Uncle Larry O'Sullivan of Loughane, Sneem

Before we follow my grandmother to Boston, let’s go back to the family she left behind for a minute. As we learned, Ellen Leary did not want to break up her family when Myles Moriarty died - so she refused to leave her children in Sneem to emigrate to her sister in Hartford. She was unable to pay the rent on the house and land in Loughane. Family legend is that a match was made for her with Michael O’Sullivan of Moulagallane in Sneem – which is near the Sneem Cemetery - he had been working in England and the United States but returned to Sneem.  

This Michael Sullivan was called John L.  Someone told me that he was called this when he returned from America. But I'm not sure why.

http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/John_L._Sullivan  tells us that "John L. Sullivan was a boxing immortal, the link between bare knuckles and glove fighting, and the first great American sports idol."

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1002 reports that the first Heavyweight Champion of the World 1882-1892, John L. Sullivan, "was a true fighting man. He drank, womanized and proudly boasted he 'could lick any man in the house.' He was the first world heavyweight champion to wear gloves, as required under the Marquess of Queensbury rules, and boxing's first ever superstar, commanding combined purses of over a million dollars in the course of his career. Born in Roxbury, Massachusettts on October 15, 1858, Sullivan turned professional as a high-spirited youngster in 1878. He soon gained the nickname 'The Boston Strong Boy.'"

I am sure anyone who loves The Quiet Man remembers the  Marquess of Queensbury rules. And what about John L. Sullivan being from Roxbury where our Walsh and Cronin relatives later spent so much of their lives!

The end of John L.'s career came when he was beaten by 'Gentleman' Jim Corbett in September 1892 in New Orleans. "Sullivan outweighed Corbett by 32 pounds and was a 4-1 favorite entering the fight, but he was old and tired, and the younger, more scientific challenger outboxed the old warhorse before knocking him out in the 21st round. Sullivan then retired with a record of 41-1-3 with 33 KOs. Sullivan drank heavily after that career-ending defeat, but later lectured against the evils of alcoholism. He died in Abington, Massachusetts on February 2, 1918."

So why was Michael Sullivan called John L.? What was the connection?

Micheal Sullivan and Ellen Leary married on Valentine's Day in 1899 in St. Michael's Church in Sneem. I'm sure Valentine's Day was not the big holiday that it is today. Book 3 of the parish records on page 15 entry 11 tells us that Michael Sullivan of Moulagulane marries Ellen Leary of Loughane. His father is Micheal Sullivan and his mother is Ann Mahony. Ellen's parents are Henry Leary and Mary Leary. Witnesses are James Leary and Mary Moriarty - Reverend J. Mangan performed the ceremony. The record image is not available online today 11/7/19.

I just found the civil record of the wedding on November 7, 2019 - it is below.

Registrar's District of Sneem - second page - 1899 Marriage solemnized at the Roman Catholic Chapel of Sneem in the Registrar's District of Sneem in the Union of Kenmare in the County of Kerry.
#81 - Fourteenth February 1899 - Micheal Sullivan to Ellen Leary - both of full age - he is a bachelor; she is a widow - they are both farmers - he is from Moulegullane; she is from Loughane - his father is Micheal Sullivan; her father is Harry Leary - both fathers are farmers. 
They were married by John Mangan PP (Parish Priest) - Witnesses were James Leary and Johanna Leary.
The marriage was registered on 28 February 1899.

Remember that when their mother remarried, young Jim Moriarty had just turned 13 and was living with his uncle, Schoolmaster James Moriarty on the Dingle peninsula. I wonder if they came to the wedding? Mary Moriarty had turned 11 in December, Catherine was 9, Nellie was 7, and my grandmother, Margaret Moriarty, was almost 5 years old.  I suppose this must have been a big adjustment for the little girls. I wonder how Ellen had managed for the last 5 years! I wonder how they will all get along?

We know that Michael Sullivan and Ellen Leary had 5 more children. They are all listed in the 1911 Irish Census - Larry is 11, Pat is 9, Mike is 7, Hannah is 5, and Bridget is 1. Ma is listed as the stepdaughter – she is 17. We know this is the year before she emigrated. We know that Mary, Catherine, and Nellie had already emigrated to Newport, Rhode Island.

ww.irishgenealogy.ie only has records to about 1900, but on 11/7/19 I found the civil record of Uncle Larry's birth - it says he was born the first of August 1900 in Glenlough (Loughane is in Glenlough Lower) to Michael Sullivan and Ellen Sullivan (formerly Leary.) Michael is a farmer. Ellen Sullivan, mother, of Glenlough was the informant. The birth was registered the fourth of October 1900 by Registrar William O'Donnell. It was registered  2 months after the birth!!

