Biographies and Obituaries
In loving memory
Margaret T. (Nolan) Kavanaugh
History of the Catholic Church in Indiana
Logansport, Ind: A.W.Bowen, 1898. Vol. 2, pp 795-796
Mrs. Margaret T. Kavanaugh, of Cannelburg, Daviess county, Ind., and a leading member of St. Peter's church, was born in St. Mary's parish, County Wexford, Ireland, in December, 1840, the eldest of five children born to John and Mary (Lannen) Nolan, of which family three, beside herself, are still living, viz: Patrick, a farmer of Barr township, Daviess County; Catherine, wife of Michael O. Moran, of St. John's parish, and Julia, of Barr township.
John Nolan, a native of county Wexford, Ireland, came to America about 1850, a year or two in advance of his family, and came directly to Daviess County, where he worked on the canal until his death, which occurred soon after his arrival and when he was about thirty-four years of age. Margaret T. Nolan (now Mrs. Kavanaugh) came to America with the family in 1852 and landed at New Orleans from the ship George Greene, after a voyage of seven weeks and two days. By steamboat they reached Evansville, Ind., whence they came in wagons to Daviess County, the country then being quite a wilderness. She was here confirmed by Bishop de St. Palais, and frequently thereafter walked a long distance to hear mass at St. Peter's by Father Piers, whom she greatly honored, and who was the pioneer priest of southern Indiana, being at that time the officiating clergyman.
The marriage of Miss Margaret T. Nolan to Timothy Kavanaugh, a native of county Kildare, Ireland, was solemnized at Washington, Ind., May 10, 1866, by Rev. Father Chassic. To this marriage were born: Patrick William, who was confirmed by Bishop Chatard and was educated by Father Piers and in the common schools; John T., who received a common-school education, is a mechanic, and resides with his mother; Maggie was confirmed at the age of thirteen (John T. being confirmed in the same class), and was educated in the common schools of Montgomery; Timothy is a pupil in the Jasper Benedictine school; Lawrence Bartholomew is at home and is attending school, and Mary Ellen is deceased.
When Mr. and Mrs. Kavanaugh began housekeeping they were in rather poor circumstances, but they pulled together, and at the death of Mr. Kavanaugh, August 29, 1893, they had acquired 520 acres of land in Barr township and a fine residence. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Kavanaugh, by her thrift and good management, has purchased eighty additional acres. Mr. Kavanaugh was about sixty-eight years of age at the time of his death, and his grave, in St. Peter's cemetery, is marked by a fine Swedish granite monument, erected by his widow and children. In politics he was a consistent democrat, but never aspired to office. Without the prestige of political fame, he was extremely popular in his township and his loss was deeply deplored by a large circle of immediate friends and the public at large. Mrs. Kavanaugh is strict in her religious duties, contributes freely to the support of St. Peter's, and is universally respected for her many womanly virtues.
Contributed by: John D. McMullen