PATRICK J. McTIGHE.
A worthy member of the American Irish Historical Society was deceased at Binghamton, N. Y., August 4, 1908.
Patrick J. McTighe was born in Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland, in 1840, and received his education in a university at Dublin. His parents arrived in this country about fifty-five years ago, settled in Binghamton and were among the few pioneer Irish Catholic residents of that section. About forty-five years ago Mr. McTighe followed his parents to Binghamton and secured a position as teacher in one of the public schools. After teaching about two years he entered the employ of the wholesale grocery firm of Jackson, Denton & Marks. This firm changed several times and many different partners were admitted and retired while Mr. McTighe was connected with the business.
Following are a few of the firm names which the original house passed through before Mr. McTighe acquired the present business: Jackson & Marks, Marks & Bean, Bean & Company, McTighe, Truesdell & Davidge. Mr. McTighe was a silent partner in the firm of Bean & Company, and was an active partner in the firm which he later bought out and reorganized under the present name of the McTighe Grocery Company, with offices and warehouses at No. 69 Fayette Street.
MR. JOHN G. HARDY.
Of the William J. Feeley Company.
Providence, R. I.
The Talented Sculptor of the Sullivan Memorial.
Mr. McTighe had been prominent in political, religious and social circles in this city for many years. In addition to his membership in the American Irish Historical Society, he was a member of the Catholic Club of New York, the Knights of Columbus, and many other orders and societies. He was president of the local branch of the old Land League during the season of its most effective work; a former president of the Binghamton Board of Trade for several years, and was a police commissioner of that city. During the presidential election of 1892 Mr. McTighe served as a presidential elector when Grover Cleveland was made president.
He had been a devout communicant and a member of the board of trustees of St. Patrick’s Church since the time when this church was the only Roman Catholic edifice in Binghamton. Aside from being a moving spirit in the church proper he took a lively interest in the many branch societies of St. Patrick’s.
He is survived by his widow, whose maiden name was Miss Mary A. McDonald; two sisters, Mrs. Anne Wall and Mrs. Mary Murphy; a nephew and a niece, John and Florence McDonald, whom he brought up from childhood as his own children; two nephews, Patrick and John McTighe; and two nieces, Frances McTighe and Elizabeth Wall.
Mr. McTighe always kept green his memories of the “Ould Sod,” and was in touch with all movements to better the condition of the Irish people. His recent efforts to aid the Kerry fishermen were especially praiseworthy.
Mr. McTighe was the leader in the movement to raise the fund raised in Binghamton to aid the Quilty fishermen, who rescued the sailors of the Leo XIII last autumn. The editor of The Binghamton Press was made treasurer of the fund, in recognition of the sermonette editorial, based upon the thrilling story of the wreck, while Mr. McTighe took active charge of raising the money and sending it to Ireland.
In business Mr. McTighe was a hard worker and a keen, methodical business man. He had the reputation everywhere of having a very high regard for his word. In his long life and connection with the grocery business he was associated with many of the pioneers of Binghamton business life and many of the old aristocrats of the business circle.
He was a well educated and well read man, being a scholar in Latin, Spanish, Celtic and French. He was always improving his mind, and, it is said, started in to learn Greek when past the age of sixty, finally mastering it so that he read it with pleasure.
The decease of this estimable man has left vacant a place hard to fill, and the entire city of Binghamton was filled with sorrow at his sudden death.
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