But wait, Irish Genealogy lists the baptism on  30 January 1900 - he was born 27 January 1900!!  This is 7 months before the civil birth registration!! His father is Michael Sullivan of Loughanes - his mother is Ellen Leary. Reverend J. Mangan performed the baptism and the sponsors were John Sullivan and Catherine Hussey. Book 4 Page 11. No image is available. I suppose John Sullivan was John L’s brother. I don’t know who Catherine Hussey would be.

https://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details/590ea80438234?b=https%3A%2F%2Fchurchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie%2Fchurchrecords%2Fsearch.jsp%3Fnamefm%3Dlawrence%26namel%3Dsullivan%26exact%3D%26name2fm%3D%26name2l%3D%26location%3D%2520kerry%26yyfrom%3D1900%26yyto%3D%26diocese%3DKERRY%2520%2528RC%2529%26parish%3DSNEEM%26century%3D%26decade%3D%26sort%3D%26pageSize%3D100%26ddBfrom%3D%26ddMfrom%3D%26ddDfrom%3D%26mmBfrom%3D%26mmMfrom%3D%26mmDfrom%3D%26yyBfrom%3D%26yyMfrom%3D%26yyDfrom%3D%26ddBto%3D%26ddMto%3D%26ddDto%3D%26mmBto%3D%26mmMto%3D%26mmDto%3D%26yyBto%3D%26yyMto%3D%26yyDto%3D%26locationB%3D%26locationM%3D%26locationD%3D%26keyword%3D%26member0%3D%26member1%3D%26member2%3D%26member3%3D%26member4%3D%26member5%3D%26member6%3D%26member7%3D%26member8%3D%26member9%3D%26namef0%3D%26namef1%3D%26namef2%3D%26namef3%3D%26namef4%3D%26namef5%3D%26namef6%3D%26namef7%3D%26namef8%3D%26namef9%3D%26namel0%3D%26namel1%3D%26namel2%3D%26namel3%3D%26namel4%3D%26namel5%3D%26namel6%3D%26namel7%3D%26namel8%3D%26namel9%3D%26event%3D%26submit%3DSearch

The Kerryman newspaper of 1912 laments the increasing numbers of young Kerry men and women leaving their homes in search of employment overseas. In the 50 years since 1861, there were 234,716 people from Kerry who emigrated.

This was also the period when Home Rule was anticipated - nationalist feelings were high. Protests were made when the British tried to eliminate the recently introduced study of the Irish language in National schools. In 1913 John Redmond, leader of the Home Rule Party, told huge crowds in Cahirciveen that they were on the eve of Home Rule. In May of 1914 the Home Rule bill passed the House of Commons. It is reported that in Cahirdaniel "a scene of wild enthusiasm prevailed. In the village all the houses were illuminated; bonfires blazed and tar barrels crackled. As the welcome news went around, more bonfires were lighted, and soon the whole countryside was blazing."

Imagine the disappointment the county felt when Home Rule was put on hold when England declared war on Germany. The Irish Volunteers turned against John Redmond. They drilled and trained to defend Ireland instead of enlisting in the British military. 

The Kerryman reported "Wholesale arrests of prominent members of the Irish Volunteer organization are being effected throughout Kerry today, May 9th (1916.)" This was after the unsuccessful uprising in Dublin. Uncle Larry was 16 years old at Easter. I wonder what he thought of the uprising? 

23 April 1918 all work ceased in opposition to Irish men being conscripted into the British army. I bet Uncle Larry and his mother Ellen Leary were interested in this.

Meanwhile the Irish Volunteers were fighting the British in Ireland - attacking the Royal Irish Constabulary and their barracks. These were dangerous times for civilians as well. In 1920 "At a dance held in Cahirciveen in July masked men entered the hall, singled out two girls and cut off their hair with scissors. They gave as reason for their action that the girls were keeping company with soldiers. The raiders got away without any interference from the dancers. The dancing was going on as the operation was carried out … The hair was cut off a young lady some distance from Kenmare, and it is rumored that she got several cautions perviously against keeping certain company." Shades of the movie  Ryan's Daughter!! I wonder if the fact that Uncle Larry's brother, Jim Moriarty, was in the R.I.C , had any negative effect on Larry or the family in Loughane?

