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L A T E S T P O S T S
The 1868 Sea Bird Ferry Disaster & a Glenmore Native’s Amazing Survival
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The Victor O’Donovan Power Touring Company
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Two Priests Named Grant Buried Together in Glenmore
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Early Glenmore Notes by Danny Dowling (1927-2021)
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The Rest of the Story of Thomas K. Carr, Esq. (c. 1811-1869)
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From Danny’s Glenmore Photo Album 6.0 [Updated]
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Thomas K. Carr, Esq. (c. 1811-1869) of Castle Annaghs
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William Murphy (b. 1879) Native of Ballinlammy, Glenmore
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Poet Peter Brophy (1871-1951) a Native of Ballynaraha, Glenmore
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Josie Dalton (1907-1978) of Railway Cottage, Rathinure, Glenmore
The 1868 Sea Bird Ferry Disaster & a Glenmore Native’s Amazing Survival
One of the difficulties of researching persons who emigrated from Glenmore in the early and mid nineteenth century was that surnames and indeed first names could be spelled in a variety of ways. Today, we are going to highlight Edmond/Edward Henebery who was baptized in Glenmore on 7 February 1844 to Nicholas Henebery (c. 1820-1891) and his wife Anastatia Dollard (c. 1820-1905). At the time of his baptism the family was residing in Aylwardstown, Glenmore. At some point between 15 June 1846 and 1858 the family moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where Nicholas eventually became the bridge tender for the Eighth Street Bridge and his eldest son Edward became a sailor. Below is the account of Edward’s survival of what has been deemed the 10th worst maritime disaster on the Great Lakes (Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago).
The Sea Bird
The Sea Bird was built in 1859 at Newport, Michigan. Her official number was 22368). The Sea Bird was a wood hull side steamer with 1 cylinder and a vertical beam (walking Beam). She was 191 feet and 6 inches in length with a 27 foot 9 inch beam and a depth of 12feet 6 inches. (Alpena County (Michigan) George N. Fletcher Public Library; Special Collections). She had a 444 ton capacity and was made of riveted oak with two decks. The upper deck had two large cabins, each with about 50 staterooms for approximately 200 passengers. The lower deck was for freight. The sidewheels were 26 feet in diameter (Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago)
On the morning of 9 April 1868 the Sea Bird caught fire and sank. The wreck is in Lake Michigan a mile off the shore at Waukegan, Illinois. The exact number of casualties is unknown, but it is believed that she carried 75 to over 100 passengers and crew. There were only 3 survivors. (Alpena County (Michigan) George N. Fletcher Public Library; Special Collections). Passenger, Albert Chamberlain, a shop keeper from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, survived by hanging from the anchor chain. He never entered the cold water and was rescued by the schooner Cornelia. He identified some of the other Sheboygan passengers that boarded the ferry with him. Passenger James Leonard dove overboard to escape the fire and floated on debris all the way south to the Evanston, Illinois, shore. Edmund/Edward Hennebury (sic) was the only member of the crew to survive, and he managed by jumping overboard and floating on the gangplank for 3 hours until he too was rescued by the schooner Cornelia. Below is his account published in the Manitowac Tribune (Thu. 16 April 1868, p. 1). Any headings or explanations not in the original newspaper article has been placed in [square brackets].
Edward Henebery’s Survival Account
I got up early yesterday (Thursday) morning—about 5 o’clock. I had been up about and hour and a half, I should think, when I saw smoke arising on the main deck, in the port quarter, and just below the ladies cabin. The smoke I had hardly noticed when I saw a blaze springing up. The fire seemed to have been kindled right on the deck. There was a lot of tubs and some straw lying near, and the fire got among them right away. I at once cried out “Fire, fire!” Several of the crew who were up came hurrying to where the fire was, the bell was rung, and the passengers who were not up before came tumbling out from their births and staterooms.
Instantly there was great confusion, and with this the fire increased so rapidly as made me convinced that it must have been burning a long time before I discovered it. The fire was a long way aft of the engine and boiler, in the port quarter. The flames sprung up, and spread al ost instantly into the ladies cabin overhead, though out the freight on the main deck; it did not seem to take 5 minutes before the after part of the boat was on fire. The fire spead into the ladies cabin so rapidly that I do not think all the women had time to leave it. I heard some one say that some of the ladies and children were burned.
[Lifeboats on Fire]
We all rushed into the forward part of the boat. Back of the engine the boats was all in flames. Some of the crew tried to get at the small boats which were aft. I went with them, but we did not get further than the smokestack. It was no use trying; the whole after part was burning up, and the boats themselves were on fire. I was perfectly cool all the time, I knew the boat was going up and somehow or other I felt that I was all right. So I waited about ten minutes, I think, before I, with the assistance of five or six others, shoved the gang plank overboard. During this times the flames were making great headway, and in five or six minutes after the fire was first seen by me, the engines stopped working. All the passengers had crowded into the bow, and some of them, the women and children especially, were crying and wringing their hands and moaning in a way pitiful to see and hear.
Six or seven of us shoved the gang plank over, just forward of the paddle boxes. I waited until the gangplank had floated past, and then I jumped. I was the first man overboard. I swam to the gang plank, and ten or fifteen others followed me. So many of us on the plank caused it to sink, and we all had hard work to keep it and ourselves up. I got along pretty well, until three or four others, seeing that I was holding my own, got around me and took hold of me. I shook them all off, except a coloured boy, the cook’s helper. He put both arms around my neck, and I could not shake him off.
[Clinging to Debris]
I then helped to get him onto the plank, and one man who was about twenty-five years old, and wore a moustache and whiskers, caught hold of my wrist and drew me on the plank. Johnnie O’Brien I helped on the plank two or three times. He was washed off almost as fast as I could get him on. We all struggled very hard, but there wasn’t a man said a word. I got a hold of one of the gang plank ropes, and I stuck to it until I was picked off. I could see men about me having hold of boxes, chairs, fender, and two men I saw clinging to a bag of wool. We boated past the bag and one of the men said to me—he wasn’t more than ten feet away—“You’re going pretty fast.”
