Searching for Michael Shanahan's townland b. about 1810

1855 New York State Census for Michael, wife Margaret with kids, Dennis, Johannah and Cornelius  This census states that they've lived in Oswego for 8 years so they were in the USA at least by 1847.  Seeing that Dennis born c1848-1849 appears to be their oldest child and was born in NY, why do you suspect they married in Ireland?

I believe that you will find that the un named daughter who married P J Daly is Mary Shanahan. Patrick J Daly and Mary Shanahan married circa 1873 per the 1900 Census.  She and Patrick J Daly had at least 12 kids; Click here to view their 1880 Census and then take a look at their 1900 Census.  Their daughter Isabell "Bell" Agnes Daly married a Thomas Keating (s/o Nicholas Keating and Catherine Conick) on 30 Oct 1911 in Oswego.  I believe there is a marriage record on familysearch.org for their daughter Violet as well, but I didn't grab that one.  

Have you any inkling what Michael Shanahan's wife Margaret's maiden name was?  I have extracted just about every Shanahan marriage record to be had from the Irish Family History Foundations website; if you have some inkling of Margaret's maiden I might be able to find their marriage record for you.  

Happy Hunting!

Kathy

Thank you for your reply. I will look into the daughters names. 

I suspect Margaret and Michael married shortly befoe their immigration based on Margaret's obit, as follows:

~Osw. Pall. Times Aug. 11, 1896
Obituary
Mrs. Margaret Shanahan
Mrs. Margaret Shanahan, wife of the late Michael Shanahan, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Griffin, in West Mohawk street, about seven o'clock yesterday morning.  Mrs. Shanahan was in her ususal good health up to eleven o'clock Sunday night, when she had a stroke of paralysis, which resulted in her death.  The deceased was born in Ireland seventy-three years ago and came to this country about fifty-five years ago.  Prior to leaving Ireland she was married to Michael Shanahan, who died several years ago.  Mrs. Shanahan leaves four children to mourn her loss.  They are Mrs. William Griffin and Mrs. Patrick Daley, of this city, Dennis of Ashtabula, Ohio and Cornelius, of New York.  She also leaves several grandchildren.

Kind regards,

Micki

A couple of records you may or may not have:  

1860 Census for Michael Shanahan and wife Margaret

Michael Head c1810 Margaret c1820; Denis c1849, Thomas c1853, Cornelius c1855 and Mary c1857

1870 Census for Michael Shanahan and wife Margaret Michael c1807 Margaret c1820 Cornelius c1854 and Mary c1857.  Dau Johannah has already left the house, married and is found living 
with her hubby Captain Willian Griffin and her 1st born son Andrew

1875 NY State Census for Margaret Shanahan 

Indexed under Margret Shannon b c1820.  Son Denis is in the house with her.  She is now widowed, so her husband Michael Shanahan died between 2 Jul 1870 and 2 Jun 1875.  She owns her house and it would appear to be the SAME house she was living in in 1855 due to the fact that the neighbors on either side of her (Richard Dempsey and Edward Hendricks) are the SAME neighbors on that 1855 census record.  

1875 NY State Census for Mary Shanahan and husband Patrick J Daly 
and 
1875 NY State Census for Johannah Shanahan and hubby Captain William Griffin

Dau Mary Shanahan is now out of the house having married Patrick J Daly c1873 (first born son John b c1874) is in house with them and they are living just a few doors down from Mary's sister Johannah Griffin.  

1905 State Census record for Patrick J Daly and Mary Shanahan

1920 Census for Patrick J Daly and Mary Shanahan Mary Shanahan has died and Patrick is listed as a widower; dau Violet is in hh with him as well as his son Charles who appears to have married and been widowed but does have a child [Bernice Daly born c1912].  

