About Thomas McIntyre and Ellen Walsh

About Thomas McIntyre and Ellen Walsh

Thomas Joseph McIntyre was born on April 14, 1878 in the townland of Lislea, County Sligo, Ireland. He was the oldest of six children born to Lawrence McIntyre (1854-1931) and Mary Ginty (1850-1930). Ellen Walsh was born in Knockahoney, a townland very close to Lislea, on October 12, 1881. She was the youngest of nine children born to Jack Walsh (c1830-b1901) and Bridget Cawley (c1840-a1911). It is not clear if Thomas and Ellen knew each other in Ireland, though it is very possible since they lived only a few miles from each other. Thomas immigrated to the US on April 14, 1904 arriving at Ellis Island on the Steamship Majestic on April 21, 1904. Ellen immigrated around 1905. They were married on September 4, 1910 at Nativity of Our Lord Church in Chicago, Illinois. Thomas and Ellen were naturalized on October 7, 1910. They raised five children, Mary Cecelia (1911-1994), Lawrence Francis (1913-1995) see also McIntyre/Sullivan Genealogy, Blanche Catherine (1914-1978), Helen Patricia (1916-1982) and Thomas Joseph (1919-2009) on the west side of Chicago. Thomas Sr. was a streetcar motorman on the Chicago Surface Line, now the Chicago Transit Authority, for most of his life. Ellen was a homemaker. Thomas died on Christmas Eve 1939 at the age of 61. Ellen died less than two years later on November 28, 1941. Her family said she died of a broken heart but her death certificate said it was kidney failure aggravated by influenza.

What this Blog Includes

You will find pictures, comments, documents, and stories about Thomas J. McIntyre and Ellen A. Walsh of Ireland and their children born in Chicago, Illinois. Where we have information about Thomas and Ellen's parents, that information is also included. Additional information about the McIntyre/Walsh family is available on my website at http://McIntyreGenealogy.com Please add your comments and stories of the McIntyre/Walsh Family here too!

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Vincentians recognized - 200 years in the U.S.

Thomas J. McIntyre's name is included in the monument constructed on the Lincoln Park Campus of DePaul Univesity which recognizes all Vincentians who have served the University. The monument was erected to celebrate 200 years of Vincentians in America.




Although there is another McIntyre on the list, I do not believe he is related to the family.


VINCENTIAN BICENTENNIAL MONUMENT CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON DEPAUL'S LPC

Elizabeth Clements
MARCH 02, 2016

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Vincentians in the United States. To celebrate this milestone, DePaul is installing a monument on the Lincoln Park Campus that will bear the name of every Vincentian who has served the university. Construction will begin in March.

"The roots of DePaul's foundation in 1898 are found in the bicentennial celebration," says the Reverend Edward Udovic, C.M., senior executive for university mission. "The Vincentian commitment to higher education in the United States began when the first Vincentian set foot on land at Baltimore's inner harbor."

The DePaul monument, which will be made out of red granite and include a four-sided clock feature, will stand on the northeast corner of Kenmore and Belden Ave., near Arts & Letters Hall. Limestone benches and landscaping will surround the 11-foot-high tower, creating a large seating area for the university community.

The crowning feature of the new monument, however, will be the names of every Vincentian at DePaul, dating back to St. Vincent's College in 1898. The monument also will include the names of Vincentians who served on the Board of Trustees, the Members of the Corporation or taught at DePaul Academy which closed in 1968. Fr. Udovic compiled the list of more than 200 names, likely the first definitive record of every Vincentian who has served at DePaul. The monument will allow room for the names of future Vincentians to be added as well.

Vasilko Architects & Associates developed the design, working in close collaboration with Fr. Udovic and the Office of the President.

"We wanted the memorial to mark the passing of time, but time that is unfolding second-by-second into the future, which is why we included the clock," Fr. Udovic says. "We pay careful attention to every aspect of campus design and look for opportunities for art, architecture and landscape to contribute to our sense of community and purpose."

