Matthew A. Brennan has been a resident of Kansas since 1903, was identified with farming, railroading and other lines of business for some years, but is now one of Topeka’s successful undertakers.
He was born in County Limerick, Ireland, February 16, 1882. The Brennan family furnishes one of the old and respected names of Limerick County. His grandfather was John Brennan, a farmer, and the father was Bartholomew Brennan, a native of County Limerick and a cooper by trade. Bartholomew Brennan married Johanna O’Shea, who was born in County Limerick, daughter of Matthew O’Shea. The eight children of Bartholomew Brennan and wife were John, Bartholomew, Matthew, Margaret, Patrick, Thomas, Mary and David. John, David and Mary are still living on the old homestead in County Limerick. Bartholomew is a traveling man in California. Margaret is a Sister of Charity and is connected with the St. James Hospital at Butte, Montana. Patrick is a salesman in the W. A. L. Thompson Hardware Company of Topeka. Thomas is a stenographer employed in the offices of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway.
Matthew A. Brennan was reared and educated in Ireland. Coming to America in 1903, his first experiences were on a farm near Holy Cross in Pottawatomie County, Kansas. Two and a half years later he came to Topeka, was employed for a year and a half in the shops of the Santa Fe, and then joined the Topeka Fire Department. He gave three years to that public service and in the meantime had settled upon a career and had begun the study of embalming and funeral direction. For a year and a half he was with H. W. Bomgardner, and then for five years was with L. M. Penwell. In February, 1916, Mr. Brennan opened an undertaking business of his own at 301 Kansas Avenue, and had already built up a reputation and a good clientage. Mr. Brennan had traveled much over America and is especially loyal to the State of Kansas, which he believes the greatest state in the Union.