Mary Shanahan and Patrick J Daly's dau Violet Cecelia Daly married on 23 Apr 1924 in Oswego, NY to Edward Joseph O'Brien (s/o Michael J O'Brien and Johanna McCarthy)

Going from that obit for Margaret Shanahan, it seems like she and Michael might have hit the USA by as early as 1841 (1896-55 years) so now that I know that I'll go see if I can't find a marriage record somewhere in Ireland slightly before that date.  

Kathy

Thank you once again Kathy. I have been busy at Fultonhistry.org (where many old New York State newspapers are searchable) since you came up with PF Daly's first name and have had success filing in much of that line.

I'm eager to hear what you find as far as a possible marriage for Thomas and Margaret. Thank you so much for your time and interest.

Micki

Thank you once again Kathy. I have been busy at Fultonhistry.org (where many old New York State newspapers are searchable) since you came up with PF Daly's first name and have had success filing in much of that line.

I'm eager to hear what you find as far as a possible marriage for Thomas and Margaret. Thank you so much for your time and interest.

Micki

Couple of things Micki:  

First the obituary of Captain William H Griffin (son in law of Margaret Shanahan) through her daughter Johanna.  The Captain died at his home at 78 West Mohwak St., Oswego, NY in 1913 and is buried like his mother in law Margaret Shanahan in St. Paul's RC Cemetery in Oswego, NY.  

I then  found a biography of the Captain and it has some very interesting information regarding his wife and her parents including giving Margaret's maiden name - QUINN.  This page states the following:  

"On December 10, 1868, Capt. William H. Griffin was wedded to Miss Julia, daughter of Michael and Margaret (Quinn) Shannon, of Oswego. The children born to this union were: Andrew J., an engineer, who met an accidental death on the Rome, Watertown & Oswego railroad, April 18, 1896; Michael J., second mate of the steamer Monteagle in 1897; Frank H., now wheelsman of the Monteagle; John, second mate of the same steamer; George, who died young; Etta Mary, now the wife of Thomas W. Whellahan, and Robert. There is also a granddaughter, Lilly. The family homestead is pleasantly situated at No. 78 West Mohawk street, Oswego, New York." 

Now, several things are wrong with this of course, we know Captain William's wife's name is Johanna not Julia (it's given that way through ALL their census records) and we also know that her maiden name is Shanahan not Shannon (it's that way on all their census records too EXCEPT for the New York, State Census of 1875 where Margaret and her son Dennis are listed as SHANNON. But the clincher is of course that address and all the children's names being correct, etc.  

Armed with that maiden name of QUINN for Margaret, I took a look at my Shanahan marriage records extracted from http://www.rootsireland.ie and found a marriage that took place in 1841 between Michael Shanahan and Margaret Quinn in the Roman Catholic Parish of Templemore.  I'm not sure what all the townlands that lie in that RC parish are, but I'm sure you can find out or someone here on this board can assist you in determining the townland names.  

Meanwhile here are some other records you will want to check out: 

Obituary of Edward Joseph O'Brien Violet Cecelia Daly's husband (they had offspring so you must have O'Brien cousins out there somewhere!)

Obituary of Dennis Shanahan of Ashtabula  Dennis apparently served during the civil war as an Engineer in a New York Regiment as there is a Mention of Civil War Pension that he filed for in Ohio since that is where he was living at the time.  This pension is confirmed at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJDP-4GZR although I've yet to find him in the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database.  

1850 Federal Census for Michael and Margaret Shanahan (It's got Margaret missindexed as Maryanne, but it's as plain as the nose on your face when you view the original that it says MARGARET)

Charles H Daly 1883-1931 burial location (child of Mary Shanahan and Patrick J Daly)

Mary Shanahan and hubby Patrick J Daly in 1915 NY State Census Patrick J Daly is widowed by 1920, so Mary died between 1915-1920 but I've yet to find her death record.  

Have lot's more links on census records and stuff, but I imagine that you've already got those things; if not just give a holler.  And let me know how you progress and if you can confirm the QUINN maiden name of Margaret.  

