The Caseys and Lahiffs of Fairview ParkUpdated July 4, 2003 | |
| The Casey side of the family tree is interesting in that it is all Irish. Nicholas Casey (b1815) and Sarah Jane McGinnis (b1816) were the first to come over to America in my family. They came over together from Ireland in 1838. Their ship left from County Cork and landed in New York, but it is unknown where they lived in Ireland but tradition has it that they lived in County Mayo. Nicholas and his wife moved out to the Midwest, where he worked as a canal construction foreman on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Instead of receiving his full wages in money, he received land outside of Streator, Illinois. The farm was kept together and in the family, with all the heirs selling their land inheritances back to the one family (but alas not my family, fortunately or unfortunately) In 1862, Nicholas died and William, his son, inherited the farm. Although the Civil War was taking place, William was not involved in the war, nor were any Caseys that we could find. William had two wives (one dying in childbirth) and reportedly twenty-two children, a number we believe included miscarriages. Francis Leo (Frank), my grandfather, was born in 1895 and was the fifth child of William's second wife. As a young adult, he joined in the Navy and occupied Vera Cruz, Mexico. During World War I, he served for the Army as a lumberjack in the state of Washington. Frank married Mae Louise McElroy, from Galena, Illinois and she accompanied him to Washington. On my Mother side, Celeste Curran, her grandfather, Patrick Curran and his wife, who had the last name of Martin, also came to America from Ireland. Patrick was a farmer while in Ireland. Upon coming to the U.S., he became a coal miner in Virden, Illinois and later, a bar and store owner in Chicago. William married Josephine Mercedes Cooney. Josephine was the daughter of Patrick Cooney and Johanna Sullivan. Patrick and Johanna came over from Cork County, Ireland. While in Ireland, Patrick fought the British, was arrested and sent to South Africa and Australia, returning both times. Later, with a price on his head, he managed to escape to America. Mary Jo Lahiff The earliest known member on the Lahiff side of the family to come over to America was Thomas Lahiff Jr. (b1819 d.1903). He came to the United States from Limerick, Ireland in 1849 to escape the potato famine. He most likely entered through Boston. Two years later, his father Thomas Lahiff (b. 1778-d.1882) came they each spent some time in CN some of the fathers other children may have stayed in CN. Thomas Sr. was born in Limerick and sailed to France after the failed revolt of 1798. He became mercenary (a very common job for the Irish and Germans) for the French. Later he purchased 30 acres in Ballyduff, Ballylanders Parish, Limerick Ireland. He was married 3 times, the last wife he took to the US. He stopped in CN and then farmed what is now Cleveland Hopkins Airport and then to Grafton OH. He went twice to CA for gold the second time in 1861 with many of his children (dodging the draft for some of the boys?) Some men stayed in Ca, settling in the Sacromento area. One was responsible for rebuilding Sumter’s Mill in the early 1900’s. Thomas (Sr.) returned to Grafton, OH after the Civil War and was an active farmer until at least 1875. |
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Frank L Casey casey@soon.com
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