Upcoming Masses at St. Thomas

Here are some Mass times for St. Thomas Church:

• November 23, 2013 at 4 pm
• December 22, 2013 at 9 am
• December 25, 2013 at 9 am
• December 29, 2013 at 9 am.

Anyone recognize this place?

This house photo was from an album of my grandmother's (Ann Mary O'Connell Burns).   Unfortunately, she cut it out of the album for the picture that was on the other side. It's very likely from the St. Thomas area.

Hints appreciated.

Timothy & Dan Burns Families

     At one time, there were many Burnses in the St. Thomas area. The Burnses who lived near St. Thomas were the descendants of 2 brothers--Timothy and Daniel. 

     Timothy is buried in the St. Thomas Cemetery. I'm not sure where Daniel is buried. More on his story later.

     Timothy and Daniel settled in Stoughton, Massachusetts when they came to the United States.  The old stories say the Burnses are from Boston, but records show that to be inaccurate.  Timothy appears in the 1850 Federal Census in Stoughton, Norfolk, Massachusetts, age 23, a boot crimper.  

   

  In 1852, he and Eliza Barry, show intention to marry.  Records appear in the Town Records of Stoughton. This was dated November 20th.  (See above).

Timothy and Eliza were married at the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Boston. 

     The oldest three children of Timothy and Eliza were born in Stoughton.  They are Patrick T., Eliza Frances, and Daniel W.  

     In 1860, the family appears in the federal census in Tyrone, Le Sueur, Minnesota.  In all, the couple had 11 known children. The other children born in Minnesota were John J., Timothy C., Ellen, Honora, William Henry, Jeremiah, Mary Jane, and Agnes. Honora died very young.  The others all grew to adulthood. 

     Timothy died in 1872, at about 45 years old leaving Eliza a widow with many children to raise alone. 

If you notice in the record above, there is a John Barry who married Hannah Mansfield on the same day as Timothy and Eliza.  I believe this is Eliza's brother as both of their fathers are given as Garrett.  In the 1880 census, John and Hannah and their family are living in Derrynane Township.  I surmise that they may have come to Minnesota from Stoughton to help Eliza out.  They later returned to Stoughton.

     Eliza died in 27 April 1885.

     Patrick T. Burns married Hannah Murphy in 1880.  She is the daughter of Moses Murphy and Mary Shea.  They had 13 children:  Patrick, Mary Eliza, Ellen, Ambrose Timothy, Mary Ellen (Mae), Cecelia, Moses, Baby Boy, Thomas, Frances Cordelia, John Joseph, Agnes and George F. 

     Eliza Frances didn't marry until 1892 in St. Paul,  I'd like to know her story.  She married George Tinsley and lived in Chicago.  They were married by an Episcopal priest.  I couldn't find any notice of her marriage in the newspapers. She died in 1904 without children. 

     Daniel W. Burns married Catherine Ronayne in 1886.  She is the daughter of Patrick Ronayne and Catherine Regan.  Their children are:  Elizabeth; Patrick C.; Timothy J.; Anastacia; Margaret; William; John; Regina,  Daniel; John Francis "Bud"; and Irene. 

     John J. married Mary Ellen Skelly in 1897.  They had 3 children: Raymond, Leo S. and Grace. John died in 1902 in St. Peter, Minnesota.  Mary Ellen married again to Timothy O'Dea.

     Timothy C. married Margaret McCarthy in 1890.  She is the daughter of  Michael McCarthy and Catherine Kehoe.  Their children were: Blanche, Marion, Catherine and Timothy M.  Timothy C. died in 1932 and is buried in St. Thomas.

     Ellen was unmarried and died at about age 19 in 1883. Her sister Honora appears in the 1865 Minnesota State Census but does not appear in the 1870 census. She was born about 1864 in Minnesota.

      William Henry Burns married Catherine W. O'Connell, daughter of Richard O'Connell and Mary Besy. They married in 1893 at St. Thomas.  They had 10 children:  Elizabeth, Paul, Mary Agnes,  Alice, Catherine, William H., Gertrude, Cyril, Raphael,  and (Cletus) Robert. 

      Jeremiah M. Burns was unmarried.  He lived in Cottonwood County for a while. He died in Hudson, South Dakota.  More on that later.

     Mary Jane Burns was married to Edward J. Flaherty.  She lived in Chicago and died there in 1916.

