Thank you for allowing me to join your group. Please direct me elsewhere if this question is inappropriate to post here. Greetings. We are attempting to solve a family history mystery regarding the Shea and OBrien families. We are looking for the parents and siblings of Mary Shea. According to her 15 Feb 1885 tombstone in the Old Catholic Cemetery of Hammond sometimes locally called the Hawkins Cemetery in Warren, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, USA, Mary Shea OBrien was born in 1835 in Listory (Listry?), County Kerry, Ireland and died 15 Feb 1885 in Warren, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, USA. We believe she had a brother, Patrick Shea, born about 1825 in Ireland and a sister, Margaret Shea, born about 1832 in Ireland. Parents are unknown. Mary Shea married Edward OBrien 12 Dec 1856 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois according to a marriage record found by a professional researcher. The marriage was witnessed by Patrick Shea and Johanna Nevill. Edward OBriens parents were Jeremiah OBrien and Mary McMahon – both born in Ireland. We are looking for additional information about Edward OBriens parents, sibling Thomas OBrien 1833-1910, and other possible siblings. My husbands aunt, Florence Simon, did a thorough online search of approximately 90 Catholic parishes in Kerry County, Ireland looking for Mary Sheas parents. She did not find any Shea parents with children Patrick 1825, Margaret 1832, and Mary 1835. Some alternative spellings were considered. We do know that Mary Shea OBrien and Edward OBrien were in River Falls, Pierce County Wisconsin, USA by 8 Sept 1857 when their son John OBrien was born followed by Margaret OBrien 23 Jun 1859, Michael Thomas Nicolas OBrien 16 Nov 1861, Edward Henry OBrien 10 Mar 1863, William J. OBrien 17 Jun 1865, Harry O’Brien 1869, Catherine O’Brien 1872, Thomas O’Brien 1855. William J. O’Brien and latter children were born in Warren, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, USA. Mary Shea O’Brien died in childbirth with Thomas O’Brien. He is buried near her. Additional information known: Source: Florence Brunner Simon Ancestor Report February 17, 2013 Notes for Edward OBRIEN: In January 2012, I hired an professional researcher to look at Catholic Church records in Chicago, Illinois for marriage of Edward OBrien and Mary Shea. She found the following: Family Name: I, the undersigned, joined in marriage Edward OBrien and Mary Shea this 12th day of Dec A.D. 1856 Witnesses: Patrick Shea Johanna Nevill I searched when Edward OBrien and Mary Shea, his wife, might have come to this area. I searched 1855 Wisconsin Census for Pierce County. I found no OBrien/OBrine/Bryan males listed. I have found a Declaration of Intent for Edward OBrien executed at St. Croix Circuit Court n 15th September 1857. 1860 Federal Census of Wisconsin, Pierce County, Township of River Falls page 169 Dwelling 606 Family 614 under the surname of Obrine lists Edward, Mary, John and Margaret OBrien on a farm. Edward is called a farmhand but has $400 real estate and $100 personal property but Edward OBrien/OBrine/Bryan is not listed on 1860 Federal Census Agricultural Schedule for the same area. His neighbors, George Elliott, Richard Lovel, Wm. Baird, Calvan Randell were all listed on that Agricultural Schedule. I searched Grantee Book at Pierce County Register of Deeds for land purchased by Edward OBrien/OBrine. I found none listed. Note: I did not check the spelling Bryan on land records. Hudson Star & Times, Hudson, Wisconsin, Friday, 29 June 1888 Neighboring News - Warren Ed. OBrien was killed by an engine on the track two miles east of Roberts, last Tuesday evening. He had been to Hammond, and was returning walking on the railroad track, when he met the evening freight, was struck by the engine and thrown down, fracturing his skull. He was taken upon the train and carried to Hammond, but died on the way. (Tuesday would be 26 June, 1888) Copied 7 March, 1978 Florence B. Simon Edward OBrien Killed On Railroad Tracks My Mother, Margaret (Cosgriff) Brunner told me that her Mother, Margaret (OBrien) Cosgriff, always described her fathers death in this manner: My father was killed by a train while walking on the railroad tracks. It was a cold stormy day. He was wearing a great coat and bundled up against the northwest wind. He had been to Mass at Hammond and was returning and as he neared Roberts he was hit and killed by freight train. It is true my great grandfather, Edward OBrien, was killed by a freight train while walking on the tracks. He was returning to the farm from Hammond as well. His obituary in the Hudson Star and Times of Friday, June 29, 1888 says it was on Tuesday June 26th. It was the 7:00 p.m. evening freight that hit him. The train crew picked him up and took him back to Hammond where Dr. E. L. Boothby pronounced him dead. The facts are somewhat less flattering or exciting than the family story but on research we find a number of normal people killed on the tracks. Why they did not hear the train is a mystery. My great grandfather is buried next to his wife and infant child, Thomas, in the family plot in the Old Catholic Cemetery of Hammond sometimes locally called the Hawkins Cemetery. Florence B. Simon 8 February 1987 I have searched death records of St. Croix County, Wis. There is no death record recorded Edward OBrien. The True Republican, Hudson, Wisconsin, July 5th, 1888 Hammond News The esteem in which Ed OBrien was held in the community was testified to by the large crowd of people who attended his funeral at the catholic church Thursday (Note: This establishes that Edward OBrien was buried on 28 June 1888.)
Posted on: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 21:06:38 +0000
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