The Shean's and Cole's of San Francisco
| Tracing my ancestors has been very rewarding. I have met and developed friendships with relatives that I didn't know existed. I have learned about the history of family members, communities and the world they were a part of. Also, I offer my thanks to the other Shean families have been helpful in letting me know who their families are so that I can more easily identify my SHEAN family My g-g- grandfather LEVI COLE imigrated from Ireland as a child via New Brunswick to Mass in 1826. He married NANCY ANN MULLEN, a native of Ireland abt 1846 in Mass. He then migrated to San Francisco, California in 1858. LEVI COLE worked for the Union Iron Works Foundry in San Francisco. My g-g-grandparents JOHN and MAY SHEAN immigrated from Ireland to New York circa 1835. The Shean children JEREMIAH, ELLEN, MAURICE, JAMES and CATHERINE moved to MA abot 1845 and then California circa 1860. Some family lived in Woonsocket Rhode Island. LEVI COLE'S daughter MARY FRANCES COLE married MAURICE A. SHEAN in Calif. MAURICE was an engineer for the Southern Pacific Railroad. His brother JAMES was a printer who later owned his own business in San Francisco. (his great grand-daughter lives in the same area) It is possible that the Shean children came to CA with LEVI COLE. The family story is that the Cole's and Shean's came to CA together and that little MARY COLE married MAURICE SHEAN when she became a young women. It is most likely that LEVI F. COLE also came with his brother-in-law JAMES MULLEN because they lived in the same ward in MA and next door to each other in CA. There are many interesting stories: Poor little ROSEANNA who married the shoemaker JAMES McCUMISKY, moved away to Santa Rosa and watched her husband and children die. CHARLES and CAROLINE, both musicians who had their Stadiverius violin stolen while on tour in Paris, France. The printer JAMES who became a financial success but saw his 5 daughters die of TB. MAURICE the hardworking train engineer who dies a hero. Unfortunately, many of the records were destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake and the research is difficult. It is my speculation that most of the SHEAN'S in Calif. may be related in some way. The Calif 1850 Census lists 3 SHEAN families. In 1860 there are 11, In 1870 there seem to be about 23 . It seems that one family branch went to LA One branch stayed in SF and the other in Northern CA and Stockton area. My web page in limited in family history becasue its purpose is to "be seen" and hopfully locate other family members. If anybody wishes more information from my notes, please contact me. | The Shean's and Cole'sof San Francisco Updated June 11, 2004 |
| BarbaraMclean 232 HIghland Oaks Los Gatos,CA 95032 United States 408-358-1481 [email protected] | |
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