    Agnes was married to Patrick McCarthy at St. Thomas in 1895.  She had 6 children including:  Gerald, Bertram Patrick, Elizabeth, John, William and Marian.  She died in 1905.

     As you can see--that's a lot of Burnses!  And Daniel's family is still to be enumerated.

    Father James Burns is a descendant of Timothy, his son Patrick T.; his son George and his son John G. 

   

Christmas Mass

Fr. James P.Burns will celebrate Christmas Day Mass at 9 AM at The Church of St. Thomas. He will also celebrate Mass on Sunday, December 23 at 9 AM; Saturday, December 29 at 4 PM.  At the end of January, he will celebrate Mass on Sunday, the 27th at 9 AM.

Commemoration of the Battle of New Ulm

     On Sunday, 19 August 2012 in Le Sueur, Minnesota, there was a ceremony commemorating those who served in the the Battle of New Ulm in the companies known as the "Le Sueur Tigers".
     A historical marker was unveiled in Louise Park (next to the Mayo House) that tells the story of the "Tigers".

      The names of the citizen soldiers are listed on the reverse side of the marker.

     A commemorative flag was flown. The mayor of New Ulm presented a proclamation and delivered a 150 year delayed thank you for the service of the men of the Le Sueur area. 

Sullivans

     Just typing the name "Sullivan" in relation to St. Thomas gives me a headache.  I once tried to figure out all the Sullivans and I'm not sure it is possible for an outsider!!
     The following information is from the Le Sueur News Herald of May 8th, 1940.  It is from a column called "Our Neighbors--" by J. H. Sellie.

When I began looking up material for this paper one of my Irish friends suggested that I drive over to St. Thomas and have a talk with Mr. and Mrs. Jim Sullivan.  I did so and found them a most interesting and delightful old couple, whose memories were apparently good and whose minds were full of old stories about the early days in the settlement.  Mr. Sullivan is 82 and his wife 78.  They live in a little cottage on the edge of the cemetery.  The outside of their house is most unpretentious but the inside is cozy and comfortable. 

Mrs. Sullivan was cutting up seed potatoes and her husband was out making the rows into which the potatoes were to be planted. When I began my interview Mrs. Sullivan offered to call her husband saying with wifely pride and loyalty, "He knows so much more than I do."  She looked out and said, "He is only resting and might as well do it in the house". He came and we had a delightful hour.  Information? Well yes, enough for the start of a book.  Book-writer, there is a gold mine for you.

Like so many of the St. Thomas pioneers, Mr. Sullivan's father lived in Pennsylvania for awhile before he, in 1857, came to Minnesota.  The mother of my new-found friend, before marriage was Ellen Hennesey.  James Sullivan Sr. was the first to be buried in the St. Thomas Cemetery.  Mrs. Sullivan's maiden name was Catherine Regan, the daughter of another old settler. They were the parents of seven children three of whom died and the four living had long since left the parental domicile to set up homes of their own. 

 There was a picture of a fine looking man on the wall and, thinking that it perhaps this was the picture of one of their children, I asked who he was and was told that it was Father John C. Abbott who has a parish near Minneapolis.  They said that this young man was born in Le Sueur and was the son of John C. Abbott who used to live in Le Sueur.  Father Abbott is a nephew of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Sullivan of St. Thomas.  They were proud of relating this fact. 

 On one side of the cottage was the cemetery and on the other, a little way back, were the stores, the school house and the filling stations. I could not but reflect that in a short time these old people would be carried a few feet into the cemetery there to rest beside their old friends and neighbors, but other people would come to buy gas for cars in which to carry their children to church and the school house and few would ever think of Jim Sullivan and Catherine Regan and many others who had made these blessings a reality. 

Some people in America have claimed, with how much truth I cannot say, that the Irish women would rather dance than darn the socks of their menfolks and that the Irishmen would rather drive a fast horse or car, on the road than plow their fields and that sometimes, when they had had a little too strong drink, or too much of some that was not so strong, they were quick to fight. Maybe so they had their faults, of course and so had the other nationalities too.  We all have them, but not the same ones.  The Irish have made their contribution to the life in Le Sueur  county.  But for the Irish songs, stories and wit we would all be the poorer. 

