Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/1204

 1044 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY up-to-clate agricultural operations. He was born in Germany, November 7, 1823, and was brought to America by his parents at the tender age of ten years. After living in Cincinnati a few years they went to Fulton county, Illinois, where the parents became prominent farmers. In 1854, they came to Red Wing, and later Philip took a claim which is embraced within the limits of his present farm, being one of the early settlers in that town- ship. He broke the land which for ages had been an untrodden wilderness, erected buildings, and began the cultivation of the soil. Since that time he has continued to carry on general farm- ing and stock raising with much success. While in Illinois, Mr. Storkel was married to Matilda Freeborn, born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1825. She shared with her husband the joys and sorrows of pioneer farm life and passed to her eternal reward, January 28, 1900, leaving a sorrowing husband and a bereaved family. To Mr. and Mrs. Storkel were born eight children: John, William, Freeborn, Richard. Hannah and Charles are liv- ing. Joshua and Carrie are dead. John McNamara, with his partner, T. W. Lally, conducts a large hardware store in Goodhue village, owning an establish- ment which many merchants in much larger places would be proud to possess. He lias the distinction of being a native born son of this county, having first seen the light of day in Belle Creek township, August 4, 1862. In that township he received his education, and after leaving school took charge of the home farm until the fall of 1906, when lie entered his present business, buying out the interest of Parkins and Chalmers. Mr. McNa- mara is a Democrat in politics and has served on the village council three years. He is a member of the Woodmen, the Catho- lic Foresters and the Red Men, in which latter lodge he is an officer. June 27, 1882, he was married to Susan Lally, by whom he has seven children; John Joseph, who is in the store with his father; Daniel Francis, who works in a clothing store in Good- hue village; Mary Rowena, Thomas Sylvester and James Fran- cis, who are twins; Leo and Francis. John and Ann (Malloy) Lally, parents of Mrs. McNamara, lived on a farm in Belle Creek, the former dying December 23, 1868, and the latter November 16, 1879. John and Mary (Kane) McNamara, parents of the subject of this sketch, came to America from Ireland in 1849 and after remaining in New York state for a while went to LaSalle, 111., where they lived four years. In the middle fifties they came to. Belle Creek township and there the father purchased 1 60 acres, to w r hich he added from time to time until he owned 480 acres, upon which he carried on general farming until within a short time of his death, when he retired and enjoyed a period of pleasant rest until May 26, 1906, when he died. His wife is