There was a heavy sea, and after we had been in the water fifteen or twenty minutes, a swell lifted the plank and capsized it. All who had hold of it, except me, were washed away, and I did not see any of them anymore. I was chilled through. The water was almost at freezing point. I was just able to climb onto the gangplank after the rest had gone, and I knew that if I stayed in the water I could not last long. So I stood up on the gang plank and steadied myself by the ropes.
I had on all my clothes and these were soon frozen so they were stiff. As I stood on the gang plank by myself , I had no thought of death; the same confidence I had felt in being saved, from the first, still clung to me. I looked around me and though the sea was rolling heavily, I could see the lake’s surface dotted here and there with pieces of the wreck, to many of which men were clinging. About half a mile away I saw one of the boat fenders and a woman was clinging to it. As I was watching her I saw her disappear under a swell I saw the fender afterwards bit she was gone.
[The Quiet Freezing Water]
The boat drifted to the leeward in shore much faster than I on the gang plank. About twenty minutes after I left her I saw a crowd of passengers all gathered on the hurricane deck. Many of the men were stripped to their shirts. Nearly all of them had life preservers or were lashed to doors, table, planks and boxes. This was about the last I saw of the wreck. I did not hear any screaming or cries; the sea made a noise that drowned all that. The last I noticed about the wreck she was burned almost to the water’s edge and the walking beam was just falling in.
I was chilled through and felt myself freezing. I did not dare let go the ropes for if I did I should be washed away. I changed hands although my fingers were soon frozen stiff. About 9 o’clock I saw a schooner bearing south about two miles away under full sail. I know they saw me from on board, and I know they must have seen the burning wreck; but they did not bear down on me. It was freezing just like the winter and I could not have held out much longer, when about 10 o’clock I saw a schooner which had been four or five miles to windward tack about and bear down on me.
[Rescue]
This proved to be the Cornelia. She passed me first and went to the wreck; to the leeward. She sent out her small boat and took off Chamberlain from the forward netting, and then came for me. About 11 o’clock they took me off. I was pretty near frozen I went into the cabin where I took off my clothes and dried them. We arrived in Chicago about a quarter past 4 and I went at once to a doctor who gave me something to take, and something for my hands which were frozen.
Death
Although Edward Henebery beat the odds and survived the fire and sinking of the Sea Bird according to a 1926 newspaper article “Ed Henneberry (sic) of Sheboygan was rescued from the water after many hours of exposure and suffering. He lingered for three years after the disaster and finally died from the effects of the exposure. He frequently gave an account of the burning of the Sea Bird and the icy waters he found himself in on that cold April morning in 1868. Ed Henneberry was buried in the north side Catholic cemetery” (Sheboygan Press, Mon. 12 April 1926, p. 3).
Please send any corrections, additional information or photographs to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
For further information on other local families who emigrated to Wisconsin, see, our posts of 29 Sept. 2026 and 17 February 2025.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The Victor O’Donovan Power Touring Company
Danny Dowling (1927-2021) read a lot of Victor O’Donovan Power’s short stories when he was a lad and as an adult he became very interested in the author. Victor O’Donovan Power (1858-1933) was a prolific writer and was a native of Rosbercon. In addition to several interviews Danny recorded regarding Victor O’Donovan Power, in Danny’s voluminous collection is one of Victor O’Donovan Power’s violins. If Danny recorded how, when or where he obtained the violin, this information has not yet been uncovered. Today, we are going to share excerpts from two interviews that Danny recorded in 1971 regarding Victor O’Donovan Power and in particular his Touring Company that operated in the mid to late 1920’s as explained to Danny by a man who worked in the company. See our previous post of 28 October 2020 for further information regarding Victor O’Donovan Power .
Statia Butler (1887-1973) A Native of Ballycroney, Glenmore
The first interview was of “Statia Butler, of Ballyden” dated 28 February 1971. Anastatia Butler (1887-1973) of Rosbercon, died on 29 August 1973, single, aged 86 at the County Home in Thomastown. The interview notes do not record it, but Danny may have interviewed Statia in the County Home. He often visited the County Home in Thomastown to visit elderly Glenmore people residing there. Per the 1901 Census, Anastatia Butler resided in Rosbercon with her family. She was 14; her sister Margaret was 24 and her brother James was 17. Their parents were James Butler (60) and his wife Ellen (52). Armed with this information we found Statia’s birth record. She was born on the 28th of April 1887 at Ballycroney, Glenmore, the daughter of James Butler (labourer) and his wife Ellen Berrigan.
A Physical Description of Victor O’Donovan Power
According to Statia Butler, “Victor O’D Power was a small thin man. [He] wore a hat with his grey hair protruding out.” He used to go often to Paddy Mullally’s of Ballycroney. He would sing, and play the fiddle.
Pat Sullivan, of Raheen, Rosbercon
The second longer interview was of Pat Sullivan, of Raheen, Rosbercon. This interview took place on St. Patrick’s Day (17 March 1971). Unfortunately, we were unable to locate any information on this interviewee.
Aileen Mary Josephine Hearne née Power (1857- c. 1937)
Pat Sullivan told Danny that Victor O’Donovan Power had a sister who was married to J.B. Hearne of Chilcomb House. A review of marriage records reveals that Mary Josephine Power of Chilcomb married James Bernard Hearne of New Ross at Rosbercon on 5 July 1881. The bride was the daughter of Michael Power and Ellen O’Donovan and her baptism records her given name as Aileen Mary.
James B. Hearne and Mary J. Power had six known children: [1] Mary Florence Hearne (b.1883); [2] Harold Hearne (1883-1883); [3] Victor Hearne (1883-1883); [4] Ellen Josephine Hearne (b. 1884) Ellen’s baptismal record wrongly notes that she married A. Dempsey in 1920. [5] Ethel Margaret Hearne (b. 1888) married Dr. Alexander Dempsey ( ? -1963) on 10 Jan. 1920 in Dublin; and [6] Michael James Hearne (b.1888) married Teresa Doyle, of Brandon, New Ross, in 1915.
