Biographies
JEREMIAH CARROLL
Many successive generations of the Carroll family lived and died in Ireland. Notwithstanding the intense struggle to earn from the soil the barest necessities of existence they exhibited a tenacious devotion to their native land. The cheerful humor of the race showed itself in the optimism which enabled them to rise above the darkest blows of fate. There came a time, however, when a young man determined to avail himself of the opportunity offered by America. Crossing the ocean to Massachusetts he learned there the trade of marble-polisher. After a sojourn of some years in the Old Bay State, where he married, he returned to Ireland in 1859 and followed farming. A son was born in County Cork, November 29, 1860, and to him was given the name of the father, Jeremiah. The infant was only one month old when the father returned to America and came direct to the Pacific Coast and farmed in Tuolumne County near Big Oak Flat until 1866. He had left his family in Ireland and they joined him in his California home in 1866 and located in Sacramento, the site of their future home. For a considerable period the father worked for others until he was enabled to embark in business for himself in 1879 under the name of J. Carroll & Son. For two years he had his place of business on Sixth Street between J and K. From there he removed to 808 K. Street, where he carried on his business for eight years, and for a similar period he had his headquarters at tenth and S. Streets. Retiring from active life, he passed away in 1903, his wife having preceded him by two years. Their family consisted of five children; two daughters are, deceased; and Mary, the widow of D. J. Considine, Jeremiah and Margaret are living.
The only son of the family, Jeremiah Carroll received his education in the public schools of Sacramento. When quite young he began to learn the stonecutting trade under Devine Bros. of Sacramento. Three years later his father took up the same line of business, and he became a partner, remaining in the same position for eleven years. He then opened a stone quarry in Placer County, which he operated for a number of years and on returning to Sacramento he secured employment with the state as superintendent of stone work on the capitol park, and for eighteen months he engaged in construction work on stairways. When the contract was completed he returned to Placer County and resumed the operation of the quarry, also taking contracts for stone work. At the expiration of three busy years, he left Placer County and went to Cascade Locks on the Columbia River, where for one year he was foreman for the Day Construction Company in the construction of the locks for the canal. With the completion of that responsible task, in 1895 he returned to Sacramento and engaged in business for himself, and he now has one of the most modern marble-cutting plants in northern California.
From early manhood Mr. Carroll has been interested in public affairs and has been active in politics as a member of the Democratic party. When only twenty-three years of age he was chosen as secretary of the Democratic County Central Committee, and since then he has frequently aided the local progress of his party. His marriage, which occurred August 18, 1889, united him with Miss Catherine O’Keeffe of Prairie City, Sacramento County, daughter of Michael and Mary O’Keeffe, natives of Ireland. This was the first wedding solemnized in the Sacramento Cathedral after its completion and he and his family have always been especially interested in that church, not only for this reason, but also because of their large circle of friends in the congregation and their devotion to its missionary and charitable enterprises. Mrs. Carroll passed away in 1893, leaving three children: Mary, who died at the age of three; Catherine, a graduate of the Sacramento High School and an employee of Weinstock & Lubin at the time of her death at the age of twenty-nine; and Charles, of Oroville, Cal. In fraternal life Mr. Carroll is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
Transcribed
by Patricia Seabolt.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 423-424. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Patricia Seabolt.