being just then ordained,
had other work than attending to a
farm.
But when he returned from De Graf
ne brought with him his wife who was
Miss Elizabeth Brennan, and who now
lives to mourn his memory. Eleven
children, Of whom nine survive, were
born of their happy wedlock; and
each one is credit to father and
mother alike.
This merely tells the tale of Michael
Gleason; 1t recites in cold type when
he was born and where he lived. But,
back Of all. is the personality of the
man, and the truth is that is pretty
difficult to set down what his career
meant. It Is correct to say that he
never did anything very extraordi.
nary; but it is the naked truth to say
that he did the ordinary daily duties
in q most exemplary way. No meteor
was he to flash for day or a week
or q year; but, while never a plodder,
he filled and adorned and elevated the
position which he selected for q ca.
reer.
Hence this tribute. Not merely his
wife and children and his brother
mourn him; but, deep down in the
hearts of all who knew him, is the
regret that Mike Gleason is gone No
man ever knew better how to be loyal.
No one ever knew better how to work
for his community and his fellow man.
Not ours to recall his services as
president Of the local village council;
not ours to say how loyal he was to
his Church and his pastor, Father Ma.
honey, is our witness and our testi.
mony; and Father Mahoney likewise
assures US Of his undying devotion to
the creed and the religion of his pa
rents.
And here is at once profession OF
faith from his brothers and an out
pouring Of sympathy from his neigh
bors. Mr.. Gleason has been an ac
tive and an ardent member of the
Hibernians; and, at the call and sug-
gestion of Mr.. ]. p, Donohue, the
county president, the members of his
own division and many from various
points in Hennepin county were there
Wednesday evening to "say the Ro-
sary." All right. It is only "the Ro-
sary" said at the wake house. But II
Mr.. Gleason were dead in the home
where his parents lived there could
not be a more representative gather
ing than was there on Wednesday
night. The national president of the
order was present; state and county
and division officers were on hand;
and, with them, friends and neighbors
Joined to "say the Rosary" with the
county chaplain. Yes, Michael Glea-
son is dead; but, in death as in life,
he was an inspiration for us all.
The solemn funeral Mass was sung
on Thursday morning by his brother,
Father Gleason, with Father Boland,
his cousin, as Deacon and Father Gre
min his pastor, as sub-deacon. Sew
eral priests were in the sanctuary and
the Church was unable to accommo.
date the friends who sought an oppor-
tunity to pay last tribute. Father
O'Brien preached the funeral sermon
and brought out the points that Mr..
Gleason's career was an evidence Of
how many of the problems of the day
might be solved. He showed how q