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. 

   

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. 

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.

Beginning of St. Thomas Parish as told by James Connelly

James Connelly Recounts Beginning of St. Thomas Parish

James Connelly, who supplies the Herald with the following history of St. Thomas church, is a resident of Duluth, residing at 5711 Huntington street.  He was 84 years old on the 26^th of March.  He located at St. Thomas in 1857 and is probably the only surviving person who can recall the beginning of the parish.  He left St. Thomas 45 years ago, but retains vivid memory of the early days in and around St. Thomas.

            In the spring of 1857, Mrs. John McGukin, who was living with her husband in John Cairy’s cabin in Section 21, Derrynane township, was taken seriously ill, and Mr. McGukin sent word to Bishop Cretin of the St. Paul diocese, requesting him to send a priest to administer the sacraments to her.

            The Bishop secured a Benedictine priest from St. John’ College, Collegeville, Minn., whose name was Fr. Heindel, and he arrived at the settlement early in April.  He administered the sacraments to Mrs. McGukin and on the following morning celebrated the first mass that was ever celebrated in the settlement, in John Cairy’s cabin, and after mass he baptized Ann Connelly, “age thirteen months,” and she was the first person baptized there.

            Fr. Heindel continued to come to the settlement at intervals until the latter part of 1857, when he was succeeded by Fr. Cornelious Whitman, also from St. John’s, who attended the parish until 1860, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Fr. Reis, who was also from St. John’s.

            In 1858 the Catholic population undertook to have the parish organized.  They held several meetings, which were not always harmonious in regard to where the church would be located.

            The Sullivan faction wanted to have it located in their locality, which was near the Scott county line, but they were beaten by the votes of those who favored a location farther south.

            Michael Connelly and James Hickey offered to donate two and one half acres each at the northwest quarter of Section 17, Township 112 North, Range 24, west and at the same time, Patrick Ronan and Patrick Cassin offered to donate seven and one-half acres each “at the present location” which was part swamp and meadow lands and that offer was accepted.

            At a meeting of the proposed parishioners they voted that the parish would be six miles square, comprising the west half of Derrynane and the east half of Tyrone townships.

            They delegated Michael Connelly to go to St. Paul with their petition for the new parish, together with the plat of the same, to present to Bishop Cretin, which he did, and the Bishop granted their petition and the parish of St. Thomas was organized.

            The parishioners cleared part of the land, hewed logs, and built a log church about 36 by 60 feet, which had a shingled roof and board floor but no sanctuary rail or pews.

            The front door faced the west with the altar attached to the wall in the east end of the church.

            After the church was built, services were held in private homes in the winter time, because they had no way of heating the church.

            Most of the time the services were held in John Hickey’s place, which was afterward known as “Moses Murphy’s old place,” and it was not until late in 1862 or 1863 that the parish secured a heating stove for the church.

            The priests who took charge after Fr. Reis were:  Fr. Kazelberger in 1862 to 1863, from 1863 to August 1866; Fr. Theodore Venn, August 1866 to December 25, 1867; Rev. Alexander Berghold, September 1868; Rev. Fr. McGenty (three months) spring of 1869; Rev. T. C. Kennedy until 1882; Rev M. Cauly until August 1889, when Rev. T. C. Kennedy took charge gain.

            The parish was a mission until Rev. M. Cauly was pastor. 

            During the summer of 1867 the frame church was built under the supervision of Rev. Alexander Berghold.  He was the architect himself.

            The present church and parsonage were constructed during Rev. M. Cauly’s time in the parish.

            The following is a list of the names of the early settlers of St. Thomas commencing in the year of 1855:

Edward Nestor

Bill Sullivan

Patrick Griffin

Owen Riley

Timothy Shea

Richard O’Connell

Michael O’Connell

John O’Connell

Patrick Cassin

Martin Dunn

John Murry

John Carry

Hugh Doherty

Dennis Connelly

Hugh O’Neil

Thomas O’Neil

Timothy Burns

Daniel Burns

Mike Griffin

James O’Leary

John Clifford

Thomas Clifford

Patrick McKeary

John Shea

Dan Doyle

Patrick Moran 

               Michael Connelly

              James Hickey

              John Hickey

              Dan Fowler

              Con Reardon

              Con. Carny

              Patrick Ronan

              Con Ronan

              Con Regan

              William Regan

              Michael Murry

              Mike Courtney

              Pat Courtney

              John Donahue

              Morris Donahue

              John McGukin

              James McGukin

              Jeremiah Sullivan

             “2 Dan” Sullivan

              Thomas Duffy

              Morris Flemming

              Cornelius Regan

              John Murphy

              James Sullivan

              George Connelly

              John Holloran

              Richard Heatherston

Belle Plaine Herald, November 1, 1934

Party for Ray & Jay Kilduff

     Ray and Jay Kilduff are the sons of Cornelius Kilduff and Dorothy Connelly.  Cornelius is the son of Cornelius Kilduff and Mary Ellen Murphy.  Mary Ellen is the daughter of Mary Shea and Moses Murphy.  Cornelius is the son of James Kilduff and Rose McCreary.