Harold, Mary Florence and Victor Hearne were triplets. Victor died 21 days after his birth. Harold died at the age of one month. No death record could be located for Mary Florence Hearne. Ethel and Michael were twins born on Halloween 1888. By 1883 James B. Hearne was described on the birth records as a gentleman, however, in the death records for his children his occupation was listed as grocer. By 1915 James M. Hearne was the only living son of J.B. Hearne of Chilcomb House (Limerick Chronicle, Tues. 28 Sept. 1915, p. 2).
Thomas Victor O’Donovan Power (1858-1933)
Per the baptismal records of Rosbercon “Thomas Victor” Power was born 29 July 1858 at Chilcomb House. A year later Alfred James Power joined the family on 8 August 1859.
Pat Sullivan described Victor as having a slight build of medium height, with a moustache. He was a very jolly man. Pat Sullivan said that Victor lived where Jack O’Leary lived in 1971. His parents, Jack O’Leary and Mrs. O’Leary worked for Victor. He had one half of the house. One room downstairs and one room upstairs.
Pat Sullivan stated that Victor wrote his stories in a hut erected on J.B. Hearne’s land, although in fairness the land had originally belonged to the Power family. As noted above J.B. Hearne married into Chilcomb House. Jack Doherty, of Milltown, Glenmore, built the hut and brought it down on wheels. Pat Sullivan noted that in 1971 the hut was a hen house in Pascal Doolan’s, of Hoodgrove, Rosbercon.
Victor O’Donovan Power Touring Company
Pat Sullivan, of Butterbridge, Rosbercon, travelled with Victor Power in his traveling company at the end of 1924. It was known as the Victor O’Donovan Power Touring Company. Pat Sullivan went on tour with the Company twice. In the 1924/5 trip Pat Sullivan spent 9 months with the Company. Pat joined the Company when they were playing the old cinema in New Ross. The Company wasn’t too long started when Pat joined it at New Ross. They spent three nights there. It was the only place they played in Co. Wexford. The Company lasted 6 or 7 years. Harkem Smith also travelled with the Company.
Members of the Company included:
Frank O’Donovan—Dublin;
Lewis Dalton—Dublin;
Tom Tobins—Carrick-on-Suir;
Edith Kehoe—Dublin
Kitty McMahon—Dublin
Paddy Lonegan—Carrick-on-Suir
Cecil Wiseman—Leslie, West Cork (pianist and took parts)
Pat Sullivan—Buttersbridge (took small parts and on the door taking the money).
Another girl also was in the company and she had a daughter who also took part.
Pat Sullivan took part in the play, “The Heir of Liscarragh.” Pat was also the servant in David Carrick’s play. “The Lone House on the Moor,” was another play they produced.
Victor O’Donovan Power did not take any part in the performances. He only came now and again to visit the Company. It was a general show with music, songs, dances etc. The first year that Pat Sullivan went with the company they started at Cahir, Cashel Hospital. They also went to Doneraile, Midleton, Millstreet, Bandon, and parts of Clare. The Company spent 3 nights in each place and in some places a couple nights longer.
Hearne Family
Pat Sullivan and his wife believed that Victor only had a sister that married J.B. Hearne. They noted that J.B. Hearne had at least 2 children. They did not appear to know about the triplets or twins. Their daughter Ethel Hearne went to Belfast. She was married to an English Army Officer. When JB Hearne went bust in Chilcomb he went to Belfast where he died. He is buried in the Old Chapel Yard in Rosbercon. His wife is also buried there where the old chapel was located. A newspaper search turned up an obituary for J.B. Hearne. He died in 1952 in Cork at the age of 96 (New Ross Standard, Fri. 7 March 1952, p. 2.) Victor O’Donovan Power was mentioned in the obituary as well as the fact that Victor’s uncle was the Dr. Thomas Joseph Power (1830-1893) the Bishop of Newfoundland.
1926 Rosbercon Census
JB Hearne was 69 years of age and reported being born in New Ross. He was employed as a maize miller. His wife, Mary Josephine was 75 years of age (in the 1901 Census they were recorded as the same age). The 1926 House and Building Return shows that there were two Chilcomb Houses, namely: Chilcomb House and Chilcomb Park House. One house is occupied by the John O’Leary family (3 men and 1 woman) in three rooms and Victor Power (1 male) in 2 rooms. David Mulligan (1 man and 1 woman) resided in a tent. J.B. Hearne (his wife and 1 servant) occupied 10 rooms.
Victor Power recorded his age as 67. He was single, and for his occupation he listed that he was a novelist and playwright. He could read Irish but could not speak it. According to Pat Sullivan Victor wasn’t well off and said so himself. However, he was able to earn his living.
Victor O’Donovan Power’s Ramblings
According to Pat Sullivan, Victor used to visit Pat Sullivan’s and Johnnie Power’s of Butterbridge, Rosbercon; Pat Murphy’s of Ballycroney, Glenmore; Lanigan’s of Ballylog (the Rower?); Tom Lenihan’s? of Ballycurran, Tullogher; the Ryan’s of Guilcogh; Cahill’s of Ballygurrim and several other places. Victor mainly travelled the South Kilkenny area around New Ross and West Cork. However, sometimes people came to Victor. Pat Sullivan said that he saw Lil Linegar in an ass and car coming to visit Victor in Raheen.
Death
Victor was only sick for about 3 days when he died. He died in the Haughton Hospital of New Ross. “They brought him down from the hospital to Shanbogh out the new line.”
Victor had 3 fiddles one of which he called the Fairy Fiddle. He also had and played fifes and flageolets (similar to a tin whistle). Victor wanted his Fairy Fiddle buried with him, but it was not according to Pat Sullivan.
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Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com . We are particularly interested in finding more information on the interviewee Pat Sullivan (son of Pat Sullivan) formerly of Butterbridge and Raheen.
