James Vincent Larkin

Born in Killimor, Galway to Patrick and Celia Waldron Larkin. Entered school in April 1870 age 10 years; Residence: Killimor; Parents' occupation: Publican (Killimor school records). He attended the Franciscan Brothers Secondary (boarding) school. He left for Canada when he was around 17 because his father wanted him to become a priest. He was a surveyor. He left from Manchester, England to Canada and went to work as a surveyor for the Canadian railroad. His daughter Anna says he went to Canada (1880 Census) first from Ireland because his "buddies" lived there, but it was too cold, so he came to Chicago. Married his childhood sweetheart (from Killimor) Maria Elizabeth Curley (widow of William Malachy Mohan) and adopted her son. They lived in Chicago and had 4 more children. Cecilia Gertrude (1889-1968), Joseph Francis (1890-1951), Anna Marie (1891-1973 and Mary (1897-1983). He married twice more with one daughter (Elenor Margaret 1919-2005) born to his third wife, Katherine K. Kelly (1883-1961). His career was spent working for the Chicago Police Department for 33 years as Lieutenant. He was somewhat famous, and numerous stories are available in the Chicago newspapers of the time. His birth records could not be found because it's believed that they were lost in the big fire/explosion. To confirm that he was the child of Patrick Larkin of Killimor, I took a DNA test that matched with the descendants of his brother Francis Patrick Larkin who currently live in Chicago.