Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

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Sduddy
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Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Tue Dec 07, 2021 12:11 pm

Hi Jimbo

I’m glad you found the Clare Journal report of the appeal by the West Clare Railway in that book, A Picture of Percy French, by Alan Tongue. And thanks for giving an account of it, including an alternative story for Cutting the Corn in Creeslough.

That is a lovely picture of a house in Donegal on a snowy (!) day in June 1996. That was a long cycle from Co. Sligo all along the coast to Co. Down. I was at Malin Head in Donegal in August 1997 so missed you by a whisker. There is one part of the coast of Donegal that is still too remote for drivers, but maybe you can cycle there. It is Glenlough where the artist Rockwell Kent lived for a while in 1926 (his neighbour Dan Ward told him his paintings were terrible), and the poet Dylan Thomas lived for a while in 1935 (and nearly went mad with loneliness). Maybe, when you were in Co. Derry, you went through Ballykelly, a small village near Limavaddy – that was where John Steinbeck’s mother’s people, the Hamiltons, lived, but they had all died by the time he visited in 1952. He described his visit in a piece he wrote afterwards for Collier’s Magazine, and it shows that not everyone was sentimental about Ireland: http://brianjohnspencer.blogspot.com/20 ... eland.html. If Elizabeth Hornbeck’s grandchildren ever visited Tulla, they probably would find that nobody remembered her.

Daniel O’Donnell always sounds to me like he is skating around an ice-rink, but his kindness and generosity, of which I have good knowledge, makes me like him.

Sheila

Jimbo
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Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Sun Dec 12, 2021 9:16 am

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for sharing the Collier's magazine article written by John Steinbeck. Never knew Steinbeck had any Irish ancestry. Just a few comments. Why would John Steinbeck refer to his own grandmother as "His [grandfather's] little bog-trotting wife"? Very insulting, and according to every census report and her own obituary, his grandmother wasn't even born in Ireland but in New York. This makes the comment that his "Irish" grandmother "put out milk for the leprechauns" even more silly. Did American magazine editors require every article about Ireland to mention leprechauns?

Percy French died on 24 January 1920. "A Picture of Percy French" by Alan Tongue includes five obituary newspaper clippings from various papers. None mention that it was the Rev. Dr. Collisson, who wrote the music for so many of French's songs, that said the requiem mass for his lifelong friend. One week later, the Rev. Dr. Collisson died on 31 January 1920.
SONG WRITER'S END
NEW FACTS OF DR. COLLISSON'S TRAGIC DEATH.


An inquest is to be held on the Rev. Dr. W.A. Collisson, the well-known composer, who died suddenly at Burton Manor, Chester, while visiting Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gladstone.

Dr. Collisson, who was at St. John's Church, Great Marlborough street, left London on Saturday after saying a Requiem Mass for his almost lifelong friend Mr. Percy French. "The Mountains of Mourne" was written by Mr. French and Dr. Collisson wrote the music of this well-known Irish song.

On Saturday evening he helped to entertain 700 ex-soldiers who were the guests at dinner of Mr. Gladstone, Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Chester. On Sunday Dr. Collisson was in his usual health, and attended service at Hawarden Parish Church. . . .

Unobtrusively, Dr. Collisson was instrumental in raising more than £30,000 for war charities. A very large number of people will be the poorer by his untimely death at the comparatively young age of 54. The funeral will take place on Saturday.

Evening Standard, London, Saturday, 3 February 1920
Then two weeks later, the Lord Chief Baron Christopher Palles, who was the judge at Clare Spring assizes for the appeal of French v West Clare Railway, died on 14 February 1920.

Last year, 2020, would be the 100th anniversary of the death of Percy French. Yet, An Post, the Irish post office, issued no commemorative stamp for this anniversary? Very disappointing.

150th Anniversary of Gaiety Theatre, Dublin (October 2021).jpg
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On 7 October 2021, An Post issued the above four commemorative stamps for the "Gaiety Theatre — 150 Years of Opening Nights". Unfortunately, as we learned from its review in the Guardian, the musical "The Golden Years" opened in Liverpool in 1961 due to a strike in Dublin by back stage workers and would thus not qualify to be depicted in this stamp series:
The Golden Years
Royal Court, Liverpool


It is easy to understand why, but for a strike of back stage workers, this new musical by Donal Giltinan and Eric Rogers would have opened in Dublin instead of Liverpool. Only, one suspects, across the Irish Sea would its tired 'Oirishness and Phil-the-Flutery, which predates Synge let alone Behan, be tolerated.

See complete review by John Mapplebeck on page 34.
The Guardian, London, 27 June 1961
This first paragraph in the review of "The Golden Years" and its use of "Oirishness" and comparisons to Synge and Behan was interesting to research further.

In the Guardian review of "The Golden Years" why would John Mapplebeck state that only in Dublin would they tolerate its "tired Oirishness" which predates Synge? John Millington Synge was an Irish playwright whose most famous play "The Playboy of the Western World" was one of four Irish stamps honoring Irish Theatre issued by An Post on 18 October 1990 (the top left stamp):

Irish Theatre 1990 postage stamps.jpg
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The depictions of Irish life in "The Playboy of the Western World" would certainly be defined as "tired Oirishness". But since Dubliners rioted over this depiction when the play premiered at the Abbey Theatre in 1907, the comment that only in Dublin would the Oirishness of "The Golden Years" be tolerated makes no sense. Was this what the British call an "ironic comment" and I just don't get it? According to the Cambridge dictionary, an "ironic comment" is used when you really mean the opposite of what you are saying. Although, I reckon, that John Mapplebeck writing for The Guardian in 1961, without the benefit of the internet or an Irish stamp collection, was simply not aware of the reception that "The Playboy of the Western World" received in Dublin in 1907?

On 24 March 2009, An Post issued a commemorative stamp for John Millington Synge (1871 - 1909), on the 100th anniversary of his death. The stamp has another scene from "The Playboy of the Western World". That's two stamps for J.M. Synge, and none for Percy French (1854 - 1920).

J M Synge (1871 - 1909) Irish stamp.jpg
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The Guardian review's comment that the "tired Oirishness" of "The Golden Years" predates Behan, refers of course to Brendan Behan. However, I don't believe that any of his plays or novels would ever be described as "tired Oirishness" or the "sticky sentiment of Galway Bay". Perhaps "tired Oirishness" in this context is referring to the stereotype of the drunken Irishman? Brendan Behan's heavy drinking led to an early death at the age of 41 years old. On 20 March 2014, An Post issued a commemorative stamp for Brendan Behan (1923-1964) on the 50th anniversary of his death.

Brendan Behan (1923 - 1964) Irish stamp.jpg
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A well-deserved stamp which Brendan Behan's descendants made a strong effort to obtain. But where was the effort prior to 2020 to obtain a commemorative stamp marking the 100th anniversary of the death of Percy French? Incredibly disappointing.

I also found it interesting how the British and Irish use "Oirish" and "Oirishness" in a different manner. As in the Guardian, a British person might use it to refer to "stage Oirishness" (also known as "stage Irish buffoonery") or else to poke fun at an Irish stereotype. While the Irish more frequently use "Oirish" as in the below example from an Irish newspaper in 1959:
QUAINT FOLK—THESE OIRISH!

"Most Irish in the old country respect Leprechauns. They leave food out for them at night, to keep them happy".
(Mr. Walt Disney)

Catholic Standard, Dublin, Friday, 3 July 1959
Seven years after John Steinbeck's essay in Collier's magazine about his trip to Ireland, another comment about the Irish leaving food or drink out to please the leprechauns. I was never even aware of this tradition. Walt Disney must have been promoting his film "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" released in 1959 starring Sean Connery.
Fiddle scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIT_ov0lOXo
Banshee appearance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhxC_1wuo3E

The 1959 newspaper article is a fairly early usage of Oirish in the same manner how the Irish frequently use it today. In searching the newspaper archives, this usage of "Oirish" in Ireland really picked up in the 1990's. This might be due in part to the 1992 release of the American film "Far and Away". The below is the best definition I could find:
"Oirish" is a term coined by amused Irish natives to describe anything associated with the tourist cult of Ireland that paints it as the land of shamrocks, blarney stones, leprechauns, and Guinness. It can also be used to describe anyone who despite many generations in the new world and questionable Irish ancestry constantly proclaims themselves to be Irish. This can range from an innocent baseball cap with a shamrock on it to a drunken twit [a silly or foolish person] in a kilt idiotically greeting everyone with a faux accented "top o' the mornin' to yah laddie".
urbandictionary. com.
In America, I reckon "Oirish" is not so frequently used today or even during the late 20th century. But "Oirish" was commonly found in newspapers in the 19th century and used as satire to make fun of Irish immigrants living in America.

Edit 1: typos
Last edited by Jimbo on Tue Dec 21, 2021 7:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Sun Dec 12, 2021 5:55 pm

Hi Jimbo

My reply here is not at all an adequate one, I’m afraid. I don’t know how “oirishness” is defined – I think the definition probably changes from age to age.

Dr. Collisson arranged the music for The Mountains of Mourne, but he took the air from an old air, Carraig Donn, which Tom Moore used for Bendemeer’s Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJtzpVw4qHA. Here are the McPeakes singing Carriag Dun – a Belfast family, they were well known early sixties, but were soon overshadowed by the Clancy Brothers: https://play.tdcm.com.br/track/348532/carraig-dun (scroll down to Carraig Dun). A good air is often used again and again, and it’s impossible to say when it was first heard.

I’m surprised that there is no stamp for Percy French. It may be that he is associated with a patronizing view of the peasantry. In his poem, “The Four Farrellys,”* he admits a preference for the last Francis Farrelly, and some people might say that of course the last Francis Farrelly is no threat to the status quo.
But I think Percy French does not pretend to be anything other than a light entertainer. He belongs to the world of light entertainment, whereas Yeats and Synge belong to another world – the world of serious Literature. When Yeats advised Synge to go to the Aran Islands, he was not sending him to be bemused, or beguiled, or charmed; he was sending him there to learn – to learn by immersing himself in a world that was older than 1,500 years of Christianity. Synge did learn some Irish, but found, also, that people spoke as much English as they could to him. He was fascinated by their stories and by the mixture of paganism and Catholic religion.
At that time many Irish people liked to think of the people of Ireland, especially the west of Ireland, as very religious and very pure. But, in The Playboy of the Western World, the characters have sexual feelings, and the script includes the word “shift” (a woman’s undergarment), and, to the Dublin audience at the Abbey Theatre, in 1907, this was an insult to Ireland – hence the terrible commotion.
*The Four Farrellys: https://allpoetry.com/The-Four-Farrellys

Sheila

Jimbo
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Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Sat Feb 26, 2022 5:05 am

Hi Sheila,

Thank you as always for your feedback and continued support in the search for the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree, which has now entered its fifth year.

With regards to Synge's Playboy of the Western World, the Guardian newspaper had an interesting article "The Riotous History of the Playboy of the Western World" from 2011 when the play was at the Old Vic in London. It mentions, like you did, the use of the word "shift" as a cause of the riots, but also the underlying act of a son killing his father. This was the scene depicted in the Irish stamp commemorating the 100 anniversary of Synge's death.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2011/ ... ld-old-vic

Our focus on Percy French has been on his songs with a connection to County Clare. However, his most famous song was The Mountains of Mourne which are located in County Down. Perhaps this was an additional strike against Percy French having an Irish postage stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of his death.

Last month the Irish post office issued two stamps commemorating the 100th anniversary of James Joyce publishing Ulysses. The stamps are divided into a total of 18 columns representing the 18 episodes of Ulysses. The various colors of some of the columns are consistent with the schema published by Stuart Gilbert so readers could better understand Ulysses. I would have liked to have read Ulysses prior to its 100th anniversary, but am quite satisfied to have made the connection between Lord Chief Baron Palles and the "Pontius Pilate" in Ulysses (see page 34). This reference to "Pontius Pilate" and Chief Baron Palles at the royal university dinner was from the seventh episode, Aeolus, which in the Gilbert schema is the color red. I have absolutely no idea how this Gilbert schema is meant to help my understanding of Ulysses, but it does explain the design of the newly issued Irish postage stamps:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_s ... or_Ulysses
Ulysses 100 year anniversary Irish stamps issued January 2022.jpg
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Regarding the use of "Oirish" in modern Irish newspapers, frequently "Oirish" will appear in an article about the top ten worst Irish accents in Hollywood movies. While the topic might be "tired Oirishness", it is really "tired newspaper reporting" as the same article is rehashed every year, typically around St. Patrick's Day. Tom Cruise's line "You're a corker, Shannon, what a corker you are" from "Far and Away" will always make these tired lists. On the other hand, American newspapers of the 19th century would use "Oirish" for more interesting social commentary as in the below newspaper article from 1879:
Mr. Nasby Goes to San Francisco to Get at the True Inwardness of the Chinese Question.
SAN FRANCISCO

(Wich is in the State uv Californy),
March 10, 1879

It's a long trip over the vast mountains and strtceched out plains that lay between Kentucky and the Pacific,. . . Immejitly on my arrival I went to the hedquarters uv the Anti-Chinese Assosiashen uv the Tenth Ward, and making myself known, towunst asked for informashen and demandid how I cood be uv servis to em.

Dinnis O'Shaughnessy sed that he hailed me ez a sturdy helper in the great coz uv maintainin the rites uv the opressed Amerikin, . . . . . .[violence] . . .

Barney McGrath offered a resolooshen that Ameriky wuz made for Amerikins, which Teddy O'Brien moved to amend by substitutin the word "Irishmen," for "Amerikins," which wuz voted down. Barney sed he hed ben a troo Amerikin ever since he landid, eight months ago, and he shood die one.

Mr. O'Shaughnessy went on, after this espisode. He sed he kept a nate and convayient likker grocercy, which wuz near the Chinese quarther. He hed bin in it iver sence he kim over two years ago, and he hed never seen a Chinaman cross his durestep. They earned a great deel uv money but not a cint uv it goes for likker, and that wuz one reason why Amerykin liberties wuz threatened. Ther wuz another piece uv oppreshn. They cood wash and cook ez well ez any Oirish gurrl thot iver kim from the ould sod. They wuz low-minded beins who wood sooner wash and cook than starve or steal, and they hed taked the places of more than 30,000 Oirish gurrls in 'Frisco. These gurrls hed brothers to borry uv em, there wuz the Church to keep up, and how sood it be done with the Chinese in the nateral places that belonged to the gurrls.

. . .[more violence] . . . we went to attend a meeting at wich Mr. Dinnis Karney wuz to speek,. . .[more violence] . . . At the hall av our Assosiashen for the defence uv Amerikin liberties agin the Chinese, Mr. Dennis Karney made a few remarks. He asserted that Ameriky was espeshly intendid ez the refuge uv the oppressed uv the earth . . .