The drawing to the right is courtesy of The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1780 – 1950). Violin from Horní Lužice. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/f5fc8920-c558-012f-b833-58d385a7bc34
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Two Priests Named Grant Buried Together in Glenmore
Update
The best thing about posting on a blog is that mistakes can be corrected and posts can be updated as additional information is found. Last night an advertisement from 1830 was found regarding the Graiguenakill Mill that was the home of Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) good friend Nicky the Miller Forristal (1888-1979 ). The advertisement has been added to the original post of 7 June 2020. This may have been the time that James Cardiff (Nicky the Miller Forristal’s grandfather) acquired the mill.
Glenmore Grave: Rev. Wm. Grant (c. 1783-1821) & Rev. Thomas Grant (c. 1861-1929)
Close to the door into the porch of Glenmore Chapel (St. James) is an old crypt. The flat top of the crypt is inscribed, but difficult to read due to its age and exposure to the elements. Rev. William Grant and Rev. Thomas Grant died over one hundred years apart and any stated relationship between the two priests if recorded can no longer be read.
In 1821, the Saunder’s News-Letter (Thurs. 30 Aug. 1821, p. 2) recorded the death of Rev. William Grant the Curate of Glenmore as follows: “DEATHS–On the 21st instant, at Glinmore (sic), County Kilkenny, the Rev. William Grant, Assistant Catholic Priest in the Parish of Glinmore”. The flat top of the crypt records, “To the memory of the Rev. William Grant late curate of Glenmore, Who departed this life Aug. 17th 182?, Aged 38.”
The second inscription is for Rev. Thomas Grant died [illegible] 1929, Aged 68. The Death Register revealed that Rev. Thomas Grant, aged 68, PP, died on the 8th of Dec. 1929. A death notice was located in the Irish Independent (Sat. 14 Dec. 1929, p. 14) “Rev. Thomas Grant, P.P. who has died at Galmoy, Co. Kilkenny, was ordained at St. Kieran’s Kilkenny, 45 years ago, and ministered as curate for over 25 years at Clough, Rathdowney. About three years ago he was appointed P.P. of Galmoy.” Although buried in Glenmore, Fr. Thomas Grant does not appear to have ever been assigned to Glenmore.
The obituary of Fr. Thomas Grant’s sister, Miss Mary Grant (c. 1857 -1919) revealed that the two Grant priests whose remains were interned in the same crypt in Glenmore were great-uncle and great-nephew. We regret to announce the death of Miss Mary Grant, of Ballyvaring, Slieverue, which occurred on the 17th inst. The deceased was sister of the Rev. Thomas Grant C.C., Aghaboe, and grand-niece of Rev. Wm. Grant, who got the Chapel of Glenmore built. She was about 62 years of age…The chief mourners were: Rev. T. Grant (brother); John Grant (brother; Mr. John Grant and family; Mr. James Grant (Waterford Star, Sat. 27 Sept. 1919, p. 5).
Fr. William Grant’s Housekeeper
Danny Dowling (1927-2021) often laughed about the story of Fr. Grant’s housekeeper. Apparently the housekeeper was a formidable woman and gave out to Fr. Grant. He informed her that he would put her where all the parishioners would walk on her. Just at the door to the porch of the Chapel is a large flat stone that all parishioners entering the porch of the chapel must walk on. This is alleged to be Fr. Grant’s housekeeper’s grave. Unfortunately, due to the weather over the years and people walking on the stone the inscription can no longer be read.
Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Early Glenmore Notes by Danny Dowling (1927-2021)
Over seven decades Glenmore Village Historian Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded what people told him about Glenmore and nearby parishes. Recently while going through a large box of Danny’s notebooks we came across a small green pocket size spiral notebook with dated pages from January 1951. We believe this to be one of Danny’s earliest notebooks. Today, we present one entry that covers eight of the small notebook pages. The notes are presented as written by Danny. Any editorial explanations or comments have been placed in [square brackets]. Danny turned 24 in February 1951.
We believe that Danny recorded notes from conversations with his Jamestown neighbour and friend Wattie Power (1887-1961) and Wattie’s wife Alice Power née Curran (1881-1974). Prior to their deaths the couple moved from their farm in Jamestown to 114 the Quay in Waterford sometime before 1961.
13/1/51 [13 January 1951]
Mrs. Power remembers the time when there was no postman in Glenmore. At that time the people had to collect their letters from the post office. One incident which stands out in memory was when her brothers, children at the time, used to deliver the post to the P.P. Fr. Nolan. On that occasion her two brothers tore up the letters. One of which was an important one from the Bishop. She also remembers Powell’s house standing.
[William Powell (c. 1808-1880) was the first post master of Glenmore. He retired from the R.I.C. and opened the first post office around 1870 across from Francis O’Brien’s gate on the same side of the road as Hanrahan’s shop and post office. Powell’s wife Bridget died in 1891 in Robinstown. It is assumed that their house stood until after her death. See our post of 24 Nov. 2019 regarding the rise and demise of the Post Office in Glenmore].
[Fr. Edward Nolan (c. 1833-1898) is buried in Glenmore. He died 22 January 1898 aged 65. His headstone records that he was in the 38th year of his sacred ministry when he died. In 1883, according to the Waterford News (Fri. 18 May 1883, p. 3] he was moved from the Curacy of Mullinavat to Parish Priest of Glenmore. Thus, the incident regarding his letters being destroyed by the Curran boys occurred between 1883 and 1898. See our N. Surname page to read Fr. Nolan’s obituary.]
[Alice Curran (1881-1974) of Robinstown, Glenmore Village married Walter “Wattie” Power (1887-1967) of Jamestown. Alice had a sister Margaret (c. 1890-1946) who married Henry Bevans (c. 1890-1967) the principal of Glenmore (Robinstown) National School. In addition to being a principal Henry Bevans operated a bookshop and stationary business at 114 the Quay, Waterford. He and his wife lived above the shop and the Powers went to live with him sometime before 1961. For further information on the Curran family see our post of 30 Nov. 2019.]
