M.V. Gannon House

The M.V. Gannon House is located on the east side of Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.^[1]

M.V. Gannon

Michael Valentine Gannon was a prominent lawyer, politician, and publisher.^[2] Before he immigrated to the United States, Gannon led a group of Irish patriots to liberate Fenian prisoners from Kilmain Hall and Castle Kilrain. He arrived in the US in October 1866. After he came to what would be known as the Quad Cities he taught in a school in Rock Island and then became the principal of St. Marguerite’s School in Davenport. He started the first Catholic newspaper in the region, the Iowa Catholic Advocate. He also contributed poetry and prose to other papers including the Rock Island Argus, St. Louis Western Watchman, and the New York Freeman’s Journal. In 1881 he took the leadership of the First Davenport Branch of the Irish National Land League of America. In 1991 he was elected as President of the National Land League. Gannon also served on the Davenport City Council and was the district attorney. He was noted for his speaking skills especially when he called for the cause of Irish freedom.^[2]

Architecture

His house on Farnham Street is Italianate in design. It features a hipped roof, bracketed eaves and fancy scroll work on the front porch. The front of the house at one time featured three bays with the main entrance in the left bay. The windows on the front of the building have been altered on the first and second floors.

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