PETROLEUM V. NASBY
Belmont Chronicle, Saint Clarksville, Ohio, Thursday, 27 March 1879
A very dark and challenging example (much abbreviated) of the use of "Oirish" in an American newspaper from 1879. The "Nasby Letters" were written by David Ross Locke, an Ohio journalist starting in 1861 during the American Civil War. His fictional alter-ego was Petroleum V. Nasby, a Democrat and Copperhead (and definitely not Irish). The Nasby Letters were always written in a semi-illiterate style. So it is difficult to know if "Oirish" was the pronunciation of Mr. Nasby from Kentucky or of Mr. O'Shaughnessy from Ireland. Apparently, Abraham Lincoln was a big fan of his writing that was famous for its use of "irony":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ross_Locke

The irony of Irish immigrants in San Francisco attacking Chinese immigrants was noted in an editorial in the California newspaper The Argonaut:
When an organization, composed almost entirely of aliens, who are themselves here by the sufferance of a generous hospitality, band themselves together in defiance of the law to drive out a class, who, however objectionable, have the same legal rights as themselves, it is an act of insolent audacity that ought to move the indignation of every honest man.
The fact that Chinese immigrants first arrived in San Francisco to strike it rich in the 1849 California Gold Rush, and in the 1860's were the predominant laborers hired by the Central Pacific Railroad to build the western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad were both taught in American history in my high school and I reckon would be common knowledge. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was also taught in American history, but I'm very surprised to learn that it was Irish immigrants that played such a large role in the attacks and movement to exclude the Chinese from America. Their leader was Denis Kearney, from County Cork, who combined his strong anti-Chinese stance with attacks on the free press, railroad bosses, capitalists and politicians. While Denis Kearney is unlikely to be included in any school textbooks, every history or biography describes the Irishman as a demagogue:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Kearney
https://www.dib.ie/biography/kearney-denis-a4409

Investigating the term "Oirish" has led to an interesting history of California that I was not aware of, but, more importantly, to San Francisco, high on a hill, it calls to me. Did the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree end up in the City by the Bay?

A Thomas S. McNamara, a laborer, born in Ireland, age 39 (so about 1832), died in San Francisco at the corner of Cemetery Avenue and California Street on 7 September 1871, according to this California death and burial register:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HGZZ-BWZM

The cause of death was "crushed by caving of earth". Despite this cause being so unusual, l struggled to find his name in the California newspapers. A more general search of "Cemetery Avenue" was successful. The Sacramento newspaper initially did not report his name and then subsequently reported his name incorrectly as McNamee, a Stockton newspaper correctly reported the tragic death of Thomas S. McNamara:
A laborer, whose name in unknown, was killed by the caving of the Bank corner of California street and Cemetery Avenue today.

The Daily Bee, Sacramento, 7 September 1871
Thomas S. McNamee was the name of the laborer crushed to death by caving of a bank on Cemetery Avenue yesterday. Another man was very severely injured and taken to the hospital.

The Daily Bee, Sacramento, 8 September 1871
Yesterday afternoon three laborers were at work at the corner of California street and Cemetery avenue, engaged in grading a lot, when a bank of earth, under which they were at work, fell and buried them beneath it — one of them, named Thomas S. McNamara, was suffocated, and another, whose name we were unable to learn, was seriously injured.

Daily Evening Herald, Stockton, California, 8 September 1871
In viewing an 1870 map of San Francisco, Cemetery Avenue was between Walnut Street to the west, and Lyon Street to the east. Cemetery Avenue was renamed Presidio Avenue after all San Francisco cemeteries were removed from The City. Today, the corner sidewalk has about a ten foot retaining wall to shore up the hillside where the San Francisco Fire Credit Union building stands. I suspect that all three laborers working at the corner of Cemetery Avenue and California Street in 1871 were Irish born. Thomas S. McNamara likely had experience in digging in an Irish bog, where the soil is very moist and it appears that you can dig vertically without much fear of collapse. In contrast the hills of San Francisco are made of sand which led to the tragic death of Thomas S. McNamara.

The San Francisco City Directory for 1869 had a "McNamara Thomas, laborer, dwl E s Valencia bet Sixteenth and Seventeenth". Also, a "Mack Thomas, laborer, dwl 519 Misson". There were several Thomas S. McNamara's who were clerks in the city directory and the 1870 census, but I could not find a laborer named Thomas McNamara in the census. Perhaps the Thomas S. McNamara who died in 1871 was newly arrived in the city after the Transcontinental Railroad opened in 1869? Given the tragic incident at the corner of Cemetery and California, I doubt very much that Thomas S. McNamara had ever worked on constructing the Transcontinental Railroad which was far more dangerous work.

Cemetery Avenue and California Street was the northeast corner of Laurel Hill Cemetery. Just south were Calvary (Catholic), Odd Fellows', and Masonic cemeteries to make up the "Big Four" of San Francisco cemeteries. However, Thomas S. McNamara according to the 1871 death record was buried at "City Cemetery", the burial place for the indigent. It was located on a windy hilltop on the northwest corner of the SF peninsula, about three miles west on California Street from where Thomas McNamara died and at that time a fair distance from the populated sections of the city. His grave would have been marked by a simple numbered wooden headboard.

Burials within San Francisco city limits were banned in 1898, and those buried at the Big Four cemeteries would be disinterred over the ensuing decades to new cemeteries in Colma located south of San Francisco in San Mateo county. Families could pay to individually relocate the remains of their family members, but due to expense most were disinterred in mass graves with just one marker. Holy Cross cemetery in Colma has one large monument that states that 39,307 Catholics were buried there. This was not the case for the indigent burials at City Cemetery as any grave markers were simply removed to create Lincoln Park, now a golf course. So the remains of Thomas S. McNamara were left in San Francisco, high on a hill above the blue and windy sea.

https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title ... n_the_City
https://www.sfheritage.org/news/landmar ... -cemetery/

Was Thomas S. McNamara a Sheedy McNamara? Or perhaps a Thomas Simon McNamara or a Thomas Stephen McNamara? The fact that he was buried at the City Cemetery and that there was no obituary in the San Francisco newspapers indicates that Thomas likely had no relatives living in the city. Not sure how the death record would have known that Thomas was 39 years old, which appears very precise but might be an approximate age.

Was the Thomas S. McNamara, who died tragically in 1871 when the hillside collapsed at the corner of Cemetery Avenue and California Street in San Francisco, the missing Civil War soldier from Glandree? Very unlikely. The Civil War soldier was last heard from when on furlough he had visited his sister Elizabeth McNamara Hornbeck in Wawarsing, New York. No year was given for this visit, but likely in 1864 or early 1865. It is inconceivable that Thomas McNamara of Glandree would go all the way to California without notifying his sister in Wawarsing.

So who was the Thomas S. McNamara who died in San Francisco in 1871? Sadly, it will be impossible to ever know. There are no records to indicate that this Thomas was even from County Clare. And even if we were able to determine that Thomas S. was from Tulla Parish, there would still be too many options as indicated on the long listing of Thomas McNamara's on page 1 of the ongoing search for the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree.

smcarberry
Posts: 1277
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: USA

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by smcarberry » Sun Feb 27, 2022 12:39 pm

Sorry, Jimbo, my draft just disappeared after a good amount was typed, so I will summarize and finish quickly. I found but now have lost my cite for Thomas Mack in a Civil War enlistment database likely on Ancestry.com or Fol3, based on NYS town clerks' records. My efile shows I researched the 32 NY Inf, also known as 1 California Volunteers, for which a 4 June 1863 letter to the editor of the Daily Sentinel stated: "The greater portion of the officers and men are composd of returned Californians, and have seen service in the Mexican War [1845-46]." I found a reference to a soldier (brevet captain, formerly in 12th U.S. Inf) John Viven's enlistment at Sacramento CA in the 32nd NY Inf. Using Ancestry's "California, County Marriages, 1850 -1952" database from Film 004640202, I saw the register image for the 7 June 1863 wedding at St. Rose's Church, Sacramento, of Thomas McNamara to Mary O.Connell, witnesses Eliza O'Brien and Hugh Kelly. The 1860 Sacramento census shows a suitable Eliza O'Brien age 21 and two suitable men there named Hugh Kelly. The nearest Thomas McN. is in Klamath County, and there are several young women in the area named Mary O'Connell. The 1870 census returns nothing useful, but the Sacramento Daily Union of 6 Aug 1870 reported the 3 Aug wedding in Nevada, of Thomas P. Mack and Annie M.Page.

Unfortunately, using the unit rosters at the NYS Military Museum in its Civil War section, there is no Thomas Mack or McNamara in the 32 NY Inf or its successor unit, the 121 NY Inf.

The other odd thing I can mention is that the Kilkishen (Cappalaheen) family of the James O'Connell seen there in the 1901 census traces back to a James O'Connell of the early to mid 1800s, who had a daughter Ellen who went to Australia and sons to the U.S. A few years ago I was able to connect all those siblings via their descendants' postings. The CT one didn't know about the CA branch, which had extensive family knowledge stored in a letter written by a much earlier generation. They know that James's son Pat left in "the late '60s" his brother Thomas in San Francisco and went to Sacramento for work but was never heard from again. That letter says that a sister Mary went to Canada, with no more info. I did find this:
1867 Sacramento death
Sep 14 - Patrick CONNELL, Ireland, 30 years
The Sacramento Daily Union January 1, 1868 page 3
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.anc ... acmd67.htm

Also, back in 2012, I saved a Sacramento cemetery transcription that includes "O'Connell, M.J., born County Clare, Ireland, died 7 October 1868, age 22 years." I then was able to account for that burial, as the Sacramento Daily Union published 8 Oct 1868 in the Died column: "In Sacramento, Oct. 7th, Michael J. O'Connell, a native of county Clare, Ireland, aged 22 years, 5 months, and 12 days. (San Francisco and Virginia papers please copy) " Someone knew him very well, likely a close relative. I didn't pursue him further.

So, you may want to use some of that as you continue. I am going to do a second posting on a Thomas Mack of rural Ulster Co. NY who is also a candidate although I can't place him in a military unit.

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Thu Mar 03, 2022 10:38 pm

Hi Sharon,

Thank you for that feedback. Your mention of the Michael J. Connell from County Clare who died in Sacramento in 1868 was interesting. The obituary request that "San Francisco and Virginia papers please copy", was likely referring to Virginia City, Nevada and not the state of Virginia. Due to the silver mining boom of the Comstock Lode, there was a lot of movement of people and capital between Virginia City and both San Francisco and Sacramento. Interestingly, both the states of Virginia and Nevada had approximately 5,000 Irish born reported in the 1870 census (ancestry query). But Virginia had a total population of 1,225,163, and Nevada a total population of only 42,941 in 1870 (per wikipedia).

Upon further consideration, I've discovered Thomas S. McNamara, who died tragically in 1871 at the corner of Cemetery Avenue and California Street, in the 1871 city directory and 1870 census in San Francisco. In the 1871 San Francisco city directory, "Thomas S. McNamara" was a "clerk with H.G. Sahnke, dwelling 523 Jackson"; Herman Sahnke owned a liquor and grocery store at 523 Jackson. And in the 1870 census, "Thos S McNamara", born in Ireland, age 39, bookkeeper, was reported right after "Herman Salmke", born in Germany, age 40. Given the same middle initial in both the census and city directory as well as the approximate age, this Thomas must be the Thomas S. McNamara who died in September 1871 at the age of 39 years old. Plus being a bookkeeper at a liquor grocery store, perhaps with a lack of experience in manual labor such as digging, might even explain the tragic accident?

Thomas S. in 1870 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN6P-NSD

Another Thomas McNamara died in Oakland, California in 1879 who appears to have had family in Albany, New York:
McNAMARA—In this city, August 14, Thomas McNamara, a native of Ireland, aged 37 years, 3 months and 14 days. [Albany, N.Y., papers please copy]
Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral to-morrow, (Saturday), at 9 o'clock, A.M., from the residence, 219 Tenth street, Oakland thence to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, where a solemn High Mass will be offered for the repose of his soul.

Oakland Tribune, 15 August 1879;
Daily Alta California, San Francisco, 16 August 1879
Thomas McNamara first appears in California in the 1868 San Francisco city directory as a clerk at L. Schwartz, dwelling at 333 Bush.

331-333 Bush Street in San Francisco was the address of "Bush Street House" in the 1868 City Directory, proprietor James McNamara:
1868 San Francisco City Directory.jpg
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The earliest city directory for San Francisco that I had available to view was from 1861, and in that year the boarding house at 331 and 333 Bush street was known as "McNamara House":
1861 San Francisco City Directory.jpg
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SUDDEN DEATH OF WELL-KNOWN CITIZEN.
Mr. James McNamara, the well-known proprietor of the Bush Street House, died at his residence suddenly last night. He came to this coast in 1851, and was a native of Ireland, aged 52 years; leaves a widow and several children to mourn his loss. Last year one of his sons succeeded in obtaining an appointment as Cadet to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The San Francisco Examiner, 20 February 1869
1869 San Francisco city directory: Thomas McNamara, clerk, 333 Bush. The same address as the widow Ellen McNamara, proprietress of Bush Street House.
1869 San Francisco City Directory.jpg
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In the 1870 census for San Francisco: Thomas McNamara, born in Ireland, age 26, occupation "Bush St House". He was reported right after Ellen McNamara, born in Ireland, age 52, occupation "Bush St House". Relationships and marital status are not reported in the 1870 census.

"McWamarrd" in 1870 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN6P-BV9
FOR SALE—A BARGAIN—THAT OLD
established boarding-house known as the Bush Street House, 331 and 333 Bush street, between Montgomery and Kearny streets, containing thirty-nine rooms, with lease of the premises for five years, and about $1,100 worth of improvements made to the building by the present proprietors. The house has always done and is now doing a very large business; the lease is the most valuable in the city; the whole will be sold low for cash on account of departure. For further particulars inquire of I.D. BARNHARD, 104 Montgomery street.
San Francisco Chronicle, 12 April 1871
In the 1871 city directory for San Francisco, Ellen McNamara (widow), had the occupation of "real estate" and was dwelling at "W s Van Ness near O'Farrell". Was she successful in selling Bush Street House or did she lease the property? The Thomas McNamara who was reported as a clerk living at Bush Street House in the 1869 directory (and 1870 census) was not reported in the 1871 city directory — he was not the Thomas S. McNamara, the bookkeeper, dwelling at 523 Jackson.

1872, 1873, 1874, and 1875 San Francisco city directories: "McNamara Thomas, deputy sheriff City Hall, dwelling NE corner O'Farrell and Van Ness Avenue". The same exact address as Mrs. James McNamara (widow) in 1872 and 1874, and Ellen McNamara (widow) in 1873 and 1875. As a deputy sheriff in San Francisco, Thomas McNamara would have had a few exciting experiences:
SHANGHAIING SAILORS.
A Bereaved Wife Looking for Her Missing Husband


The people who make their living by shanghaiing sailors, and everyday occurrences clearly demonstrate the fact that there are not a few of those, are becoming more and more daring in their outrageous conduct, and the Harbor Police should use all diligence in defeating their plans. Indeed, it is no longer safe for a workingman or one who might possibly make a good sailor to go along certain portions of the waterfront after night-fall. Mysterious disappearances are becoming all too frequent, and great efforts should be made to put a stop to them. A case in point came to light yesterday afternoon. A woman giving the name of Mrs. McLaughlin, came to the Police Office stating that her husband had been shanghaied on board of the ship Tamerlane, bound for Liverpool. The Chief became satisfied that there was some truth in the woman's story, and at once detailed officers to look into the matter. They ascertained that a man named McLaughlin, a carriage painter, had shipped on the Tamerlane. As the woman had stated her husband was also a carriage painter, she was taken before Judge Dwinella, who after hearing her story issued a writ of habeas corpus returnable at 8 p.m. Deputy Sheriff McNamara and Officer Longford went on board the ship and brought ashore Wm. McLaughlin, but that person being brought before the woman she said he was not her husband. This was reported to Judge Louderback, who, under the peculiar circumstances, ordered that McLaughlin and the Captain of the ship be brought before him at ten o'clock p.m. At that hour, accordingly, an examination commenced. Several witnesses were placed on the stand, but they failed to show that McLaughlin was the husband or the whereabouts of the real McLaughlin. Judge Louderback spoke in deprecating terms of the shanghaiing system, and stated that he would use every endeavor to break it up.