Walter “Wattie” Power (1887-1961)
Wattie said there was a lime kiln around where Jim Dunphy’s cottage is now.
[Glenmore Grub in the Old Days]
A dish called Flummery was made from dried wheat ground in a quern. [See, “Ancient Ireland Grain Processing Quern Stones 101,” (2019) by Celtic RnR Tours.]
Wattie believed that it was made in the “praupeen” style. Praupeen [or prápin] was made from raw oatmeal and milk, either fresh or sour, and eaten raw. It was also made with cream. It was a common dish in Glenmore Parish down to Wattie’s early years. [Wattie was born in 1887]. It was generally eaten for supper and often during other times of the day.
[Typical Menu]
Typical days menu in Wattie’s father’s time—young days. [Wattie’s father Patsey Power was born in 1855].
Breakfast
Oaten bread and curds. Butter was used on the bread.
Supper
Boiled turnips and oatmeal dumplings, called dumblings, and sour milk. The dumblings were balls of oatmeal but with milk and boiled with the turnips. They say that there was no necessity then for Beacham’s pills. [In the 19th century English chemist Thomas Beecham marketed his pills as a laxative and general cure all for stomach and nervous ailments. It allegedly treated everything from constipation, headaches, melancholy and menstrual cramps.]
Dinner
Spuds, milk and salt and a salted herring. In the early days of Patsy Power they never sat down to a meal—they always stood as they had no seats. On the occasion of Fr. Power-a silanced priest ate standing up at Patsey Power’s, preyeats [potatoes] and herrings.
In lots of houses in those days a barrel of herrings was to be found. They bought the herrings fresh and salted them.
Patsy Walsh (son) told Wattie Power that when he was working with Johnny Mullins (present Nicky’s grandfather) of Flemingstown, he was sodding corn on this occasion and had been working from 7 am to 7 pm. when Johnny Mullins came down and said, “I think ‘gore you’d want a praupeen.” He sent him down a paper bag of oatmeal and a quart of sour milk.
Wattie himself brought out the dinner to Martin and Mick Fitzgerald, of Ballycroney, during the harvest time about 55 years ago [c. 1907] and it consisted of a square of oaten bread and a quart of sour milk.
At Dan Cody’s, of Carrigcloney, (present Danny’s great-grandfather) a workman said it was the best house for grub. He got oaten bread and curds for his breakfast.
[The Glenmore Creamery]
Mick Walsh of Haggard built the creamery in Glenmore, and the farmers of the parish dug the foundation, drew stones and other materials voluntarily.
[Land]
Field of Powers where rick was built was brought from its owner for 2/6 the price of a pair of brogues. [pair of shoes] The man who sold it was old at the time.
The 8 acres belonging to the Walsh’s of Jamestown, in Forristalstown was bought for £8 (£1 per acre) by Watt Walsh –present Tom’s grandfather from Pitt’s? Doherty’s father, Dicky Vorshalla. No one in Forristalstown would buy it from him.
[Jury Service]
When Dick Carroll, of Forristalstown, was called on the jury in Kilkenny he walked to and from Kilkenny, via Thomastown every night and morning. That was about 100 years ago now [c. 1861].
[Richard Carroll (c. 1804-1888) of Forristalstown, Glenmore is buried in St. James’s cemetery with his wife Ellen née Henneberry (c. 1813-1891) and family. It is 33 miles from Glenmore Village to Thomastown and a further 20 miles from Thomastown to Kilkenny City. ]
[Glenmore Men’s Fashion]
In Wattie’s father and grandfather’s time all the men wore corduroy knee breeches and long stockings and brogues.
[Wattie’s father was Patrick “Patsey” Power (1855-1942) the last native Irish speaker in the area. Patsey Power (1855-1942) was the son of Walter Power (c. 1809-1885) and his wife Catherine Merrigan.]
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Please send any corrections, additional information or photos to glenmore.history@glenmore-history
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The 1870 drawing of the dapper fellow to the right is courtesy of The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1870). The stage Irishman Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/30376a40-c564-012f-9b7a-58d385a7bc34
The featured photo today is Danny’s 1951 green spiral pocket sized notebook.
The Rest of the Story of Thomas K. Carr, Esq. (c. 1811-1869)
Sailing to Quebec
When we last discussed Thomas K. Carr (c.1811-1869) he had sold his assets in Ireland, gathered his family, boarded a ship in New Ross and set sail for Quebec. [See our previous post of 31 Aug. 2026.] The Montreal Gazette (Mon. 29 July 1850, p. 2) published that the “Ship Triton” under Captain Smith left New Ross on 13 June and arrived in the Port of Quebec on 25 July with 371 passengers. Another source provides that the Triton departed from New Ross on 1 June 1850 and landed in Quebec on 25 July 1850 (Jim Rees, “Fitzwilliam Tenants Listed in the Coolattin Estate Emigration 1847-56,” Carnew Historical Society website).
The Waterford Mail (Sat. 18 May 1850 p. 3) described the ship and her amenities as follows:
EMIGRATION FROM NEW ROSS: the following superior first class coppered and copper fastened packet ship is intended to be dispatched from New Ross to Quebec, The splendid and very fast sailing ship “Triton” 1300 tons burthen, J. Smith, Commander on the 1st June next. The above large and superior ship will be fitted up in the most approved manner for cabin, second cabin and steerage passengers; she is well ventilated and loft between decks, having a height of about 9 feet. She is to carry an experienced surgeon, and passengers by her will be supplied with water, fuel, breadstuffs, groceries etc., according to the new Government scale; she is to be followed by other equally fine passenger ships during the season. For freight or passage, as well as for fuller information, apply to W. Graves and Son.
PS—Owing to the small number of persons who landed at Quebec last year, it is expected that tradesmen and labourers landing there this summer will find a good demand for their services, and those bound to the western portions of the United States or of Canada, will find Quebec the cheapest landing port, from the great extent of cheap inland water navigation up the St. Lawrence and the vast lakes of America. New Ross, May 13, 1850.
Why Wisconsin?