Construction will start with excavating the area for a six-foot-deep foundation, built to support the significant weight of the monument and benches. Bob Janis, vice president of Facility Operations, explains that the red granite will come from a quarry in northern Minnesota. The engraving of the names and commemorative text will take place at the Minnesota plant as well. The benches will be made out of Indiana limestone. All work will complete in June.

Janis does not expect any street closures or disruptions to university activities to occur during the installation of the monument. The construction area will be barricaded off, and all members of the university community should remain vigilant when traveling near the work zone.

A formal dedication will take place on Sept. 27 to coincide with St. Vincent's Feast Day. All members of the university community will receive invitations to the ceremony.

Photos: Elaine M. Beaudoin, October, 2016.
Article: Newsline, online. http://www.depaulnewsline.com/features/vincentian-bicentennial-monument-construction-begin-depauls-lpc March, 2016

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Thomas McIntyre, 1901 UK Census

In 1901, Thomas McIntyre (1879-1939) was living in the Town of Standish, Civil Parish of Standish with Langtree, Lancashire County, England.  The head of household was Bridget Walsh, widow, age 54 (a possible relative of his future wife, Ellen Walsh?) along with her children Maggie, 28; Matthew, 18, Maria, 16; and boarders: Thomas Cook, 34; Thomas Murtagh, 28; Thomas McIntyre, 23; John McDonogh, 20; James Walsh, 23; John Meehan, 20. They all resided at 1 James' Square.

All the men living with Bridget Walsh, both her son and all the boarders, worked in the underground coal mine per the census.  To more easily view the census page, click on the image to enlarge.



In Standish, at the Victoria Colliery, two coal shafts were opened in 1900 and located on the southeast of the town, approximately 100 feet to one side of the main railway line from London to Glasgow. On February 2, 1901, the first wagon of coal went out from the Victoria Colliery. The coal mine was closed in 1958. It is very possible Thomas and the other boarders worked in this coal mine.

Victoria Colliery, Standish, Wigan Coal & Iron Co. Ltd., c1905


Source: 1901 England Census, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK: Public Record Office, 1901. Class RG13; Piece: 3547; Folio:39; Page: 11. Accessed on Ancestry.com February 19, 2007.

Photo source: Flicker, Pitheadgear, posted November 4, 2013. https://www.flickr.com/photos/28709338@N04/10679626436/

Monday, October 22, 2012

Chicago to Ireland and Back Again

Fr. Tom McIntyre, CM, provided Elaine Beaudoin with the following story via an email on  May 5, 2003. 

CHICAGO TO IRELAND AND BACK AGAIN

I WAS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD THAT SUMMER OF 1923 WHEN MY FOLKS DECIDED TO MOVE BACK TO IRELAND TO FARM MY GRANDFATHER'S FARM.  HE WAS A SICK MAN WHOM RECENTLY HAD A STROKE BUT DECIDED TO FARM IN IRELAND SINCE HIS EYESIGHT IN ONE EYE WAS AFFECTED.  IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS ON A TRAIN IN MY LIFE, AND I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THE TRAIN RIDE TO NEW YORK.  I THINK I WAS GLUED TO THE WINDOW FOR THE WHOLE TRAIN TRIP WHICH TOOK A COUPLE OF DAYS OR CLOSE TO IT.  IT WAS A STEAM ENGINE AND DIDN'T GO VERY FAST, BUT WE SAW PLENTY OF FARM LAND AND ANIMALS, the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.  I WAS FASCINATED BY ALL OF THE SCENERY. 

