2/13/16 The Origins of Bridget Carmody 1 1 Photo courtesy of Esther (Donlin) Hamilton of Merrill, Iowa. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 1 2/13/16 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................... 3 2 Birthplace ...................................................................................... 3 3 John and Catherine Carmody ............................................................ 4 3.1 Further Research ....................................................................... 5 4 James and Ellen Carmody ................................................................ 6 5 Which Kilmore? ............................................................................... 7 5.1 Did Bridget know the Donlins in Ireland? ...................................... 9 5.2 When did Bridget leave Ireland? ................................................. 10 5.3 Irish Records ........................................................................... 11 6 Katie Carmody ............................................................................... 12 6.1 7 The Life of Katie Carmody ......................................................... 12 6.1.1 John Culkins ....................................................................... 12 6.1.2 Henry Cull .......................................................................... 13 6.1.3 Henry Bidwell ..................................................................... 14 Bridget, Katie, and the Carmodys of Lancaster .................................. 15 7.1 Michael and James ................................................................... 15 7.2 John and James ....................................................................... 15 7.3 Bridget’s Years in Springfield ..................................................... 16 7.4 The Move to Wisconsin .............................................................. 16 7.5 The Carmodys after Bridget’s Death ........................................... 18 8 Ellis .............................................................................................. 19 9 Conclusions ................................................................................... 21 10 Acknowledgements...................................................................... 22 11 Appendix A: Carmodys in Hampden County .................................... 23 11.1 1850s .................................................................................. 23 11.2 1860s .................................................................................. 24 11.3 1870s .................................................................................. 24 12 Appendix B: Carmodys before 1800............................................... 25 13 Appendix C: A Problematic Census Entry ........................................ 26 Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 2 2/13/16 1 Introduction When Bridget Carmody Donlin died at age 37 in the Spring of 1877, she left seven children under age 15. After 35 more years only one of those children would still be living. That was her youngest son Frank, who was a mere three years of age when Bridget died. Frank’s older brother Joseph was nine when their mother died, and Joseph had eight children to pass his stories down to, but Joseph’s oldest was only 19 when he died. Passing down family histories can be difficult under such circumstances. 2 Birthplace Bridget Carmody’s tombstone previously indicated that she was born in Kilmore, County Clare, along with the dates of her birth and death. Today, the tombstone has either been split and part of it lost, or it has sunk into the ground such that the inscription regarding her birth and death cannot be seen. Word among the Donlins has it that she was born in Kilmore, County Clare. This is probably based upon the tombstone inscription. There are several townlands named Kilmore in County Clare, so we need more information to determine Bridget’s place of birth within County Clare. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 3 2/13/16 3 John and Catherine Carmody Bridget Carmody's marriage certificate2 indicates that the names of her parents were John and Catherine Carmody. A John and Catherine Carmody were in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts in 18573, five years before Bridget's marriage to Michael Patrick Donlin in that same city. We would, of course, expect Bridget’s parents to be in Hampden County when she was married, so this evidence is not surprising. A couple matching these names lived in Lancaster, Grant County, Wisconsin (where Bridget resided) in 1870 and in nearby Little Grant in 1880. They were in the expected age range4, so it is likely they were Bridget's parents. 2 Marriage of Michael Donlon and Bridget Carmady, Springfield, Hampden Co., MA, 16 January 1862. 3 Birth record of Mary Carmody, 31 August 1857. 4 1870 Census: John was 60 and Catharine was 55. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 4 2/13/16 3.1 Further Research A Catherine Carmody died in Grant County on 3 Feb 1899. More might be revealed about John and Catherine Carmody by this death record. The 1875 Wisconsin State Census5 might also prove useful. Only fragments of the 1865 Wisconsin State Census have survived. These fragments do not appear to include Grant County. We are currently checking the 1860 U.S. Census for Springfield, MA for Carmodys and Donlins. See Appendices A, B, and C for more on John and Catherine Carmody. 5 Available through Heritage Quest (http://www.heritagequest.com). Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 5 2/13/16 4 James and Ellen Carmody A James and Ellen Carmody resided in Lancaster in the 1870 Census, a few pages from John and Catherine.6 It appears that James and Ellen had moved to Lancaster during 1854-55, and previous to that had left Massachusetts for New York during the period 1850-53. A carpenter named James Carmody and his wife Ellen appear in Chicopee, MA (Springfield area) in the 1850 census with and infant son John,7 so it appears that they were likely to have been the same couple. If so, it is very likely that they were related to our Bridget Carmody.8 Perhaps James was Bridget's uncle. 6 John was on page 238, and James' household was on pages 234-5. 7 1850 Census, Chicopee, Hampden County, MA, page 185. 8 There is a significant age discrepancy. Based on the 1870 Census, James would have been 36 in 1850. Instead, the 1850 census indicates that he was 29. The 1855 and 1860 Censuses for Grant Co., WI should help to resolve this discrepancy. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 6 2/13/16 5 Which Kilmore? As stated above, Bridget Carmody was born in a town named Kilmore in County Clare. We have recently been informed that Michael and Catherine Carmody, the parents of Thomas, came from “Bradford” in County Clare.9 There is no “Bradford” in County Clare, but there is a “Broadford”, and that town is only 5 miles from a town named Kilmore (by way of R465 what is today a major road). This Kilmore is in Killokennedy Parish. Figure 1: Broadford and Kilmore10 This Kilmore is only seven miles north of Limerick, and appears to be the most prominent town by the name Kilmore in County Clare.11 If any of the 9 Tim Reynolds <timreynolds35@hotmail.com> 10 "Ordinance Survey Ireland West Holiday Map", © Government of Ireland 1998. 11 It is the only Kilmore in County Clare included on the "Ordinance Survey Ireland West Holiday Map". Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 7 2/13/16 half dozen townlands in Clare named Kilmore was significant enough to be mentioned on a tombstone in far away Wisconsin, it had to be this Kilmore. The following advertisement strengthens the case for Kilmore, Killokennedy Parish, by associating Thomas Carmody with Trough Parish, which borders Kilmore to both the East and the West: 25th July 1863: Inf. wanted of Bridget Carmody - of the parish of Trough -co Clare -who sailed from Liverpool and landed New York about 7 or 8 years ago. last heard of in Berkshire co Mass. Inf. to her brother Tom- and uncle James Carmody - Lancaster PO - Grant county -Wisconsin.12 This passage establishes that Thomas Carmody’s father Michael Carmody was a brother of James Carmody. Furthermore, Thomas Carmody, father of Katie Carmody, had a sister from Trough Parish. This means that Thomas was probably also from Trough Parish, or nearby. It should not be assumed that the Bridget Carmody who is addressed by this advertisement is the Bridget Carmody who married Mike Donlin. We have no evidence that Bridget Carmody Donlin ever resided in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. 