Wisconsin became a State on 28 July 1848. It was the last State admitted to the Union which was located east of the Mississippi. Thomas K. Carr, per census declarations of family members, settled in Wisconsin in 1850. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Tues. 1 June 1852, p. 2) published a list of unclaimed letters at the Milwaukee Post Office which included a letter for Thomas Carr.
We know that Thomas K. Carr held his first dispersal auction at Castle Annaghs in August 1848. It appears likely, given the uncertainty regarding his lease of Castle Annaghs, that he began researching places where he might re-locate his family prior to 1848. In a newspaper search we came across several articles concerning advice for people wishing to emigrate to Canada and the United States. For example, “Emigration by Thomas Mooney” was published in the King’s Co. Chronicle on the front page of the 15 September 1847 edition. (King’s County is now known as County Offaly).
“Wisconsin Territory is about 300 miles in length—and, in the main, 150 to 200 miles in breadth. Its shape is triangular. The base line being formed for nearly 300 miles by the Great Lake Michigan; which is one of the greatest chain of inland navigation in the world…The soil and climate of Wisconsin Territory approaches nearer to the character of that of Ireland, than any other state of this union. The lands of Wisconsin are certainly the richest of the whole United States.” An adult traveling by ship from Quebec to Wisconsin (1600 miles) would cost two pounds. Children were half price and infants free.” [The correct distance between Quebec and Milwaukee is 1290 nautical miles.]
“There are three general inlets from Lake Michigan which is most open to emigrants: Milwaukee, Port Washington and Shebogan. Milwaukee is a busy growing city, of great traffic, and considerable manufacture. Ten years ago it was a dozen wooden huts that has grown into a population of 12,000 of which one third are Irish. The Irish in this place are superior to the average class of Irish emigrants, and command respect in the walks of trade, manufactures, and in the medical and legal professions, and have established a high character for Irishmen through the territory…A map of the lands to be sold by Government, can be had in Milwaukie, at the Government Land Office for 25 cents.”
Early Years in Wisconsin
Very little could be found regarding the Carr family from 1850 to Thomas K. Carr’s death in 1869 at the age of 58. We know that a farm was purchased in Oak Creek, Wisconsin where Thomas K. Carr remained for the rest of his life.
He sent his son, Edward K. Carr to the newly established Racine College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1855. Racine College was an Episcopal preparatory school and college in Racine, Wisconsin, that operated between 1852 and 1933. A total of 5 graduates delivered speeches at the third Commencement of Racine College in 1855. Edward Kough Carr, of Oak Creek, delivered his speech on the Importance of Agriculture (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mon. 30 July 1855, p. 2). “The pieces were very well written and very poorly spoken…We infer that elocution is the least cultivated of any branch of education at Racine College, at present. The degree of Bachelor of Science, was conferred…” (Daily Free Democrat, Fri. 27 Jul. 1855, p. 2).
In Oak Creek in the 1855 State Census there were 4 males and 2 females in the Carr household. In the 1860 Federal Census of Oak Creek, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Thomas K. Carr (49) farmer, had real estate worth $6400 and $1200 in personal property. He provided in birthplace as Ireland. His wife Jane Carr was 50; His son George Carr was 19 and daughter Hannah Carr was 17.
Also present in the household were:
John Butler (49) farm labourer, born in Ireland.
Olla Olsom (39) carpenter, born in Norway.
Ellen Erhase (19) house servant, born in Ireland.
The Will of Thomas K. Carr
On 6 August 1855 Thomas K. Carr executed a Will with John Jackson of Oak Creek, Wisconsin and Michael Hickey (no address provided) as his Witnesses. It appears that Thomas K. Carr drafted his Will without the aid of a lawyer.
I, Thomas Kough Carr, of the town of Oak Creek, in the County of Milwaukee and state of Wisconsin, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament, revoking all former Wills be me made. I order all my just debts and funeral expenses to be paid out of my Estate.
I give and bequeath to my wife Jane Carr, all my real and personal estate of whatsoever kind and description I may die possessed of for her sole use and benefit.
I appoint my said wife, Jane Carr, the Executrix to this my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of August one thousand, eight hundred and fifty-five, Thomas Kough Carr.
Per Thomas K. Carr’s headstone, he died on 23 February 1869, aged 58. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wed. 24 1869, p. 1) published a one line death notice, “DIED: February 23rd, at his residence in Oak Creek, Thomas K. Carr, aged 58 years.” No obituary could be located however, the Munster Express (Fri. 27 Mar. 1869, p. 4) also published a death notice “—Feb. 23 at Oak Creek, State of Wisconsin, United States, Thomas Kough Carr, Esq., formerly of Castle Annaghs in the county of Kilkenny, aged 58 years.”
Estate of Thomas K. Carr Papers
The Estate Papers filed by Jane Carr after her husband’s death provides some detail concerning his 19 years in Wisconsin. The farm was named “Hope Farm” and its legal description was: the South half of the South East quarter and the south half of the North half of the South East quarter of section 10 in township 5 North, range twenty-two east and containing one hundred and twenty acres. The Court awarded the real and personal property to the widow Jane Carr on 8 July 1870.
Inventory of Thomas K. Carr Estate
Real Estate consisting of 120 acres known as Hope Farm $6,000
Farming Tools $229.87
2 Horse Buggy $100
2 Sets of Harness $30
Hens, Geese & Turkeys $13.50
2 Hogs $40
5 Pigs $15
Sheep & Lambs $95
3 Horses $300
1 Yearling Colt $25
A 3 year old colt $70
5 Cows $200
3 Heifers $75
1 two year old steer $25
4 yearlings $40
1 bull $25
2 calves $10
Gun and case $15
30 ? of wood $75
Jane named their three children as his heirs and next of kin. [1] Edward K. Carr was 30; [2] George Thomas Carr was 28; and [3] Hannah Cornelia “Nina” Carr was 25.