 

U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 websites

Here are some links to websites commemorating the Conflict:
Minnesota History Center site
Mankato & the US-Dakota War of 1862
Le Sueur Tigers Dedication
Le Sueur Tigers 1862-2012

Death of Hugh Doherty

The following obituary appeared in the Le Sueur Sentinel:

DEATH OF HUGH DOHERTY

In the death of Hugh Doherty which occurred at noon on Thursday last, at the residence of his son James, in Tyrone Township, another old settler has been taken to rest. Mr. Doherty was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in September 1802, and was therefore in his 83d year when he died. He came to America in 1846-just escaping the terrible hard times of 1847 in his native country-and located in Manyunk, a suburb of Philadelphia, where he remained until 1856, when he came to Minnesota, and took a government claim of 160 acres in Tyrone, where he had lived ever since and where he died. His family came the following year. The deceased was chairman of the first board of supervisors of Tyrone township and named the town after his native county in Ireland. (The other two members were Louis Winterfeld and David Jones, the first named of whom is living yet.) He was also one of the earliest members of the board of county commissioners in the county. During the earlier years in Tyrone he also taught school a number of terms. In his public as in his private life, Mr. Doherty was a model of conscientious and honest citizen, and no kinder hearted, upright or agreeable neighbor ever lived. He was a christian in the highest and truest sense-and one who carried his notion of christian duty into all walks of life and when Death came at last, he was shorn of his terror for the venerable and venerated man of faith and works, who welcomed his departure from earth as one who had done the best he could and was ready to lay down the burden of life. The world is better that such men have lived. The deceased leaves a wife, aged 80 years, in feeble health, four sons, James, Samuel, (in Stevens County,) Patrick and Hugh and one daughter, the wife of Patrick Cantwell. The funeral took place at St. Thomas on Saturday and was one of the largest ever known in the county.

Le Sueur Sentinel, Nov. 27, 1884

The Doherty Families

This was published in the Le Sueur News Herald, May 8th, 1940 in a column titled:  "Our Neighbors":

The Doherty Families

    Hugh Doherty was the oldest of this family to live in Le Sueur county. He came as a young man from Ireland, living in Philadelphia for a while and finally coming to Minnesota he procured a home for himself in Tyrone township.  He helped organize the township and it was he who gave it its Irish name.  This farm is now the home of one of his great-grandchildren.
     Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Doherty had seven children.  One of the daughters, by marriage became Mrs. Ferrell and lived in the East.  The other daughter was married to Pat Cantwell Sr. one of the pioneers of Le Sueur. The sons were Sam, James, Pat, Hugh and Frank.
     James Doherty, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Doherty, served in the Union army in the Civil War, first as one of the defenders of New Ulm in the Indian Uprising and after that in the regular army until the close of the war. His wife, before marriage, was Ann Heatherstone.  They had nine children: 1. Sarah, Mrs. Martin Spence, 2. Richard who died in his childhood. 3. Rose, Mrs. D. J. Coleman. 4. Margaret, Mrs. David O'Connell. 5. Hugh who died in Le Sueur about a dozen years ago.  6. Mary, Mrs. H. C. O'Connell.  7. Matthew of St. Thomas. 8. Sam who lived on the farm for some years, then became the manager of the Farmer's elevator, which position he held for many years. In 1919 he bought the W. H. Tomlinson home on North Main Street where he and his family now live. Mr. Doherty has been married twice. He is the father of seven children:  James, Francis, Mary, Margaret, Paul, Michael and Richard. Margaret married Ashley Schlegel who died some years ago.  She has two children:  The oldest being born on St. Patrick's Day was named Patricia and the son born after his father's death was named Robert Ashley.  Paul Doherty is the manager of the Le Sueur Recreation hall.... Michael Doherty, the youngest of the children of Mr. and Mrs. James Doherty, is an attorney and is now the senior member of the law firm of Doherty, Rumble and Butler in St. Paul.  Many of the people of Le Sueur will remember that Michael Doherty was one of the three members of the Le Sueur team that many years ago won the State championship in debate.  The other two members of that famous team were Henry and Alice Currer, the children of the Reverend and Mrs. Currer.  Mr. Curre (sic) was at that time the pastor of the local Presbyterian church in Le Sueur.

