Michael Joseph Healy has come into the distinctions of public life at a very early age. He had been active as a teacher and school administrator, is former clerk of the District Court, and is now serving as county attorney of Lincoln County. His family were among the earliest settlers of Lincoln County. His father, Owen Healy, was born in County Galway, Ireland, in 1842, where his father was a farmer and where he died. The grandmother, Ellen Healy, who was born in County Galway in 1822, came to the United States in 1865 and with her son Owen settled four miles east of Lincoln, where she homesteaded a claim of 160 acres. Her son Owen helped her in developing and proving up on this claim, and she lived in Lincoln County until her death in 1882, being one of the splendid pioneer women of this section.
Owen Healy subsequently took up a homestead of his own two miles west of Lincoln, and had been continuously a resident in that locality, a farmer and substantial business man, where he is still living. He is a republican and a member of the Catholic Church. Owen Healy married Mary Dudley, who was born at Ottawa, Illinois, in 1852. They reared a large family of children: Nellie, unmarried and living with her parents; Mary Henry, a Catholic sister in St. John’s Hospital at Salina; John, who farms his mother’s homestead; James and Edward, both farmers on the old place; Julia, living at home; Michael Joseph; Joseph, former superintendent of the Beverly High School and now enlisted for service somewhere in France with the American army; and Julia, at home.
Michael Joseph Healy was born on the old farm near Lincoln March 8, 1891. He received a public school education, graduating from high school in 1909. For a year he taught a rural school in Lincoln County, then one year in a ward school at the county seat, and two years as superintendent of schools at Beverly. Mr. Healy was then called to the larger responsibilities of clerk of the District Court, an office he filled with admirable competence for four years. In the fall of 1916 he was elected county attorney and is now giving all his time to the duties of that office.
Mr. Healy is a republican in politics, a member of the Catholic Church and had affiliations with Lincoln Conncil No. 1815, Knights of Columbus, Lincoln Camp No. 3457, Modern Woodmen of America, is past consul of Lincoln Lodge No. 206, Ancient Order of United Workmen, of which he is present master workman, Lincoln Chapter No. 56, C. M. B. A., of which he is past chief pioneer, Knights and Ladies of Security and the Lincoln Commercial Club. He is also a stockholder in the Lincoln County Fair Association.
Mr. Healy and family reside at Lincoln, where he owned an attractive home. He married at Lincoln June 5, 1912, Miss Mae Joslin, daughter of Grant and Ida (McReynolds) Joslin. Her parents were pioneer settlers in this section of Kansas and they are still residing at Lincoln. Mr. and Mrs. Healy have three children: Michael Joslin, Born April 2, 1913; Eileen, born April 26, 1915; and Mildred, born June 26, 1917.