Timothy J. Enright

TIMOTHY J. ENRIGHT. - One of the excellent and estimable citizens and business men of Kansas City, whose death in the prime of life and usefulness was severely felt, not alone by those who knew and loved him best, but by the community to whose prosperity be contributed in definite manner, was the late Timothy J. Enright, road builder and contractor. The world instinctively and justly renders deference to the man whose success in life has been worthily achieved and who has gained a competence by honorable methods, whose high reputation is solely the result of preeminent merit, and Mr. Enright was one whom the world esteemed.

Mr. Enright was the son of Murty and Johanna (Hunt) Enright, and was born at Addison, Steuben county, New York, July 14, 1860. Murty Enright was born in Ireland and came when a young man to this country in quest of the wider opportunity it promised to industry and good character. He had learned the butcher's trade, but after he came to the United States he worked on the railroad and located at first in the Empire state. Eventually he came to Kansas City, Missouri, and worked for Colonel Hunt, who was mayor of Kansas City at that time. He was with this gentleman for a long time, but finally went into business for himself. He married in Ottawa, Canada, Johanna Hunt, daughter of Daniel Hunt. This worthy adopted son of the land of the stars and stripes remained in Kansas City until his death in 1880, but his wife survived him for many years, or until October 12, 1910.

Timothy Enright was educated in the public schools of Addison, New York, and Kansas City, and after finishing his general education he pursued a course in Spaulding's Commercial College. He then started in business as a road builder and contractor. In this field his success was of the highest sort and proved thus from the beginning, for when he was only twenty-two years old he put the first track through Argentine, Kansas. His office was situated on Ruby street, Argentine, in which suburb he resided until his summons to the Great Beyond, July 14, 1906. Many of the paved streets in Kansas City were built under his supervision and he built many of the rock roads in Wyandotte county.

On November 7, 1892, Mr. Enright was united in marriage to Mary Erwin, a native of Chapman, Dickinson county, Kansas. She is the daughter of John and Ellen (McGrath) Erwin, both of whom were born in Limerick, Ireland. At the age of seventeen years John Erwin came to Kansas and in this state became a railroad contractor. In 1859 he went to what is now the town of Leavenworth, then only a railroad station. On November 7, 1861, he married his young countrywoman, who had come to this country with her parents. In 1862 he removed to Dickinson county, where both he and his wife took up homesteads. He is now a man of wealth, having added to his land until now he owns eleven hundred acres of land, upon which he maintains a large cattle ranch. There Mr. and Mrs. Erwin reside in a most interesting and commodious home, he having attained to the age of seventy-two years and his wife being seven years his junior. To them have been born thirteen children, ten of whom were living in 1911.

The happy marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy J. Enright was blessed by the birth of six children, all of whom reside beneath the home roof, the names of the same being: Erwin J., Francis, Paul Dewey, Robert Emmet, Timothy James and Helen. Mrs. Enright, one of whose most cherished ambitions is to carry out her beloved husband's wishes, is a graduate of Saint Mary's Institute at Quincy, Illinois, and she taught five years in Dickinson county, Kansas. She is a very accomplished as well as very charming woman and devoted to her promising family.

Both Mrs. Enright and her late husband, were Catholics, holding membership in St. John's Catholic church, Argentine. Mr. Enright was a stanch Republican and was twice mayor of Argentine, giving an excellent administration. He was, in fact, very active in politics, being one of the leaders of the local party. He belonged to a number of fraternal orders - the Modern Woodmen of America; the Ancient Order of United Workmen; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; and the Knights of Columbus. In all these orders he stood high in the esteem of his brothers. His personality was such that he won the respect and liking of all who knew him and his loss was felt most deeply.