I don't know how Sneem was affected by the fight for Irish Freedom - were the Black and Tans on the loose in the Sneem area? I know they were in Cahirciveen. 

And what about the Civil War? What side are the O'Sullivans on - Free Staters or Republicans - Michael Collins or DeValera? I know both DeValera and Collins campaigned in Kerry before the vote on the Treaty took place. Uncle Mike O'Sullivan and Larry certainly talk like Republicans!

After the wars, County Kerry faced an economic depression as men who had enlisted in the British military as well as the Irish Volunteers returned home. Employment was scarce.

Uncle Larry eventually emigrates to his cousin John Shea in Plainfield, New Jersey. He leaves Cobh 23 September 1923 on the Carmania. He is a 23 year old laborer – he can read and write, and he speaks English. His last residence was Glenlough Lower, Sneem, Co. Kerry; his nearest relative is his father Michael O’Sullivan. He bought his own ticket to his final destination of Plainfield, New Jersey. He is joining his cousin John Shea at 645 East 6^th Street, Plainfield. He does not intend to return to Ireland but plans to stay permanently in the United States and become a citizen. He is 5 feet 6 inches – although he seemed much taller when I met him. He has a fresh complexion, dark hair, and brown eyes. He has no distinguishing marks. 

I bet you don’t remember that Uncle Larry’s mother (Ellen Leary) had a sister Bridget Leary Shea – Aunt Biddie who lived in Moneyflagh. I believe this John Shea is her son. Rather than going to his stepsisters in Boston, Laurence is going to his cousin in New Jersey.

Also on board is 24 year old Timothy Teahan whose father is Timothy Teahan of Derry East (Ferry East is written on the manifest.) He is joining his sister Julia Teahan on 46^th Street in New York. There is also Lizzie O’Sullivan of Sneem, Kenmare, Co. Kerry. Her father is James O’Sullivan. She is joining her brother Michael O’Sullivn in Providence, Rhodesland.

The pictures above and below are from www.norwayheritage.com. 

The postcard above shows 3rd class or steerage accommodations. 

3rd class social hall, 3rd class 2 berth room, 3rd class dining room, and 3rd class ladies' room.

The Carmania was built in 1905 by John Brown and Co. Ltd. in Glasglow for the Cunard Line. That same year the Carmania made its maiden voyage to New York from Liverpool. It was requisitioned by the British Government during WWI and outfitted as an armed merchant cruiser. On 14 September 1914 she sank the German armed merchant cruiser Cap Trafalgar off the coast of Trinidad Island.

The Carmania sinking the German ship in 1914.

We have seen the Carmania twice already - Mary Moriarty in 1907 and Jim Moriarty in 1921 took the Carmania to America.

I realized writing this that I really don't know very much about New Jersey. I know I have driven though the state on the way to Washington, D.C. but I don't know that I ever set foot in it. 

The website - http://www.state.nj.us/nj/about/history/short_history.html - explains that the Delaware Indians were the first settlers of New Jersey. Henry Hudson later sailed into Newark Bay and claimed the land for the Dutch who, along with the Swedes and Finns, were the first European settlers there. The British snatched New Jersey away from the Dutch and made it one of their colonies.  Those in charge "sold the land at low prices and allowed the settlers to have political and religious freedom. As a result, New Jersey was more ethnically diverse than many other colonies." It was primarily a rural society.

I was surprised to learn that more battles during the Revolutionary War were fought in New Jersey than in any other colony - because it was situated about halfway between all the colonies and because of its proximity to New York and Philadelphia. And it was the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution and the first state to sign the Bill of Rights.

In the 1800s factories sprung up throughout the state, and major manufacturing centers developed. New canals and railroads were built. "Europeans came by the thousands to New Jersey to work in the factories." South New Jersey grew the crops to feed the urban masses. Southern New Jersey began to develop the seaside. In 1850, New Jersey's population of nearly half a million and the industries in which most of those people worked were concentrated in the North.

After the Civil War, New Jersey's industries continued to grow while railroads were constructed to connect the manufacturing centers and to move goods. "At first, most immigrants came from Ireland and Germany." They manned the factories and laid down the railroads.

"Between 1900 and 1930, New Jersey's population more than doubled, and manufacturing became a $4 billion industry." So now I understand why our relatives came to New Jersey - there were jobs here. I'd like to know who the first relative was to arrive in New Jersey - was it a Shea? That is a story for another day. As always with family history, answer one question, and another one pops up!