James Doherty, New Ulm and Civil War Service

From the Le Sueur Sentinel, July 13, 1899:

          James Doherty was born in County Tyrone, Ireland and came to Le Sueur county Minnesota settling in Tyrone township prior to the civil war.  When the awful Sioux outbreak came in the summer of 1862, he joined the company of settlers known as the Le Sueur tigers No. 2, on August 20^th, and with them took part in the heroic defense of New Ulm, being discharged with the rest of that body, when the defense of that city was completed and the Indians driven off, on August 27^th. On September 28^th, 1862, he enlisted in Co. G. 10^th, Minnesota Infantry and was at once made a corporal afterward being promoted to the rank of sergeant. His company was commanded at the start by Capt. Edwin C. Sanders under whom himself and others had served at New Ulm. During the winter of 1863, his regiment remained in Minnesota on account of the Sioux outbreak which had not been entirely settled and Co. G. was one of the six companies which took part in the execution of the Indians at Mankato.  During the summer of 1863 the regiment participated in the great Indian expidition (sic) under General Sibley and on July 28^th, being in the advance, were attacked by 5000 Indians, the largest number of red men ever engaging an American army, and after a short fight routed them entirely. The Indians having been driven out of the state and across the Missouri, the 10^th, having marched 585 miles from Fort Snelling to a point near Bismarck, N. D. On August 20^th, the long countermarch was begun and Ft. Snelling was again reached about September 10^th. On October 7^th, the regiment took boats for St. Louis, Mo., where Col. J. H. Baker was placed in command of the post and the regiment assigned to provost guard duty.  In April 1864 the 10^th left for Columbus, Ky., and later went to Memphis and took part in the battle of Tupelo.  Next they were sent into Missouri and took part in the “Price” raid and later went to Nashville where they took a conspicuous part in the famous encounter where they assaulted and carried the strongest part of “Hood’s” works.  The regiment then went into winter quarters at Eastpoint, Miss., in the spring went to Mobile where they took part in the capture of a Spanish fort.  The war having ended the regiment returned home and were mustered out August 18^th, 1865.

James and Ann Heatherston Doherty Family

          After participating in a military service more varied meritorious and gallant perhaps than that of any other body of men that served in the civil war, Sergt. James Doherty returned to his home and farm life in Tyrone where has since remained and where he now lives. Hard labor and economy has caused him to thrive and he is now in comfortable circumstances and has as fine a farm as this section can boast.  A large family of children has come to make his home pleasant, some of whom are married and settled in life.  Comrade Doherty is a valued member of Oliver B. Smith Post No. 183 G. A. R. of this city.  A cut of his home appears in this issue. 

The Kerry O'Connells

     St. Thomas had Cork O'Connells and Kerry O'Connells.  

     The immigrant ancestor of the Kerry O'Connell families is John G. O'Connell.  He was born about 1829 in County Kerry but the exact place has not been found.

     He first settled in Brown Township, Delaware, Ohio.  He was married on 9 April 1861 at St. Mary's Church in Delaware to Mary Ann Pyle (or Piles). The first four children were born in Brown Township and baptized at St. Mary's.  They were Mary Agnes, Ellen Theresa, John W. and Elizabeth.  

     By 1870, the family was living in Minnesota.  They appear in the 1870 in Belle Plaine. By November of that year, they appear in the St. Thomas Church records.  David Thomas was baptized 18 Nov 1870. Two more sons were born to them:  Daniel and Sylvester. By 1875, they appeared in the state census in Derrynane Township. 

John G. O'Connell, Ellen O'Connell Ronayne, James Doherty & Mary  Ronayne Doherty

     The three O'Connell sisters all married Ronaynes.  Mary Agnes married James Ronayne. Ellen married Cornelius Ronayne.  James and Cornelius were brothers.  Elizabeth married Dennis Ronayne (he may have been a cousin to the brothers Ronayne).  

     John W. O'Connell married a Cork O'Connell.  She was Catherine O'Connell, daughter of Michael O'Connell and Mary Slattery.  

     Daniel O'Connell never married. 

     David Thomas O'Connell married Margaret Doherty, daughter of James Doherty and Ann Heatherston. 

     Sylvester O'Connell married Margaret Murray who also has roots in St. Thomas. 

     John G. O'Connell had no siblings in the area. He may have had a brother, David, in Brown Township, Delaware, Ohio.  Soon there may be DNA results to prove or disprove that!  He did have relations in the area.  In Belle Plaine, was Johanna O'Connell Kelleher.  Johanna and her husband Martin Kelleher also lived in Brown Township, Delaware Ohio near David O'Connell before coming to Minnesota. David O'Connell was the godfather for Johanna's son Martin.  David was also the godfather of John W. O'Connell, John G.'s son. Johanna's descendant, Agnes Bailey, said that Johanna and John G. were cousins. Johanna O'Connell Kelleher claimed to be "related to" Daniel O'Connell, the Liberator. 

