My Genealogy Hound

Patrick Brennan, well known in Creston and Union county as Colonel Brennan, is proprietor of a foundry and machine shop, in which he is conducting a good business. He was born in County Mayo, Ireland, on the 6th of March, 1841. His father, John Brennan, also a native of that county, died there in 1867 when about fifty years of age. He had a family of twelve children, of whom nine are yet living, while four are residents of America, namely: Patrick, of this review; John, now living in Chicago, Illinois; Thomas, of San Francisco, California; and Kate, the wife of Michael O’Donnell, of Omaha, Nebraska.

Patrick Brennan spent the first nineteen years of his life in the land of his nativity and his educational privileges were those afforded by the public schools. The favorable reports which he heard concerning America and her opportunities attracted him and in 1860 he crossed the Atlantic to the United States, landing first at New York. He soon afterward went to East Greenwich, Rhode Island, where he remained for about a year, working at the blacksmith’s trade. He next made his way to Providence, Rhode Island, where he spent two years in the employ of the Fall River Iron Company. Removing to Boston, he there entered the service of the Boston Locomotive Works and the succeeding two years were devoted to that business. Later he entered the employ of the government in the arsenal at Watertown, Massachusetts, where he continued for a year, after which he had charge of the American Steam Engine Works in Chicago until 1870. That year witnessed his arrival in Creston, where he entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, spending three years in the shops. On the expiration of that period he opened a blacksmith shop and later extended the scope of his activity by the establishment of a foundry and machine shop, which he is now conducting. He is doing a good business in this line and is a prominent representative of the industrial interests of Creston.

In 1864, in Boston, Massachusetts, Mr. Brennan was married to Miss Hannah McNamara, and unto them have been born five children, of whom four are yet living, namely: John P., Edward W., Mary E. and Martin H.

Mr. Brennan served on the staff of Governor Boies with the rank of colonel and thus received the title by which he is now known. In politics he is a stalwart advocate of the democracy and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day. He has served as different times as councilman of Creston, filling the office altogether for fourteen or sixteen years and in the position he has done effective service in support of progressive measures and movements in the city. He is a man of genial and social nature, whose circle of friends is almost co-extensive with the circle of his acquaintance.