Dallas (TX) Morning News
Tuesday, July 13, 1897
p. 7
DEATH OF JEREMIAH NOLAN
Denison, Tex., July 12 - Jeremiah H. Nolan died Sunday morning at his home on North Burnett avenue, aged 62 years and 11 months.  The funeral took place Wednesday morning at 11 o'clock from St. Patrick's church on Sears street.  Interment was in Calvary cemetery.
Jerry Nolan, as he was familiarly known, was one of the first settlers in Denison.  He came with the advance guard of enterprising people who built the town and has been one of the moving spirits in its growth and prosperity.  He was one of the contractors who built the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad into the city.  In 1882 he gave up the business of contracting and engaged in the livery business with his son, James D. Nolan.  In the last few years, his health had failed steadily and he decided to get out of the active business life and retired in December 1895.  In the summer of 1896 Mr. Nolan visited his old home and birthplace in Ireland and spent several weeks in the country, returning to Denison much improved in health.  Soon after his return, however, he began to decline and most of the times since he has spent under treatment for the trouble that finally carried him off.
He came to America when a lad and settled in Linn county, Missouri, where he was married to Miss Jane Brown in 1881.
He leaves a wife and two sons, James D. and John Nolan.  He was a member of the ancient Order of Hibernians and a life-long member of the Catholic church.  The funeral was under the auspices of the Hibernian Society.

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, July 18, 1897

JEREMIAH H. NOLAN
A Noted Citizen and Pioneer Passes Away
Today, any old resident of Denison, if asked by a visitor or stranger who was the best known man in Denison, the man whose face and form and step and voice were most familiar here, would have answered, "Jerry Nolan."  He had lived here so long - fully 25 years - and had been so conspicious in the building of the city, that all who were here before him and all who came after, learned to know him.
After a painful illness, covering a period of over one year, Mr. Nolan died last Sunday night at his home on North Burnett avenue and Sears street.  Several months ago he went to Kansas City and was treated by a celebrated specialist for stomach complaint.  He returned to Denison in the spring on a visit to family and friends and to arrange business matters.  Those who saw him then were impressed with his haggard looks and failing strength.  In a short time he returned to Kansas City.  His stay was brief, as it was quite evident that his days on earth were numbered.  When he arrived home the last of June, he went into immediate decline, and all the attending physician could do was to make his short stay as painless as possible.  Mr. Nolan, conscious that the end was near, arranged his business affairs, and sustained by the religion which robs death of its terrors, calmly awaited the summons, which came as peacefully to him as one who lies down to pleasant dreams.
Jerry Nolan was a typical speciman of his really wonderful race; strong of body and of mind, with that sort of spirit of adventure, of daring, which carries Irishmen forward in the ranks of war or of labor and in business adventure, so that they bear a leading part either in storming the "imminent and deadly breach," or in undertaking those marches and seiges of labor by which continents are explored, opened, improved and conquered to the use of man.  Men of his sort always find work in any country, and profitable work. It was the pioneers of the Nolan stamp that laid the corner stone on which a splendid city was reared.
A whole book of ancedotes might be compiled, telling how Jerry fought the early battles of Denison.  Jerry and his mule are as much a part and parcel of Denison's pionner history as any event of that eventful period.  This constructive and formative period of the city's history will always be associated in memory with Jerry Nolan.
He was always at work, displaying in his enterprises great energy, foresight and ability.  He had the utmost faith in Denison, and his faith was justified.  In common practice he "stayed right here."  He accumulated quite a large fortune, and here he has used and invested it.  Here he built for himself and his family a home; here he sleeps his last sleep.
Mr. Nolan was in many ways a man of power.  His great physical frame was an index of his mental constitution.  He had a strong will and strong attachments.  He stood by his blood and lineage, his family, and the religion of his fathers.
His was a marked personality.  He assumed no airs, nor greatness nor pretenses; his life was begun and carried on to its close with labors great and varied.  He was loved by those nearest to him and who knew him best, and left his impress on his city and his time.
The following is a sketch of Mr. Nolan's life, furnished by his brother, who came here from Missouri to attend the funeral.
Mr. Nolan came to this country from County Corlow, Ireland, in 1849, from Parish Carinree.
About the first work performed by Mr. Nolan was in a brick yard in New York.  After remaining there 2 years, we next hear of him on the New York Central railway, where he remained until 1853.  He was taken sick and obliged to go to the hospital, being an inmate for 6 months.  After convalescing he went to St. Louis, where his active railway career began and which stood him so well in after years.  He secured a position as section foreman on the Missouri Pacific railway.  He remained there until 1856.  He then proceded to Hannibal, Missouri, and took a position as section foreman on the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad.  He left there and went to St. Joe, Missouri, and took charge of the track laying on the Hannibal & St. Joe until 1858.  So well were the company pleased with his services that he was placed in charge of the large gang of men at Chilicothe, Missouri.  He remained there until the fall of 1860.  He then went to St. Joe and started a coal yard, which he afterwards sold to the railway company.  He then went back to the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad at Hamilton, Missouri.  He was married at this time to Miss Jane Brown in Linn county near Chilicothe by Rev. J.J. Hogan, now bishop of Kansas City.  He remained on the Hannibal & St. Louis until 1862 and then moved to St. Joe and went into business; left in 1863 and went to Helena, Montana and engaged in the grocery and mining business, where he stayed for 4 years.  At Helena he accumulated quite a large fortune.  He returned to MIssouri and accepted the position of roadmaster on the Union Pacific railway.  Thinking that there was more money in railway construction he resigned and went to Kansas City.  He, Tom and Ed Corregan took 20 miles of work on the K. C. & Fort Scott railroad in the fall of 1867.  He finished the work and then went to Kansas City and did some grading, and from there went to Brunswick in 1868 and took a contract for 20 miles of work between Brunswick and Chilicothe.  After this was completed in 1869, he took 50 miles on the Chilicother & Fort Desmoin railroad, grading, bridge building, and tie and track laying.  He took this contract on bonds.  He completed the grading and the bonds were rejected and the company failed, which broke him up, as the bonds could not be collected.  He went to Sedalia, Missouri and borrowed some money and took a contract of 7 miles on the M.K.&T. south near Sedalia, and was there only 7 months and cleared $17,000 on the job, which put him on his feet again.  He then followed the M.K.&T. on through to Denison.  After this he quit railroading for a short time and went to shipping mules to Galveston.
Mr. Nolan at the time of his death was aged 64 years, 11 months and 4 days.  The cause of death was cancer of the stomach.  A post mortem examination was held by Drs. Booth, Terry, Markham and DeBow.
The funeral took place Tuesday morning from St. Patrick's church, interment being in Calvary cemetery.
At 10 o'clock high requiem mass was celebrated, the corpse being present.  The altar and the pillars near the sanctuary were heavily draped in black.  The singing was the severely plain Gregorian chant.  After the exercises Father Crowley paid a fitting tribute to the memory of the deceased, and incidentally preached a brief but telling sermon on the importance of preparing for death.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians of which the deceased was a member, attended the body.
The Hibernians' floral offering was a magnificent harp with the letters A.O.H. in the center.  Mr. James Nolan carried a mourning emblem which supported a cross.
The church edifice was densely crowded with friends of the deceased; it was a spontaneous outpouring of citizens who wished to pay their last respects to the memory of the departed.  All ranks of life were represented in the funeral pageant.
These lines from Pope might serve as a fitting epitaph:

"Friend to the truth, of soul sincere,
In action faithful and in honor clear;
Who broke no promise,
Served no private end,
Who gained no title and who lost no friend.

Telegraphic messages of condolence were received by the family from friends in Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Dallas, Quincy, Illinois, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Omaha and other places, expressing regret at the inability of the senders to be present.

TEXAS DICTATIONS (Grayson County.) 1887.
H. H. Bancroft Collection
Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley
Department of Texas
L. S. Hatch, Manager

Denison TX
June 29, 1887

Taken from J. H. Nolan

Mr. Nolan was born in County Corlow, Ireland, Aug. 7, 1834. Came M.O.[?] in Jan'y 6, 18?7, took out his naturalization papers at Hannibal, Mo., in 1856. Went first to New York and worked as a common laborer, then came west on the Ill. R.R. Was [illeg.] R.R. for 20 years contracting to Chicago, Ills., La., Miss, Mo, and Texas.
In 1861 Mr. Nolan went to Central City, Colo., and was engaged in selling goods and mining. He was also through Montana.
Mr. Nolan in 1872 came to Denison, Texas, and thought the prospects bright and at once located and commenced purchasing Real Estate and owns now some of the most valuable Real Estate in Denison.
Doing paying living business and is one of the best business men in Denison.
Was married to Miss Brown of Chillicothe Nov. 15, 1861. Mr. Nolan has two sons living; the daughters dead.