This photo was submitted to Ancestry.com by  Kathy Finn. 

     Another relation in the St. Thomas area was Catherine Galvin O'Leary. Her husband was James O'Leary.  They also lived in Derrynane Township.  Information from Ann O'Connell Burns says that Catherine Galvin O'Leary's father was John G.'s uncle.  His name was Maurice Galvin or Gallivan.  He was from the Ballybunion area of County Kerry.  Maurice and his family lived in St. Paul. 

     

Memorial Day Mass

There will be a Memorial Day Mass at St. Thomas Church at 9 AM on Monday, May 28th.
Father Roger Hessian will be the presider.

150 Years, Battle of New Ulm

     August of this year marks the sesquicentennial of the event known by a number of names, including the Battle of New Ulm, the Sioux Uprising and the Dakota Conflict.
     A number of St. Thomas area men were members of the Le Sueur Tigers No. 2. (Roster)

 Luke Smith appears in the 1860 census.  He was living in Hillsdale Township (later renamed Tyrone). According to the census he was born in Ireland in 1832.  He was single at the time of the census and a farmer. 

     Mathew Ahern is indexed as Herron in the 1860 census. He was 30 years old and born in Ireland.  He is living in Hillsdale Township with his family.  His wife is identified as Bridget Foley Herron. (Unusual to have a maiden name in the census record!) The children are Catherine, William and Mary A.  Living in the household is Catherine Herron, possibly Mathew's sister. 

 
     Other volunteers who survived the conflict were James Doherty (1st Corporal--Tyrone), Samuel Doherty (Private--Tyrone), Daniel Burns (Private--Tyrone), Thomas Fowler (Private--Derrynane), Michael Heatherston (Private--Tyrone), William Murray (Private--Tyrone), and Henry Regan (Private--Tyrone).  Also in the roster is "C. Roman".  This is quite possibly Cornelius Ronayne.  Ronayne is sometimes rendered as Ronan.

      Some on the roster who also lived in Hillsdale were P. Horrisberger, Pete Stauff, William Snell, and William Luskey (No. 1).

     There will be a memorial dedicated to the Le Sueur Tigers in Le Sueur on August 19, 2012.
   
     The Brown County Historical Society is acknowledging the sesquicentennial as well--150th Commemoration of the U.S.-Dakota War.
     A Google search will bring up a wealth of information about this historical event that a number of our St. Thomas ancestors participated in.

RIP Susanne Kehoe Trimbo

The following obituary was published in the Mankato Area Obituaries online:


Susanne Trimbo, age 83, of Henderson died Thursday, March 1, 2012 at Mala Strana Health Care Center in New Prague. Visitation will be held at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Le Sueur on Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. The funeral service also will be at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, in Le Sueur on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 11:00 am. Burial will be at St. Henry Cemetery in St. Henry. 

Susanne was born on December 27, 1928 in Le Center to Paul and Margaret (O’Grady) Kehoe. She attended Country School near St. Henry and High School in Le Center.

She married Lyle Trimbo in St. Henry Catholic Church. 

She enjoyed the Minnesota Twins and Genealogy. She was a member of the Irish American Club of Southern Minnesota, active in DFL, Volunteer at St. Anne’s School and Church and Le Sueur Museum.

Susanne is survived by daughter; Susan Trimbo of Boca Raton, Florida and nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by husband, Lyle; and brother, Thomas.

Arrangements are by the Le Center Funeral Home in Le Center. 
www.lecenterfuneralhome.com




Susanne was an avid genealogist.  Her St. Thomas roots are in the Shea family.  The Sheas in St. Thomas descendant from Thomas Shea and Ellen Sullivan.  Thomas died in Ireland, but Ellen emigrated as did her children. Her children were Timothy, John T., 
Mary (Mrs. Moses Murphy), Johanna (Mrs. Michael Kehoe--Susanne's ancestor), Thomas, Denis and Jeremiah. 

Food for Thought

This is the time of year for remembering.

One way our family has chosen to remember our loved ones was to start a memorial in their honor.

The George and Ann O’Connell Burns

            Memorial Fund

                      

I encourage you and your loved ones to support St. Thomas in a similar way--or in any way you can. 

Donations may be sent to Tom Connelly, 30700 241^st Ave. Le Sueur, MN 56058.

