The Lalley Family of Guthrie County, Iowa

The rich farming land of Iowa has furnished the means whereby through a life cjf activity and usefulness Patrick Lally is now enabled to live retired in a beautiful home in Adair, while from his landed possessions, comprising seven hundred and twenty acres. he derives the income that now supplies him with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He is a native son of the Emerald isle, his birth having occurred in County Gal way, in March, 1849, and is one of the four survivors of a family of six children born of the marriage of Thomas and Honora A. (Riley) Lalley. the others being John and James, who still reside in County Galway, Ireland; and Bridget, the widow of Dennis Kane, and a resident of Adair, Iowa. Both the father and mother were likewise natives of Ireland, where their entire lives were passed, the father passing away there when he had reached the advanced age. of about eighty-three years, while the mother departed this life when about seventy years of age. The father was a carpenter by trade and it was under his direction that the son Patrick acquired a good practical knowledge of the builder's art.

At the early age of fourteen Patrick Lalley left his native county and went to England, where he engaged in carpentering in Chester for four months, subsequent to which time lie returned to his hotue in Ireland, but after a few months there spent once more made his way to England, this time locating in Sheffield, where during the greater part of the subsequent three years he followed his trade. In the spring of 1866, being then a youth of eighteen years, he decided to try his fortune in the new world, for he had heard of the advantages that were here afforded to young men of ambition, determination and enterprise. Accordingly he crossed the Atlantic to the United States and at once made his way to the state of Illinois, locating in Peoria, where he remained for four or five months, acquainting himself with the manners and customs of this land. Eventually he continued his journey westward, locating in Davenport, Iowa, where he resumed his work at the carpenter's trade, being thus engaged for a decade. Believing that the rich farming lands of Iowa offered splendid opportunities, Mr. Lalley then made his way in the spring of 1876 to Guthrie county, where for two years he operated leased land in Grant township, and with the money thus gained during this period he invested in a farm of his own, making purchase of the northeast quarter of section 35, Grant township, which he improved and on which he located. About four years subsequent to his first purchase he added to his original holdings, this time coming into possession of the Southeast quarter of section 26. Grant township, situated across the road from his home place. He later added additional tracts, one of eighty acres on section 26, a second eighty on section 21 and a third on section 23, while in 1900 he purchased a quarter section in Eureka township, Adair county, his landed possessions thus aggregating seven hundred and twenty acres of valuable farming land, all of which is cultivable. All that he today possesses has been acquired through his own diligence and perseverance for all that he possessed at the time of his arrival in the United.States was a knowledge of his trade and when he made his first purchase of land, which amounted to four hundred and sixty-dollars, he was obliged to borrow one hundred dollars, on which he had to pay ten per cent interest. He, however, possessed good business management and keen foresight, so that from a humble beginning he has worked his way upward until he is now numbered among the wealthy and substantial landowners of the state of Iowa. He was actively and successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits until 1902, when he retired to Adair, where he purchased a beautiful residence, which he is now occupying and in which he enjoys all the comforts and conveniences of life.

On the 30th of September, 1878, Mr. Lalley was united in marriage to Miss Mary Kelly, who was born in County Galway, Ireland, in the same parish in which the birth of her husband occurred, but her marriage occurred in Davenport. She became a resident of the United States in 1875 and by her marriage became the mother of fifteen children, of whom three are deceased, all having died within eight days and only a week after the location of the family in Grant township. The surviving members of the family are: James, a resident farmer of Grant township, who is mentioned on another page of this work; John, a farmer of Adair county; Thomas, also following farming in Grant township and who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Michael, of Denver, Colorado; Timothy, who follows carpentering in Denver; Connor, who is attending Creighton University at Omaha, Nebraska; Catherine, the wife of James McDonald, a druggist of Adair; Anna, the wife of Daniel Fagan, of Adair; Mary, the wife of Christopher Bateman, of Denver; Nellie, who is engaged in teaching in the district schools and resides with her parents; Loretta, also at home; and Margaret, the wife of Thomas Farrell, a resident of Mead, Kansas.

Mr. Lalley gives his political support to the men and measures of the democratic party but is not radical in his views. He is a communicant of the Catholic church. His life should serve to inspire others of resolute spirit and determination, for the success which today crowns his efforts has been acquired through his own capable management and well directed labor, as he came to this country a young man, ignorant of the manners and customs of American people but in due time gained a position of prominence, being classed today among the substantial and retired citizens of his section of the state.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JAMES FRANCIS LALLEY.

