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into a park, surrounded by a pretty hedge.
All these improvements have been paid
for, and the property on the south side of
the church purchased to save it from fall-
ing into undesirable hands and to provide
opportunity for expansion at some future
time. The house on that property has
been remodelled and rented to two tenants.
While pastor there, Father Duggan
was chaplain of the Holy Name
Society and also of the Children of Mary
and of the Junior Holy Name Society.
It is appropriate here to give a brief
sketch of the history of this parish. The
property was purchased by Father Keat-
ing, and the new church was built by the
Rev. James P. Ryle. The latter was there
one and one-half years, and during this
time he got as far in the construction as
the covering in of the building. The mis-
sion was built in i860 by the Rev. Dr.
Mullingan and dedicated on August 15th
of that year. It was an out-mission from
Norwalk until Father Keating was ap-
pointed in 1877. He remained there seven
years, and was succeeded by the Rev.
John H. Carroll, of Wallingford, who remained
about fourteen years, and was
succeeded by the Rev. James Ryle. He
was followed by Father Thomas H.
Shanly, who completed the church edi-
fice, and who died there after eight years
of faithful service, in March, 1908, and
was succeeded by Rev. Jeremiah J. Duggan.
In January, 1920, Father Duggan
was transferred to the Church of the
Blessed Sacrament, Bridgeport, where he
is continuing his good work. The church
is a new parish, formerly a part of St.
Mary's Church, started in 1917, the site
of the church being secured by the
Bishop, the Rev. John J. Nilau, who purchased
ground on both sides of Union
avenue. The basement floor was laid out
and built by Father Terris B. Smith, and
was used for church purposes. Since the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
2ig
coming of Father Duggan notable im-
provements have been made. Additional
ground has been secured, adjoining that
already owned, directly opposite the
church, on which later a school and other
buildings will be erected. The ground
surrounding the church has been graded,
cement walks and curbing laid, the lawns
beautified with a hedge and shrubs, and
other improvements made. The church,
when completed, will be one of the finest
in that section, its location being excel-
lent.
McMAHON, John F.,
Contractor, Public Official.
With untiring energy and strength of
purpose, combined with splendid business
qualifications, John F. McMahon, a prom-
inent contractor of Norwalk, has achieved
remarkable success in his chosen line of
work. He is a leading citizen and foremost
among the representative men of
that city. Mr. McMahon was born in
Norwalk, December 18, 1861, the son of
Patrick and Julia (McCabe) McMahon.
Patrick McMahon was born in County
Clare, Ireland, and died about 1913, aged
eighty-four years. Upon leaving his native
land, he came direct to Norwalk. At
that time double tracks were being laid
by the New York, New Haven & Hartford
Railroad, and there Mr. McMahon
obtained employment, working on the
East Norwalk section. Soon after, he
went to work on a local farm and con-
tinued occupied with farming and other
agricultural work throughout his lifetime.
Principally, Mr. McMahon worked
as supervisor of some of the fine estates
in the vicinity of Norwalk, and he was
especially expert in handling trees in a
day when trees did not receive the scien-
tific attention now given them. He set
out many of the most beautiful orchard