John H. Shea of St. Thomas visits the "Auld Sod." 1902

     John H. Shea was the son of Timothy Shea and Mary Hessian.  He was born in 1861 in Derrynane.  He married Ellen "Nellie" Lynch in 1895 at St. Thomas. Timothy Shea was the son of Thomas Shea and Ellen Sullivan. It is believed Thomas died before the family emigrated.  Ellen Sullivan Shea lived in St. Thomas and is buried in St.Thomas Cemetery.
     In 1902 there was an article in the Le Sueur News about John's trip to Ireland. The Sheas emigrated from Carragraigue, Dromtarriff, Cork, Ireland according to several of the family members' baptismal records. At the time of this article, Jeremiah Shea was living in Ireland.  He was an uncle of John H.  Jeremiah moved back to Ireland about 1894.  He returned to Minnesota about 1904.

Here is the text of the account of John H. Shea's trip to Ireland in 1902.  It appeared in the Le Sueur News 17 July 1902.

A TRIP TO THE "AULD SOD"
John H. Shea of St. Thomas, Describes  the Scenes and Incidents of His Recent Trip to Ireland


Editor to the Le Sueur News--By request I send you a few lines about he journey I just completed. After leaving Montgomery at 9 o'clock in the morning of March 31st, at daylight next morning I was at West Liberty and the country was beginning to put on its coat of green.  From there to Chicago it looked fine. I stayed an hour in Chicago then went to Mansfield, Ohio, the city where the Aultman & Taylor threshing machine works are located, a place of interest to me. I secured a pass from the superintendent and viewed all of the magnificent works. Next morning, I started for the smoky city of Pittsburg, with its coal mines and coal cars standing on all railroad tracks in that city. After seeing the places of interest, I took the Valley Road for Ford City, forty miles from Pittsburg and looked at the glass and pottery works of that place. There glass is made of sand and all kinds of pottery is made. The gas wells in the mountains are also seen.  The gas is conveyed for miles in pipes from one city to another.  There are not many oil wells in this vicinity but many are found in eastern Ohio and in parts of Pennsylvania.  Leaving Ford City for Philadelphia, I went to Blaisville Intersection, a small town at the foot of the Alleghany mountains. When the train arrived we went over the mountains, a fine sight, the most important point is horse shoe bend, where the train almost runs double on a steep down grade.  As it was Sunday I remained in Philadelphia, a nice city, and went to New York the next morning. The sun was bright, the country fine, and the train run fast, but I was lonesome, being so far from home and the ones I left behind. Arriving in New York, I almost felt lost with its elevated railroads, electric cars, horse cars, drays and buggies and people of all kinds. Staying there long enough to see the metropolis, I bought my passage for Queenstown and arrived there April 16.  As the big ship does not go to the harbor I went in on a tender and Ireland looked beautiful and strange to me. With its barracks, stone cliffs and green fields to the right and no less beautiful Spike Island to the left.  

     When landed we passed through the custom house and had our baggage examined.  The first thing I noticed odd was instead of using trucks in moving trunks to the custom house the men carried them on their backs. Next was the money and when I asked for a ticket there were three classes, first, second and third, all paying the way they wished to travel. I arrived at my uncle's in the evening in the County Cork. The next morning we went to see a small mountain with a castle on top of it, large trees cover the mountain and ivy has grown over the castle. The fields are small and fenced with stone walls; the roads are wide and in good condition made of limestone and kept in repair by the government. There is but little cultivation in the South of Ireland.  The chief occupation is raising cattle and selling milk.  Most of the work is done on two wheel carts drawn by a donkey jennet or horse.  The wages for men are about one half what they are here. The cities are built of stone and look old; in every town there are many bakeries, the bread being taken on carts through the country and sold to the farmers. I traveled most of Ireland and saw the Galty mountains with their tops in the clouds and the Lakes of Kilarney, the noted lakes of the Emerald Isle, also saw the International Exposition at Cork. 

