Mary and Patrick Donnellan
My name is John Joseph Donnellan and I am trying to find my GGF Patrick Michael Donnellan's extended Family still living in Ireland.
PM was born in 1828 & raised in Tullamore, Ireland. PM’s obituary, in the Chicago Newspapers, shows that he died on 2/7/1902 and indicates that he was from Tullamore, Ireland, County Offaly, unless there are other towns by that same name in Ireland. In the 1900 census report it shows that PM immigrated to America in 1840 and that his birth year was 1828.This would mean that PM was 12 years old at the time of his sailing from Ireland to America and probably indicates that he sailed with his family, because of his young age. The 1880 census shows that PM had a Brother James staying in his household and that his Brother was 55 years old in 1880. This would mean that his brother was born in 1825 and the older brother of PM by three years.
Names of Patrick’s children, in order of birth are---Edward Born-1/1860*Patrick Born-11/1863*WILLIAM Born-6/15/1864*Mary Born-3/25/1866**Margaret Born-6/1870*John Born-8/26/1971 *Catherine Born-1/1872*Joseph Born-2/11/1876* All of PM's children were born In the e
Chicago, Illinois area. If I were to make an educated guess, knowing the traditional naming pattern of the Irish in the giving of their children a first name, I believe that I should be searching for his Father with the first name of William, but who knows, it might be Patrick just like PM’s.
More than likely the Donnellan Family landed in New York. The earliest that PM appears in Chicago is when he gets married to Mary Kenealy on April 5,1856 at the Old St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 21 East Van Buren Street, Chicago. The 1858 Directory of Chicago shows PM now working and living at the Sherman House Hotel, 54 Sherman Street, Chicago. I am assuming that PM’s wife Mary was also living there with him. This same directory shows that PM’s Brother William is also living at the same hotel.
Our next record for PM appears in the Merchants Chicago Census Report for the year 1870. This report shows that PM is now the owner of the United States Hotel, 156 Van Buren, 2nd Ward, Chicago and that PM was also the alderman for this Ward. His Brother William is also shown in the same report as an Engineer at the Court House and living on North LaSalle, near Superior, in the 20th Ward, Chicago. The next records of PM and Family appear after the GREAT CHICAGO FIRE of 1871.The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about 3.3 square miles (9 km2) in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S. disasters of the 19th century, the rebuilding that began immediately afterwards helped develop Chicago into one of the most populous and economically important American cities.
I do have a record of PM owning a farm outside of Huntley, Illinois and this is probably where PM and Family retreated when the fire burned them out in Chicago. I also have a record of PM selling this farm and moving back to Chicago and living at 581 Hubbard Street, Chicago. This same City Directory shows PM working as a City Tax Collector for the City of Chicago. PM’s Brother William also appears in this same Directory, working for the Chicago City Hall as an Engineer and now living at 287 North Franklin Street, Chicago.
I have a copy of the 1880 Census which now shows that PM and Family were then living in Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan. This Census misspelled our last name. It had Donelan instead of Donnellan, but all of the other facts were correct. A federal census was taken in the United States in 1890, but a large percentage of the records were destroyed by a January, 1921 fire at the Commerce Building in Washington, DC. Many organizations, including the National Genealogical Society and Daughters of the American Revolution petitioned that the remaining damaged and waterlogged volumes be preserved. Despite this public outcry, however, thirteen years later the Census Bureau destroyed the remaining 1890 Census Records.The 1900 Census Record shows PM & Family now living at 1409 Harrison Street, Chicago. The Record shows only PM, Wife Mary, Daughter Catherine and Son Joseph are living in the household.
The next record that I show is that of PM’s Obituary in the Chicago newspapers showing that PM died on 2/7/1902, in his home at 1409 Harrison Street, Chicago and was to be buried in Calvary Cemetery, Benton Harbor, Michigan. PM’s Wife, Mary Kenealy Donnellan died on 12/14/1909, showing a residence of 4115 North Hermitage Ave., Chicago. Mary was buried beside PM at the Donnellan Family burial plot in Calvary Cemetery, Benton Harbor, Michigan.
I am in the hope that the aforementioned information will be able to put me in touch with my extended Donnellan Family in Ireland, using the information I have supplied about my GGF Patrick Michael Donnellan. I am also in hope that the Donnellan's, which PM's Family left back there in Ireland, will also be as happy as I to once again see our related Families reunited. Thanks in advance for all efforts extended.
Sincerely,
John Joseph Donnellan
jjdonnellan@gmail.com
