Biography - M Tuohy
M. E. TUOHY. To those who would have their cupboards filled with those luxuries which make a table a pleasure to sit down to, the name of Mr. Tuohy is very suggestive, for he is an extensive dealer in poultry and eggs, being the efficient manager of the house which was established by A. Jordan. He was born in Nokomis, Ill., April 2, 1863, a son of Thomas and Sarah (Balton) Tuohy, both of whom were born on the green isle of Erin, but early in life came to America, and first located in Worcester, Mass. Early in the '50s, they turned their faces toward the setting sun and eventually located on the broad and fertile prairies of Illinois, and in 1859 took up their abode in Nokomis. Here for twenty-five years the father was in the employ of the Big Four Railroad Company. He was of a very energetic temperament, was industrious, persevering and honorable in all his transactions, and was respected by a large circle of friends.
M. E. Tuohy grew to mature years in the town of Nokomis, and fortunately for him received a liberal education in the public schools, for he inherited the active brain and quick wit of the Irish race, together with the sound judgment that made him grasp at each and every opportunity for bettering his financial condition, and the years that he spent in the acquirement of an education were not thrown away, as has since been proved. When he had attained to about the age of eighteen years, he followed in his father's footsteps and entered the employ of the Big Four Railroad Company, taking a position in the office at Nokomis, where he remained until May, 1885, making a trusted and efficient official. At the above-named date, he received a Government appointment to the United States Mail Service on the Vandalia Line, and the following year was appointed by President Cleveland to the position of postmaster at Nokomis, a position for which he was well qualified and which he filled to the universal satisfaction of both political friends and opponents until the month of February, 1890. To show that his services were satisfactory, it is but necessary to state that while he was a Democrat, appointed to his position by a Democratic President, he continued to hold the office for a year after the Republican party came into power again.
Our subject resigned the position of Postmaster and took upon his shoulders other duties, once more becoming an employee in the office of the above-named railroad company at Nokomis, but soon afterward he was elected to the position of Town Clerk of Nokomis, and filled this position in a very efficient manner for two years. In the spring of 1892, he resigned this position to become the manager, for the extensive poultry and egg shipping establishment mentioned above, and of which he has exclusive control. Under his able management, the company has met with unbounded success, and the business is rapidly growing in popularity. Mr. Tuohy is polite and attentive to his patrons, and their orders are filled with a promptness and accuracy that are very satisfactory. System and order prevail throughout, and everything about the place indicates that Mr. Tuohy is the right man in the right place. In 1884, he was married to Miss Minnie Hovey, daughter of D. Hovey, who was for many years Agent of the Big Four Railroad, and to their union a bright little daughter has been given, who is now about five years of age and whom they have named Margery. Mr. Tuohy is a thorough business man, is a very agreeable and satisfactory gentleman with whom to have business dealings, and in the social circles of Nokomis is highly regarded.
Extracted 04 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, pages 174-177.