The San Francisco Examiner, 15 March 1873
ARRESTED ON A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS.—Two Chinese girls Ling Choy and Chung Ching were arrested by Deputy Sheriff McNamara last evening on a writ of habeas corpus, sworn out by some Chinamen. The girls were sent to the County Jail to await the order of the Court. The action threw Chinatown into commotion, the inhabitants not being acquainted with the particulars, and being unwilling to receive any explanation. The officer found some difficulty in making his way through the crowd to his carriage, which he was glad enough to reach in safety from the howling masses.

The San Francisco Examiner, 3 February 1874
In both the 1876 business directory and 1877 city directory, "McNamara Thomas, attorney at law, office 636 Clay, dwelling 971 Van Ness avenue". Same address as the widow Ellen McNamara. Thomas McNamara was no longer a deputy sheriff but had become an attorney. Not sure what the educational or professional requirements in California would have been in the 1870's to become an attorney.

In the 1878 city directory for San Francisco, "McNamara Thomas, attorney at law, office 636 Clay and 641 Merchant" was no longer living with the widow Ellen McNamara of 971 Van Ness avenue. In the 1879 city directory, "McNamara Thomas, attorney and counselor at law, office 320 Sansome, room 46, residence 219 Tenth, Oakland". His move away from the 971 Van Ness avenue home of Ellen McNamara and subsequent living in Oakland was likely due to his marriage to Margaret Carr of Oakland about 1877 (unknown marriage record). Thomas McNamara had been married previously in New York:
Tom McNamara's Girl.
The subjoined item from a New York paper has a local interest: There was a further examination January 27th, in the habeas corpus proceedings in the case of the child Ada Teresa McNamara. She is about twelve years of age, of very prepossessing appearance and neatly dressed. The child's mother is dead, and she is now living with Mrs. Sara V. Kelley at No. 297 Sackett street, Brooklyn. Miss Margaret O'Brien seeks to obtain her custody by virtue of a power of attorney from the girls' father. Thomas McNamara, at present practising law in San Francisco. Both the lady claimants were attended by other lady friends. The testimony thus far elicited is of the usual heterogeneous kind generally developed in this class of cases so frequent in the Courts. No facts of special interest were, however, brought to light. From the multiplicity of female witnesses on both sides, there is promise of a mass of testimony being taken before the case reaches a conclusion.

The San Francisco Examiner, 8 February 1877
In the 1870 census, Ada T. McNamara, age 6, was living at 471 Sackett Street in Brooklyn with Dr. John and Mrs. Sarah Kelly, along with their three children, and a Mary McNamara (age 45, born in Ireland). Miss Margaret O'Brien, of 59 Rutgers street (per NY accounts of the proceedings) appears to have lost the custody battle since she was at the same New York City address in the 1880 census living with her three brothers, but not with Ada T. McNamara.

Ada T. in 1870 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8NZ-JZX

Thomas McNamara was commissioned in March 1877 as a Second Lieutenant of the McMahon Grenadier Guard, a California militia and national guard unit based in San Francisco originally formed in 1859. Their unit history is on the website militarymuseum.org; Thomas McNamara is listed on the unit history with his 1878 promotion to First Lieutenant:
http://www.militarymuseum.org/McMahonGuard.html
MILITARY COMMISSIONS.—Military commissions have been issued from general headquarters to John H. Gilmore, First Lieutenant, and Thomas McNamara, Second Lieutenant of the McMahon Grenadier Guard.
The Daily Bee, Sacramento, 29 March 1877
Thomas McNamara was also listed as a Second Lieutenant of the McMahon Grenadier Guard in an announcement of an upcoming parade in San Francisco marking the Fourth of July and the "First anniversary in the Second Century of American Independence" (The San Francisco Examiner, 3 July 1877). In addition to the McMahon Grenadier Guard, the "Orders for Parade" for the Third Regiment Infantry included the Montgomery Guard, Shields Guard, Wolfe Tone Guard, and Meagher Guard, which all sound very Irish. Blythe's Band led the parade. Thomas McNamara would have looked pretty sharp in the dress uniform of the McMahon Grenadier Guard:

Dress Uniform of McMahon Grenadier Guard, circa 1870's (CA Military Department Historical Collection).jpg
Dress Uniform of McMahon Grenadier Guard, circa 1870's (CA Military Department Historical Collection).jpg (70.46 KiB) Viewed 10651 times

Thomas McNamara's experience with the McMahon Guard was not all fancy parades, his unit would face up against a mostly Irish mob led by Denis Kearney, mentioned briefly in the last posting. In the initial rioting of July 1877, Denis Kearney was a member of the "pickax brigade" helping to defend the city along with the police and state militia. "Kearney transferred his identification from the oligarchy to the workers, based on a recognition of his own class, or perhaps from mere opportunism, or a combination thereof. In any event, by September 1877, Kearney had changed sides and was addressing torchlit gatherings of the very same workers he had patrolled against two months earlier, telling them that the capitalists of the city were running them into the ground and the Chinese were taking their jobs" (California, A History, by Kevin Starr, 2005 Modern Library, NY). From a McMahon Grenadier Guard unit history:
The soldier's life is not composed of social activities and parades alone, but frequently he is called upon to face the serious situations arising during labor strikes involving threatened mob action or the calling to arms in defense of his country. On November 10, 1877, the McMahon Guard with the Second Brigade was called into active service at the request of the Mayor of San Francisco who was anticipating trouble because of the intense labor and anti-Chinese sentiment that prevailed at that time [led by Denis Kearney]. After nine days that consisted for the most part of preparing for any emergency and the guarding of State property, the companies were dismissed. Again on January 16, 1878, the Third Infantry Regiment, to which the McMahon Guard belonged, was under arms for eleven days, but no serious outbreak occurred. . . (source: http://www.militarymuseum.org/McMahonGuard.html)
MILITARY COMMISSIONS.—The Governor has to-day issued the following military commissions J.P. Dalton, First Lieutenant Sarsfield Guard, Company G, First Infantry, Fourth Brigade; Fred Neary, Second Lieutenant in same company; George Herbert Francis, Senior First Lieutenant Sacramento Light Artillery; Thomas McNamara, First Lieutenant McMahon Guard, Company H, Third Infantry, Second Brigade; Martin Lacy, Second Lieutenant, same company W.T. Adel, Captain San Jose Zouaves.
The Daily Bee, Sacramento, 20 February 1878
Irish born Thomas McNamara (≈1841 - 1879) was not the son of James and Ellen McNamara, the owners of 333 Bush Street House in San Francisco. They were the parents of a Thomas McNamara born in California about 1858.
McNamara in 1860 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDK2-3HY
DEATH OF MRS. M'NAMARA
A Good and Charitable Woman is Called Away.


Mrs. Ellen McNamara, whose family is one of the oldest and best known in Catholic circles in this city, died at her residence, 911 Van Ness avenue [about 1880, their Van Ness avenue address appears to have been renumbered; 971 to 911], on Sunday night, after a complicated illness of nearly a year's duration. The deceased was the widow of James McNamara, whose name is closely identified with the early history of San Francisco. He came to this city in 1851 and was followed by his wife a year later. He engaged in the hotel business for a short time, but being firmly convinced of the city's future, he branched into real estate and bought property on Van Ness avenue when that portion of town was a waste of sand. He died just as his handsome residence there was completed.

Mrs. McNamara shared much of her husband's business sagacity, and with keen insight into realty valuations she built up an immense fortune on the competency which he had left. During her lifetime the purse of the deceased was ever open to relieve the wants of the needy, and she had not a few pensioners on her hands from the early days. She was a devout Catholic and liberal contributor to the church and the cause of charity. Five children are left as heirs to her estate, which variously estimated at between $200,000 and $300,000. The eldest daughter, Mary, is the wife of Robert Harrison, formerly of the firm of Richards & Harrison. John, the eldest son, is married to the daughter of Denis Jordan, the contractor, and another daughter, Helen Frances, is the wife of John McGregor Murison. Besides these there are two sons, James and Thomas, who are unmarried. The funeral will take place to-morrow morning from the late residence of the deceased, thence to St. Mary's Cathedral, where a solemn requiem mass will be celebrated for the repose of her soul.

San Francisco Chronicle, 30 October 1894
The descendants of James McNamara and Ellen Gagan are well documented in family trees on ancestry along with some nice old photos of several of their children. They've traced James and Ellen McNamara back to Albany, New York. One family tree has commented that their McNamara next door neighbors in Albany were likely related. But they missed that the widow Ellen McNamara, not only appears in the 1870 census of San Francisco at the family home on Van Ness Avenue, but also at 333 Bush Street at the boarding house she owned, along with an Irish born Thomas McNamara. Nor that this Thomas McNamara, most surely the son of their neighbors Michael and Catherine McNamara in Albany, had moved to California and was living at Bush Street House not just in 1870, but also reported in the San Francisco city directories living at their home on Van Ness between 1872 and 1877. The Irish born Thomas McNamara was very likely the nephew of James and Ellen McNamara:

McNamara's of Albany, New York, and San Francisco, California:

1.0 Michael McNamara, born in Ireland, gardener, living in ward 8 of Albany in 1850 federal census; age 38, so born about 1812. Wife named Catherine McNamara, unknown maiden name, age 38 in 1850 census. Their three children in 1850 census (Thomas, Patrick, and Mary) were born in Ireland between 1841 and 1846. In same household was a Mary Conley, age 20, born in Ireland. Michael McNamara appears to have died prior to 1855.

In the 1855 census, Catherine McNamara, a widow, born in Ireland, age 38, was living in Albany with five children, including Thomas, Patrick, and Mary (ages consistent with 1850 census). An older son, Michael McNamara, born in Ireland, age 19, occupation moulder was reported in 1855, who was not living with family in 1850. A younger daughter, Catherine McNamara, born in Albany, age 3, was reported in the 1855 census.

The 1861 Albany city directory (earliest directory I had access to) reported a "McNamara Catherine, widow of Michael, house 135 First". She was at the same address in 1863; gone in 1864 city directory.

............ 1.1 Michael McNamara, not living with family in Albany in 1850 census. Still in Ireland? Working as an apprentice elsewhere in NY? In 1855 census was age 19 (≈ 1835), born in Ireland, occupation moulder. Where in 1860? Later whereabouts unknown.

A Michael McNamara, age 29 (≈ 1834), born in Ireland, laborer, married, enlisted on 10 April 1863 in Albany with the 7th NY Heavy Artillery, Battery B. He was killed in action on 3 June 1864 in Cold Harbor, Virginia. His marriage record and possible Civil War widow/mother pension documents might provide further evidence as to the identity of Michael McNamara.

............ 1.2 Thomas McNamara, born in Ireland, age 9 (≈1841), attending school, living with family in Albany in 1850 census. Age 14 in 1855 census. Unknown 1860 census? Appears to have married in the early 1860's; wife died young. In the death record of their daughter, Ada Theresa, parents reported as Thomas McNamara and Teresa Burns.

......................... 1.2.1 Ada Theresa McNamara, born about 1864, in New York. Was living in 1870 census in Brooklyn with the John J. Kelly household, along with a Mary J. McNamara, age 45 (≈1825, Ireland). Married Michael J. Kenealy in 1893 (per census), living at East 40th Street in Manhattan in 1900 census. Ada McNamara Kenealy died in Brooklyn on 18 April 1936. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WRJ-WWV
...................................... 1.2.1.1 Agnes Kenealy, age 3 per 1900 census. Living with parents until her death on 7 October 1921 in Manhattan.
...................................... 1.2.1.2 Theresa Kenealy, born 24 August 1900; died 22 March 1903 in Manhattan.

By 1868, Thomas McNamara had left for San Francisco leaving his daughter, Ada Theresa, with the John J. Kelly household in Brooklyn. In the 1870 census, Thomas was living at Bush Street House in San Francisco, owned by the widow Ellen McNamara, very likely his aunt since they were neighbors in Albany in the 1850 census.

Thomas McNamara married Margaret Carr about 1877; unknown marriage record; could not find their marriage announcement in any California newspaper.
......................... 1.2.2 James Carr McNamara (21 November 1878 - 3 August 1879). Buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Oakland per newspaper accounts.

............ 1.3 Patrick McNamara, born in Ireland, age 6 (≈1844), living with family in Albany in 1850 census. Age 10 in 1855 census. Later whereabouts unknown.

When Thomas McNamara died in 1879, the funeral announcement stated "Albany, N.Y., papers please copy", so he likely still had a few relatives back in Albany. A Patrick and Catherine McNamara, living in Albany, were the parents of three children in the 1880 census, and Patrick McNamara was reported as age 42 (≈1838) and born in Ireland. All subsequent census reports give his birthplace as New York (with ages very understated) which appears to be incorrect. If his Irish born father died young prior to becoming a U.S. citizen, then I believe that Irish born Patrick McNamara should have applied for USA citizenship. For children brought to America at a very young age, with no real connection to Ireland, it might have been easier in these circumstances to simply state that they were American born? "Patrick McNamara, former hide and wool merchant, died this morning [9 April 1921] at 298 Hamilton street, after a long illness. He was 80 years old [≈1841]. He is survived by his wife Catherine McNamara, by a son Patrick F., and by two daughters, Miss Mary E. McNamara and Mrs. Clarence [Harriet] Kimmey . . .Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception . . . St. Agnes Cemetery (Times Union, Albany, 9 April 1921).

............ 1.4 Mary McNamara, born in Ireland, age 4 (≈1846), living with family in Albany in 1850 census (not included in ancestry transcription, in error). Age 9 in 1855 census. Later whereabouts unknown.

............ 1.5 Catherine McNamara, born in Albany, New York, age 3, in 1855 census. Later whereabouts unknown.

Next door neighbors in Albany, New York:

2.0 James McNamara (≈1818 - 1869) and his wife Ellen Gagan/Gahagan (≈1828 - 1894) were living in Albany, New York in the 1850 census, with their daughter Mary McNamara. In the same household were James Gagan (age 35) and Roseana Gagan (age 23), likely the siblings of Ellen Gagan (relationships not reported in 1850 census). In 1850 / 1851, the family moved to San Francisco and were proprietors of the Bush Street House at 333 Bush Street. See above obituaries.

............ 2.1 Mary McNamara, born in New York, age 4 in 1850 census in Albany.
............ 2.2 John McNamara, born in New York, age 9 in 1860 census in San Francisco.
............ 2.3 James McNamara, born in California, age 7 in 1860 census in San Francisco.
............ 2.4 Frances McNamara, born in California, age 5 in 1860 census in San Francisco.
............ 2.5 Thomas McNamara, born in California, age 2 in 1860 census in San Francisco. Thomas was reported twice in the 1870 census, at the family home in Van Ness avenue and at Bush Street House (age 14).

Lieutenant McNamara's Funeral.
The funeral of Lieut. Thomas McNamara, of Company H, McMahon Grenadier Guard, N.G.C, Saturday, in this city, was attended by all the officers of the Third Regiment, and the Company of which he was an officer, with delegates from the Montgomery's, Emmet's, and Shields' Guards. The funeral services conducted by Rev. Father King, assisted by the Rev. Father Fitzpatrick, of San Francisco, the Rev. Father Serda, of Temescal, and Rev. Father Myler, of Oakland, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, consisted of a solemn requiem mass, the choir led by a relative of the deceased. The large funeral cortege was escorted to the Catholic cemetery by the McMahon Grenadier Guard, under command of Lieut. M Lacey, Col. A. Wason, Lieut. Col. Chas. Quinn, Rev. Father Larkin, Capt. John F. Meagher, Lieut. John Grant, Lieut. J. McCully, and Lieut. M.W. Stacktpool, on the part of the military, and Mr. John Lucas, of San Rafael; Mr. John Brennan, of San Francisco, and Mr. J.J. Hanifin, of Oakland, civilians, acted as pall bearers. Rev. Father McNally was also in the funeral cortege. At the grave three volleys were fired by his comrades, and the band played a dirge.