12 The Search for Missing Friends : Irish Immigrant Advertisements placed in The Boston Pilot 1831-1920, published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 8 2/13/16 5.1 Did Bridget know the Donlins in Ireland? The Donlins and Carmodys were both from County Clare, but from opposite ends of the county. The following map highlights Donlin locations in green and Carmody locations in blue: Figure 2: Donlin (green) and Carmody (blue) locations13 13 Map source: Clare County Library, http://www.clarelibrary.ie/ Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 9 2/13/16 5.2 When did Bridget leave Ireland? Bridget was almost certainly in Springfield by 1861, for she was married there 16 days into 1862. As stated above, there were a John and Catherine Carmody in Springfield in August 1857. Were these two Bridget’s parents? To date, we know of no other John and Catherine Carmody in the area. Thomas Carmody of Palmer, who was from Kerry, 14 had parents by the same name, but they would have been beyond child bearing age, and they were not known to have come to America. We can therefore say the earliest date we can place our Carmodys in America is August 1857.15 By the way, this is just before the date given for Mike Donlin’s immigration in his obituary. This makes it plausible, and perhaps likely, that the Carmodys were indeed in Ireland as late as 1855. 14 Ray Sheehan Doolin99@earthlink.net has researched the Palmer Carmodys in depth. Thomas Carmody had a daughter Bridget who was the age of our Bridget. 15 See Appendix C for a discussion of some data that may possibly put John and Catherine in Wisconsin no later than 1850. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 10 2/13/16 5.3 Irish Records There were a number of John Carmodys near Kilmore in 1855. John Carmodys in the Kilmore vicinity, 1855:16 Townland, Town, Street Aharinaghbeg Ahaclare Drumsillagh or Sallybank [Merritt] Ardataggle Cappakea Roo, West Ardataggle Cappakea Parish Killokennedy Kilseily Kilseily O’Briens Bridge O’Briens Bridge O’Briens Bridge O’Briens Bridge O’Briens Bridge It is even more likely that Thomas Carmody’s father Michael was in Clare in 1855. We would expect to find him near Broadford, or maybe somewhere in O’Briens Bridge Parish. Michael Carmodys in the Kilmore vicinity, 1855:17 Townland, Town, Street Aharinaghbeg Kilbane Kilseily 16 Parish Killokennedy Killokennedy Kilseily Griffith's Valuation, County Clare, 1855. No variations of "Carmody" found. http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/griffiths/griffith.htm 17 Griffith's Valuation, County Clare, 1855. No variations of "Carmody" found. http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/griffiths/griffith.htm Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 11 2/13/16 6 Katie Carmody Bridget Carmody is said to have had a relation—perhaps a niece18—named Catherine Carmody who married a Mr. Culkin and a Mr. Cull. The Donlins had a photo of her, apparently taken around 1900, as late as 1924, nearly 50 years after Bridget died. Here’s what we’ve learned about her. 6.1 The Life of Katie Carmody Catherine “Katie” Carmody was born on 28 August, 1870, the first child of Thomas and Mary Carmody of North Lancaster, Wisconsin. Bridget (Carmody) Donlin was living in Lancaster at the time. Katie was age six when Bridget passed away, and only a couple years older when the Donlins left Wisconsin. They almost certainly knew each other, but how well? 6.1.1 John Culkins Katie married John Culkin on 18 November 1896. We do not know anything more for certain about her first husband, but he may have been the same as the John Culkin (or “Culkins”) who was a son of Bridget Carmody (not ours; so we’ll use her married name Bridget Culkins) and Thomas Culkins. Bridget (Carmody) Culkins was born in County Limerick, Ireland on 12 February 1829. Bridget and Thomas Culkins19 married in Ireland around 1854. Their children were Annie (b. ca. 1855 in Mt. Hope, WI)20, James (b. 18 Claire Sweeney. Claire is not certain of the exact relationship. 19 Older records use the surname O’Culkins. 20 Annie may not have survived to adulthood. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 12 2/13/16 ca. 1857), Mary (b. ca. 1859), Thomas21, William (b. ca. 1863), John (b. ca. 1865 in Mt. Hope, WI), and Patrick (b. ca. 1866).22 Bridget Culkins had a brother Patrick Carmody, who was perhaps the Patrick Carmody who married Ann McGarry in Grant County, WI on 28 November, 1857, and maybe the Patrick S. Carmody who was recorded in Millville, WI in the 1860 census. He may have also been the Patrick Carmody who died in Grant County on 11 September 1905. We are told that these Carmodys were not related to the Carmodys of Lancaster (of whom we guess that our Bridget and Katie Carmody were members). John Culkin(s), son of Bridget Culkins, was born around 1865 in Mount Hope, Grant County, Wisconsin, was around 5 to 11 years older than Katie Carmody, so it is no great stretch to presume that he was the John Culkin that she married. 6.1.2 Henry Cull Katie Carmody married her second husband, Henry Martin Cull, on 8 February 1915. As this was 18 years after her first marriage and very little of that first marriage is known, it is possible that Katie had children, though we have found no record of children. If she did have children, they would have had to be Culkins, and they probably would have died young, as no children or grandchildren are reported to have survived her.23 Katie had a long life, though, so it is not terribly unlikely that she had children whom she outlived. 21 Birth date unknown. 22 LDS International Genealogical Index 23 Obituary in Lancaster, WI newspaper, 7 March 1962: “Mrs. Henry Bidwell”. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 13 2/13/16 When Katie married Henry Cull, she was 39 to 44 and he was 52. They were married 24 years, until Henry died in November 1939 at age 77. Katie remained unmarried for ten years after Henry died. 6.1.3 Henry Bidwell Katie Carmody’s third husband, and who remained her husband until her death, was Henry O. Bidwell. They were married on 16 January 1950 in Grant County. Katie was about 74–79 at the time. Katie Carmody died Mrs. Henry Bidwell in Lancaster on 1 March 1962 at age 86–91. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 14 2/13/16 7 Bridget, Katie, and the Carmodys of Lancaster The story goes that Katie was related to the Donlins, presumably through Bridget (Carmody) Donlin. It appears that there may have been three Carmody brothers who settled in Lancaster: James (ca. 1854), Michael (ca. 1865), and John (ca. 1865). 7.1 Michael and James Katie’s father Thomas immigrated in 1860, settling immediately in Lancaster. Thomas’ parents Michael and Catherine (Lynch) Carmody also settled in Lancaster. The aforementioned advertisement posted by Tom and James Carmody of Lancaster establishes that Michael Carmody was very likely a brother of James Carmody, also of Lancaster. James had settled in Lancaster by 1855, having immigrated and settled in Massachusetts by 1849 (in Chickopee, Hampden County by 1850). 7.2 John and James As we have established, it appears likely that Bridget had immigrated by 1857, and settled in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. Springfield and Chicopee are adjacent towns—their centers are only 4 miles apart. This leads us to believe that Bridget’s parents either immigrated with James Carmody or followed him to the Springfield area. The fact that they were together in Lancaster, Wisconsin by 1865 gives us confidence that Bridget’s father was probably James’ brother. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 15 2/13/16 7.3 Bridget’s Years in Springfield Because we know that James Carmody and his family moved to New York around 1852, it follows that Bridget’s parents were probably in Springfield by that time. If Bridget had two siblings born in the 1840s in Massachusetts as the 1870 Census appears to suggest, then it is likely that Bridget was in Massachusetts as early as 1847. 7.4 The Move to Wisconsin Bridget, her husband, children, and parents moved to Lancaster about five years after Thomas Carmody moved there; five years almost completely consisting of the Civil War: Bridget’s family may have intended to move to Wisconsin years before 1865, but may have been compelled to wait for the War to end. After all, Bridget’s husband Mike Donlin was employed at the Springfield Armory. We say that Bridget’s parents moved with her to Wisconsin because they don’t appear to have been there by 1863 (based on the fact that they weren’t mentioned in the 1863 advertisement), yet a John and Catherine Carmody of the right age appear in Lancaster in the 1870 Census: 1870 Lancaster 181/183 [238B] Carmody, John 24 60 M Farmer24 Ireland * Catharine 55 F Keeping House Ireland John 33 M Farm Laborer Ireland * William 2# M Ireland Catharine 2# F Wisconsin Real estate owned $1000. Personal estate owned $500. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 16 2/13/16 * male eligible to vote The same goes for Michael and Catherine Carmody, as they are said to have immigrated by way of Massachusetts,25 do not appear to have been in Lancaster by August 1863, and appear in the 1870 Census. 25 Tim Reynolds <timreynolds35@hotmail.com> Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 17 2/13/16 7.5 The Carmodys after Bridget’s Death By 1880, John and Catherine had moved to nearby Little Grant, with their son John and his wife and children: 1880 Little Grant Township26, Grant County, WI Carmody, John 65? Ireland Catherine 65 F Ireland John M Ireland 37 Katie27 26 M 20/6 F Wisconsin Mary Ann 10 F Wisconsin William 8 M Wisconsin Katie 6 F Wisconsin Nelson 6mo F28 Wisconsin Little Grant is west of the north half of Lancaster (which is the length of two townships, N–S), and south of Mount Hope. 27 A partial scan of the 1870 Census for Lancaster Twp., pages 230–247, indicates only one teenage Catherine (or variant): Kate Alexander, age 16, and Wisconsin born. Page 240B, fam/dwelling 202/207. Kate’s mother appears to be a farming widow, born in Vermont, and Kate’s oldest brother Charles was age 21 and born in Wisconsin. 28 Census indicates that Nelson was a son, but a female. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 18 2/13/16 8 Ellis Katie Carmody’s mother was Mary Ellis, an Irish immigrant who married Thomas Carmody about six years after Thomas immigrated. Delia Powers, the second wife of Michael Patrick Donlin, and her sister Mary both spelled their mother’s maiden name “Alice”. Their sister Alice spelled it “Alles”. Alice, or whoever filled out her marriage certificate, clearly could spell “Alice” in reference to the bride, yet she chose the spelling “Alles” for her mother. This spelling bears an obvious resemblance to the name “Ellis”. Delia’s mother was, like Katie’s, an Irish immigrant. This similarity between names introduces a possibility that Delia Powers and Katie Carmody were related through their mothers. If they were related, and we offer no further evidence than their mothers’ maiden names, this might explain: 1) What brought Delia’s family to Lancaster from Troy, NY. 2) How Mike Donlin was introduced to Delia (she would have been related to a Carmody family in Lancaster that in turn may have been related to Bridget). 3) Why the Donlins had a picture and such current knowledge29 of Katie Carmody in South Dakota, nearly 50 years after Bridget Carmody died, 45 years after they left Wisconsin, and 18 years after leaving Bridget’s remaining offspring in Iowa. If Katie and Delia were relations, all the more likely that they would have kept in touch. We have checked only the 1870 Census, and then only in Lancaster, for the Ellis name, and there we found a John Ellis, born in Wisconsin around 1847. 29 The Donlins knew that Katie had married a Cull, which she did in 1915. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 19 2/13/16 Since we have so little evidence that the Powers from Troy, NY were related to Mary Ellis of Lancaster, our conclusions will not mention this bit of conjecture. In the future, we hope to learn more about both families. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 20 2/13/16 9 Conclusions Based on the preceding discussions, we can draw the following conclusions with a fair degree of confidence. The story begins in the vicinity of Kilmore, County Clare, Ireland at sometime during the Great Famine, when James Carmody, one of Bridget Carmody’s uncles, departed for Massachusetts. By 1850, James and his family are in Chicopee, Hampden County. After a couple more years, James and family move to New York. It is likely that Bridget’s parents John and Catherine Carmody emigrated with James Carmody, but we have yet to document their presence in America before 1857. At that time, they appear in Springfield. James moved his family once more in 1854–5, this time to Lancaster, in Grant County, Wisconsin. By 1860, James Carmody’s nephew Thomas Carmody arrives in Lancaster from County Clare. James’ brother (and Tom’s father) Michael arrives in Boston from Broadford, County Clare at some undetermined time. During the Civil War, John’s daughter Bridget marries Mike Donlin from western Clare. By the end of the war, Mike and Bridget have a family of their own, and they head off to Lancaster with Bridget’s family to live near her Uncle James and Cousin Tom. Perhaps Michael and his family move from Massachusetts to Wisconsin at about the same time. