Thomas and his four brothers grew up on a
14-acre farm in County Galway; Thomas
Lundy and two brothers came to the United
States, one went to New South Wales, Australia and one stayed home. Tom's wife,
Bridget, was from County Mayo, Ireland.
Tom tried working out as a laborer at Galena
like many immigrants of his day but the call
of the farm was strong and he found a piece
of land he liked north of Savanna and he and
Bridget did well until tragedy struck. In 1880
he was kicked by a horse and died from the
infection. The same year the home burned to
the ground but the widow Bridget and the
two boys, Tom and John, carried on, built
the fine frame house in which the grandchildren live.
John Lundy moved to Story county, Iowa.
Thomas married Ellen Matheson of Hanover.
They had five Sons whom she raised following
her husband's death from pneumonia in 1902.
George and Thomas who left for Chicago and
Lombard, Illinois, respectively, and William,
John Leo and Hugh remained in Carroll
county. George in Co. K, 18th Infantry, 1st
Division, was seriously wounded in France
in 1918 but recovered and both he and brother
Thomas became valued postoffice workers now
retired on pensions. William farmed in Mt.
Carroll township until 1968.
Hugh married Viona Foster of Earlville,
Ill, who grew up on a farm that has been in
the family since 1836.
A Goodly Heritage
It was during the Civil War, Feb. 15, 1864,
that Thomas and Bridget Lundy, Irish immigrants, bought 60 acres of bottom land in
Washington township, the beginning of a family farm that grew to 580 acres, then dropped
back to 213 acres, but still remained in the
family.