      Leaving Ireland Sunday morning, the sun was shining bright and Cork harbor was filled with ships of all descriptions. About 200 emigrants left the harbor for America. We sailed out to meet the big ship, four miles distant. We met a ship returning form South Africa loaded with soldiers and by the color of their uniforms which was brown they looked like a swarm of bees in a hive.  When we came in light of the big ship which was a very large one--650 ft. long , with a crew of 450 men, traveling 525 miles a day and uses 500 tons of coal each day, it had 130 first cabin, 174 second cabin and 800 steerage passengers a board. I arrived in New York Friday night and remained on the ship until 10:30 a. m. Saturday.
     The passengers did not sleep much Friday night as all were on deck at four o'clock Saturday morning.  Three other big ships were in the bay as well as many small ones and when the sun arose and shown bright it made Long Island with its rich looking residences look grand, also the fort , on the other side with its cannon pointing out to the water.  When we landed and had our baggage examined I took the first train from New York for the town of Schaghticoke, twenty miles north of Albany where I remained for a short time with cousins. There are fine orchards and living springs of water at almost every house.  The country from New York to Troy, along the Hudson River, looked beautiful with the river in the center, boats running up and own and the mountains on each side, covered with green trees. The mountains in Ireland look black being covered with moss, turn and rocks. 
     After leaving Albany for home, I took the West Shore road to Niagara Falls, one of America's most wonderful sights, then through Canada to Detroit, were our train of ten coaches was run onto a ferry boat and taken across the river.  Having crossed Michigan to Chicago I remained there three house then took the Wisconsin Central for Minneapolis, where I stayed a short time and went to Le Sueur arriving on the noon train glad to see a town I knew after the long journey about strangers where "I knew none, and none knew me."  I enjoyed the trip for I went to see and I have seen.  --John H. Shea

St. Thomas Man Recalls Trapping of Fifty Years Ago (Dan Shea)

This article was written by Win V. Working and appeared in the Belle Plaine Herald, 15 July 1926:

     On winter evenings when the wind shrieks around the corners of the house and rattles the window panes and shakes the rafters, the average small town or farm boy often sits beside the table in the cozy kitchen and examines a price list of traps, guns and the vast and varied paraphernalia considered indispensible to the equipment of the trapper and hunter.  Sighs escape from him from time to time as he ruminates on his lot and wonders whether he will ever get a chance to get out into the open spaces, trap rare fur-bearing animals and track and shoot moose, bear and other big game, in the nonchalant manner of the heroes in the pictures accompanying the price lists usually supplied by the hardware merchants of the town in which the boy's parents happen to trade.
      This is as true in Scott county 50 years as it is today.  However, there were more opportunities to emulate the pictured sportsmen nearer home for the resourceful boy.  In fact, there were a great many fur-bearing animals in this part of the state 50 years ago and some big game as well.
     In the St. Thomas community in Le Sueur county, where the transforming hand of the white man was not as busy in the earlier year years as in some other neighboring sections, and where the dense forest longer resisted the taming influence of the settlers, there was much to attract the youngster who like to trap and hunt. One such a youngster was Danny Shea, who lived in a little cabin in the woods, three miles south of the St. Thomas Catholic Church.
     Danny became interested in trapping and hunting at an early age.  When he was about 12 years old there were many more lakes in that district than there are now.  That was 50 years ago, because Danny was born on Lincoln's birthday, Feb. 12, 1864.  Muskrats were numerous, minks were plentiful also and even beaver were to be found. The youngster soon learned the habits and characteristics of these animals and it was not long before he was proudly displaying pelts to his parents and other elders of the neighborhood.  He did not have much opposition as most of the men and older boys were busy clearing land and performing other tasks associated with pioneer farming.
     He trapped hundreds of muskrats and mink and also managed to take a number of beaver.  In the early days there were no regulatory laws and it was not necessary to worry about game wardens.  But then, the pelts were not worth much either.  However, it was great sport anyway and the St. Thomas lad had a fine time. He did not confine himself to trapping though; the woods were full of raccoons and foxes were numerous. By way of variety Danny would hunt coons in the fall and occasionally go after foxes.  There also yielded pelts, of course, and, all told, his activities brought him in a tidy sum for those days.
     But while most boys lose their interest in such things about the time they are old enough to go 'acourting" Danny never did.  In fact, there is no reason to believe that he ever went courting, since he is still a bachelor and is 62 years old.  Since we have revealed these facts, perhaps we should refer to him as Mr. Shea, hereafter. Mr. Shea, while he is not so keenly interest in the inhabitants of lakes and streams and woods as he was in earlier years, has found some time for the sport nearly every year of his life and in fact, still traps and tramps through the countryside with his gun. But the laws are strict nowadays and Mr. Shea is careful to observe the regulations prescribed.
     Except for a few years spent at Le Sueur after he left home he has always lived in the St. Thomas community and has been a resident of the village 20 years. Near his home is a lake, now nearly dried up, but in wet seasons it becomes a fair-sized body of water and there, in season, Mr. Shea still catches muskrats.  Prices are higher now and the reward is greater. During the war period, for instance, he sold $700 worth of furs.
     "There is a lot of sport in trapping when you understand it," Mr. Shea told the writer.  "It takes patience and a good deal of scheming to outwit the animals you're after, but that makes it all the more interesting." The veteran sportsman can tell many tales of thrilling coon hunts on moon-lit October nights and we hope to be able to present some of them to Herald readers.--Midland Feature Service.
     The Dan Shea in this article is the son of John T. Shea and Hannah Donovan.  His siblings were Thomas J. Shea and Ellen Shea McCourtney.  John T. Shea's parents were Ellen Sullivan and Thomas Shea.
     Ellen Sullivan Shea emigrated to America.  Her husband died before she emigrated.  Her other children were Timothy,  Mary Shea Murphy, Johanna Shea Kehoe, Thomas, Jeremiah and Denis.