Death of Mother, Marie Carr née Kough (c. 1791-1874)
Seven years after Thomas K. Carr left New Ross, his father Edward Carr Esq. (c. 1780-1857) died. His mother survived Thomas by 5 years. Marie Carr née Kough died at Belview Terrace, Tramore, Waterford on 22 April 1874. Her occupation was listed as Lady and her age was provided as 83. Marie’s death in 1874 and a resulting lawsuit provided some interesting information concerning the family.
The Lady With No Assets
The Munster Express in 1874 published the case of Tandy v. Carr (Fri. 25 July 1874, p. 5). Wark was suing Edward Carr for £22 1 s 6d for his mother’s rent. Maria Carr became Wark’s tenant in 1869 of 2 Bellvue Terrace Tramore, under Mr. Carew at £36 per year. In May 1872 Carew’s lease expired. Work raised the rent to £40 and entered into a lease directly with Maria Carr. Mrs. Carr paid her rent with punctuality. After she died in April 1874, her son Edward Carr asked Wark to take the house off of his hands. Wark refused. He recommended that Carr leave the furniture in the house and Carr let the house for the summer. Instead, Carr held an auction the 14th and 15th of May and all the furniture was sold. The auction realized £254 15s 4d.
Wark testified that he saw Messrs Carr at the funeral, but did not speak to them. Wark attended the auction and was told that Edward Carr was only trustees. A Mr. Mason was looking for the house and Wark agreed to take him as a tenant. Mr. Mason offered to pay £30 in rent and Wark agreed to take £37.
Carr’s attorney argued that Mrs. Carr brought the furniture and plate from Arnestown to Tramore, but none of it belonged to her. Mr. Carr made his Will on the 22nd of May 1856, and left his property to his wife for her life only. She had no right to it. It was a portion of the residue of the late Edward Carr’s estate.
Edward Carr produced his father’s Will. “I told Mr. Wark distinctly that the furniture was not my mother’s. I offered to leave it to arbitration. I offered to give him £20 to take up the house. Wark refused. Edward Carr testified that the furniture sold at the auction had been in his father’s house. It was removed to Rathmines and thence to Tramore. He stated his mother had 11 children and 53 grandchildren and one of them always stayed with her. He was not aware of his mother buying or selling any furniture since his father’s death. He paid £37 for her funeral. He noted that up until the 26th of June the rent was paid.
The judge addressed the jury stating that Carr, the executor did not dispute the date, but on the date this suit was brought his mother’s estate had no assets. They were to consider whether the furniture was Mrs. Carr’s or had she only a life interest in it. The jury retired, and after a few minutes returned with a verdict for Edward Carr.
Maria Carr (c. 1790-1874) was buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Harold’s Cross Co. Dublin.
Thomas K. Carr’s Children
All three of the children of Thomas K. and Jane Carr were born in the Georgian big house at Castle Annaghs which boasted 10 bedrooms. The children were between 12 and 7 when they emigrated to Wisconsin with their parents. Between the Georgian big house and the Barrow River stood Castle Annaghs. It is not known if the Castle was inhabited or in ruins when the children lived there. It is not known if stories regarding their life at Castle Annaghs were passed down. We did find that Edward K. Carr’s daughter Frankie listed her father’s birthplace as New Ross.
[1] Edward K. Carr (1838-1907) married Eleanor Margaret Raney (1848-1914) on 24 March 1874 in Raymond, Racine Co., Wisconsin. Before 1880 the couple moved to Gillespie County, Texas. The US 1880 Census, provides that Edward K. Carr (41) was farming. The following persons were in the household: Eleanor M. Carr (wife, 31); Thomas K. Carr (son, 4); Hellen E. Carr (daughter, 2) and Nina Esther Carr (daughter, 11 mos.). Also in the household was Frank L. Raney (22) (brother-in-law).
The 1880 Gillespie, Texas, Agriculture Census provides more information. Edward K. Carr had 15 acres in grain; 545 acres in old fields not growing weeds; $3000 was the value of the farm land/buildings and fences; £100 was the value of farm implements and machinery; $260 was the value of livestock; $70 were the costs associated with building and repairs; $25 wages & board was paid in 1879 for labour; he had 3 weeks hired labour (excluding housework); $50 value of all production sold/consumed/retained for 1879. He farmed with 3 horses and 2 mules.
Edward K. Carr, died in 1907 and is buried in the Hill Crest Cemetery on the Morris Ranch, Gillespie County, Texas.
Edward and his wife had at least four children.
[1a] Edward George Carr (1886-1943) married Celeta E. Carr. Edward George Carr and his wife moved to Illinois before 1920. Edward George Carr died in Chicago, and is buried in Milwaukee. An obituary was found in the Chicago Tribune (Sun. 15 Aug. 1943, p. 24) as follows: Services for Edward G. Carr, 57 years old, 1304 Birchwood Ave. who died Wednesday, were held yesterday in the chapel at 5501 North Ashland Ave. Mr. Carr, an inventor and manufacturer, was one of the early advocates of concrete highways in Illinois. He had been engaged in building concrete runways for the army air forces. Surviving are his widow, Celeta Lewis Carr, one son Pvt. Richard L. Carr, a prisoner in a Japanese camp in the Phillippines, and four sisters. [His brother Tom also survived him].
[1b] Jean Alice Galbraith née Carr (1883-1979) married James C. Galbraith and had at least two sons. Jean remained in Texas.
[1c] Thomas K. Carr (1875-1962) married Mamie Brodie (1874-1962). He remained in Gillespie Co. Texas and was a stock farmer and ranchman on “White Oaks Ranch.” (Kerrville Mountain Sun, Wed. 17 Jan. 1962, p. 16). He and his wife had at least 3 children.
[1d] Frankie Raney Polk née Carr (1881-1948) married Sam C. Polk. Frankie was a retired school teacher when she died and had been widowed. She had at least one child. Frankie remained in Texas.
