James Cahill : Short Biography

James Cahill was a native of Ireland, a linen manufacturer of "considerable means", who came to America in 1820, and looking about for a satisfactory place of business and residence, passed Cincinnati (Ohio) as too small and unpromising a place, locating (instead) in Rising Sun, Indiana.  Returning to Cincinnati, however, he settled in Delhi township on a farm where he continued to reside until 1876 when he died at the great age of one hundred and three years. <from History of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio, Part II. Biographical, page 606>

AGED ONE HUNDRED AND TWO. (Cincinnati Star newspaper, 6 May 1876) 
James Cahill, who for nearly fifty years, has been a resident of this county (Hamilton) died yesterday at his home, on Warsaw Pike, at the remarkable age of 102 years.  He was born in County Cavan, Ireland, February 14, 1774.  He was forty-eight years of age when he came to this country, bringing his wife and five children.  He has had twenty-nine grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren, his oldest beging thirty-eight years of age.  His wife died in 1860, at the age of seventy-two.
Last July he was stricken with paralysis, and never regained the full use of his right leg or arm.  All of his children (six) survive him.  Mr. Cahill was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, and was possessed of many amiable qualitites which endeard him to a large circle of friends.
The funeral will take place Saturday morning, from St. Laurence's (Catholic) church, Twenty-first Ward.

DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN (

Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, Thursday, May 4, 1876, Cincinnati, OH, Vol.XXXVI, Issue:234, Page:5)

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                  James Cahill - 102

   James Cahill, for nearly half a century a resident of this county, died at his residence, on Warsaw pike (ave.), yesterday morning, at the remarkable age of one hundred and two years.  He was a quiet, unobtrusive old gentleman, completely absorbed by his domestic affairs, and taking but little interest in the affairs of his neighbors or the world at large.  He lived in an old weather-beaten two-story frame house on Warsaw pike, about a mile and a half beyond Mt. St. Vincent Female Seminary, but the ancient domicil is surrounded by beautiful shrubbery, and the fifty acres of ground which he farmed is one of the most picturesque tracts on the western hills.

   Mr. Cahill was born in the County Cavan, Ireland, February 14, 1774.  He was brought up to the weaver's trade, and by his industry accumulated a competency of about one thousand pounds.  At the age of forty-eight, believing that he could better his fortunes in the New World, he came to America, bringing with him his wife and five children.  He first went to Montreal, Canada, but not fancying the climate removed to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.  After a brief residence in the "Smoky City" he started for the more remote West.  His objective point was Cincinnati, but when he arrived at the then struggling village its importance made so little impression upon him that he pushed on to Rising Sun, Indiana, as a more promising field for his enterprise and genius.  He did not pursue his labors at the loom at Rising Sun, but spent some five years in tilling the soil as a farm laborer.  During that time his thousand pounds were lost by the failure of the Irish banking house to which he had entrusted them, and at the conclusion of a long and laborious term of servitude he was left with but a few hundred dollars with which to establish himself as a farmer, the capacity he most desired.  His views as to future of Rising Sun underwent a material change about this time and he hastened back to Cincinnati.  With his small means he purchased the farm on the western hills, where he lived so many years, and on which he breathed his last.  The farm consists of one hundred acres, fifty of which are detached, and of no such value as the portion on which the old man lived.  For the fifty acres surrounding the old homestead he was frequently offered as many thousand dollars, but even that large sum did not tempt him to part with the land.  The detached portion of the farm is worth from ten to fifteen thousand dollars, and we suppose the whole tract, which represents the totality of the old man's worldly possessions would bring today in (1876) the neighborhood of $80,000.  He had one child after he came to this country, and all of his six children survive him.  The are Mrs. Sarah Laber, wife of Wm. Laber, of Warsaw, who is fifty-eight years old; Mrs. Esther Denver, of Washington, Indiana, who is fifty-three; John Cahill of Sedamsville, who is forty-nine; David J. Cahill, who lives near the old homestead, and is forty-seven; Miss Mary Cahill, an unmarried daughter of the old man, who is forty, and Mrs. Mary A. Reagon, who is thirty-eight years of age, and lives on West Court street.  He had twenty-nine grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren, his oldest grandchild being thirty-eight years of age, and his youngest great-grandchild being sixteen years old.  His wife (Mary Sheridan) died in 1860, at the age of 72.

    Mr. Cahill was a Roman Catholic in religion, and Democrat in politics.  He was open hearted and charitable, and extremely modest in the expression of his political convictions.  He was a very devout churchman, and was one of the first to welcome Archbishop Purcell to this diocese.  He was good natured and affable, but not a man of many words, and, what was a remarkable characteristic in one so old, rarely spoke of the past.  He was content to live on his farm in peace and quiet, and let the world wag as it would.  His health, up to within a year, was remarkably good.  He was as early riser, the first of his household to retire, and always very particular about his food.  What he wanted was plain, substantial fare, and he would have that or nothing.  He never used tobacco in any form, but would occasionally take a drink of something stronger than water.  His use of spirituous liquors, however, was by no means excessive, although at one time he was employed in a distillery in Ireland.  He was very fond of walking, and last June walked to town to pay his taxes.  In July he was stricken with paralysis, and never regained the use of his right leg or arm.  About this time he also became afflicted with dropsical and pulmonary diseases, and seemed to realize that his end was drawing near.  He had a disagreeable controversy with is son David, too, which gave him great mental distress.  David had been working the farm "on shares" since 1860, and the old man complained that he had not received any of the proceeds of the sale of crops, &c.  The son insisted that everything was "square", but those to whom the old gentleman submitted the matter, decided otherwise, and advised a dissolution of partnership.  David objected to a dissolution, and had to be subjected to some mild legal processes before he would yield.  Then with a small, unfilint malice, if not with a dark, sordid design, he attempted to prove his father an imbecile in the County Court, and to have him put in charge of a guardian.  The legal proceedings to attain this end were instituted about five weeks ago, but the old man convincing Judge Matson of his soundness of mind and his perfect ability to take care of himself, the application was dismissed.  About a month ago the unnatural son was forced by legal process from beneath the paternal roof which he had outraged, and old man, who had been living with his son John, at Sedamsville, for some time, returned to the homestead, accompanied by his faithful and loving daughter Mary.  He knew he was not long for this world, but he kept his feet resolutely and calmly awaited the final call.  He was taken to his bed but a few days ago, and yesterday morning at 9 o'clock the summons came.  He passed away peacefully and without struggle, conscious almost to the last minute.

    Mr. Cahill was a man of intelligence, and possessed many admirable qualities which endeared him to a wide circle of friends.  He lived long, long beyond the allotted term of human existence, and yet it seems strange to those friends that that good white head should lose its place among them.

    The funeral will take place at St. Lawrence's Church, Twenty first Ward, Saturday morning.

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