Dan Shea's House

  

Ellen Hennessy Sullivan Murphy Jago

St. Thomas Cemetery

My great-great grandmother was Ellen Hennessy Sullivan Murphy Jago!  She was first married to James J. Sullivan and had two sons, Tim Sullivan and James J. Sullivan.  I believe her husband James died before or around the time of her son Jim's birth in 1858.  She is listed on the 1857 Minnesota Territorial census as Ellen Sullivan.  She married Dennis Murphy around 1860 and her daughter Kate was born in about 1861, Anna, my great-grandmother, was born in 1862, and Hannah was born in 1864.  I have no information about Dennis Murphy and would appreciate any info or connections that you may have.  Ellen married for the third time to a man named Jago from Ireland.  They had a son Henry, who was born in 1872.  According to later census information Ellen lived with James J. Sullivan and his wife Catherine in her later years.  James J. Sullivan Jr.'s son Jim was my grandmother, Cora Abbott Welter's cousin.  He was a frequent visitor to our home when I was a child.  I attended his funeral in probably the mid to late 1980s and met Marion Callahan afterwards.  We talked a bit about our "Grandma Jago" and I later received some family history notes from her sister, Mary Sheridan.  They may have another sister, Theresa Krenik.
                                                                                                           
Info from Sheila Farrell Johnston  (replace at with @)
Sheila is still looking for Sullivan and Murphy connections.  You may contact her at the above email.

Info from FamilySearch.org indicates that Mrs. Ellen Murphey (sic) married Patrick Jaeger (sic) on 4 November 1871 at Le Sueur, Le Sueur, Minnesota.  Her death was recorded under Ellen Jago.  She died in St. Paul, Minnesota on 16 August 1925.

The Store

 

The above photo was taken by William Sharkey.  This was probably taken around 1910.  The photo was reproduced from a glass negative. The following is research done by Kelly Coleman:

Le Sueur Sentinel

November 19, 1896

D. J. Coleman purchases Roynane store building

D. J. Coleman, who has for the last seven years been employed in the wholesale trade at St. Paul, and for most of that time with Koehler & Hinrichs, of that city, has purchased the Roynane store building at St. Thomas and will put in a stock of general merchandise.  Mr. Coleman has a thorough practical knowledge of goods and of business and ought to make a success of his new undertaking.

Note:

This is interesting because in the Church of St. Thomas 1883-1983 Centennial book says the following about the Coleman stores:

In 1855 John Coleman came to Minnesota and settled in Tyrone Township.  He operated a general store for many years in St. Thomas.  There was a dance hall over this store.  This store was built by John Ronan and then sold to John Coleman.   John’s son Dave Coleman, built a frame store which still stands.  Dave O’Connell bought the store in 1914.  Mr. and Mrs. Tony Madsen leased and operated this store until 1926.  The O’Connells lived in St. Paul at this time.  In 1928 Dave O’Connell was running the store in Coleman’s original structure. 

Early mail was brought from Belle Plaine by Pat Ronan who walked to get it.  The first post office was in the Coleman store which was a distribution point on the Star Route.  Mail was delivered to the Coleman store once a week from Le Sueur by horse and buggy by Pat Doherty.

So it appears there may have been only one store building at St. Thomas during the late 19^th century.  This building was built by John (Ronan) Ronayne (who was also from County Cork) and sold to John Coleman.  David J. Coleman may actually have purchased the store from his father who was 61 years old in 1896.