Oakland Tribune, 18 August 1879
Thomas McNamara was buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Oakland, California. His headstone states "Native of Co. Kilkenny", but is this accurate? This shared headstone was likely created over a decade after Thomas' death when his father-in-law, Laurence Carr died in 1891, and also states "Native of Co. Kilkenny". The Carr family in several obituaries always state that they were from County Kilkenny. Thomas McNamara arrived in the USA at a very young age, and his early memories would be from Albany. Would the Carr family of Oakland have known which Irish county Thomas was born? There is no other record for any McNamara's of Albany and San Francisco stating that they were from County Kilkenny (or any other specific Irish county). McNamara is not a common surname in County Kilkenny, so despite being chiseled into stone, I reckon this is suspect.

Thomas McNamara: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/887 ... mcnamarra#
Laurence Carr: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/887 ... rence-carr

Where were the McNamara's from in Ireland? Additional research in USA records would be required before researching Irish records. What was the maiden name of Catherine, the wife of Michael McNamara? The baptism record of their daughter Catherine McNamara, who was three years old and born in New York per the 1855 census, should provide the maiden name of her mother. This record might be available on the findmypast website, which I think is available for free at some libraries.
Last Rites Held in Church Father Built
In Old St. Mary's, built by her father as one of Oakland's early churches, funeral services were held yesterday for Mrs. Margaret A. McNamara, 82, pioneer East Bay resident.

Mrs. McNamara, widow of Thomas McNamara, early day San Francisco attorney, and daughter of the late Laurence Carr, former Oakland contractor, died Saturday at her Alameda home.

A native of Ireland, Mrs. McNamara came to California in 1864. Two nephews and four nieces survive.

The San Francisco Examiner, 11 January 1933
In the 1871 through 1875 city directories for San Francisco, a Denis S. McNamara, plasterer, was dwelling at 333 Bush Street. Was this Denis S. a Sheedy McNamara?

333 Bush Street is now a 43 floor mixed-use skyscraper in the Financial District of San Francisco. Seven stories are residential condominiums. A two-bedroom unit, 1,851 square feet, on the 42nd floor, is now for sale on real estate websites for just under $2,000,000. The skyscraper at 333 Bush Street has their own wikipedia page, but the old history of "McNamara House", a boarding house for new Irish immigrants to San Francisco starting in the 1850's, is sadly not even mentioned:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/333_Bush_Street
https://www.zillow.com/b/333-bush-st-sa ... ca-5XkDqT/

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Wed Mar 09, 2022 12:10 am

NOTED FENIAN DEAD.

M.W. Stackpole, Resident of This City.

HE BORE ARMS IN IRELAND.
Was Prominent in the Uprising in March, 1867.
COMPELLED TO FLEE THE COUNTRY.


Took Part in the Plans of Rescue of His Imprisoned Countrymen in Australia.


Michael W. Stackpole, an old resident of this city, died Tuesday afternoon and will be buried from the hall of the Knights of the Red Branch, corner of Mason and O'Farrell streets, this afternoon at 2 o'clock.

Mr. Stackpole was born in Killulysart [Killadysart], County Clare, Ireland, about fifty-five years ago. When the Fenian uprising occurred on March 5, 1867, he took a prominent part in the stirring events connected with that event—in fact his identification with that movement was of such a conspicuous nature in the city of Cork that he was compelled to flee the country.

After many trying experiences he succeeded in making his way to Liverpool, where he was given asylum by a wealthy Englishman with whom he became acquainted and who sympathized with him in distress. Having been almost raised in the dry-goods business it was but natural that he should seek occupation of that character, which he soon secured, but in 1869 he concluded to seek a home in America and embarked for these shores.

His first business experience in San Francisco was in connection with the house of Keane Bros., on Third Street, and after that house become consolidated with the firm of O'Connor, Moffatt & Co, he was sent to France as the European agent of the firm. During the two years he spent abroad he continued to actively engage in every movement which he thought was calculated to benefit the Irish people, and on returning to this country he took a partnership interest in the house of J.J. O'Brien, where he remained a year or two, when he was appointed Assistant Appraiser in the Custom-house under Cleveland's first administration, and continued to hold the position under President Harrison and up to the time of his death.

During his term of office there were several strong but ineffectual attempts made to secure his removal. A certain class of politicians sought by every means they could command to bring this about, but their efforts only served to show the respect which the business men of the city entertained for the deceased. The members of the largest importing-houses in the city took an active interest in the case and succeeded in securing his retention.

Mr. Stackpole was pre-eminently an Irishman and as such he loved his people and the land of their nativity. Hardly a prominent countryman of his own visited this city who was not entertained by him. Although not a married man, he occupied a very pleasant suite of rooms in Alameda for the past fifteen years and was always delighted to meet his friends. He was frequently consulted by prominent Irishman, both of this country and Great Britain, when any movement regarding the welfare of the Irish people was under deliberation.

It was in connection with the famous rescue of Fenian prisoners from Western Australia that the most effective work of Mr. Stackpole was performed in the service of his countrymen. He was one of the leading spirits in the formation of the plans which resulted in the release of his friends, who had been sent to the country mentioned under life sentences for participation in the same uprising with which he had been identified.

The organization of this movement was effected here and is a tale that has been often told, but will bear repetition now that one of its originators has passed away. It was concluded to secure a vessel which could move about in the guise of a whaler without exciting much suspicion, and a ship called Catalpa was obtained, fitted out with supplies for a two years' cruise and sent to the waters off the Azore Islands to spend the first season, with instructions that when the season was over the vessel should sail for the South American coast to prepare for the work of rescue.

The crew of the vessel had been shipped in total ignorance of the mission upon which she was bound, only the captain, George Anthony, and Dennis Duggan, the ship's carpenter, being made acquainted with the facts. However, after the vessel left the Azores she proceeded to Tenerife Island, where she put in for a supply of water, and this change in the course of the vessel aroused the suspicions of the first mate, Sam Smith, and it became necessary to confide the secret to him. Smith entered into the plans of the party with zest, and proved an invaluable assistant.

When the vessel reached the vicinity of Bunbury, 120 miles from Freemantle, where the prisoners were confided, she put in to land, and communication was soon effected with John J. Breslin and Thomas Desmond of this city [San Francisco], who had preceded the vessel to that country to take charge of the movements on land. A plan of action had already been formulated by those gentlemen, and by it the captain was instructed to have a boat at a certain point on the beach at Rockingham, twenty-five miles from Freemantle, at a specified time, and to remain there or a period of fourteen hours. In the event of the rescuing party not putting in an appearance prior to the expiration of that time, he was to understand that something had gone wrong and was to immediately put to sea and remain away on a cruise for several months before he ventured back to note development.

Fortunately, however, no such emergency confronted the men as the rescue was neatly effected on the morning of the 17th of April, 1876. The six prisoners were hustled into two light wagons and hurried away to Rockingham, where the faithful captain was found awaiting them with a boat and crew of five men.

A start was made for the ship, which lay at a point about thirty miles off shore, but the fugitive had scarcely got under good headway when a furious storm came up. The vessel was sighted, but it was found impossible to approach her because of the heavy seas, and nothing remained to be done except to keep in as close as possible until morning when the storm had subsided.

With the dawn came fine weather, but it also brought within their vision a startling sight. Away in the distance, but swiftly bearing down upon the vessel which they were attempting to reach was a steamer, which it was afterward learned had been chartered by the Government to go in pursuit of the fugitives, and the mission of which was at once surmised. Fortune did not desert the men at this critical juncture, however, as the occupants of the steamer, failing to discover the fugitives on board, and believing that they were still on land, stood in for shore, and the little boat in which the rescue party were seated having remained undiscovered in the distance, was enabled to approach the vessel and place its passengers on board.

Their troubles were not yet over, however, for just as they had trimmed their sails for home a revenue-cutter hove in sight and fired a gun across the bow of the vessel. Captain Anthony immediately ran up the American flag, and, the cutter approaching, he warned them that he would not submit to delay or search, denied that he knew anything about the fugitives for whom the cutter's crew were in search, and succeeded in so working upon their fears and the uncertainty in their minds that the vessel was allowed to proceed without further molestation.

The ship made a quick trip to New York and safely landed its passengers. Mr. Stackpole always derived a great amount of pleasure in recounting the success which attended his undertaking.

The San Francisco Call, 18 January 1895, page 3
What an extraordinary obituary! On the newspaper report of Lieutenant Thomas McNamara's funeral on 16 August 1879 (see last posting), Lieutenant M.W. Stackpool was part of the funeral cortege. I recognized the Stackpool surname (used more commonly than "Stackpole" or "Stackpoole" in San Francisco) as having a possible County Clare connection from reading other postings on this forum. But upon searching the newspaper archives was very surprised to discover that Michael W. Stackpool was a Fenian and Irish Nationalist from Killadysart parish, and was held in high regard, but now appears to have been totally forgotten in history. The transportation and later daring rescue of Fenian prisoners at Western Australia, that oddly makes up so much of the obituary, are described in a consistent manner as in The Great Shame by Thomas Keneally in chapters 25 through 30.

This long description of the Fenian escape from Western Australia using the whaling ship Catalpa might be an important clue on who wrote this obituary. Clearly a close friend who knew that Michael W. Stackpool was born in Killadysart, County Clare and was fairly accurate with his age. On the other hand, the below funeral report the next day from the same San Francisco Call newspaper, appears to be written by a more jaded newspaper reporter. The headline with "Ex-Fenian" and noting his business struggles in Seattle were somewhat mean spirited, but can be forgiven since a drawing of M.W. Stackpool was included:

HIS ACTIVE SPIRIT STILL.

Remains of Michael W. Stackpole Laid to Rest.

The Funeral of the Noted Ex-Fenian Was Largely Attended by His Many Friends.


Michael W. Stackpole, who died at his home in Alameda last Tuesday afternoon, was buried yesterday. The funeral was largely attended by friends and acquaintances of deceased.

Mr. Stackpole was a man with a history, and his mind was a perfect storehouse of

Michael W Stackpool (1839 - 1895).jpg
Michael W Stackpool (1839 - 1895).jpg (68.59 KiB) Viewed 10454 times

memories of adventure. During the last nine years of his life he was employed as examiner in the Custom-house and was highly esteemed by his fellow-workers.

The deceased was a native of Ireland, having been born in County Clare fifty-two years ago. While still in his native land he allied himself with the Fenians, which fact probably had something to do with his emigration to this country in 1868. The accompanying picture shows him wearing his Fenian hat and uniform.

For several years he was manager for Keane, O'Connor & Moffatt in this city. He afterward established himself in the dry-goods business in Seattle, but the venture proved a failure. He was appointed an examiner in the Custom-house by President Cleveland in 1885. He was an ardent field-sportsman and was a member of several gun clubs.

The San Francisco Call, 19 January 1895, page 5

The below obituary and funeral report by the San Francisco Chronicle was the most well written. The headline notes that M.W. Stackpool was "buried with civic and military honors" but there was a glaring lack of religious involvement. The funeral was from the hall of the Knights of the Red Branch, and not at a Catholic church. Only two Catholic priests were listed in the funeral cortege, one of whom was visiting from Ireland. Was the lack of religious involvement due to his Fenian connections or perhaps more likely just his own personal wishes. Highlighted in this funeral report were some of M.W. Stackpool's interesting connections to important men in both California and Irish history:

FUNERAL OF M.W. STACKPOOL

The Irish Patriot Buried With Civic and Military Honors.


The funeral of the late Captain M.W. Stackpool, which was held on Friday was largely attended. The remains, which had been lying in state at the hall of the Knights of the Red Branch, of which the deceased was a leading member, were preceded by a detachment of the Third Infantry Regiment, National Guard of California, and the Knights of the Red Branch Rifles, headed by a military band playing a dirge specially selected for the occasion by Professor Tully.

The pall-bearers were J.J. O'Brien, Colonel Patrick Boland, Herbert Spencer, Thomas R. Banerman, M. Flannery, Thomas Lyons, Matthew O'Donnell and James Conliff.

In the funeral cortege were many personal friends of the deceased, including Rev. Father Curry of Nenagh island [Ireland?], at present visiting this city; Rev. Father Crowley, Jeremiah Mahoney, Colonel Thomas F. Barry, Dr. Brennan, Richard Corbett, John Talbot, Marcus Jackson, General P.F. Walsh, T.B. O'Brien, John Stack, Major Frank Mahan, Frank Foley, Captain Thomas P. Crowley, Captain Peter Dunn, George Shorten, John Spottewood, John P. McCarthy, Dr. P.J. O'Neill, Joseph W. Casey, Mr. Muser, David J. Costello, Captain J. Sheehy, Lieutenants Casey and Mannix, Judge M. Cooney and Hugh Toner. Upon arriving at Calvary Cemetery the remains of the deceased were placed in a receiving vault, when they will be taken to the new cemetery of the Holy Cross, San Mateo county, for interment on Sunday, the 27th inst.

In the death of Captain Stackpool the Irish race on the Pacific Coast have lost one of their best known and most worthy representatives and the Government service a most efficient, upright and trusted officer. The deceased was a native of the historic County Clare, from which the great tribune Daniel O'Connell was first elected to the British Parliament.

In his twenty-first year Stackpool became a member of the Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood, commonly known as the "I.R.B." which the famous Fenian organizer, James Stephens, was engaged in promoting amongst the young men of Ireland, and from that time until the close of his life the cause of liberty was the recipient of his unwavering loyalty and support.

The captain took part in the uprising of the 5th of March, 1867, and upon its suppression by the British troops escaped to England, whence he subsequently came to California. During the quarter of a century that he was a resident of this city his character in all the relations of social and business life was eminently worthy of the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens. Imbued with intensely patriotic affection for the land of his birth, he was withal a broad-minded gentleman, thoroughly cosmopolitan in feeling, and in the selection of many of his friendships in private and public life proved the liberal bent of his principles in this particular respect.

He was prominently identified with the dry goods business of this city from his arrival up to the time of his appointment as Assistant United States Appraiser some eight years ago. His application for the latter position bore the hearty endorsement of the leading representatives of the trade, including such men as Adam Grant, J.J. O'Brien, Levi Strauss, Muser Brothers and the late Bryan O'Connor. His course in the service of the Government was found deserving of the most liberal recognition of his superiors, and it is to the credit of the officials of the department that during the period of disability preceding the death he received at their hands the courteous and kindly attentions which he so fully merited.

As an officer of the Third Infantry Regiment, National Guard of California, Captain Stackpool was popularly esteemed by the members of his command, and, upon his retirement from the corps, was the recipient of a handsome and valuable souvenir, which he ever afterward wore appended to his watch guard. He was a man of fine physique and passionately fond of those forms of recreation that manly men most admire. As a hunter he was popularly known by the sportsmen of the tule region [as in tule elk, only found in California, nearly brought to extinction in 19th century] and the Coast Range, and was regarded as an expert in the use of both the pistol and rifle.

The death of Captain Stackpool will bring sorrow to the hearts of his compatriots throughout the various countries to which they have been scattered by the winds of fortune. He was deeply confided in by the Irish leaders, not only of the revolutionary or physical force party, but also by those of the parliamentary movement inaugurated by the late Charles Stewart Parnell.