WE DEBOARDED IN NEW YORK, AND EMBARKED ON OUR VOYAGE TO QUEENSTOWN, IRELAND (PRESENTLY CALLED COBH).  SINCE IT WAS 80 YEARS AGO, THE SHIP WAS NOT VERY MODERN, I WANT TO ASSURE YOU.  IT WAS MORE LIKE A TUB THAN AN OCEAN LINER OF TODAY.  THE VOYAGE WAS A LONG ONE.  ABOUT TWO WEEKS BUT WHO WAS COUNTING.  IT WAS A GRAND EXPERIENCE FOR ME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP.  THE NEW EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON AN OCEAN LINER, SUCH AS IT WAS IN THOSE DAYS.  THE TRIP TOOK ABOUT TWO WEEKS, AND THE MOST MEMORABLE PART OF IT WAS THE STORMS.  THE SHIP HAD NO EQUALIZERS OR BALANCERS AS MODERN SHIPS DO, AND AS A RESULT DURING THE STORMS WE WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON DECK.  I CAN STILL REMEMBER THE BOAT ROCKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, TO THE POINT THAT ALL THE DISHES AND FOOD SLID OFF THE TABLES.  YET THERE WERE OTHER DAYS WHEN THE SEA WOULD BE RELATIVELY CALM.  ON ONE OF THESE DAYS, A GIRL'S HAT BLEW OFF AND LANDED NEAR ME.  I PICKED IT UP AND RAN TO THE RAILING, AND THREW IT OVERBOARD.  IT THRILLED ME BUT I CAN STILL REMEMBER MY MOTHER GIVING ME A GOOD TALKING TO, AND LETTING ME KNOW HOW BAD A BOY I WAS.  I CAN STILL REMEMBER HER JUST ASKING ME OVER AND OVER AGAIN: WHY???   THE OTHER EVENT I CAN STILL REMEMBER VIVIDLY IS ARRIVING AT QUEENSTOWN.  THE GREENNESS OF THE ISLAND WAS VERY VISIBLE FROM THE SHIP, AND I WAS IMPRESSED.

I REMEMBER THE FARM OVER IN IRELAND.  MAYBE BECAUSE IT HAD NOT CHANGED MUCH IN THE 50 YEARS AFTER THAT WHEN I WENT BACK AGAIN AND SPENT SOME TEN OR TWELVE VACATIONS THERE FROM 1971 UNTIL THE LATE 80'S.  THE FLOOR OF THE COTTAGE WAS OF HARD EARTH, COLD AND DAMP FOR BARE FEET.  THE CHICKENS AND SOME OF THE OTHER CREATURES ROAMED FREELY ABOUT THE "GARDEN" AS THE YARD IS CALLED IN IRELAND.   AS A RESULT THE GARDEN WAS NO PLACE TO GO WALKING BUT I LOVED IT, AS I WOULD GO OUT AND WALK AND RUN ABOUT WITH ALL THE ANIMAL DEBRIS RUNNING BETWEEN MY TOES.  THE THING I DO REMEMBER -- MAYBE I SHOULD FORGET??????  THEN THERE WAS THE DAY THE DONKEY KICKED ME DOWN AND WAS ABOUT TO STOMP ON ME BEFORE SOMEONE PUSHED HIM AWAY PHYSICALLY.  I GUESS HE COULD HAVE KILLED ME IF HE KICKED ME IN THE HEAD.  I REALLY DO NOT REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT THE TRIP BACK.  I FORGOT TO MENTION THERE WAS NO RUNNING WATER INTHE HOUSE, ONLY BARRELS OF RAIN WATER THAT WOULD RUN OFF OF THE ROOF.  BATHING WAS DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY FOR MY SISTERS.  TOILET FACILITIES WERE IN AN OLD BUILDING OFF OF THE GARDEN, WITHOUT EVEN TOILET BOWL OR SEAT.  PRIMITIVE, IT WAS. 

WE MADE THE TRIP BACK TO CHICAGO WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND I DO NOT REMEMBER IT.  BUT I DO REMEMBER MOVING TO 171 N. LEAMINGTON TO AN APARTMENT BUILDING WHERE WE LIVED FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE MY FOLKS PURCHASED THE HOME AT 4737 GLADYS IN RESURRECTION PARISH.  MY DAD WENT BACK TO WORK ON THE STREET CARS UNTIL HE SUFFERED ANOTHER SEVERE STROKE IN 1937 THAT LEFT HIS ONE SIDE PARTIALLY PARALYZED, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO WALK AND TALK BUT NOT WORK.  IN 1939 HE SUFFERED HIS THIRD STROKE, AND I VIVIDLY REMEMBER MY MOTHER WARNING ME THAT THIS ONE WOULD PROBABLY BE FATAL, AND SO IT WAS.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Ellen Walsh in Killure, 1901

At the time of the 1901 Irish Census, Ellen Walsh was living with her older sister, Bridget, in Killure, Kilmacteige, County Sligo.  Her sister Bridget had married Austin O'Hara the previous year and it is believed she may have gone to stay with Bridget because Bridget was about to give birth.

