Albert McCann Family

  Albert McCann was born February 19, 1887, son of James McCann and Mary Murphy, on a farm northeast of Creston, one of twelve brothers and sisters. He spent his early years working on farms in the area. He moved to Creston with his family around 1915. He served in the Army during World War I in France. When he returned from service he worked for Treanor and Girard at their elevator. On August 22, 1919 he married Jessie Madison, daughter of Jess Madison and Emily Stewart. She was born on a farm near Nevinville January 12, 1898. The Madison family moved to a farm just west of McKinley Lake where they operated the Summit Farm Dairy. Jessie helped with this as a young girl, delivering milk from house to house in a one-horse milk wagon. Jessie was next to the oldest of seven children.
  Their oldest daughter, Phyllis, was born February 24, 1921 in Creston. They moved to Spaulding where Albert worked for Jack Treanor at the Lumber Yard. Their second daughter, Bernice, was born there June 4, 1924. They moved back to Creston where he worked for Matt Conway Implement. Son Joseph was born August 19, 1926 and daughter Patricia was born March 21, 1930. He worked for Conway until they closed around 1930. The family then moved to Winterset, Iowa where he and his father-in-law operated a cafe for a year. They returned to Creston. By then the depression was here and he worked at odd jobs and W.P.A. His wife did washings and ironings and also did home baking to help with income. Next Albert worked for the railroad in the round house for a few years until he became ill in December 1944. Jessie died August 6, 1962.
  Their youngest daughter, Patricia, and husband Harold Howe live in Palmdale, California with their two sons, Dennis and Daniel and four foster children, James, Lorraine, Charlene and David Dills. Lorraine and husband Todd Matthews have one son.
  Bernice lives in the home place and her youngest daughter, Jill, is a senior at Creston High. Other daughters - Dianne Kromminga and two sons Shawn and Jason live in Creston; Suzzane and husband Donald Hickerson and their son Thomas are with the Navy at present in Sardinia just off the coast of Italy.
  Joseph, better known as "JD," also lives in the home place and works for the Union County Engineer. He started as a Rodman in 1946. He now works in the office as assistant to the County Engineer.
  Phyllis purchased the house next door to the home place in 1963. Her daughter Sherry and husband Ronald Thomson and daughters Sheron, Catherine and Rebecca are with the Air Force stationed at Biloxi, Mississippi.
(History of Union County, Iowa, 1981, p. 222)