Both parties were aware of his honesty and patriotism, In co-operating with Thomas Desmond, John J. Breslin and others for the release and escape of the Irish patriots confined in the British convict prisons at Freemantle, Australia, Captain Stackpool gave the proof of his ability and self-sacrificing character as an Irish Nationalist.

When Michael Davitt, some years ago, stood before the altar in Oakland to receive the hand of a fair daughter of California, his "best man" on the occasion was Captain M.W. Stackpool.

San Francisco Chronicle, 21 January 1895, page 5

The obituary in the San Francisco Call of 18 January 1895 stated that Michael W. Stackpole was "born in Killadysert, County Clare, Ireland, about fifty-five years ago". It was very easy, but only due to the baptism transcriptions at the Clare Library (thank you, Kevin Murphy of Queensland), to discover that Michael Stackpool was baptized in 1839 and his parents were Michael Stackpoole and Anne Keane of Moyfadda townland in Kildysart parish. See below family tree. Discovering who were the siblings of M.W. Stackpool was made easy by the probate records which left the remaining residual estate in one-third portions to his one sister, Annie O'Dea of "Monmore, Kilbrush", and two brothers, James Stackpool of "Clondrina, Kildysart" and Frank Stackpool of Ireland (his siblings were not named in his actual will). This information was confirmed by Irish civil marriage and death records, although some questions remain on the birth and death of his sister Anne O'Dea.

Was surprised that this research led to several Stackpool family connections to the McNamara clan. Francis Stackpool married Bridget McNamara, the daughter of Thomas McNamara. Their daughter, Catherine Stackpool, married Thomas McNamara, the son of a Patrick McNamara. Their son, John Stackpool, first married Susan McNamara, the daughter of Patrick McNamara. I have no evidence, but only a strong hunch, that the McNamara's who first settled in Albany and later San Francisco, as outlined in my last posting, might also be from Kildysart Parish or Kilrush Parish.

Michael Stackpoole (≈1806 - 1885) and Anne Keane (≈1803 - 1881) of Moyfadda townland, Kildysart Parish, were the parents of four children known to have reached adulthood. In 1855 Griffith Valuation for Cloondrinagh townland, Kilfiddane Parish, Michael Stackpole held Plot 21ABC (Land; over 21 acres; valuation £6) and Plot 22 (house, office, land; over 28 acres; valuation £8).

Anne Stackpoole, age 78 years, married, farmer's wife, died in Clondrina on 1 April 1881; informant James Stackpoole of Clondrina (Killadysert civil record). Michael Stackpool, age 78 years, widower, farmer, died in Clondrina on 30 January 1885; informant his son James Stackpool of Condrina (Killadysert civil record).

............ 1.0 James Stackpoole, no baptism record, born about 1831 based on age at 1901 census. James Stackpool was reported as a brother in the probate records of Michael Stackpool of San Francisco. Also informant on civil death record of both parents. Married to "Ellen Stackpool", unknown maiden name, age 60, in the 1901 census. James Stackpool, married, farmer, age 74 years, died on 1 April 1907 at Clondrina; informant Peter O'Connell of Clondrina (Killadysert civil record).

The widow Ellen Stackpool in the 1911 census stated that she was married for "20 years" which appears incorrect. They likely married prior to the 1864 start of civil marriage records and don't appear to have had any children. Ellen Stackpool was living with a cousin, Lizzie Donohue, age 16, in the 1911 census. <Clondrinagh, Kilfidane, House 10, House 8>


............ 2.0 Francis Stackpoole, baptized on 15 May 1834, Moyfadda townland; sponsors John Keane & Biddy Mahon. Francis Stackpool, farmer, of Clondina, "age 27 years" (in fact, age 31), son of farmer Michael Stackpool, married Bridget McNamara, age 30 years, daughter of farmer Thomas McNamara of Carrowreigh, on 25 July 1865 at the Catholic chapel at Killadysert; witnesses Daniel Lorigan, Anne Stackpool. <Carrowreagh East, Kilfidane, House 5, House 10>

Francis Stackpool and Bridget McNamara were the parents of seven children per the 1911 census, and all seven were reported as living. The first two daughters' baptisms were at Killadysert Catholic parish, later baptisms were at Kilfiddane Catholic parish (which has have not yet been transcribed).

......................... 2.1 Mary Stackpool, baptized in May 1866, of "Cahereagh"; sponsor Anne Stackpoole (Kildysart baptism register). Civil record birth of 2 June 1866 in Carrowreagh, Coolmeen, Killadysert. Mary Stackpoole, age 20, born in Ireland, lived in Co.Clare, left Queenstown on the City of Chester and arrived in New York on 14 May 1888; destination "Washington" as in DC; traveling with Anne Stackpoole, age 18. Her youngest brother, Michael Stackpool, arrived in New York in 1905 to his "sister Mrs. Gallagher of 79 South, East Orange, New Jersey". In the 1904 Orange NJ city directory, Patrick Gallagher was living at 79 South.
........................................ 2.1.1 Mary J. Gallagher, age 7 in 1910 census of Orange, Essex County, NJ.
........................................ 2.1.2 Margaret Elisabeth Gallagher, age 3 in 1910 census of Orange, Essex County, NJ. Born of 29 September 1906, baptized on 7 October 1906, parents Patrick Gallagher and Mary Stackpool, at Saint Antoninus Catholic Church in Newark, NJ.

......................... 2.2 Anne Stackpoole, baptized on 18 June 1867, no location reported; sponsor Bridget Stackpoole (Kildysart baptism register). Arrived in New York with her elder sister Mary in 1888 as per above shipping details. Going to Washington DC, the same city where her younger sister Margaret would get married. Living with sister Margaret Stackpool Green in Los Angeles in 1930 and 1940 census.

......................... 2.3 Margaret Stackpoole, baptized on 8 April 1869, at Carrowreagh West; sponsor Anne Stackpoole (Kilfiddane baptism register). Margaret Stackpoole married Isaac Elsworth Green in Washington DC on 22 August 1892. The Green family were living in Ohio between 1900 and 1920; and in Los Angeles, with sister Anne Stackpool, in both 1930 and 1940 .
........................................ 2.3.1 Lela T. Green, born in Ohio, age 11 in 1910 census
........................................ 2.3.2 Marion Green, born in Ohio, age 3 in 1910 census

......................... 2.4 Bridget Stackpool, baptized on 19 October 1871, at Carrowreagh East; sponsors Michael Stackpool, Anne Kane (Kilfiddane Parish). Bridget Stackpool, of Carrowreagh, daughter of farmer Francis Stackpool, married Patrick Lynch, farmer, of Coolmeen, son of Thomas Lynch, on 13 February 1904 at the Catholic chapel at Cranny; witnesses William Cotter, and Catherine Stackpool (Kildysart civil registration). <Carrowreagh East, Kilfidane, House 5; Gortnavreaghaun, Coolmen, House 1>
........................................ 2.4.1 Mary Anne Lynch, age 6 in 1911 census
........................................ 2.4.2 Thomas Lynch, age 3 in 1911 census

......................... 2.5 John Stackpool, born on 11 July 1874, at Carrowreagh (Kildysart civil registration). <Carrowreagh East, Kilfidane, House 5, House 10> "John Stack", farmer, of Carrowreagh East, son of "Francis Stack", married Susan McNamara, of Derrygeeha, daughter of Pat McNamara (dead), on 12 February 1907 at the Catholic chapel at Cranny; witnesses Thomas O'Dea, Anne McNamara (Kildysart civil registration).
........................................ 2.5.1 Bridget Stackpool, age 3 in 1911 census
Susan Stackpool, age 37 years, died on 22 December 1908. The widower, John Stackpool, of Carrowreagh, son of Francis Stackpoole, married Maria McMahon, of Ballycorick, daughter of Thomas McMahon, on 18 June 1910 at the church at Ballycorick.
........................................ 2.5.2 Margaret Stackpool, age 0 in 1911 census

......................... 2.6 Catherine Stackpoole, baptized on 16 April 1876, at Carrowreagh East; sponsors John Connors, Mrs. Flanagan (Kilfiddane Catholic parish). Catherine Stackpoole, age 29, of Carrowreagh East, daughter of farmer Francis Stackpool, married Thomas McNamara, age 32, farmer, of Derrygeeha, son of Pat McNamara, on 11 June 1907 at the Catholic chapel at Cranny; witnesses Robert Studdert, Mary Anne O'Dea (Kildysart civil registration). <Carrowreagh East, Kilfidane, House 5; Derrygeeha, Coolmeen, House 9>
........................................ 2.6.1 Mary S. McNamara, age 3 in 1911 census
........................................ 2.6.2 Patrick McNamara, age 2 in 1911 census
........................................ 2.6.3 John Joseph McNamara, age 1 in 1911 census

......................... 2.7 Michael Stackpool, born on 30 August 1879, baptized on 31 August 1879, at Carrowreagh East, sponsor Anne Stackpole (Kilfiddane Catholic parish). In the 1901 census, Michael Stackpoole, age 22, was a draper's assistant, one of many, in the household of Mary Moloney, age 57, drapress, of Ennis. <High Street, Ennis, House 4, x> Michael W. Stackpoole, age 25, a draper, last residence Belfast, left Queenstown on the SS Oceanic and arrived in New York on 8 March 1905; going to Orange, New Jersey to sister Mrs. [Mary] Gallagher at 79 South Street. By 1909, Michael W. Stackpool had moved to Oakland, California, and by 1911 to San Francisco, the same city as his uncle and namesake. About 1912, Michael Stackpool married Margaret E "Nellie" Manion, the California born daughter of Thomas Manion of County Galway and Margaret Butler of County Kilkenny. In the 1920 census, Michael Stackpool at 130 15th Avenue in San Francisco was a "traveling salesman" in the "dry goods" industry.
........................................ 2.7.1 John F. Stackpool, age 6 in 1920 census
........................................ 2.7.2 William T. Stackpool, age 5 in 1920 census
STACKPOOL—In this city, Feb. 8, 1945, Michael W., beloved husband of Margaret E. Stackpool, loving father of Lt. John F. Stackpool, U.S. Navy, and Sgt. William T. Stackpool, U.S. Army; a native of Ireland. . . St. Vincent De Paul's Church . . .Holy Cross Mausoleum. (The San Francisco Examiner, 10 February 1945).

............ 3.0 Mary Stackpoole, baptized on 19 November 1836, Moyfada townland; sponsors Dan Mann & Annie O'Dea. Mother reported as "Annie Sheehan"; the Kildysart baptism register is not the original register but a copy, so possibly an error in transcription.

Possibility that "Mary Stackpoole" born in 1836 might be the "Anne Stackpool" who married in 1875 at the reported age of 27 years (and has no baptism record). The evidence being the probate records of her brother Michael Stackpool which switch between "Mary O'Dea" and "Anne O'Dea" as the name of his one sister. This would require a fib by "Anne" of 12 years in the 1875 marriage record, perhaps to make her younger than her husband James O'Dea? But then Anne O'Dea would have been about 50 years old when youngest daughter was born? On the other hand, the likely death record for Anne O'Dea states that she died in 1890 at age of 58 years, or about 1832?


............ 4.0 Michael Stackpoole, baptized on 10 April 1839, Moyfadda townland; sponsors Ths Keane & Brgt Finucane. Possibly a twin, see comment in following sibling. Fenian and Irish Nationalist. Moved to San Francisco in 1868. Michael W. Stackpool died in Alameda, east of San Francisco across the San Francisco Bay, on 15 January 1895. See above obituaries.

............ ?.? Patrick Stackpoole, baptized on 10 April 1839, Moyfadda townland; sponsors Ths Keane & Brgt Finucane. The Kildysart baptism register entry (a transcription of the original) states "Michael + Patrick". Possibly a twin of Michael who died young? More likely the "Michael + Patrick" represents just one individual.


............ 5.0 Anne Stackpoole, no baptism record. Born about 1848, if her marriage record was accurate (creating a large gap between her and brother Michael born in 1839). Born about 1832, if likely 1890 death record was accurate. See above comments for Mary Stackpoole born in 1836.

Anne Stackpool, age 27, daughter of farmer Michael Stackpool of Clondrina, married James O'Dea, age 28, farmer, of Monmore, son of Thomas O'Dea, on 6 April 1875, at the Catholic chapel at Coolmeen; witnesses Patrick Molony and Maria McMahon (Killadysart civil record; Kilfiddane Catholic marriage register).

James O'Dea, age 56, was a widower in the 1901 census. <Monmore South, Kilrush, House 2; Moanmore South, Kilrush Rural, House 5> An Anne O'Dea, married, age 58 years, informant husband James O'Dea, died on 17 February 1890 (Killadysert registration). This Anne O'Dea died at "Caherea" which might be the townland of her brother, Francis Stackpool, of Carrowreagh? Her age at death of 58 years appears to be overstated? Also, Anne O'Dea was listed on the probate records for her brother Michael Stackpool who died in San Francisco in 1895? In both birth and death, there are many questions for Anne Stackpool O'Dea.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 741652.pdf

Children baptized at Kilrush Parish:
......................... 5.1 Patrick O'Dea, baptized on 25 February 1876, of Monmore; sponsors Patrick O'Dea, Bridget Martin. <Monmore South, Kilrush, House 2; x>
......................... 5.2 Mary O'Dea, baptized on 8 May 1877, of Monmore; sponsors Thomas O'Dea, Bridget O'Dea. <Monmore South, Kilrush, House 2; House 5>
......................... 5.3 John O'Dea, twin, baptized on 7 May 1878, of Monmore; sponsors Thomas O'Dea, Bridget Martin.
......................... 5.4 Thomas O'Dea, twin, baptized on 7 May 1878, of Monmore; sponsors Patrick Martin, Margaret O'Dea. <Monmore South, Kilrush, House 2; House 5>
......................... 5.5 Michael O'Dea, baptized on 25 June 1879, of Monmore; sponsors Michael Stackpool, Margaret Stackpool. Died at 5 months on 20 October 1879.
......................... 5.6 Bridget O'Dea, baptized on 28 November 1880, of Monmore; sponsors Patrick Martin, Margaret Martin. <Monmore South, Kilrush, House 2; House 5> In 1911, Bridget Devine (age 28) and daughter Mary Jane Devine (age 2), born in America, are living in the O'Dea household.
......................... 5.7 James O'Dea, born on 4 March 1883, of Monmore (Kilrush civil record) <Monmore South, Kilrush, House 2; House 5>
......................... 5.8 Norah O'Dea, could not locate civil birth record; age 14 in 1901 <Monmore South, Kilrush, House 2; House 5>

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Mon Mar 14, 2022 10:02 am

Hi Jimbo

Thank you for that interesting posting on Michael W. Stackpool. Good work finding him, and so much information about him!. Your piece is of special interest to anyone researching Fenians in Co. Clare. Stackpool got away before he could be arrested, so is not mentioned by Eva Ó Cathaoir in her book, Soldiers of Liberty: A Study of Fenianism 1858-1908. I am adding a posting (with a link to your piece) to topic “Six Co. Clare Fenians (I.R.B.) remembered by John Devoy” (http://www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtop ... f=1&t=7027), where I have already added many more men to the six remembered by John Devoy.

Sheila

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:25 am

Hi Sheila,

The escape of Michael W. Stackpool from Ireland does appear to be quite dramatic.