Click on image to enlarge

Note Austin O'Hara signs the census sheet with his "X" mark.

Killure Townland is only a few miles from the Knockahoney Townland, where Ellen and Bridget Walsh's mother is living in 1901.  I have looked for Ellen Walsh in the 1901 Census for a number of years.  Not until Patrick O'Hara, grandson of Bridget and Austin O'Hara, shared that his grandmother Bridget lived in Killure, was I able to locate Ellen.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

McIntyre Ancestral Farm, 2011

In August 2011 I visited Ireland and had the opportunity to again stop at the McIntyre ancestral farm.  The farm house had been vacant for over 15 years and my understanding is the land was sold to a nearby neighbor.  The following is a short video of the house and land on the McIntyre/Haran/Cafferty farm.


The occupiers of the land and eventually the owners of the land spanned four generations that I am aware of:

Michael McIntyre (wife Mary) listed in Griffith's Valuation, 1858
son
Lawrence McIntyre (wife Mary Ginty)
daughter
Bridget McIntyre (husband Patrick Haran)
daughter
Tessie Haran (husband Dominic Cafferty), sold the land c1990s

Note, the house in the video was built in the 1930s.  It is believed to be on the site of the older home.



Friday, August 5, 2011

Why Did Thomas McIntyre not stay in Ireland in 1923?

In 1923, Thomas and Ellen (Walsh) McIntyre and their five children traveled to Ireland to visit Thomas' parents, Lawrence and Mary (Ginty) McIntyre, on their farm in Lislea, County Sligo.  Elsewhere in this blog is information about that trip including the passport from the travels.

My Dad, Larry McIntyre, over the years told the family he really believed they might stay in Ireland when they went there in 1923. He said he thought the farm was wonderful and remembered being in the field behind the house and suddenly being confronted with a bull which chased him until he jumped over the fence to safety.  He thought it was great fun.  His brother, Fr. Tom, told me that the family never intended to move to Ireland but was only visiting.  At the time of the visit Dad was about 10 and Tom was 4.  My Dad also said his sister Mary hated the farm and definitely didn't want to live there.  She was 12 at the time.

On our trip to Ireland in 2011, I had the opportunity to meet a second cousin Patrick O'Hara.  Pat is the great-grandson of John and Bridget (Cawley) Walsh.  John and Bridget are also my great-grandparents.  Pat's grandmother Bridget (Walsh) O'Hara, sister of Ellen (Walsh) McIntyre, told his family the story about what Thomas said when his father asked him if he wanted the farm. Pat has graciously shared the story with me and allowed it to be video taped.




Note: Pat refers to Thomas McIntyre's wife as Bridget, but her name really is Ellen.  Filmed on the Walsh Family farm, July 26, 2011, in Knockahoney, County Sligo.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Mary Cecelia McIntyre, 1911

The first child of Thomas and Ellen (Walsh) McIntyre was born on June 23, 1911 in Chicago, Illinois.  The birth certificate notes that the parents were living at 2541 W. Monroe, Chicago at the time of Mary's birth.  The father, Thomas, was working as a motorman for the Street Railway Company.  It also provides the place of birth of the two parents and confirms family history.

By the time Mary was born, her father was already 32 years old and her Mom was 28.  The birth certificate, which was not uncommon for the time, does not include a first name.  However, Mary's baptismal record has been located and it states Mary was born on June 23, 1911 and baptized on July 16, 1911.  The sponsors were Thomas' siblings, Mary McIntyre and Laurence McIntyre.  Mary Cecelia was baptized at St. Malachy's Church in Chicago.

Although Mary lived in California, she was in Arlington Heights for Thanksgiving when she died on November 18, 1994.  Her body was cremated and as of 2009, her ashes had not been buried.

Click on image to increase size