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O;Brien's, Shanahan, Ryan and Hickey,

TipperaryAghacrew (Tipperary)

Lastsummer I spent a month in Ireland withmy daughter and granddaughters which was our second trip to Ireland. We stood atop the mountain above the village of Silvermines, looking down to the River Shannon, a very breathtaking and humbling expeerience. I thought about my grandmothers grandarents who left Silvermines, took a voage across the ocean and settled and died in a little village in southeastern Nebraska. While in Silvermines the parish priest looked up some records.I also was fortunate that my grandma or her siblings had recorded information. The records in the books in Silvermines only went as far back as 1840 but what was found there supported and confirmed my information discovered stateside. Recordin Silverminessupported the parents names as James and Mary O'Brien.

Between 1859 and 1880 at least five O'brien siblings the children of James and Mary Shannahan and we believe another by the name of David, were living in Nebraska. They were all born in Silvermines, Tipperary. Mary O'Brien Riley and Bridget O'Brien Farrell emigrated from Silvermines about 1853 first stopping in Salem, Salem Co. New Jersey to stay with an Uncle (We believe his name was William and brother to their father James) marrying Michael Riley and Thomas Farrel, in Salem.These two families left New Jersey in 1859 for Nebraska. Mary was born 1833 and Bridget was born 1838and no records for them were in Silvermines. t Bridget is my direct lineage and these familes were instrumental in shaping the town they would call home and a lot is known on them.We found many records and a few headstones which stated Silvermines, we knew they stayed in New Jersey first etc..

Their brother Patrick O'briens, born 1838 Silvermines, married Anna Hickey on 19 Feb. 1860 in Silvermines. I was sure surprized to find the date I had was the exact date found for their marriage in the parish records in Silvermines at the church. Their first two daughters were bron in Ireland, Winnifred and Mary by 1862; Winnifred in Garryyard. We knew this couples childrens names and that the oldest two were born in Silvermines and records confirmed this. This couple emigrated to Salem New Jersey abt 1862 and lived there for about ten years then went to join his siters. He may have traveled with another sister Johanna..

In any event a third sister Johanna O'brien born 1839 was married in Slem in 1866 and she and her husband also joined the siblings in Nebraska. By 1860, Catherine O'Brien Ryan joined the siblings in Nebraska. I believe she came to the states closer to 1880 and I believe, likely after her husband's death and we believe her husband is buried in Silvermines. We are not sure of his name but think John/ possibly Jerimiah Ryan. We found church records there for two Catherin.s We found some babtimal records there that supported her sons births, but we did not have exact dates on her three knwn sons. Her son, Thomas was born abt 1861 but the census records etc have a range of about 1858-1862.We think 1861 is very accurate.Her son John was born around 1863 and Martin 1864. In Silvermines there was a Patrick born to a Catherine and her husband. So, it got a little confusing with confirming Catheirne definantly.

David is a brother. He was born abt 1840 and is buried in the O'Brien plot. We also think there were brothers James and John and found some records in Silvermines that appeared to confirm thisbut could not vrerify these men were their siblings. We also think that Anna Hickey from the Silvermine records led us to this conclusion, had two sisters named Winnifred and Ellen. In researching in Salem. Salem County, New Jersey, we brlieve the Uncle name was William O'brien. This William was born about 1805, wife name Margaret/Mary and three children born Silvermines, William bn 1831 abt, Patrick abt 1838 ( near his cousin age) and Walter abt 1827. They remained in New Jersey. Lastly ther is a Ellen O'Brien bn abt 1825 who lived in the same Nebraska town as the siblings but appears widowed, no name of her husband found. Notsure how, if,she fits in. Any help you can offer me would be greatly appreciated and would love to meet family in Silvermines! I have some information on the Ryan's but think this is enough for now. Thanks so much! Kathy

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Kathy:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

Thanks for your message about your Silvermines ancestors. We have a parish liaison in Silvermines so I will alert him about your message. If you don't hear back from him in about a week, let me know here. Also, in case you do not have it, here is a link to the actual parish register for Silvermines for the years 1840-1880 http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0798

Roger McDonnell

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Kathy,

Sorry for the delay in a reply, I have been in touch with a man by the name of Tommy Hickey. From what i can make out he may be connected to Winni. But i am waiting for him to get back  to me. I will also be fowarding your question to him as well. This is a good time to get your email as the Gleeson clan are meeting shortly. With Ryan being a very popular name in Tipperary every family has a nickname, Like Ryan "Tar"  do you know the nickname?

Cheers

Andrew

Silvermines Ti…IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for the reply! While in Silvermines we met a Mr. Hickey,first name I do not recall, who owned the local bar, pub. We had discussed this Ann Hickey married to Patrick O'Brien. We could not make a direct connection, however, with the parish priest we did confirm this Ann to Patrick O'Brien. I am sure there is a connection somewhere.

 It was through the associated names on the records found there which as stated confirmed records here, that we discovered who we believe were other relations to Ann for example.  Or more O'Brien siblings, These familes I spoke of, the O'Brien siblings all ended up in Dawson, Richardson Co. Nebraska. I do not think the village reached a peak population of a 400 and even today its population is under a few hundred.

Having said this it was full of Ryan's. Figuring out the Ryan's. was hard, as like in Silvermines, Dawson was full of Ryan's. One lineage was confirmed as from Kerry another from Calway but others from Tippeary. Because Catherine O'Brien Ryan was widowed when she reached Dawson, we new little of her husbands lineage of Ryans, and because we did not or have not been able to determine a connection with the other known Ryan's from Tippeary I have very little to goon with the Ryan's.

Okay, near as I am able to determine there were seven lineges of Ryan's. Kerry and Calway as I spoke of, but two other from Tippeary but have not been able to determine if from Silvermines. We do believe however, that Catherine had a brother in law by the name of Thomas Ryan, as he was listed on her 1880 or 1885 census stating this.  Catheirne O'Brien Ryan was also the first of the siblings in Dawson to die in 1887. Her headstone says erected by sons Thomas, Martin and John. In silvermines records there was a Patricik with parents John and Catherine born 1864, a new name to us. We did find the names Gleason in your records.

Speaking of nic names, all of the Thomas Ryans, and there were eight over a few generations, had nic names but more for distinquishng each of the Thomas Ryans rather than for surname reasons. But there were recorded in some town history decades later which is how I discovered they used nic names.

The Mary O'Brien who married Michael Riley in Salem, New Jersey he and his brothers were also from Tippeary but do not know if  from Silvermines. Who knows maybe this clan of Riley's travled with this William O'brien who settled and stayed in New Jersey while the others left?? lots of unknowns.

Sorry I could not help you with more information. Our Thomas went by Waxy but as I said the nic names were givn stateside to help the town know which Thomas they were speaking of.There are at least two other Ryan lines that go to Tippeary but again do not knwo if from Silvermines.I spent years putting all of this together. Had to sort out the Ryans to know if any belonged to my direct line and in doing so proved what was right by proving what was wrong and putting together the town history in the process.Thanks so much for all of your hlep. Any questions I will try to answer.

I do know the O'Brien's and related families had schooling.They were writing back and forth to Ireland and to family that had moved to New Jersey and Nebraska. If this helps in anyway.

.Kathy

 

 

 

 

 

 

IrelandXO member

Thank you!

IrelandXO member

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