Highly recommend the article "History into Myth: The ‘Catalpa’s’ Long Voyage” by Philip A. Fennell in the New Hibernia Review. It begins with a 1923 obituary for an Inspector John Harley which claimed that he was an Irish Patriot who in 1869 rescued Fenian prisoners in Australia. The description was meant to be the Catalpa rescue of 1876, but the year and other facts were incorrect, and more importantly there was no record of a John Harley ever being part of the rescue. Another example of a myth, is a bronze plaque in New Bedford commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Catalpa rescue which lists seven rescued prisoners (there were only six), including a John Boyle O'Reilly . But O'Reilly had escaped from Western Australia years earlier and had been in America since 1869; he had only had a minor role in the Catalpa rescue by helping to obtain the whaling boat. The interesting article from the New Hibernia Review is available for free on the jstor website:

Fennell, Philip A. “History into Myth: The ‘Catalpa’s’ Long Voyage.” New Hibernia Review / Iris Éireannach Nua 9, no. 1 (2005): 77–94. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20557987.

Did the 1895 obituaries for Michael W. Stackpool also exaggerate his involvement in planning for the 1876 Catalpa rescue of Fenian prisoners from Western Australia?

Researching the statements made in M.W. Stackpool's three obituaries led to some surprising results. The obituaries stated that after the failed 1867 Fenian rising Stackpool was "compelled to flee the country" and had "escaped to England". One obituary went as far to say that he had "succeeded in making his way to Liverpool, where he was given asylum by a wealthy Englishman with whom he became acquainted and who sympathized with him in distress". All these statements are not only false, but conceal M.W. Stackpool's important role in "The Great Amnesty Campaign" of 1869.

https://irishhistorypodcast.ie/the-grea ... n-of-1869/

The Irish History Podcast ("IHP") of "The Great Amnesty Campaign" (published 8 January 2013, by Fin Dwyer) describes its origins with the 1867 execution of the Manchester Martyrs and how "in early 1868 the anger ignited around the case of the Manchester Martyrs began to crystallize around the remaining Fenians being held in harsh conditions in British prisons in England and in Western Australia".

"This new campaign was led by a central amnesty committee which met each Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock in the Mechanics Institute, Dublin". Stackpool first appears "amongst the gentlemen present" at a meeting of the Central Amnesty Committee in early January 1869. "The organisational side of the movement was largely left up to members and supporters of the Irish Republican Brotherhood" per IHP. It would later be renamed the Central Amnesty Association. Michael W. Stackpool was their financial secretary:
CENTRAL AMNESTY ASSOCIATION

The usual weekly meeting of the committee of this association was held on Tuesday evening at the Mechanics' Institute, Lower Abbey street,

MR. THOMAS RYAN in the chair.

The other members present were—Messrs. P.B. Byrne, M.C. Carr, W.V. Delaney, Adam Begg, T.F. MacCarthie, Thomas Egan, D. Downey, M. Nolan, T. Cuddy, M.W. Stackpool, Edmund Hayes, G.F. Bolger, and William Geosghegan.

Mr. Nolan, hon. sec., read the minutes of the previous meeting, which were confirmed, and he also read the following letter from the Lord Bishop of Limerick enclosing a cheque of £22 7s 6d:—

The Palace Limerick, 19th May '69
"MY DEAR SIR—The enclosed is the offering of the parish of Bulgarden for the relief of the political prisoners.—I remain, most faithfully yours, GEO BUTLER.

After the transaction of some routine business, the proceedings terminated with a cordial vote of thanks to the chairman for his dignified and efficient conduct in the chair, to which Mr. Ryan briefly replied.

The Irishman, Dublin, 29 May 1869
"Throughout July and August meetings were held up and down the country and the issue gained momentum into September" (IHP).
THE POLITICAL PRISONERS
GREAT MEETINGS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO
PROTEST AGAINST THE HUXTER'S AMNESTY


THE MEETING IN THE ROUND ROOM ROTUNDO, DUBLIN
MAGNIFICENT SPEECH OF ISAACE BUTT, Q.C.


The meeting held in the Rotundo on Monday evening last to inaugurate the Amnesty Association, and express opinion in support of Mr. G.H. Moore's motion in the House of Commons on the 29th ult., was one of the largest and most influential assemblages that ever congregated in the Rotundo. As one of the speakers, Mr. Isaac Butt observed, it was a truly great meeting, because it represented the people of Ireland. The spacious area in front of the platform was closely packed by the people; the balcony was filled to overflowing by a most respectable audience, and upon the platform were a large number of our most prominent citizens, and here also several ladies were also accommodated with seats. The proceedings throughout were marked by great unanimity and perfect order. Amongst those upon the platform , which was crowded to its fullest extent, were:—Rev. Maurice O'Sullivan, Limerick: Richard Piggott, IRISHMAN; Rev. Mr. Young; Hamilton Williams, A.B., T.C.D., Dungarvan: Hugh O'Donnell. . . .[skip 20 or so names] . . .M.W. Stackpoole, P.Donohue, &c. Several of those gentleman were greeted by hearty cheers upon entering, particularly Mr. Richard Pigott, who was received with a storm of applause, intermingled with cheers for the IRISHMAN and groans for Sullivan Goula.

. . . [long speeches by Ryan, Nolan, Butt and several resolutions were proposed, but only one resolution was moved:]

RESOLVED—"That the horrible treatment of the Irish political prisoners in the dungeons of England [and Western Australia] has filled the hearts of the people of Ireland with indignation and bitterness—the late miserably partial amnesty has left on our minds only feelings of disappointment and disgust: and we now call upon the people or Ireland to join us in our loud protest against the treatment of the political prisoners—and in an emphatic assertion that the people of the country must continue intensely dissatisfied while a single one of the political prisoners remain in custody."

. . . [more speeches] . . .

Flag of Ireland, Dublin, 3 July 1869
The Irish History Podcast states that these meetings were building up to the largest mass demonstration on Sunday, 10 October 1869 in the fields just outside of Cabra, a small village north west of Dublin. The crowd was estimated to be between one and two hundred thousand people. But Michael W. Stackpool was not among them.
COMPLIMENTARY ENTERTAINMENT AND PRESENTATION.Mr. M.W. Stackpoole, financial secretary of the Central Amnesty Association, was entertained by a large number of his friends, on Tuesday evening [7 September 1869], at Hood's Hotel [of Great Brunswick-street in Dublin]. The object of their gathering was to present him with some token to mark their appreciation of his valuable services as a member and officer of the Amnesty Association, on the eve of his departure for San Francisco. The presentation consisted of a chain and locket, manufactured of fine gold; the locket being ornamented with a national design—viz., a green flag bearing the Irish harp and cross, surrounded with a wreath of shamrocks, and were brought from Mr. O'Hanlon, Dame-street. Mr. Thomas Ryan occupied the chair, and having explained the object of the meeting, dwelt in terms of eulogy on the character and abilities of the gentleman they had met to honour. He considered it an honour to preside at such a meeting, sad though it was, and had great pleasure in handing to Mr. Stackpoole the gift of his friends. Mr. Stackpoole, who laboured under deep emotion, replied in affecting terms, thanking the gentlemen present for the handsome gift they had presented him with. He said that, though parting from the home of his fathers and from his dearest friends, he would not forget either in the distant land in which he was about to see a new home. Mr. C.R. Mahony, Mr. Nolan, Mr. Kane, and other gentlemen having impressively testified their esteem of Mr. Stackpoole, who though but a short time in Dublin has now innumerable friends, both in his commercial and public capacities, the meeting terminated with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman.

Dublin Weekly Nation, 11 September 1869
(a similar article was reported in The Freeman's Journal on the 10th of September, and in The Irishman, and The Evening Freeman of the same date))
Michael W. Stackpool after the Fenian uprising in March 1867 definitely did not escape to England. His departure from Ireland was even reported in the Irish newspapers. The farewell party was on the evening of the 7th of September. If it was indeed the eve of his departure, Stackpool likely left Dublin for Queenstown and taken either the Colorado or City of Boston bound for New York. However, he was not recorded on their passenger listings. If Michael W. Stackpool left for America later, say, to visit family in County Clare, he might be the "WM Stackpole", but given the handwriting quite possibly a "MW Stackpole", age 20, on the ship Manhattan which left Liverpool on the 22nd of September and Queenstown on the 23rd and arrived in New York on 7 October 1869. However, this Stackpole was reportedly born in "England" and had the occupation of "Poet" — was this a joke by M.W. Stackpole?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPV-8M1G

Regardless, Michael Stackpool definitely made it to America, most likely to New York. To get to San Francisco, he would have travelled west by train to Omaha, Nebraska and then taken the Transcontinental Railroad which had been completed in May 1869. The terminus at that time was Sacramento and then a ferry or other local transportation to San Francisco. No other way to California in late 1869 would make sense. That must have been an amazing journey for Michael Stackpool. In 2019, the US Post Office issued three stamps to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Transcontinental Railroad 150th Anniversary 1869 - 2019 USA postage stamps.jpg
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Michael Stackpool unlikely traveled on a first class Pullman Palace car, which was taken by a NY Times reporter in 1869 and who gave this travel review, "from that point westward [from Omaha], he will find himself bowling along at the rate of five and twenty miles an hour over a track on which the smooth-gliding train will disturb neither his slumbers in the palace sleeping cars nor his cup of coffee or glass of claret in the dining cars which now attend him on his jaunt from ocean to ocean (NY Times, 7 August 1869). A New York Tribune reporter wasn't overly impressed with the scenery, but had a "profound respect for the hard hands and bending backs that laid the one rail at a time. We owe Irishmen and Chinamen a debt of toleration and patience. There are not in America Yankee hands to do the work that Yankee brains devise. What if we stop railing for awhile at the condemned Irishman and consider whether, since he was both inevitable and necessary, we have made quite the wisest use of him" (NY Tribune, 13 November 1869).

On 24 January 1870, Michael W. Stackpool was at the wharf in San Francisco to welcome fifteen of the released Fenian prisoners from Western Australia. Since Stackpool was a member of the Central Amnesty Association back in Dublin, the prisoners arriving in San Francisco would have owed a special gratitude to him for all his efforts to obtain their release.
ARRIVAL OF RELEASED PATRIOTS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN CALIFORNIA.
(From the San Francisco Monitor)

The British ship Baringa arrived here last Monday evening, January 24th [1870], from Sydney, bringing, among others, fifteen of the lately released Fenian prisoners. It will be recollected that the Gladstone Ministry inaugurated its assumption of the reins of government, by the release of a large number of the patriotic young Irishmen transported to Australia after the failure of the attempt at revolution in 1866. Some have elected to remain in the Antipodes, others have returned to Ireland, and those named below have come here. They left Newcastle [in fact, Sydney] on the 9th October [the initial scheduled departure, the ship actually left on 21 October], and seem to have enjoyed their tedious voyage. They are a fine body of young men, for whose acquisition California no doubt will feel duly grateful. Annexed are their names and the terms for which they were sentenced:—

]1) John Kenealy, [born at Newmarket, county Cork; convicted at Cork, December 1865] sentenced for ten years.
2) Denis. R Cashman, [born at Waterford; convicted at Dublin, January 1866] sentenced for seven years.
3) Denis Hennessy, [born at Kilmallock, county Limerick; convicted at Limerick, May 1867] sentenced for seven years.
4) Maurice Fitzgibbon, [born at Killmallock, county Limerick; convicted at Limerick, May 1867] sentenced for five years.
5) Patrick Leahy, [born at Thurles, county Tipperary; convicted at Cork, May 1867] sentenced for five years.
6) Thomas Fogarty, [Kilfeacle, county Tipperary; convicted at Cork, May 1867] sentenced for five years.
7) David Joyce, [born at Ballamacoda, county Cork; convicted at Cork, May 1867] sentenced for life.
8 ) John Sheehan, [born at Kilamallock, county Limerick; convicted at Limerick, May 1867] sentenced for seven years.
9) Patrick Wall, [born at Drogheda, county Louth; convicted at Dundalk, August 1867] sentenced for five years.
10) Michael Moore, [born at Dublin; convicted at Dublin, December 1865] sentenced for ten years.
11) David Cummins, [born at Youghal, county Cork; convicted at Cork, May 1867] sentenced for seven years.
12) Eugene Geary, [born at Cork; convicted at Cork, May 1867] sentenced for five years.
13) John [Bennett] Walsh, [born at Dublin; convicted at Dublin, January 1866] sentenced for seven years.
14) Patrick Doran, [born at Dublin; convicted at Dublin, April 1867] sentenced for life.
15) Patrick Dunne, [born at Dublin; convicted at Dublin, December 1865] sentenced for five years.

On Saturday, the Dublin IRISHMAN reached here containing an account of their departure from Australia. A meeting was hastily convened for the purpose of extending to them a suitable reception. Their sudden arrival, however, found the arrangements incomplete, and thus frustrated the praiseworthy intentions of their countrymen in this city. Messrs. M.C. Smith, Thomas Keane, J.T. Barry, J. O'Sullivan, J. O'Connor, M. Price, R.F. Hanna, W. Curtin, Edward Cronin, P. McBride, T. Lynch, P. McMurray, P. Trannian, and M.W. Stackpool, having been informed that the ship had reached the wharf promptly went on board, and gave the exiles a cead mile failthe [a hundred thousand welcomes]; after which they were escorted to the Russ House, and suitable provision made for their comfort. We suggest the propriety of a substantial testimonial from our countrymen here to those brave young men, who risked life and forfeited liberty in an effort to ameliorate the condition of our common fatherland. Military displays and fine speeches produce agreeable feelings for the moment, but like the drum that incites the soldier to "glory or the grave," they are generally very hollow—substance is lacking.

Flag of Ireland, Dublin, 26 February 1870

[EDITS]: included birthplace, conviction location, and conviction date for the 15 released prisoners who arrived in San Francisco (source: "Arrival of the Liberated State Prisoners in Sydney", Dublin Weekly News, 11 December 1869). There were a few mistakes in the Dublin Weekly News article: the three Kilmallock prisoners were, in fact, convicted in Limerick, and not in Cork.
The released prisoner John Kenealy (1837 - 1908) is a relation of some sort to the Australian author Thomas Keneally and is one of the main story lines of the 700 page tome The Great Shame, And the Triumph of the Irish in the English-Speaking World (1998). Both trace their ancestors back to County Cork to a townland named Glenlara (pg 404). In the 1870 census, John Kenealy had the occupation of "Ret Dealer Dry Goods".
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN6T-XVH

M. W. Stackpool first appears in the San Francisco city directory in 1872 as a salesman with Keane, O'Connor & Co, dry good merchants, dwelling NE corner Bush and Stockton. Stackpool continued his involvement in Irish Nationalist and Fenian associations in San Francisco in the early 1870's:
At a meeting of the "Hibernia Rifles," held at their armory on Wednesday, November 23d, the following officers were elected: M.W. Stackpool, Captain; John J. White, First-Lieutenant; John Lennon, Second-Lieutenant; Cornelius Crowley, Orderly Sergeant; Joseph Monoghan, Secretary.

The San Francisco Examiner, 26 November 1870
"GOD SAVE IRELAND"

GRAND ANNUAL EXCURSION AND RE-UNION
OF THE FENIAN BROTHERHOOD
AND IRISH NATIONALISTS


Of San Francisco, and vicinity, San Mateo, Santa
Clara, San Jose, Gilroy and adjacent places,

AT THE PEOPLES PARK, NEAR REDWOOD CITY
ON SUNDAY, MAY 14, 1871


THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD will furnish ample accommodations to convey the Excursionists to and from these magnificent grounds, where
NEW AND SPACIOUS DANCING PLATFORMS
Have been prepared, as well as accommodations for Literary Exercises and Military Evolutions.
TWO SPLENDID BANDS of 36 pieces have been engaged.
As the proceeds of this occasion will be devoted to supply with material aid the
BRAVE MEN OF IRELAND
Who have organized for the
OVERTHROW OF BRITISH OPPRESSION,
And the establishment of an Independent Government on their native soil, the
FENIAN BROTHERHOOD
Feel no hesitation in claiming the moral and material support of their countrymen and all Lovers of Liberty on this occasion, then making it a
G R A N D
Irish National Demonstration.


