McGuire Family
Ireland, Wisconsin, Iowa
Family of James and Bridget McGuire
Matthew McGuire (abt 1839 - March 29, 1923), married Jane WOOD on October 06, 1872
Mary McGuire (October 21, 1845 - August 08, 1920), married Patrick SOLON on November 12, 1866
Ann McGuire (1850 - August 25, 1936), married Edward Quinlan about 1872
Edward McGuire (c.1853 - aft 1929), married Elizabeth Egan on November 18, 1884
Elizabeth McGuire (c.1854 - bet. 1895-1900), married Thomas SOLON on November 28, 1872
James McGuire (c.1855 - aft 1929), married Margaret Egan on May 18, 1897
Background
James and Bridget McGuire were immigrants from County Cavan, Ireland who settled in Iowa County, Wisconsin by 1850. James was born about 1804 and Bridget in 1815. Among the children who immigrated with them were Matthew and Mary. The remaining children were born in or near the area of Highland, Wisconsin. including Ann, Edward, Elizabeth and James.
Daughter Mary was the first of the children to marry. She married Civil War veteran Patrick Solon in Highland in 1866. By the early 1870s the three oldest children relocated to northwestern Iowa, where eldest son Matthew married Jane Wood in 1872, and daughter Ann married Edward Quinlan. Also in 1872 daughter Elizabeth married Thomas Solon, Patrick's brother, and they remained in the Highland area.
About June 08, 1873, father James McGuire passed away around the age of 70. Sons Edward and James Jr. remained with their widowed mother in Highland, as suggested by the 1880 census for Highland, Wisconsin. By this time the familes of Matthew, Mary (Solon), and Ann (Quinlan) had established farms in Rock township, Sioux Co., Iowa. The family of Elizabeth (Solon) had estalbished a farm in the Highland area, across the border in Gran Co., Wisconsin.
In 1884 son Edward married Lizzie Egan in Highland, and they began to raise a family. On March 11, 1889, mother Bridget McGuire passed away in Highland at about age 73. Bridget and her husband James were both buried at St Philips Cemetery in Highland. A few years after Bridget's death the family of Elizabeth (Solon) also moved to northewestern Iowa establishing a residence in Doon, Lyon Co., Iowa. In 1894 son Matthew lost his wife Jane who passed away in Iowa at age 39. Matthew and Jane had a family of twelve children, including Bridget, Mary, Anna, Eliza, Ellen, Rose, James, Kate, Joseph, Edward, Susan, and Matthew.
In 1897 son James married Maggie Egan in Highland and began to raise a family. It was also around this timeframe that daughter Elizabeth (Solon) died in Iowa, while still in her early forties. She and her family were noted in the 1895 Iowa State census living in Doon. Elizabeth and her husband Thomas Solon had a family of eight surviving children: Margaret, Bridget, Mary, Anna, Elizabeth, James, Jennie, and Laura.
In 1900, the familes are found in the following locations: widowed Matthew farming in Lincoln township, Sioux Co., Iowa; daughter Mary (Solon) farming in Sioux township, Sioux Co., Iowa; daughter Ann (Quinlan) farming in Rock township, Sioux Co., Iowa; sons Edward and James farming in Highland, Wisconsin; and widowed son-in-law Thomas Solon working in Doon, Iowa.
On June 26, 1910, daughter Ann lost her husband Ed Quinlan who died at age 75. Ann and Ed Quinlan had a family of four surviving children, including Jame, Mary, Belle, and Thomas. Ann would remain in the area passing away in Sioux Co., Iowa in 1932 at the age of 86. Both Anna and Ed are buried are at St Marys Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa.
On April 07, 1920, daughter Mary lost her husband Patrick Solon who died at age 74. Both had retired in Larchwood, Lyon Co., Iowa a few years before, and Mary passed away a short time after her husband, on August 08, 1920, at age 74. Mary and Patrick Solon had 11 children, including Michael, James, John (died as an infant), John N., Elizabeth, Mary, Emma, Thomas, Matthew, Kathryn, and Bridget. Both Mary and Patrick are buried at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Larchwood, Iowa.
On March 29, 1923 son Matthew McGuire passed away, also having retired in Larchwood. He died at about age 83. Sometime prior this widowed son-in-law Thomas Solon is also believed to have passed away.
The two youngest sons of James and Bridget McGuire, Edward and James Jr., were still residing Highland, Wisconsin according to the 1930 census. Edward and his wife Lizzie had a family of nine known children, including Bridget, Margaret, James, John, Gertrude, Della, Isabelle, Edward, and Frances. James and his wife Maggie had two surviving children, including Mary and Pearl, as well as an adopted son George.
Article compiled by Dennis Walsh, March 2007.