Martin Tehan : Short Biography

Martin Tehan was christened in Kilcolman Parish, Kings County (County Offaly) on 18 Nov 1832.  His parents were John Teehan and Catherine or Kitty O'Bannon.

He had worked as a horseman and possibly a coachman for Major Palmer of the Palmer estate (Ballinlough House).  Evidently, he was involved in purchasing horses for Major Palmer.  

He emigrated to the USA on the SS Wisconsin which left from Queenstown (Cobh) and arrived in New York City on 19 June, 1883.  When he emigrated to the USA, he was married to Winifred Leonard.  Winifred was christened in Kilcolman Parish on 20 Ferbruary 1839.  Her parents were John Leonard and Margaret Ward.  They also had seven children who were born in Kilcolman Parish.  They were processed through Castle Garden immigration center in New York City.  Shortly, thereafter, they settled in St. Louis, Missouri.  

The children were as follows: Catherine (Kate) Tehan, 14, Margaret (Maggie) Tehan 13, Winifred (Winnie) Tehan 11, Mary Tehan 9, Patrick Tehan 6, John Tehan 5, & Anne Tehan 3.  John Tehan was my grandfather.  

As a result of obtaining letters written from Ireland from 1883 to 1920, we have been able to piece together more information on Martin's family.  His two brothers were Patrick Teehan and Cornelius Teehan.  Patrick married Winifred's sister Anne Leonard.  Cornelius never married.  Patrick and his family continued to live in Ireland.  Those letters indicate how close the families were at that time.  Anne Tehan, Martin's daughter, had a daughter named Winifred Rodgers who traveled to Ireland in 1955 and wrote many details about meeting her grandfathers' (Martin) family.  

Over the years the connections were lost until 2014, when I visited County Offaly and reconnected with my Irish family through the aid of a genealogist and Ireland Reaching Out.  Margaret (nee Teehan) Hensey an Ireland XO volunteer answered my inquiry and turned out to be my 3rd cousin.