Family lore has it that Patrick O'Donnell was from Donegal, but the only hint I can find of a Patrick O'Donnell marrying a Johanna Reardon (any spelling) is in 1878 in Tipperary. I'd like to believe these are the correct ancestors, since both their fathers are named John, are deceased according to the marriage index, and Patrick and Johanna named their first son John. It's a good theory, because John is such an uncommon name, right? Sigh The index also indicates that this is Patrick's second marriage; he is listed as a widower.
Patrick was born sometime between 1841 and 1850. His age is all over the place on various US Census reports, slightly different on the ship manifest from their emigration in 1880. His tombstone in Connecticut, USA has 1850. Their first son John was born in 1979 in Ireland, but I don't know where. They had 3 more children: Mary (my great-grandmother) b:1880, Jeremiah (Jerry) b: 1885, Catherine (Kitty) b:1890.
Johanna died in 1893, Patrick in 1908, John in 1899, and Jerry and Kitty in 1920, all in Connecticut, USA.
A Catherine O'Donnell was a witness on Mary's record of Baptism in Thomasten, Connecticut, USA, and there was a Catherine O'Donnell, along with a Bridget O'Donnell on the ship manifest. The manifest places them at 20 and 19, respectively. There is no indication that these 2 O'Donnells are related to Patrick, although I wonder if they were siblings of Patrick's or else daughters from his first marriage. But that would mean that 1850 was not the correct date of birth for Patrick, as it's unlikelly he fathered children at 10 years of age.
Mary O'Donnell married Joseph Dubee in 1904 in Connecticut, USA.