That Guthrie county offers excellent opportunities to the agriculturist is indicated by the fact that although James Francis Lalley made an extended trip through the west, going as far as the Pacific coast, he found no country which to him was more attractive than his native state, and he is here successfully engaged in carrying on general agricultural pursuits on one hundred and sixty acres of land, situated on section 35, Grant township, thereon he resides, this property belonging to his father, while he also leases an eighty-acre tract located on section 23, Grant township, likewise belonging to his father.

Mr. Lalley possesses many of the sterling characteristics of his Irish ancestry, he being the eldest son of the twelve surviving members of a family of fifteen children born unto Patrick and Mary (Kelly) Lalley, both of whom claim County Galway, Ireland, as the place of their nativity. Extended mention of Patrick Lalley is made on another page of this work. James F. Lalley was born on the old homestead farm in Grant township. Guthrie county, October 19, 1879. and was there reared to farm life, assisting his father in the work of plowing, planting and harvesting in their respective seasons, while during the winter months he pursued his studies in the public schools of Grant township, this knowledge being supplemented by a course in Augustana Business College, at Rock Island, Illinois, from which institution he was graduated in April, 1900. Soon after his graduation he made an extended trip to the west, going he made an extended trip to the west, going as far as the Pacific coast, the object of his trip being to study the possibilities which might there be enjoyed. After a year, however, he returned to Guthrie county, and on. the 4th of June, 1902, was married to Miss Leonora Kelleher, of Audubon township, Audubon county, Iowa, and a daughter of John Kelleher, who was a prominent farmer of that county, but is now deceased.

Following their marriage the young couple located upon a farm belonging to his father, this being situated on the northeast quarter of section 35, Grant township, and comprising one hundred and sixty acres, and he also operates another tract of eighty acres lying on section 23, Grant township; thus it will be seen that he is carrying on farming on quite an extensive scale, operating in all two hundred and forty acres. In addition to raising the cereals best adapted to soil and climate he is also engaged in the breeding of polled Angus cattle, and this branch of his business is proving a profitable source of income to him. In all his work he is practical and progressive and finds a valuable assistant in his estimable wife, who capable manager the household affairs. Mr. Lalley follows in the political footsteps of his father, giving stalwart support to the democratic party, while at the present time he is serving as trustee of Grant township. He and his wife are communicants of the Catholic church and his fraternal relations are with the Independent Order of Foresters and the Knights of Columbus.

Mr. Lalley has spent his entire life in Guthrie county and is therefore well known to our readers. Although numbered among the younger members of agricultural life in this section of the state, he has already attained a position of prominence and is justly classed among the prosperous young farmers of Grant township.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

T. J. LALLEY.

Among the native sons of Guthrie county who are engaged in general agricultural pursuits none are more prominent than he whose name introduces this record. T. J. Lalley was born on a farm in Grant township, Guthrie county. July 14. 1880, and is the third in order of birth of the twelve surviving children born of the marriage of Patrick and Mary (Kelly) Lalley, both of whom were born in County Gal way, Ireland, the former born in March, 1849, while the year 1866 witnessed his arrival in the United States, he being then a youth of eighteen years. Further mention of the parents is made on another page of this work.

T. J. Lalley was reared to the occupation of farming, early becoming familiar with the best methods of carrying on a work of this character, for he assisted his father in operating the home place during the summer seasons, while through the winter months he attended the common schools, wherein he obtained the knowledge which later fitted him to carry on business on his own account. Upon starting out to face the responsibilities of life on his own account he those the occupation to which he had been reared and this has continued to be his pursuit to the present time, while in connection therewith he makes a specialty of the raising of full-blooded Aberdeen Angus cattle. He is now located on a well improved farm in Grant township, Guthrie county, his postoffice being at Adair.

Mr. Lalley completed arrangements for having a home of his own by his marriage, on the 8th of January, 1901, to Miss Grace McLaren, who was born in 1880. Her parents were of Scotch-Irish descent and located in America at an early date. The mother, however, is deceased, her death occurring in 1906, but the father is still living and now makes his home in Oklahoma. Mrs. Lalley is the fourth in order of birth in a family of seven children and was provided with liberal educational advantages, having graduated from the normal at Audubon, Iowa, and following the completion of her education she successfully engaged in teaching for six years prior to her marriage. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Lalley has been blessed with two interesting children: Vincent, who was born January 15, 1902: and Cornelius, born April 6, 1903.

Mr. Lalley gives his political support to the democratic party and has served as school director. He and his wife are communicants of St. John's Catholic church at Adair, while his fraternal relations are with the Foresters lodge at Adair. They are highly esteemed young people of the community, and the hospitality of their own pleasant home is greatly enjoyed by their many friends.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.