So our family came to New Jersey - but how did they end up in Plainfield? 

I learned that Plainfield was settled in 1684 by Quakers and incorporated as a city in 1869. Formerly a bedroom suburb in the New York metropolitan area, it has become the urban center of 10 closely allied municipalities with diversified industries including printing and the manufacture of chemicals, clothing, electronic equipment, and vehicular parts.

I'm looking at a map of New Jersey, and Plainfield is not really that far from Newark, New Jersey or even Staten Island, Brooklyn or Manhattan, New York. And Ellis Island is in the middle of these four places in Upper New York Bay.

Plainfield is located on the lower left of this map. Ellis Island is located above the "O" in HUDSON on the right side.

So this is where Uncle Larry O'Sullivan came after leaving Ellis Island.

I've included John Shea's 1920 passport application. It states he was born in Sneem, Co. Kerry on Nov. 7, 1890. 

He emigrated from Ireland May 1, 1910 and lived in Plainfield, N.J. from 1910-1920. 

He was naturalized as a citizen of the United States in Elizabeth County Court in Elizabeth, N.J. in Union County on December 23, 1918. 

John lives at 635 East 6th Street, Plainfield, N.J. and works as a machinist.  Three years later Larry has listed John's address as 645 East 6th Street - I wonder if this is a mistake? Or is this not our relative?

John is traveling to the British Isles to see his parents.

He is leaving Nov. 20 from New York on a Cunard liner - he plans to return within 6 months. He has never had a passport. 

Page 2 has a picture and description of 29 year old John Shea - he is 5 feet 8 inches. He has a round forehead, straight nose, medium mouth, and powerful chin. He has blue eyes, red hair, and a fair complexion. 

The witness is James F. Shea of 635 East 6th St., Plainfield, N. J. - the same address where John Shea lives. He states he has known John Shea for 11 years. James is a gardner at 319 West 2nd St., Plainfield. This is the address where John Shea wants his passport delivered.

It is interesting that this same James Francis Shea also applied for a passport a couple of years later in 1922. He states that he was born in Sneem, County Kerry on 18 October 1877, and his father is John Shea. ( Remember John Shea of Moneyflagh was married to Bridget Leary - Ellen Leary's sister.) He left Queenstown in April of 1898 maybe? It is difficult to make out some of the writing. It looks like he said that he resided for 24 years in Elizabeth and Plainfield, New Jersey. He was naturalized in 1903 in the Court of Common Pleas in Elizabeth, New Jersey. It says that James resided in Ireland in 1910 - interesting - that is the year John Shea is supposed to have arrived in New York. James' permanent address is 319 West 2nd Street in Plainfield, New Jersey, and he is working as a gardener. He is leaving New York in November for less than 4 months to visit his parents in the British Isles - note that Ireland was crossed out.  James states that he has never had a passport. He signs an oath of allegiance on October 13, 1922.

Page 2 tells us that James is 45 years old. He is 5 feet 6 inches tall. He has a large forehead, a medium nose, and a round chin on an oval face. He has a dark complexion, brown eyes, and black hair. He wears glasses and has a mustache. Take a look below and see what you think.

James's wife Margaret declares that she has known James for 20 years and that he is the identical person in the certificate of naturalization. Margaret's occupation is house work.

I think James looks more like a banker or businessman than a gardner!

I am thinking of James Shea going home in 1910 - I wonder if it was before or after John Shea emigrated. I haven't been able to find passenger lists for either one yet.

More interesting is both John and James going home in the early 1920s before Uncle Larry emigrated.  If these are our Sheas from Moneyflagh, they certainly see Uncle Larry while they are home in Sneem. Moneyflagh is only about 2 miles from Loughane. 

Has Larry been thinking of emigrating - do they encourage him to emigrate - do they tell him that life is good in America? Do they promise him a job or promise to try to find him a job in Plainfield? 

James Shea returns to Plainfield in January 1923 on the S. S. Celtic. I wonder how the crossing was in the winter? James is 46 years old and was naturalized in 1903. Home is 319 West 2nd Street in Plainfield.

We just saw that Uncle Larry arrives in September of that year - 1923 - and goes to his cousin John Shea at 645 East 6th Street in Plainfield.  I wonder if John Shea meets Uncle Larry at Ellis Island. I haven't found anything about Uncle Larry when he first arrived in America. But I heard that he returned to Sneem when the family was ill.