Andrew Harty

Andrew Harty, born November 27, '33, in Tipperary county, Ireland, is the son of John and Sarah (O'Brien) Harty, and grandson of John and Mary (McCormick) Harty, whose ancestors for generations were known in Ireland. On the mother's and grandmother's side the descent is clearly Milesian, while on the paternal side it is Pictish or Scotch. The children of his grandparents were Dominic, who came to the United States and settled at New Orleans; Andrew, Patrick and Julia, died in Ireland, Mary emigrated to Chicago; John, father of Andrew, died in Ireland, December 18, '66. He was born in 1797, a year before the great rebellion, married in '23 to Miss Sarah O'Brien, who was born in 1798. Of their eight children, John came to the United States in '50, died here in '79; Edward came in '48, died June 30, '76; Patrick died in Australia in '83; Andrew settled in Penn township; Sarah, who married Patrick McGuire, came in '63, died here in '68; Dominic came in '67, married here, and is a resident of Penn; Michael came in '63, married here and resides here. James died in Ireland in '48. Andrew Harty received a liberal education in his native parish, as the penal laws were relaxed a few years before his birth. In '52 he came to Baltimore, Md., two years later came to Illinois, engaged as a farm hand in this township, and in '60 purchased eighty acres here, improving it the same year. On August 15, '62, he enlisted in Company F, One-hundred-and-twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, promoted corporal and sergeant, and at Decatur, Ga., was elected first lieutenant. He participated in all the battles credited to the regiment in the military chapter, until honorably discharged at Greensboro, N. C, June 20, '65. While the regiment was at Raleigh, N. C, he visited Baltimore, there met Miss Sarah Marie Ryan, daughter of William and Ann Ryan, of Tipperary County, Ireland, and this lady he married at Baltimore in September, '65. Returning, he resumed work on his farm, purchased 160 acres additional, to which he has since added 320 acres in this township, and 260 in Marshall County, or 820 acres devoted to grain, farming and stock-growing. In political life Mr. Harty is democratic ; in township affairs he has been school director for seventeen years; is a charter member of Dickerson Post, G. A. R., and in religious life is a strict Catholic. Mrs. Harty, a lady distinguished for many excellent traits, died July 28, '86, in her forty-second year. Of their twelve children five are living—Sarah A., Ada M., Mary E., Nora, Laura M., all residing at home. Mr. Harty's whole life here, and the success attending it, is such a commentary on his native country's government as any sane man can understand and appreciate. It is the victory of honest labor unchained by any species of tyrant.