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 21 2/13/16 10 Acknowledgements This document is little more than a compilation of the discoveries of a number of contributors. Thanks to Bev Donlin for her genealogy notes, reports, and other resources. It has been an honor and a pleasure to continue her research into the Donlin and Fulton family histories. Thanks to Claire (Donlin) Sweeney for her precise, ageless recollections, and to Esther (Donlin) Hamilton for the photographs and information on the Iowa Donlins. Thanks to Carmody researchers Jan Carmody, Lane Ellis, and Timothy Reynolds for their research into their respective Carmody lines and more. Thanks also to Ron Carmody for his recollections. Thanks also to Vince and Ray Donlin for their family stories, photographs, and research. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 22 2/13/16 11 Appendix A: Carmodys in Hampden County 11.1 1850s Carmodys are known to have immigrated from Kerry in 1847. James and Ellen Carmody, who later settled in Lancaster, Grant County, WI, had evidently been in Massachusetts by 1849. We have not found John and Catherine Carmody of Springfield in Massachusetts before 1957. Father Mother Child Canmady, Thomas Cannady, Thomas Cannady, John Canadey, Margaret Carmody, James Carmody, James Carmody, Thomas Carmody, James Carmody, John Dan Jensen Carmody, Ellen John Carmody, Ann Catherine djensen@kaweah.com Mary City Chicopee Chicopee Chicopee Chicopee Date June June June June Chicopee Chicopee June 1850 June 1850 Holyoke Holyoke June 1850 June 1850 Springfield 31 Aug. 1857 1850 1850 1850 1850 23 2/13/16 11.2 1860s Father Mother Child City Longmeadow Springfield Springfield Date June 1860 June 1860 June 1860 Bridget Bridget Fanny Ann Bridget James M.? Ellen Mary A. Jane Alice Springfield Springfield Springfield Longmeadow Springfield 10 05 28 27 15 Carmode, James Camody, John Camody, Cornelius Donlan?, Michael Carmody, Thomas Carmody, Patrick Carmody, James Donlin?, Michael 11.3 Nov. 1862 Sep. 1863 Nov. 1863 June 1864 Oct. 1864 1870s To our knowledge, all of Bridget’s immediate relatives had left Hampden County by 1865. Father Carmody, Jeremiah Dan Jensen Mother Leonard, Bridget djensen@kaweah.com Child Mary J. City Springfield Date 27 Nov. 1872 24 2/13/16 12 Appendix B: Carmodys before 1800 Carmodys in Ireland, 1796:30 ID 6918 6919 7053 21783 29902 30 County Clare Clare Clare Kerry Limerick Surname Carmody Carmody Carmody Carmody Carmody Given Name John Charles John Bartholomew James Flax Grower's List, 1796. Nothing found under Carmady, Carnady, or Carnody. http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/3732.htm Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 25 2/13/16 13 Appendix C: A Problematic Census Entry The 1870 Census indicates that John and Catherine may have been in Wisconsin by 1850 or earlier (thus lessening the likelihood they were in Springfield in 1857), but this record is difficult to decipher. Either the two children were both in their twenties, or they were both age two, with one born in Ireland and the other in Wisconsin: 1870 Lancaster 181/183 [238B] Carmody, John 60 M Farmer31 Ireland * Catharine 55 F Keeping House Ireland John 33 M Farm Laborer Ireland * William 2# M Ireland Catharine 2# F Wisconsin * male eligible to vote The age for each individual is equally perplexing. The two is in the tens position, and there is a mark that partially obscures the ones position, but not so much that a number would be completely obscured were it there, unless if it were offset, which no other numbers on the page appear to be. Of course, John and Catherine were too old to have any children as young as two. John could have, though by 1880 he had a family that didn’t include these two. If William and Catharine were in their twenties, it is possible that this family had immigrated in the late 1840s, but it’s unlikely that they settled in Wisconsin in the late 1840s. 31 Real estate owned $1000. Personal estate owned $500. Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 26 2/13/16 Dan Jensen djensen@kaweah.com 27