Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Dennis Bergin
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
DENNIS BERGIN Among the snug homesteads of Goshen Township is that of Mr. Bergin, built up by him from the primitive soil, and standing as the best monument of a man's industry and enterprise which could well be reared. He is a gentleman in the prime of life, having been born Nov. 14, 1850, and his native place was Grant County, Wis. He was reared on a farm and educated in the district school, at the same time becoming familiar with the art of plowing, sowing and reaping. Upon reaching his majority, he determined to seek his fortunes west of the Mississippi, and coming to Clay County, Kan., homesteaded, in the autumn of 1871, 160 acres of land in Goshen Township, of which he soon took possession, and where he has since lived. He put up a log house, 12x14 feet in dimensions, with a roof, door and floor of cottonwood, and kept bachelor's hall there at least ten years.
During this time Mr. Bergin carried on successfully the improvement of his property, making fences and erecting buildings as needed, and bringing the soil to a state of cultivation. Wild animals were numerous at the time of his coming here�-antelope, wolves and turkeys, and his neighbors for some time were few and far between. At the expiration of the ten years mentioned he was married, Oct. 16, 1879, to Miss Anna, daughter of John and Kate (Doring) Heimerich. This lady was born in Indiana, Oct. 26, 1860, and of her union with our subject there are three children�Edith, Carl and Walter. Mr. and Mrs. Bergin are members in good standing of the Congregational Church and people highly respected by their neighbors.
The parents of our subject were Martin and Mary Bergin, natives of Ireland, and who settled in Wisconsin during its pioneer days. The mother died when her son, Dennis, was a year old, and he was reared by Thomas and Eliza Nagle, of Grant County. Wis. The parents of Mrs. Bergin are residents of Goshen Township, Clay Co., Kan. Mr. Bergin has an apple orchard of about 200 trees, and he has also planted 200 peach trees and about fifty grape vines. He has a good barn with corn cribs, a granary and other needed structures, and a good frame house some time since took the place of the log house where Mr. Bergin spent his bachelor days. He experienced the usual hardships and difficulties of life on the frontier, but is now in comfortable circumstances, with a competence for his old age.