Lawrence Ryle/Reilly

Lawrence Ryle (aka Reil and Reilly), was born in 1824 in Ballynaskreena, Kerry. He was the son of John Ryle and Margaret Griffin, who were married in Causeway on 05 Feb 1812. Lawrence married Mary Downey on 23 Feb 1846. They had a daughter, Margaret Ryle, baptized on 14 Feb 1847 in Farran, Kerry.

According to U.S. records, they had a daughter, Bridget, born in England in December of 1852. Records show that two more children were born to them in Niagara Falls, New York, (with the last name now spelled as Reilly): Michael Reilly was born 14 May 1855, and Dennis Reilly was born 6 Nov 1856. Mary died two weeks after giving birth to Dennis.

Two months after Mary died, Lawrence married Catherine Donohoe. Based on DNA matches, she was most likely from the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. They had three children: John Joseph Reilly was born 30 Nov 1857 in Niagara Falls. Ellen D. Reilly, born in Nov 1859 and Daniel James Reilly, born 1 Oct 1863, were both born in Greenfield, IN. The family moved back to Niagara Falls by 1865.

Catherine died in 1884 in Niagara Falls. A few years later, son Dennis became a Catholic priest and was assigned a parish in Buffalo, NY. Lawrence, Michael, Ellen, and Dan all moved to Buffalo to be near him. Lawrence died in Buffalo on 7 Oct 1909 at the age of 85. He was buried next to his wives Mary and Catherine in St. Mary's Cemetery in Niagara Falls, NY.