My Genealogy Hound

THOMAS McMAHON. The life and character of Thomas McMahon, deceased, who for many years was an enterprising and public-spirited citizen of Bethayres, Moreland township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, is well worthy of praise and emulation. Although a native of Ireland, born in County Kildare, March 6, 1829, he took a keen and active interest in all that pertained to the welfare and progress of this country, to which he came when seventeen years of age, and during his long residence in the state of Pennsylvania he faithfully discharged the duties and obligations resting upon him as a citizen of this great republic.

Francis McMahon, father of Thomas McMahon, was a native of Ireland, a sea captain by occupation, and lost his life by the sinking of the steamer he commanded while off the French mast. His wife, Marv McMahon, bore him the following named children: 1. John, unmarried, who was the incumbent of a government position in his native land, Ireland, and at the time of his death left a considerable estate. 2. James, who was born in County Kildare, Ireland, came to America after reaching manhood, and for a number of years was engaged in the grocery business in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in which town his death occurred January 19, 1901. He was twice married; his first wife was Jane (McCormick) McMahon, whom he married in Ireland; his second wife, Mary (O’Rourke) McMahon, whom he married in Germantown in 1878, survives him and inherited his estate, there having been no children born of either marriage; she is still a resident of Germantown. 3. Mary, who died at the age of eighteen years. 4. Thomas, mentioned at length hereinafter.

Thomas McMahon was reared and educated in the County of Kildare, Ireland, obtaining a practical education in the schools adjacent to his home. At the age of seventeen years he emigrated to the United States, and located in Willow Grove, where he resided for ten or twelve years. He subsequently purchased a farm in Abington township, which he cultivated, improved and operated for many years, and finally disposed of this property to the Rev. Dr. Mutchmore, a celebrated Presbyterian minister. He then purchased another farm in the same vicinity from John Wanamaker, upon which he spent the remainder of his days. By adopting practical and progressive methods he was enabled to realize a goodly income from his well-directed efforts along the line of agriculture. He was strictly upright and honest in all his transactions, and therefore was highly respected by the community at large. For thirteen consecutive years he served as supervisor of Abington township, his administration of the duties of the office being noted for zeal and efficiency.

Mr. McMahon was united in marriage, November 25, 1866, to Mary Pendergast, who was born in County Wexford, Ireland, January 6, 1839, a daughter of Eden and Mary (Whalen) Pendergast, and granddaughter of George Marshall and Mary (Behan) Pendergast, the latter named having been natives of England, where George M. Pendergast was engaged in the leather business; one of the early members of the family emigrated to Ireland, and continued the same line of business in that country. George Marshall and Mary (Behan) Pendergast were the parents of two children-Jeremiah, who died in San Francisco, California, about 1896; and Eden, father of Mrs. McMahon, who died in Ireland, April 25, 1893. The children of Eden and Mary (Whalen) Pendergast were as follows: George, a resident of County Wexford, Ireland, where he is engaged in the leather business with his sons; Moses, born in County Wexford, Ireland, June 14, 1837, married Ann Sinnott, now deceased, and they were the parents of one child, Thomas J. Pendergast; Moses died in Philadelphia, May 12, 1904; Mary, aforementioned as the wife of Thomas McMahon; James, who was accidentally killed in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, in 1865; Margaret, wife of Alfred Young, they residing in Philadelphia; Annie, deceased, who was the wife of John Feeny, no children; Catherine, wife of James Reilly, and mother of six children; they reside in Ireland; Elizabeth, wife of ___Burns, and mother of five children; they reside in Ireland.

The following named children were born to Thomas and Mary (Pendergast) McMahon: 1. Francis X., born July 29, 1867, married Sylvia Gulden, and resides near the homestead farm in Abington, their children are: Sylvia, Mary, Moses E., Jennie, who died in infancy, and Catherine. 2. James, born in Abington township, October 9, 1868, married Cora Metzger, and died September 12, 1901, leaving no children. 3. Thomas, who died in infancy. 4. Margaret, who also died in infancy. 5. Jennie. 6. George, born April 22, 1874, married Joie Morris, of Newtown, Bucks county, and has one child, Helen; he resides in Moreland township. 7. Thomas Charles, born April 25, 1875, died October 19, 1903, he was educated in the public schools of Abington, and in Prickett’s Business College, Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated with honors in 1893, receiving a medal for penmanship. After his graduation he became a bookkeeper in the Jefferson Medical College Hospital in Philadelphia, but resigned this position on account of ill health, and became a patient at Dr. Trudeau’s Sanitarium at Saranac Lake, New York. Later he returned to Bethayres, Pennsylvania, where he and his brother, Moses E., engaged in the grocery business, which is now conducted by Moses E. McMahon. 8. Moses E., born at Bethayres, Montgomery county, August 22, 1876, was educated in the public schools of Abington township, and later studied telegraphy at Meadowbrook station with his brother, Francis X., who at that time was station master and post-master. Moses E. received the appointment of station master at Neshaminy Falls, Bucks county, which office he held for five years, and in 1899 he engaged in the grocery business with his brother, Thomas Charles, as aforementioned, and in addition to this he held the position of postmaster at Bethayres for two years. 9. John, who died in infancy. Thomas McMahon, the father of these children, died at his home in Abington township, July 31, 1893, leaving behind him an untarnished reputation, which is more to be desired than riches.