Obituary

Fell Downstairs Saturday Night and Died Soon After.

  Hugh Colgan, one of our well-known and successful farmers, died very suddenly last Saturday night at his home in Mercer township. It is not definitely known whether he suffered an attack of the heart, or whether he sustained a broken neck from a fall downstairs.
  Mr. Colgan was reading when the rest of the family retired. At a late hour he was heard to turn off the light at the head of the stair, and immediately after a sound as though he had fallen down stairs. An investigation was made at once, and Mr. Colgan was found at the foot of the stair. He was still alive, but unable to speak. A doctor was summoned but the gentleman had passed away before the physician arrived.
Funeral services were held in St. Patrick's Catholic church yesterday conducted by Rev. Father Edward J. Colgan of Omaha, and burial was made in Calvary cemetery.
  Mr. Colgan was a son of Hugh and Mary Colgan. He was born in County Down, Ireland, July 28, 1860, and at the time of his death was aged 65 years, 5 months and 6 days. He came to America in June 1878, and located in Stark county, Illinois, whence he move to Iowa in 1892, settling near Iveyville with his brother James. On March 17, 1896, Mr. Colgan was married to Elizabeth Cashman. To them were born 11 children, two of whom, Leo A. and Francis C., died in infancy. The wife and the following children survive him: Mary A., Mrs. Irene H. Metz, of Creston; Elizabeth E., Omaha; Veronica, a teacher in the Creston schools; Alice B., in college, at Chillicothe, Mo.; Joseph M., at Ames college; Esther C. a teacher near home; Hugh D. and Genevieve, at home. Also the following brothers and sisters, beside the wife and children are left: Mrs. Mary Traynor, Mrs. Catherine Bartley and Ed Colgan, in Ireland; Barney, a brother in Hoopeston, Ill., and Peter, in Chicago. James, another brother, is deceased.
  Mr. Colgan was well known and respected in this community. He was one of our conservative and prosperous agriculturists, with a fine home and every convenience. His untimely death is sincerely regretted by the entire community.
(Adams County Union-Republican, Wednesday, January 18, 1928)

Note: Died 14 Jan 1928.

Community Saddened By Death of Hugh Colgan

  A feeling of deep sorrow prevailed in the community last Sunday morning when the word was passed that Hugh Colgan well known farmer living southeast of Corning, had suddenly passed away about midnight Saturday night. When the death was first reported our people could hardly make themselves believe that the report was true. Mr. Colgan had been apparently in the best of health and was in Corning the afternoon before.
  Saturday evening he was about the home as usual and the other members of the family had retired as usual. Mr. Colgan remained up and read until quite late. Members of the family heard him come up stairs and go to the bath room. His son noticed him pass his bedroom door on his way from the bath room to his own room. Mr. Colgan stopped just at the head of the stairs to turn out the hall light. Immediately after the light was turned out a sudden thud was heard and when members of the family reached the stairway they found Mr. Colgan crumpled head downward at the bottom of the stairs. He lived only a very short time after he was found. The circumstances of the accident will never be known. He might have suffered a sudden heart attack or he might have stepped into the open stairway in the dark and met his death by the fall down the stairs. A physician was called but was unable to state after an examination the exact cause of his death. No bones were broken in the fall and only two slight bruises were found on the body.
  Hugh Colgan was born July 28th, 1860, in County Downs, Ireland and was aged 67 years, 5 months and 16 days. He was the son of Mary and Hugh Colgan and came to America in June 1878 and settled near Streator, Illinois. He came to Iowa in 1892 and lived with his brother, James, near Iveyville. On March 17, 1896, he was married to Elizabeth Cashman. To this union eleven children were born, nine of whom survive the father. Leo A. and Francis C. died in infancy. The living children are Mary A., at home; Mrs. Irene H. Metz, who resides east of Corning; Elizabeth E., who is employed in Omaha; Veronica P., who is a teacher in the Creston schools; Alice B., who is attending school at Chillicothe, Missouri; Joseph M, who is attending school at Ames; Esther K., who is a teacher in the rural schools of this county; Hugh D. and Genevieve, high school students at Corning who live at home. He is survived by one brother, Ed and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Traynor and Mrs. Catherine Bartley, who reside at the old home in Ireland. Another brother, Barney, resides in Hoopeston, Illinois, and a brother, Peter, resides in Canada. Another brother James, died a few years ago.
  The funeral was held Tuesday from St. Patrick's Catholic church in Corning, the services being in charge of Father Edward Colgan, a Jesuit priest and a distant relative of the deceased. Interment was made in Calvary cemetery.
  Mr. Colgan was one of the substantial and influential citizens of the county. By his industrious habits and hard work he had provided a comfortable home for his family. It was a home that everyone enjoyed to visit. The hospitality of this pleasant country home was always at the disposal of friends and neighbors. Mr. Colgan was one of the well known stock raisers of the county and his fine cattle and horses have been among the prize winners of Adams county stock. The passing of this fine gentleman leaves a vacancy in the community that can never be filled.
  Those from a distance who attended the funeral were Thomas Colgan, daughters Tressa and Anna, sons Edward and Pete, from Pacific Junction; Willie Gill, Ed G. Colgan, Sarah J. Colgan of Wyoming, Illinois, Mayme Gill of Camp Grove, Illinois; Thomas Sager, Spear, Illinois; Thomas L. Colgan, Peoria, Illinois; Mr. and Mrs. William O'Brien and Mrs. Hannah O'Brien of Kansas City; Miss Cecelia Colgan and Edward Harrahill of Omaha.
(Adams County Free Press, Friday, January 20, 1928)