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Below is a family biography included in Book of Biographies: Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens, Cortland County, New York published by Biographical Publishing Company in 1898.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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MICHAEL J. SHERIDAN is a repected citizen of the village of Cortland, who has served as engineer and manager of the Cortland Water Works, with credit to himself and his employers, the company, and to the entire satisfaction of the citizens of Cortland, ever since the Water Works were put in practical operation, October 1, 1884. For the two years previous to 1884 he was in the employ of the Cortland Wagon Works, where his efficient service and record for competency and reliability attracted the attention of the governing directors of the Water Works, and he was given an opportunity to show of what stuff he was made. That he fully demonstrated his fitness for his present station leaves no room for doubt, for his thirteen years of faithful service need no confirming witnesses.

The pumping station was at first equipped with a Worthington pump, which had a capacity of 1,200 gallons per minute; this was afterwards supplemented with a second pump of like description, that was to come in for emergency in case of a temporary break-down, and when a large supply of water was wanted to fight the fire fiend. Two Watertown boilers, each of eighty horse-power, supply the power, that is sufficient to pump two million gallons in twenty-four hours. Besides attending to the engineering work, and seeing to it that the pumps run smoothly and do their work properly, he has found time to grade the grounds about the pumping station, and to beautify and render them attractive. He also attends to the supply of pure spring water that is furnished by twenty large flowing springs, and takes such measures as are necessary to prevent the sparkling, health giving water from becoming contaminated.

Mr. Sheridan was born in Dublin, Ireland, and was a son of Christopher and Bridget (Carl) Sheridan, who came to America, and bought a farm in the town of Otisco, Onondaga County, where they followed farming. Our subject’s father departed this life in 1865, being then in middle age, and his mother passed away at forty-five years of age. Six children resulted from the parental union, namely: Michael; Anna; James; Christopher; Alice; and Mary.

Our subject early in life began to follow the life of a farmer, but soon gave it up to enter the Cortland Wagon Works, where, as noted before, he learned the engineer’s trade. Fortune has been kind to him, and has placed him in comfortable circumstances, with a small competence laid up for a rainy day. He owns a fine tenement house on Delaware Avenue, and holds a vacant lot in his name. He married Bridget Sweeney, who was born in County Limerick, Ireland, and to them seven children have come, as follows: Margaret; Alice; James; Christopher; William; Mary; and John. Mr. Sheridan is a quiet and unobtrusive citizen, honest and upright in his dealings, and highly esteemed in his community. In political belief he votes for the man best qualified for the office. As an excellent representative of the artisan class, we present Mr. Sheridan’s portrait* on a preceding page.

*A portrait was included in the original printed volume.

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This family biography is one of numerous biographies included in Book of Biographies: Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens, Cortland County, New York published in 1898. 

View additional Cortland County, New York family biographies here: Cortland County, New York Biographies

View a map of 1897 Cortland County, New York here: Cortland County, New York Map

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