Tickets...................................................................One Dollar.

San Francisco Chronicle, 10 May 1871
The week following the Fenian picnic at Redwood City, the Hibernia Rifles, and specifically Captain M.W. Stackpool, were the subject of a resolution by its organizers to show their appreciation as follows:
Hibernia Rifles.
At a meeting of the Committee of Arrangements for the late excursion and reunion of the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Nationalists, held at Irish American Hall, on Tuesday evening, the 16th instant, it was unanimously resolved that the Hibernia Rifles, Captain M.W. Stackpool, deserve and should receive the thanks of the Irish Nationalists of San Francisco for their participation in the Irish national demonstration at Redwood City Park on the 14th, and that, by their gentlemanly conduct and soldierly bearing, they have won the respect and esteem of all who admire true manhood and devotion to the cause of Ireland's independence.
San Francisco Chronicle, 18 May 1871
There is no doubt that Michael W. Stackpool was a Fenian, and I suppose that by definition it means he partook in the March 1867 Fenian uprising. However, since he was never caught and sent to trial, it would be difficult to prove whether or not he was "prominent in the uprising" as stated in one obituary. Perhaps his prominence was afterwards as a member of the Central Amnesty Association which was not mentioned in any of the obituaries?

The obituary headline "He Bore Arms in Ireland" appears truthful. Captain Michael W. Stackpool of the Hibernia Rifles was "regarded as an expert in the use of both the pistol and rifle" and "an ardent field-sportsman" according to his obituaries. His shooting ability was frequently noted in the San Francisco newspapers. At a monthly meeting of the California Wing Club in San Bruno, Stackpool participated in a pigeon shooting match of "twelve single birds, twenty-one yards rise, one hundred boundary"(San Francisco Examiner, 8 August 1881). Stackpool came in second place and grassed ten out of the twelve birds. This was before the advent of clay pigeon shooting, and the "birds were an excellent lot, and flew strongly and swiftly, taxing to the uttermost the skill of the shooters" . The following year, a "shooting match [target?] between the Montgomery Guard and Shields Guard, Companies A and B, Third Battalion, took place at Shell Mound yesterday, resulting in favor of the Montgomery Guard. Each company was represented by a team composed of ten men, ten shots each. Following is the score Montgomery Guard Team—M.W. Stackpool 44, M.E. O'Donovan 42 . . .". Stackpool had the high score leading his team to victory by a score of 402 to 388 points (San Francisco Examiner, 20 March 1882).

One big mystery is how did Michael Stackpool, from Kiladysart parish in County Clare, end up becoming a Fenian and a member of the Central Amnesty Association in Dublin? As the third son of a farmer, he would not inherit any land, and thus appears to have become an apprentice in the drapery business (same as dry-goods in USA). At the time of the Fenian uprising in 1867, Stackpool would have been 28 years old. One obituary had Stackpool in the city of Cork in 1867, but the same sentence stated that he was "compelled to flee the country" which was untrue.

I reckon Michael W. Stackpool must have joined the Central Amnesty Association in Dublin through a prior connection to one of its leaders, John Nolan, who was a draper's assistant in the city of Limerick according to the Dictionary of Irish Biography . The Irish History Podcast states "John Nolan, who was a member of the Supreme Council of the I.R.B. and also an early trade unionist was the de facto leader of the movement in Ireland. His tireless campaigning lead him to become known as John ‘Amnesty’ Nolan". John Nolan came to Dublin around 1868 which appears to have been about the same time as M.W. Stackpool. Both men had a connection to Michael Davitt. Michael W. Stackpool was the best man at Davitt's wedding in Oakland in 1886. And Michael Davitt paid for the erection of monument in honor of John Nolan at Glasnevin cemetery, although Amnesty Nolan had died in 1887 and was buried in New York.

https://www.dib.ie/biography/nolan-john ... olan-a6220
https://irishhistorypodcast.ie/the-grea ... n-of-1869/

But there is still remaining an even bigger mystery. What was Michael W. Stackpool's involvement in planning the Catalpa rescue of Fenian prisoners from Western Australia in 1876? The Catalpa rescue was famous in Irish communities throughout the world and a fantastic story that, according to one obituary, Stackpool "derived a great amount of pleasure in recounting the success which attended his undertaking". Phillip A. Fennell in "History into Myth: The Caltapa's Long Voyage" states, "Likewise, the amount of misinformation about the Caltapa rescue over the past century-and-a-quarter is no less fantastic." Was there any truth to Stackpool's storytelling?

To be continued

Edits (31/3/2022): Detail provided for 15 Fenian prisoners from Western Australia who arrived in San Francisco as noted above. Irish History Podcast now attributed to historian Fin Dwyer. https://irishhistorypodcast.ie/
Last edited by Jimbo on Fri Apr 01, 2022 5:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Sun Mar 20, 2022 11:02 am

Hi Jimbo

That’s a great follow up to your previous post on Michael W. Stackpoole.
It’s possible, I suppose, that Michael Stackpoole himself was not responsible for the myths regarding his involvement in the Fenian rising in Ireland and subsequent escape. He is reported to have borne arms, but maybe he never claimed to have done more than that. I agree with you that he was probably more prominent in the Amnesty Movement than in the rising itself.
Good work finding a connection with John Nolan and with Michael Davitt, and interesting to read that Stackpoole was best man at Michael Davitt’s wedding in 1886.
You mention that John Nolan was a draper’s assistant in the city of Limerick at the time of the 1867 Rising, after which he moved to Dublin. Nothing seems to be known of Stackpoole’s life at that time, but I feel sure that both would have known some of the men involved in the attack on the barracks in Kilmallock, Co. Limerick (5th March 1867). The song “My Old Fenian Gun” mentions Kilmallock and is sung here by Tom Lenihan: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... enihan.htm
The melody is the same as “I wish my love was a red red rose” – thought to be a Jacobean air, sung here by David Hammond, with Arty McGlynn on guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iggEmRcTHY

As for the Catalpa rescue, I always think that the first mate of the whaleboat (does he have a name?) and Mr. Anthony, the captain of Catalpa, were the heroes of the hour.

It was amusing to read of the wise use of the Irish for laying a railway devised by Yankee brains.

I’m looking forward to the next installment of the story.

Sheila

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Fri Apr 01, 2022 6:39 am

Hi Sheila,

The first mate of the Catalpa was named Sam Smith in all accounts, including the obituary for Michael W. Stackpool in the San Francisco Call of 18 January 1895. Here is the passenger listing for the Catalpa from Bunbury, Australia, arriving in New York on 22 August 1876, Captain George S. Anthony:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVSK-WCWZ

Sam Smith, the first mate on the Catalpa, was famous for telling off the captain of the British ship Georgette as it threatened to fire on the American flag bearing Catalpa. What exactly he said varies in every account. Unfortunately, the crew of the Catalpa, including Sam Smith, were not included since they were not passengers. The passenger listing column did not request the passengers' nationality, but "the country which they severally belong". The six Fenian prisoners who were rescued from Western Australia, were reported to still belonging to "Australia". Irishmen John J. Breslin and Thomas Desmond, who left San Francisco for Western Australia in advance to prepare for the rescue, are reported as belonging to the "United States".

I believe that the "escape" of Michael W. Stackpool from Ireland would have been his own narrative told during his lifetime in San Francisco and not just a myth written by someone else in his obituary. Many Irish-Americans had a similar story about their emigration to America. Michael W. Stackpool did not emigrate to San Francisco due to it being a fast growing city with lots of opportunities for someone in the drapery business. No, he was forced to "escape" from British tyranny.
It would be much easier to dismiss the image of the self-pitying, Anglo-phobic Irish "exile" as merely a cliché if the Irish emigrants themselves and their spokesmen had not employed it so frequently. Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Irish and Irish-American newspapers and orators characterized those who left Ireland as "exiles," compelled to emigrate—either directly or indirectly—by "English tyranny." Nationalists, politicians, and clerical leaders never tired of "reminding" their audiences that the Irish were being "driven out of Erin" like the "children of Israel."

Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America, by Kerby A. Miller, 1985, Oxford University Press, page 5
More likely than not, Michael W. Stackpool already had a position lined up before departing Ireland with the prosperous dry-goods business of Keane Brothers in San Francisco. I doubt it's a coincidence that the mother of M.W. Stackpool shared the same Keane surname. Nor perhaps that when the English "poet" named Stackpole arrived in New York on the ship Manhattan on 7 October 1869, the passenger listed directly above him was an Irish "sculptor" named Thomas Keane. Those in the draper/dry goods business were known to be frequent commercial travellers, both foreign and domestic, to buy goods for their shops. For an owner of a fast growing dry-goods store in San Francisco, hiring an Irish trained draper on such a trip would not be uncommon. If Michael W. Stackpool was indeed traveling with Thomas Keane of Keane Brothers, then I now reckon that they would have indeed traveled on the first class Pullman Palace car on the Transcontinental Railroad to San Francisco.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPV-8M1G

Similar to the "escape" of M.W. Stackpole, the narrative of the fifteen Fenian prisoners released by the British government and who arrived in San Francisco on the Baringa on 24 January 1870 would quickly change. The Sacramento Bee, followed by East coast newspapers, would report that these men had "escaped" from Australia. Initially, I felt sorry for Michael W. Stackpool since, despite all his efforts with the Amnesty Association in Dublin, including attending meetings every Tuesday evening in 1869 and organizing large demonstrations to demand the release of the Fenian prisoners in England and Australia, he would receive no credit for his work. However, upon further reflection, it was likely either Stackpool or another Irish Nationalist, who was responsible for this propaganda:
ARRIVAL OF FENIAN PRISONERS.
They are Aided to Escape from Australia by Friends.


Last evening the British ship Baringa arrived in port from Newcastle, New South Wales, bringing as passengers the following named persons, who were convicted in Ireland from 1865 to 1867, for lending their efforts to secure the freedom of their native land, and sent to penal servitude for terms varying from five years to life. These gallant men were convicted during the time the English Government had the habeas corpus suspended, and when it was utterly impossible for an Irishman to secure a fair trial in the land of his birth. They were transported to Australia, where they were compelled to suffer indignities such as no other country under the sun but England would offer to political prisoners. Lately an opportunity for them to make their escape offered, and by the assistance of some staunch and true friends they were placed on board the Baringa after she had sailed, and last night they had the glorious privilege of placing their feet upon free America, and finding themselves under the protection of the American flag, and in the midst of those who are friends for the sufferings they had undergone. Their names are . . .

The Daily Bee, Sacramento, California, 26 January 1870
Shelia, thank you for providing the song "My Old Fenian Gun" and its mention of the Fenian attacks on the Kilmallock barracks in 1867. I agree with you that Michael W. Stackpoole would have known the Fenians from Kilmallock, if not in Limerick, then definitely in San Francisco.

I've now edited my prior posting to provide detail (birthplace, year and location of conviction) on the fifteen released Fenian prisoners from Freemantle who arrived in San Francisco. Three men, Denis Hennessy, Maurice Fitzgibbon, and John Sheehan, had been convicted in Limerick of being involved with the attack on the Kilmallock barracks on 5 March 1867.

Denis Hennessy and John Sheehan were tried together at the Special Commission in Limerick on 14 June 1867. Dennis Hennessy had been arrested on 11 March at Queenstown in the possession of a departure ticket under the name of "Denis Mahoney". Although the British government passed the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act in early 1866 which allowed them to arrest suspected Fenians and hold them without trial, Denis Hennessy and John Sheehan were tried without much delay. Was it a fair trial? There were certainly many witnesses, eight into total, including both informers and police constables, that testified to both defendants in varying degrees having been at the scene and either being armed or having fired at the Kilmallock police barracks. Their defense counsel was certainly competent and mounted a strong defense. But since the jury appears to have been hand-picked amongst the landlord class, it would have been very difficult for these Irishmen to get a fair trial. And at least one of the three charges, as noted by the defense attorney, was a bit over the top — did Denis Hennessy and John Sheehan, even if they had fired at the Kilmallock barrack, really attempt to dethrone or assassinate Queen Victoria?

The accounts of the trial varied greatly by newspaper, but the Cork Examiner of 15 June 1867 provided the greatest detail. The witness statements are too long to transcribe. The closing statements by the defense attorney and prosecution provide a good summary:
Mr. Coffey [the defense attorney] rose to address the jury for the defense. He said he had but a few words to address to them in the case of the prisoners at the bar. They knew all the facts which in their general features resembled the other cases, and it would be unwarrantable intrusion on his part to repeat his former observations. He was glad they had come to the "rank and file.". They had disposed of the leaders, and come to the unfortunate dupes of this most wretched affair. There were no leaders to be dealt with here; no contrivers of this insane wicked outburst; no Americans who supplied the sinews of war or gave money; no men on the dock against whom there was one tittle of evidence brought to show directly or indirectly that they were engaged in attending Fenian meetings or Fenian conspiracies, or that they had subscribed or collected money for its objects. The men in the dock were shown, even on the testimony of the police themselves, to be men of unblemished character, living happily, peacefully, and contentedly in the little villages to which they belonged, and respected by the members of the little communities of which they were members. The first thing they had to do was discharge from their winds the statement of the Attorney-General that the prisoner Sheehan was a militiaman—a soldier who had foresworn his allegiance. That had not been proved, and it should not be allowed to weigh against the prisoner. The fact, if it were ever a fact, was quite capable of proof by documentary and other evidence, but it was not attempted; therefore, the statement went for nothing. The last witness, Dalton, coldly replied to his question that "he knew nothing bad of the prisoners." That was hardly fair, for Dalton's superior officers, Head-Constable Adams and Constable Gormley, went generously further, and not only stated that they knew nothing bad of them, but knew a great deal of good of them. He would ask them not to come hastily to the conclusion that these men were amenable on the charge they were trying them on. Did they deliberately intend, imagine and devise to dethrone the Queen? The only overt act sworn against them was their having had arms in their hands in the town of Kilmallock on the 6th March. Now, beyond a shadow of doubt, and taking the evidence of the police to test it, there were men there that morning who were compelled to appear with arms in their hands. The learned counsel than referred to the evidence with regard to the position occupied by Sheehan in the attack, and contended that it showed that Sheehan could never have seriously intended to shoot the policemen. It was not proved that these men had been engaged in the Fenian craze. They had been at no meetings, no swearing in, they had paid no subscription, nor joined no army, they were not even seen to associate with persons tainted in that way. Such men as the prisoners could not design or understand this conspiracy. Fellows of greater cunning and subtler intellect might plan that who were living by it. They would punish those men and such as they came before them, and punish them severely, but he called on them to deal humanely with the prisoners, their countrymen.

Mr. Sergeant Barry, Q.C., M.P., replied for the Crown.

Mr. Justice George charged the jury. Adverting to the evidence, he said there was, however, in the present case no need to depend on the testimony of informers. If the case against the prisoners rested, as he had said, on the testimony of the two informers examined, they would be justified in repudiating their evidence, but there was ample testimony independently of their evidence. The actual and general rising had been established beyond question, and the particular rising in Kilmallock had been also established as having actually taken place. . . . His lordship then reviewed the evidence as to the identity of the prisoners, and their presence at the transaction at Kilmallock.

