Santa
Clara County
Biographies
LUKE FEENY
In these
days of rapidly made fortunes, of infinite opportunity for acquiring the great
boon of wealth with comparatively little effort, one is apt to overlook the
serious-minded sons of toil who have gained success through infinite painstaking, and constant striving for a betterment of their
conditions. Such a one is Luke Feeny,
whose many patrons in Gilroy probably little realize the effort which he has
put forth for many years in order to be able to conduct so well equipped and
modern grocery enterprise. Not the least
of Mr. Feeny’s desirable traits has been the faculty of concentration, of doing
thoroughly and conscientiously whatever task came his way. He has none of the erratic tendencies which
sometimes undermine the possibilities of his brilliant, witty and adaptive
countrymen across the sea, but rather has been content to move in safe, sure
and useful avenues, drawing success toward him by the very force of his
intentions and practical reasoning.
Born in
Roscommon, Ireland, May 19, 1847, he is the youngest of seven sons and two
daughters of Thomas and Catherine (Hopkins) Feeny, also natives of
Roscommon. He had few educational or
other opportunities as a boy, and the necessity for earning his own living
presented itself early in life. His
father, a tailor by trade, made but a scant living for his family, and his
occupation failed to impress itself upon his ambitious son, who, at the age of
twenty, in 1867, shook the dust of old Ireland from his feet, and embarked in a
sailing vessel for America. Locating in
Baltimore, Md., he found work in a stone quarry for some time, in 1872 removing
to Denver, where he engaged in general labor by the day, eventually becoming identified
with the Kansas Pacific Railroad Company, of which he was foreman of the fuel
department, and later foreman of construction.
In 1873 he came to California intending to go with the Canadian Pacific
Railroad Company, but after a trip to Victoria concluded the prospects did not
justify his support, and so returned to San Francisco. Here he secured work on the Palace Hotel
during its period of construction, and after its completion removed to Los
Angeles in 1875 and worked on the Senator Jones Railroad from Santa Monica to
Los Angeles, and also assisted with the building of the first street railroad
in Los Angeles in 1876, latterly serving as foreman of construction. Afterward he helped to lay side tracks for
the Southern Pacific at Mohave, but becoming dissatisfied returned to Los
Angeles, and engaged in contracting for coal unloading in the yards for a
couple of months. Staying for a time in
San Francisco and Hollister, he was finally appointed section foreman on the Southern
Pacific at Sargent, Cal., a position which was greatly to his liking, and for
which he was particularly fitted. That
his services gave the greatest satisfaction to his superiors is evident from
the fact that he maintained the position for seventeen years, and during that
time made as fine a record as any which had distinguished the railroad at that
point.
Since
engaging in the grocery business in Gilroy in 1895, Mr. Feeny has known an
uninterrupted era of success, slight at first, but bound to increase with his
better understanding of business, and his greater familiarity with the needs
and disposition of his large patronage.
His store is well kept, clean and well arranged, and a large surplus
stock is maintained, according to the season and demand. That his rise in life has been accompanied by
the greatest sagacity and caution., and by investments of
a paying nature, is evident from the fact that he owns business and residence
property in San Francisco, San Jose and in his home town, his residence at 310
Sixth street being pleasing externally and comfortable and homelike
within. Also he owns a ranch of one
hundred and twenty acres in the San Juan District in San Benito county which he
rents, and other property in different parts of Santa Clara county. Mr. Feeny married Margaret McGlone, born in
Ireland in 1859, the ceremony taking place in San Francisco. Of this union four children have been born,
Thomas, Catherine, Luke, Jr., and Agnes.
Formerly a Democrat, Mr. Feeny has espoused the sound money party since
the question became a national issue, but further than casting his vote, is
never heard of in political undertakings.
Fraternally he is connected with the Fraternal Aid and the Red Men. He is a member of the Catholic Church, as is
also his wife and children. A fine
tempered, good natured Irish-American, Mr. Feeny deserves the success which has
come his way, as he does the honor and esteem in which he is held in the
community. He is a hard worker, a
generous contributor to worthy causes and a friend on whom one can invariably
rely.
Transcribed by
Louise E. Shoemaker, January 23, 2016.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 951-952. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Louise E. Shoemaker.