John Rowan

1830s–1850s

Born in County Galway, Ireland, sometime between about 1831 and 1840. Came to America about 1851 and settled in Xenia, Ohio, helping lay the Little Miami Railroad. Married Sarah Cullen in Xenia in July 1858.

1860s

Bought and sold several lots in Xenia. Daughters Sarah (1861) and Katie were born. Naturalized in 1860 or 1866.

1870s–1880s

Remarried about 1870; five more children followed. Living in Beaver Creek Township in 1870 and on Miami Street in Xenia in 1880. Shoveled coal for the Little Miami company. Fined in 1883 after a fight with James Donovan.

1890s–1910s

Hosted the wedding breakfast when his daughter Sarah married Amon E. Kelble in 1891. From 1900 owned a house at 24 Locust Street, where he grew and sold celery, tomato, and cabbage plants. Died there on 2 December 1918.

Laying the Rails

John Rowan (sometimes written Ruane) was born in County Galway, Ireland; his records give his birth year anywhere from about 1831 to 1840. He came to the United States about 1851 and settled in Xenia, Ohio, where he worked as a trackman for the Little Miami Railroad. He helped lay the line between Cincinnati and Columbus and was one of the men who laid the first rails at the Columbus station.

In July 1858 John married Sarah Cullen in Xenia. The next spring they bought a lot in the Allan & Wright Addition for $112.50, and over the next few years they bought and sold several more, selling one in 1864 for $600 and another that year for $850. Their daughters Sarah (Ben's great-great-grandmother) and Catherine, called Katie, were born in the early 1860s. John became an American citizen in 1860 or 1866.

A Railroad Laborer

Sarah Cullen apparently died young, and about 1870 John married again; his second wife is recorded as Bridget Murray. Their children were Hannah, Delia, Jennie, James, and Daniel. In 1870 the family lived in Beaver Creek Township, and in 1880 on Miami Street in Xenia, with John working as a railroad laborer. In January 1883, when he was shoveling coal for the Little Miami company, he was accused of attacking a man named James Donovan and leaving him critically injured. John turned himself in, spent a few hours in jail before making $300 bail, and in July pleaded guilty to assault and battery and was fined $10 plus costs.

On October 20, 1891, John and his wife gave the wedding breakfast after his daughter Sarah married Amon E. Kelble at St. Brigid's. In 1895, when he was working at the Little Miami blacksmith shop, he was laid up with illness, and in August 1896 he went to Glenwood, Ohio, for the funeral of his sister, Mrs. Glenn.

Locust Street

From 1900 John owned a house at 24 Locust Street in Xenia. In his later years he grew vegetable plants for sale, advertising White Plume celery plants every June from 1900 to 1907, along with tomato and cabbage plants. He was a member of St. Brigid's Church and in 1908 was a pallbearer at a friend's funeral there. His son Daniel was living with him in 1918. John died at home at noon on December 2, 1918; the Xenia Gazette gave the cause as apoplexy, and his death certificate as myocardial insufficiency caused by arteriosclerosis. His funeral was held at St. Brigid's, with his grandsons John Kelble and Vincent Heaton and his son-in-law Frank Hustmyer among the pallbearers, and he was buried in St. Brigid's Cemetery.