Daniel Callaghan

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Daniel Callaghan

Daniel CALLAGHAN, proprietor of the Erin Hotel, on Lake Hopatcong, Jefferson township, Morris county, New Jersey, and for more than a half century a resident of that county, is one of those men whom the world delights to honor. Coming to this country with no resources save those represented in his intelligence, his energy and his integrity of purpose, he has become a highly honored citizen of the community. His parents, Anthony and Ellen (REARDON) CALLAGHAN, were born in Ireland, emigrated to the United States, and settled in New York City, about 1853, where she died five weeks, and he nine months, after their arrival here. One of their children, Michael, had died in Ireland, at the age of seven years, and immediately after arriving here they sent for their two eldest children to follow them. The parents were dead when the children, Margaret and John, arrived, and John died when in this country only twelve days. After Daniel CALLAGHAN was in this country long enough to earn the money to pay for the passage, he sent for his sister Ellen to come here. She married John TIERNEY, and had children: Ellen, married Daniel RYAN, of Lake Hopatcong, superintendent of the Brady Brothers Ice Company; Elizabeth, married Christopher KELLY, a bottler of Rockaway; Timothy, a bridge builder, residing in Newark.

Daniel CALLAGHAN was born in county Limerick, in 1842, and there grew to manhood. When he came to the United States, about 1863, he went to Andover, Sussex county, New Jersey, and there worked in the mines fifteen months. His next place of employment was the Weldon Mine, where he remained one year, and then one year in the Dodge & Ford Mine. Removing to Hurdtown, he purchased a place from the widow of William A. WOOD, sold this at the end of five years, and purchased another from Mrs. WOOD on the turnpike, and held this ten years. In 1884 he brought his present place, where he conducted a saloon for a period of four years, then secured his license as a hotel keeper, and conducted the hotel for eighteen years. He then rented the hotel to a Mr. BROWN, a brewer of Paterson, New Jersey, for one year, with the privilege of renewal for five years, and at the expiration of this second period, his son, John CALLAGHAN, took charge and conducted it successfully until his death in 1913. After the death of his son, Daniel CALLAGHAN resumed the management of the Erin Hotel, and has continued to take charge personally up to the present time. At the time this hotel was purchased by Daniel CALLAGHAN it was a rough looking structure made of large hewed logs, with port holes about six feet apart, and had presumably, been originally a fort as well as a dwelling house. The logs of which it was constructed had at a later date been covered with boards. There had been two wide chimneys in the building, for the burning of huge logs, and when Mr. CALLAGHAN had the place remodeled, the bricks of which these chimneys were constructed were torn out, and those bearing the date were lost. In addition to the Erin Hotel, he is the owner of a considerable amount of property at Lake Hopatcong. Mr. CALLAGHAN is a communicant of the Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church, and is Democratic in his political opinions.

Mr. CALLAGHAN married (first) Eliza CARROLL, of Limerick, Ireland; (second) Annie, daughter of Patrick and Bridget (KALLARNEY) HARKINS. Children: 1. Michael, of Morris Plains. 2. Daniel, married Ellen DOW and resides with his father. 3. John, now deceased; married Mary CURRAN, of Pennsylvania, and had children: Rose, John, Daniel: his widow is residing at Lake Hopatcong. 4. Ellen, married John TIERNEY, ex-freeholder, who has been a resident of Jefferson township for thirty-three years; he was born in county Limerick, Ireland, May 1, 1863, son of Patrick and Ellen (COSGROVE) TIERNEY, both deceased; John was the eldest child, and he had a sister Johanna, who married Patrick KELLY, resided in America ten years and then returned to Ireland, and another sister, Mary, now deceased; John TIERNEY was only six years when he lost his father, and sixteen when he lost his mother, and he has made his own way in the world; he attended the schools in Limerick, then emigrated to America, arriving May 1, 1881, and came to Jefferson township; for many years he worked in the mines, then became foreman for the Lake Hopatcong Ice Company, and then obtained a government position; he has always been a strong supporter of the Democratic party, and has served six years as a township committeeman, three years as township treasurer, and was elected a freeholder in 1910; he is the owner of a beautiful home and twenty-eight acres of land; he is a member of Mount Hope Parish Roman Catholic Church; he has had children: Patrick J., unmarried; Daniel A., married Kate ROACH, of Wharton; Michael E., unmarried, lives in Denville, New Jersey; John Jr., unmarried; Bessie, a graduate of Drake’s Business College; Ellen, a student in the Wharton High School. Mr. TIERNEY has also an adopted daughter, Eliza, whose parents were Joseph and Eliza (CALLAGHAN) DUNN. 5. Mary, married George NICHOLS, formerly a mine boss, but at present employed by the government; they have children: Eliza, Margaret, Rose, Fred, and an adopted child, James DUNN, son of Joseph and Eliza (CALLAGHAN) DUNN. 6. Eliza, married Joseph DUNN, both died, leaving children: Joseph, John, Patrick, Edward, James, and Eliza; Patrick and Edward were adopted by Daniel CALLAGHAN, their grandfather.

Mr. CALLAGHAN is a safe, careful and conservative business man, in whose life few mistakes have occurred, and owing to his capable management his progress has been continuous and he has attained a financial independence which assures to himself and family all the comforts and luxuries necessary to make life pleasant. He takes a deep interest in all that pertains to the advancement and welfare of the community, and is not slow in giving his support to the measures which are intended to benefit it.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)