Leonard P. McCann

  James, John, and Michael McCann immigrated to America in the 1840's from Ireland. Soon after their arrival in New Jersey, Michael died. James, the grandfather of Leonard McCann, married Mary Ann McCloran, a native of Scotland. To this union twelve children were born, with some dying in infancy. In the 1850's this family moved to Jacksonville, Illinois. The three eldest children, John, Peter and James were born in New Jersey. The others were born in Illinois. John and Peter were married in Illinois. John married Mary Margaret Hayes and they had thirteen children. Peter married Elizabeth Burns and they had ten children. James was the father of Leonard McCann.
In the early 1870's these three sons of the elder James, John, Peter and James came to Union County by wagon with their belongings while their wives and children came by train to Afton. After one year, James returned to Illinois to marry Mary Catherine Murphy on September 4, 1875. They returned to the county and farmed until retiring in 1915.
  After the death of the elder James' wife in Illinois, he came to this county and died February 3, 1892. His brother, the elder John also came to the county with his wife Margaret E. and family.
Leonard P. McCann was born on December 29, 1900. His brothers and sisters were: Mary (1876), John (1877), William (1879), Peter (1881), Winifred (1883), Catherine (1885), Albert (1887), Margaret (1889), Mary (1891), Edward (1893), Marshal (1895), Charles (1897), Leonard (1900) and Ernest (1902). Mary and Edward died in infancy. Leonard is the only surviving member of the children of John, Peter and James.
  Leonard moved to Creston in 1915 and four years later began work at McGregor Bros. And Coen Furniture Store and Funeral Home. In 1923 he became a licensed mortician and continued in this profession until his retirement in 1974.
  Leonard was married to Margaret Helen McCoy, one of nine children of James and Genevieve (Nellie) O'Brien McCoy. She was born on March 2, 1902 at Villisca and the family later moved to Creston. They were married on January 17, 1925 at Immaculate Conception Church. She died July 7, 1947. They had four children, Edward, born in 1925, married Betty Gernant. They live in Geneseo, Illinois with their four children. Dorothy Ellen, born in 1930, married William Armstrong. They live at Moline, Illinois and have two children. Margaret Jane born in 1932, married William Linthicum and lives in Des Moines with their seven children.
  Their fourth child is Arthur Leonard, born in 1935. After completing high school and one year of college in Creston, he decided to become a Catholic priest. He completed his theological studies in Dubuque and was ordained on June 3, 1962. Rev. McCann presently serves as a member of the Creston Team Ministry serving the Catholic communities at Afton, Creston and Lenox.
  To the present day there are five generations of McCanns who have live in Union County and are buried at Calvary Cemetery. Leonard McCann is very proud of his heritage and family and sees a bright future ahead for all of his descendants. by Leonard P. McCann
(History of Union County, Iowa, 1981, p. 222)