Excerpts from "The History of Hancock County"

Patrick T. Gannon, now deceased was for many years connected with important agricultural operations in several of the townships of Hancock County. He was born in New York City, NY, May 3, 1841, a son of Michael and Ellen (Tracy) Gannon. They came westward, and she died at New Orleans, La., after which he brought his family to Nauvoo, arriving in 1843.

Michael Gannon invested in land and farmed for some years, then sold his property and started to return to New Orleans, but died while on the Mississippi river. He had left his children with the Moffitt family, and Patrick T. Gannon continued with them for some time, leaving them to live with a Mr. Mullin in Rock Creek township. He then began working by the month for different farmers, so continuing until he enlisted for service in the civil War, on September 9, 1861, in the Seventh Missouri Cavalry, and he was honorably discharged November 20, 1864, having given his country a brave and loyal support. After his discharge, he returned to Rock Creek township, and bought eighty acres of wild prarie land.

On December 17, 1868, Mr. Gannon was married to Eliza Jane Davis, born at Jackson County, Ohio, September 15, 1841, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Tyler) Davis who came to Prairie Township in 1847. After his marriage Mr. Gannon went to live on his farm, and spent eight years there, and after improving it, he bought a farm in the timber of Prairie Township, on which he lived, improving the farm thoroughly. In 1880 he moved to Ferris, Ill., having rented the farm. He then bought eighty acres of land adjoining Ferris on the west, but later sold this last farm.

All his life he was a heavy buyer of land, and made a great deal of money in his transactions. The beautiful family residence at Ferris was built by him. There Mrs. Gannon resided till her death. Patrick and Eliza had one son, James H. Gannon, b. 1871, in Illinois. She owned three farms, one of 160 acres, one of ninety acres and one of eighty acres, the ninety acre farm being in Prairie Township, and the others in Rock Creek Township, and all were rented out.

Mr. Gannon died May 3, 1916 and is buried in Moss ridge Cemetery. For many years he served as a school director and always was a friend of the public schools for he relaized the need of education for the young, he never having any educational adantages. Mr. Gannon and Rev. Fayette Doud, as directors, built the public school at Ferris, and he was otherwie public spirited and a man of fine character."

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