Kathy

GGgranddaughter of Michael Shanahan (of Co Tipperary and Co Limerick and Mississippi USA) 

Hello Kathy,

Captian William Griffin's bio is an amazing find. Thank you so very much!

I'm convinced this is the bio of my 2nd Great Aunt's husband. The couple resided at 78 W. Mohawk Street in Oswego. I looked up some articles on Captain Griifin's brother, P.J Shanahan and he too is from Oswego, NY. (My mother was also born and raised there.)

The fact that Michael Shanahan's naturalization application listed Co. Tipperary as his origin, the time period of the marriage you found makes sense and is in Co.Tipperay and Quinn is identified as Captain Griffin's wife's maiden name lead me to be 99% assurred you have found the marriage record of my  3rd Great Grandparents. I am so grateful!

The only thing I questioned is why no children appear to have been born between 1841 and 1848 based on census records.  Then I did  a search at rootsireland.ie and there may have been two births before they immigrated:

Denis in 1842 Co. Tipperary and William in 1844 Co. Tipperary.

I think I am going to purchase the records. 

I also have Shanahans from County Cork (Dunbeacon) that lived in Oswego. In fact, the Co. Tipperary and Co. Cork Shanahan lines married. My great grandmather (whose mother was from Co. Cork,  Agnes Bridget Mullen (daughter of John Mullen and Mary Shanahan married William Shannon, son of Cornelious Shanahan, whose father was Michael Shanahan (much to Agnes Bridget's mother's dismay). The couple separated when my grandmother was quite small and her father commited suicide when she was only 5. My grandmother was raised by her grandmother.

I have about 120 civil vital records from Co. Cork, purchased when I visited Ireland in 2004 for a Shanahan reunion and met quite a few cousins. I also extracted some East Schull Catholic Church records from Co. Cork. It doesn't look like they would be of interest to you, but I did extract the info and put it in spreadsheets. Let me know if you'd like a copy of the spreadsheets.

Thank you so much again for all of your help!

Micki

Micki Lee
 

Micki, 

Very happy to help!  We Shanahan's have to stick together :-)

I had also seen those two births for Denis in 1842 and William in 1844 to parents Michael Shanahan and Margaret Quinn in the Roman Catholic Parish of Cournaganeen (Bourney) but I hadn't taken a look at a map to see exactly where that RC parish was in relation to Templemore RC Parish (where Michael and Margaret married).  They are right next to one another, Cournaganeen (Bourney) being in the Diocese of Killaloe while Templemore is in the Diocese of Cashel & Emly, but regardless of the diocese they fall in they are right next to one another, so I agree, odds are that these two are also likely children of the couple. 

When you said "I looked up some articles on Captain Griifin's brother, P.J Shanahan and he too is from Oswego, NY" you lost me.  Captain Griffin had a brother named P. J. Shanahan?  

I'd love to see your spreadsheets and include them in my SHANAHAN database.  They may or may not relate to my Shanahan's; I've got a huge brick wall with mine - they started out in Powerstown Tipperary, floated up to Holycross Tipperary and ended up in Limerick City before their parents succumbed during the famine and the 3 orphaned kids finally immigrated starting in 1856 to the USA.  There's an odd tale in my family that my GGgrandfather Michael William Shanahan was educated in Co Cork, but this has never made any sense to me whatsoever, but who knows, they could have had Shanahan relatives in Cork who took the orphaned kids in and sent them to school, I suppose.    

Kathy

PS  One additional record while I'm thinking about it:  Marriage Record for Margaret "Maggie" Daly (d/o Patrick J Daly and Mary Shanahan).  Margaret married a William Andrew SOMERS (s/o David Andrew and Mary A Upcraft), and had at least two male kids:  Leo Somers and Edward Somers, so you probably have some living Somers cousins running around somewhere too.  

Thanks Kathy! Best of luck with your search Micki!

Regards

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support