[2] George Thomas Carr (1840-1881) was the second son of Thomas K. Carr and his wife Jane Carr. George Thomas Carr married Harriet Sutton (1854-1922) on 21 Sept. 1871 at Bingham, Leelanau Co., Michigan. George T. Carr was a lumberman per the 1880 Census. George T. Carr held land in Sutton’s Cove, Michigan and we have been unable to verify that he had a mill and dock. References have also been found that he was a grocer prior to his marriage and served as a postmaster in Sutton’s Cove. In any event, George and Harriet had two children die young and 2 children survive until adulthood
[2a] George Thomas Carr (1872—1935) and
[2b] Ella A. Carr (1874-1900) was just 25 when she died of appendicitis.
[2d] Mabel Carr died as an infant on 3 Sept. 1881. The Minneapolis Messenger (Fri. 9 Sept. 1881, p. 5) published an obituary. “Little Mable, infant daughter of Mrs. George F. (sic) Carr, died in this city on Saturday morning…Mrs. Carr is a daughter of Mr. H.C. Sutton, of this place, who buried her husband a short time ago at Sutton’s Bay, Michigan…The afflicted mother has the sympathy of the community. She has two bright children left her.”
Although George T. Carr died very young we have been unable to find any reference to his cause of death.
[3] Hannah Cornelia “Nina” Carr (1843-1912) was the only daughter of Thomas K. Carr and his wife Jane Carr. Nina married in Chicago two years after her father’s death. She married Alphonse William Perrin (1848-1922). The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Sat. 21 Jan. 1871, p. 4) published a marriage announcement. “PERRIN-CARR—On the 17th inst., at St. James’s Church, Chicago, Ill., by the Rev. C.V. Kelly, Alphonse W. Perrin, of San Antonio, Texas, to Nina, daughter of the late Thomas K. Carr, of Oak Creek, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.”
A.W. and Nina had a large family and lived twelve miles from San Antonio, Texas, on “Hope Farm” in Bexar Co. (San Antonio Express News, Sat. 24 July 1909. p. 6). The family lived on a 540 acre farm. In 1923 they deeded an acre to be used as a cemetery by the heirs of A.W. and Nina Perrin (deceased) (San Antonio Express News, Tues. 30 Oct. 1923, p. 17).
[3a] Jane “Jennie” Martha Perrin (1873-1950)
[3b] Raymond Perrin (c. 1874-1912). Raymond died in May 1912 unmarried. He was survived by his parents (San Antonio Express News, Sat. 25 May 1912, p. 14).
[3c] Ruth Nina Perrin (1876-1960) married William A. Conry of Allen Grove, Wisconsin in 1909. (San Antonio Express News, Sat. 24 July 1909, p. 6). The couple were living in Avion, Wisconsin in 1912. Ruth is buried in Wisconsin, and she had a second marriage to a man named Cox.
[3d] Martha “Mattie” Perrin (c. 1878- ?) married Judson
[3e] Francis “Fanny” Caroline Perrin (1880-1959) married Francis A. McClure. Per the 1950 census Bertha, Ruth and Jennie Perrin were all living with their sister and brother-in-law.[3f] Bertha Josephine Perrin (1884-1958) never married.
[3g] George Fredrick Perrin (1882-1960) applied for a passport in 1917 to accept a post as foreman of a coke plant in Mexico. His profession was steam engineer. In his sister Jennie’s obituary, he was again residing in San Antonio. George F. Perrin is not buried in the Perrin family cemetery.
What Happened to Jane Carr née Keogh/Kough?
In the 1880 Census Jane Carr was living with her daughter and son-in-law in Bexar, Texas. Alphonse Perrin was a 32 year-old farmer. He reported that he had been born in New York. His father was born in England and his mother had been born in Ireland. Nina in 1880 was 37 and Jane Carr was 70.
Several of the Perrin family are buried in the Perrin Cemetery, San Antonio, Bexter Co., Texas. In searching the Perrin Cemetery, we came across Jean (sic) Carr (28 Feb. 1809-17 Nov. 1891). Her inscription reads “In memory of Jean, wife of T.K. Carr, born in Ireland, Feb. 28, 1809, Died Nov. 17, 1891, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.”
Jane or Jean’s death notice was found in the San Antonio Express News (Thur. 19 Nov. 1891, p. 5) and provides, “Mrs. Jean Carr, a well-known old lady who has lived in this county for many years, died at her home on the Salado yesterday morning at the age of 83.”
Please send any corrections, additional information or photographs to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
The featured map above has the Oak Creek Wisconsin area outlined in red. Milwaukee is to the North and Racine is to the south of Oak Creek. This interactive map is available on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Creek,_Wisconsin#/map/0 .
From Danny’s Glenmore Photo Album 6.0 [Updated]
Today, we are featuring a harvest photo Danny Dowling (1927-2021) took at the Dowling Farm in Jamestown, Glenmore.
We believe that the photo was taken in the 1950’s. We believe that the women in the photo were Danny’s sisters. The only person positively identified thus far is the man kneeling in the front row, 2nd person from right, Richie Dunphy (c. 1936-2015) of Ballyverneen, Glenmore.
Can you identify any of the people in the photo? If so please indicate their placement in the photo, their name and townland if known to glenmore.history@gmail.com .
If you would like to view previous posts from Danny’s Photo Album see our,
[5] Post of 8 January 2025;
[4] Post of 4 May 2022;
[3] Post of 10 May 2022;
[2] Post of 24 May 2022;
[1] Post of 9 June 2022.
If you have any photos of Glenmore or Glenmore people you would like to share please send them to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Update: Thanks to Bernard and Jackie Walsh the following people have been identified.
Front row: (left side) (kneeling) First man with hat–Danny Aylward, Ballyfacey; the next man could possibly be Robbie Doherty Haggard.
Front row: (right side) (kneeling) from right Dinny Murphy, Milltown; Richie Dunphy (c. 1936- 2015) Ballyverneen; possibly Neddy Holden, Clune.
Second row: (standing) Mikey Dowling is standing beside his sister (she is holding a bottle); man with hands on his head is old Jack Fitzgerald of Busherstown.
Back row: (standing) from right Pat Fitzgerald, Busherstown; next with flat cap is Seamus Fitzgerald, Ballycroney
