Death of Stephen Mahoney, a Former Cecil Countain.

Stephen Mahoney died at his home, Magnolia, Harrison county, Iowa, on February 22d, 1888, of paralysis from which he had suffered for some time.

Mr. Mahoney was born in this county February 13th, 1809, consequently at the time of his death was 79 years of age. Early in life he married Margaret Mahoney (1811-1850), his cousin, by whom he had eleven children.

Soon after his marriage he engaged in farming near Scott's Mills, in which occupation in connection with coopering, he continued until his removal to Iowa in 1850.

Arrangements had been made for immigrating when the death of his wife leaving him with a family of small children came as a heavy blow. Grieved and stunned as he was by this affliction he packed up his household goods, gathered his children around him and undertook and accomplished the difficulties of a journey to the West in 1850. The youngest child died on board the vessel on which they sailed down the Ohio, and Mr. Mahoney wrote back: "We rowed ashore one moonlight night and buried her on the banks of the river."

Mr. Mahoney settled twenty miles from Council Bluffs and together with a man by the name of Blackburn established the first grist mill in Harrison county. The first day it was in operation, while the men were away at dinner the wolves came and ate the belts. The mill proved a success which is not surprising from the fact that persons in that vicinity were in the habit of going 40 miles to mills. On one occasion Mr. Mahoney's partner, (prior to the building of this mill) in going to a mill came to a stream that was swollen by rain so as to be impassable. He unyoked the oxen from the cart constructed a raft of it, propelled it across, swam the oxen over, rebuilt his cart and went on his way.

After a number of years Mr. Mahoney abandoned the mill and gave his whole attention to farming in which he was very successful. He subsequently married an English lady by whom he had six children who together with two sisters, Mrs. Anna Servis of Colorado, and Mrs. John H. Mahoney of this county. He visited his friends in this county in 1875 and we found him the same cheery, genial whole-hearted gentleman who had left us 25 years before.

His home was ever open to the westbound traveler and he told us once how 27 stopped there (free of charge) until they could make arrangements for their future.

A christian, a fond husband and father a steadfast friend, has gone to his just reward.
--Cecil Whig; Saturday, March 17, 1888