The jury retired at shortly after one o'clock, and after an absence of five minutes returned into court with a verdict of guilty against both prisoners, recommending them, however, to mercy, on the ground of their previous respectable character, and also of the inferior part they had taken in the rising.

Cork Examiner, Ireland, 15 June 1867, page 3
The jury ignored the defense attorney's appeal "not to come hastily" in reaching their verdict as they were in the jury room for all of five minutes. The Kilmallock prisoners were sentenced at the close of the Limerick Commission on 19 June 1867. When the court asked Denis Hennessy if he had anything to say, he had only to thank his Counsel and his Attorney.
The Chief Justice then passed sentence as follows:—Denis Hennessy, John Sheehan, Michael Noonan, Thomas Daly, W. O'Sullivan, and Jeremiah [Maurice?] Fitzgibbon, you and each of you have been found guilty of the offence of treason felony. The acts provided against each and every one of you, if you had been tried for high treason, instead of treason felony, would have amply shown that each and every one of you had committed the more serious and grave offence the punishment of which is necessarily death, as far as the law is concerned, subject to be mitigated in case her Majesty the Queen or the Lord Lieutenant so pleased. . . . Denis Hennessy, and John Sheehan, that each of you was most active in that attack [on the police barrack at Kilmallock]; that each of you was proved to have fired several shots at the Constabulary. It is most fortunate that you did not succeed in taking away the lives of any of those men, because if you had, the offence would have been murder, and there could be no possibility of any course being taken but to sentence you to the extreme penalty of the law, under circumstances in which it would be impossible that mercy could be extended to you. Most fortunately for yourselves, though you did everything in your power, by firing at the barrack, and at the policeman who were defending it, no loss of life occurred, and with every possible desire to act as leniently as we could, and in the hope that the sentence we are about passing on you will induce you, during the time you are undergoing it, and when the period of your punishment expires, to consider the utter folly of the course that you have pursued, and that you may again be restored to society, we are determined to pass on you, Denis Hennessy, seven years of penal servitude, and the same on you, John Sheehan.

Munster News, 19 June 1867
It's interesting to consider whether the fact that Denis Hennessy was convicted in a trial for participating in the Fenian rising in 1867, and was a Fenian prisoner in Western Australia, does this necessarily mean that he was a Fenian? Evidence perhaps that Denis Hennessey was not a dyed in the wool Fenian was his subsequent life in California. Unlike other Fenians in California, such as Michael W. Stackpool and John Kenealy, he never admitted to being a Fenian. Nor did his obituary make this claim. Perhaps on the 5th of March, Denis Hennessey decided to pick up his gun, spur of the moment, and had no prior involvement with the Fenian's as his defense attorney suggested during the trial?

As far as the early life of Michael W. Stackpool, the obituary comment that he had "been almost raised in the dry-goods business" would indicate that he had started off as an apprentice in the drapery business in Ireland.

The story of another draper, John Kenealy, who was one of the released prisoners arriving in San Francisco, is told in great detail in The Great Shame. Fortunately, John Kenealy in 1908 had written a memoir on his Fenian days which author Thomas Keneally used as his source material. The bibliography includes: "Recollections of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Written in the Year 1908, privately published, Los Angeles, 1908". The location of this document isn't stated, but since Thomas Keneally spent many months researching his book at the Huntington Library in San Marino (northeast of Los Angeles), it is probably in their extensive collection. Here are a few short excerpts from The Great Shame that relate to the drapery business:
[John] Kenealy was one of those Irish autodidacts [a self-taught person] not utterly uncommon amongst marginally prosperous farmers' sons. He went to Cork City in late adolescence and escaped for ever the drudgery of farming which befell his elder brother Daniel, by finding work in the fabric and clothing business at a company named the Queen's Old Castle, or Fitzgibbon's. By the age of twenty years John had somehow met the Fenian chief, James Stephens. . . . (page 405).

Kenealy's elevation to the post of lace purchaser made him a suitable Fenian. Stephens used commercial travellers to carry coded instructions for Fenian circles in Ireland, Scotland and England. His trips were to Dublin, Nottingham, Manchester, Liverpool, London, and regional towns. Kenealy often conscientiously travelled by train at night to make up time spent with members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood amongst the Irish of England and Scotland. Within Ireland, the early carefully planned meetings of the relatively small, secure IRB were held in National reading-rooms in the principal towns and cities. In Cork itself, Kenealy lived in employees' dormitories, sharing rooms with a friend, and this domestic closeness favoured political talk and the cautious spread of Fenianism (page 406).
There appears to have been a strong connection between Fenianism and young Irishmen in the drapery business. The original document written by John Kenealy in 1908 might provide additional detail of his fellow Fenians in Cork and San Francisco. The Queen's Old Castle in Cork, where John Kenealy worked as a draper, was surprisingly a very large department store as shown in the below painting from 1848 by Robert Lowe Stopford.
http://corkheritage.ie/?page_id=7802

Queen's Old Castle department store, Cork, 1848, painting by Robert Lowe Stopford.jpg
Queen's Old Castle department store, Cork, 1848, painting by Robert Lowe Stopford.jpg (45.89 KiB) Viewed 9753 times

One obituary for Michael W. Stackpool stated that he was based in Cork during the time of the Fenian rising. The Queen's Old Castle would have hired dozens of drapers, possibly even M.W. Stackpool?

From reading The Great Shame, John Kenealy appears to have stated in his Fenian memoir that he also had a key role in planning the Catalpa rescue of Fenian prisoners from Western Australia in 1876. Could there be any truth to both John Kenealy's and Michael W. Stackpool's storytelling?

To be continued

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Mon Apr 04, 2022 9:53 am

Hi Jimbo

Thank you once again for a very interesting posting – the result of a lot of research.
I think you are right in making the connection between Michael W. Stackpool’s fellow-traveller, Thomas Keane, and the Keane Brothers dry-goods business in San Francisco. A connection between that business and Michael’s mother’s people (Keanes, Co. Clare) is more open to question, I think, as the name Keane is widespread throughout Ireland and is found in every county (in 1901). But the Keanes are thicker on the ground in Co. Clare than anywhere else.

I was interested to see that Thomas Keneally (author of The Great Shame) had access to a memoir by John Kenealy, privately published in Los Angeles in 1908. Yes, it might provide additional detail of Kenealy’s fellow Fenians in Cork and San Francisco, and there might be a mention of Michael Stackpool.
This piece on Thomas Desmond says he was an officer of the Knights of the Red Branch: http://www.sfsdhistory.com/eras/sheriff ... lican-hero, but he is not listed among those in the funeral cortege as reported in the obituary for M.W. Stackpool in the San Francisco Chronicle, 21 January 1895 (see above).

Thank you for including the picture of Queen’s Old Castle department store in 1848 – interesting to see how very different a department store was then.

Sheila

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Fri Apr 22, 2022 7:43 am

Hi Sheila,

Thank you very much for providing the link to the San Francisco Sheriff's Department webpage with the biography for Thomas Desmond, including a great photo of him. Their website naturally focuses on Desmond's links to San Francisco and not Los Angeles. Thomas Keneally in The Great Shame, on the other hand, appears to have used only Los Angeles sources for his research on Thomas Desmond. Both biographical sketches state that he was a veteran of the American Civil War. I can see that Thomas Desmond, a 24 year old carriage maker, registered for the draft in Dubuque, Iowa in June 1863. Thomas Desmond was a "captain" of the Hibernia Rifles in San Francisco, but I can find no record of his enlistment during the American Civil War.

Adjusting to civilian life after being in prison in Western Australia appears to have been difficult for several of the released Fenian prisoners who arrived in San Francisco in January 1870. One of the men, John B. Walsh, sent a letter to John Boyle O'Reilly, then living in Boston. He was a fellow member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood who had escaped prison in Western Australia in February 1869.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Boyle_O%27Reilly
THE FENIAN PRISONERS IN AUSTRALIA AND ELSEWHERE.
(From the Boston Pilot)
[We are indebted to Mr. O'Reilly for the following letter, which gives information in relation to the Fenian prisoners, not heretofore published.]

34 Minna-street, between 1st and 2nd streets,
San Francisco, Cal., 9 March 1870

MY DEAR O'REILLY—It was more by chance than good luck I happened to hear of your being in New York [more likely, Boston], and so I write to be one of the first to congratulate you on your escape from Western Australia. Of course we [fellow prisoners at Freemantle] were aware of your escape, but did not know in what quarter of the world you were. The majority of us thought you were soldiering down in South America, but I am very glad to find you are better off. Before we left Western Australia we visited the boys in prison; they all seemed to be in pretty good health, that is as far as health in a prison goes, and spirits. I give you on the other side [below], the names of those here with me; those in prison in Freemantle; those gone home; those free in Western Australia; and of our soldier friends, still prisoners in bush parties, and out on a ticket-of-leave. I am afraid there is but very little chance of their getting out. On the road from Perth to King George's Sound we met a few of our military friends stationed in different bush parties on the road. They all seemed to be in good health and spirits, except Wilson. He looked like a man that had to put up with a great deal of annoyance, as I believe he has from his warder, who is continually reporting him for the slightest cause. Martin Hogan is up in the Champion Bay district. I did not see Keating [Patrick, from County Clare, died in prison], neither do I know where he is; but I heard that he and Killeen were working in different parties on the York road. Harrington is somewhere about Northam; Keeley is in some other quarter with the exception of those, I have seen all the others. Although we had a police escort, we managed to speak to the boys "for a' that."

We had rather hard times after getting out of prison; some of us had to go miles away into the infernal bush, where I suppose we would be now, only for the noble-hearted Irishmen and women in the Australian colonies. You would not believe how kind they were to us. I could not find words enough in the dictionary to express their goodness—wherever we went we found them the same. The Irish ladies, both old and young, are—faith, I can't express my feelings of admiration for them, so I will only say they are first-class. Some of the young ladies I met there could not be beaten for beauty if you were to travel the world over, and along with being beautiful they are kind, good, and noble hearted girls, too. You see I don't call them ladies, because a lady, in my opinion, means a cold-hearted woman, fond of dress, and that sort of thing. At the same time, I don't mean to say that the women of the colonies don't dress well—they do; but it is not in that flashy sort of style that the women here [in San Francisco] do, with their Grecian bends, large enough to clap a horses saddle on, and a large mop of—I don't know whether it is horses' or human—hair stuck behind their heads. The women in the colonies [of Australia] wear their hair in the best of all styles—the natural style; perhaps it became them. I don't know. However, I will say no more about it.

Had we stayed in Sydney we would have all got first-class situations from the wealthy Irishmen there; but, like fools, as we were, nothing would do us only to come out to this place [San Francisco], where we are loafing about for the last six or seven weeks, and can't get employment. Were it not for the money we got in Australia we would be "hard up;" some of us would be off soldiering for Uncle Sam; perhaps down in Arizona, or some other place by this time. There are only five or six out of the fifteen of us at work. Since I made out the list, I have learned from a letter received by Denis Hennessy [one of 15 released prisoners also in San Francisco] from Western Australia, that Hugh F. Brophy was to start for home the following mail, and that James Flood was about going to New Zealand. That is all the news from that benighted land. Send all the news from home, as I do not have a letter from any one since last August. We do not know how the wind blows in that quarter. Letter from M. Cody yesterday. Father Lynch gone home to Ireland for twelve months. Father McCabe, of Bunbury, in his place—Hoping to hear from you, I am, yours very sincerely,
JOHN B. WALSH

In San Francisco, California:
[List of 15 names, same as in prior posting]

In Prison in Freemantle, West Australia[9]:
John Flood, 15 years (*); J. Edward Kelly, life imprisonment (*); Michael Cody, 20 years; Thomas Fennell, 10 years (*); Cor. D. Keane, 10 years; Daniel J. Bradley, 10 years; Thomas Baines, 10 years (*); James Kearney, 7 years; George Connolly, 15 years.

Gone back to Ireland [10]:
Thomas Daly, Jeremiah O'Donovan, John S. Casey, Eugene Lombard, Patrick Riordan, Robert May, Morgan McSwiney, Michael Noonan, Thomas Cullinane (alias Bowler), Simon Downey.

Free in Western Australia[10]:
Hugh F. Brophy, Joseph Noonan, James O'Reilly, Thomas Duggan, James Flood, Cornelius O'Mahony, Jeremiah Aher, John Goulding, Laurence Fulham, Luke Fulham.

Out Military Friends, Prisoners in different Bush Parties, [13]:

Sergeant Major Darragh, life, 11th Regiment [1]; James Wilson, life, 5th Dragoon Guards [2]; Martin Hogan, life, 5th Dragoon Guards [3]; James McCoy, 15 years, 61st Regiment; Patrick Keating, life, 5th Dragoon Guards; Thomas Delany, 15 years, 5th Dragoon Guards; John Foley, 7 years, Royal Horse Artillery; Thomas Hassett, life, 24th Regiment [4]; J. Shine, 20 years, 60th Rifles; Patrick Killeen, 7 years, Royal Horse Artillery; Michael Harrington, life, 61st Regiment [5]; Robert Cranston, life, 61st Regiment [6]; ------- Keely, life, 53rd Regiment. Note: [1] . . .[6]: the six Fenian prisoners rescued in 1876 on the Catalpa.

and on ticket-of-leave, in Western Australia [3]
William Foley, 5th Dragoon Guards; John Lynch, 5th Dragoon Guards; John Donoghue, 24 Regiment.

The Irishman, Dublin, 23 April 1870
John B. Walsh had only been in San Francisco for two months when he wrote his whingy letter to John Boyle O'Reilly. If you read between the lines, he had obviously been rejected by an Irish woman living in San Francisco. But by whom?

The Grecian Bend.jpg
The Grecian Bend.jpg (59.81 KiB) Viewed 9264 times

The Dubliner John B. Walsh was probably not the first and certainly would not be the last to be disappointed in their expectations and dreams of California as a land of opportunity. Lyrics from a popular song by Albert Hammond one hundred years later shared the same sentiment:

Out of work, I'm out of my head.
Out of self-respect, I'm out of bread.
I'm under-loved, I'm under-fed.
I wanna go home!
It never rains in California.
But girl don't they warn ya,
It pours, man it pours.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmq4WIjQxp0

Footnote *: Four of the Fenian political prisoners noted in the above letter by John B. Walsh as still being "In Prison in Freemantle" received a conditional pardon in March 1871 and went to New Zealand, ignorant of NZ restrictions barring ex-convicts. New Zealand newspapers noted that these men "had 21 days allowed to leave Canterbury, and who are going on to Sydney to take passage to San Francisco" (New Zealand Mail, 5 August 1871).

One of the four, Thomas McCarthy Fennell, was from County Clare and his involvement in the Fenian Rising in Kilbaha has been well told. Sheila provided numerous articles from Clare newspapers relating to his trial on the thread "Six Co. Clare Fenians": http://www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtop ... f=1&t=7027

And on its 150th anniversary in 2017, Paddy Waldron gave a presentation "Sesquicentenary of the Fenian Rising in Kilbaha" at the Stella Maris Hotel in Kilkee. His presentation outline, sources, and useful links are here:
http://www.pwaldron.info/fenians/

The Irish post office, An Post, issued two commemorative stamps in 1967 for the 100th anniversary of the Fenian Rising.

The Fenians 1867 - 1967, Irish postage stamps.jpg
The Fenians 1867 - 1967, Irish postage stamps.jpg (113.26 KiB) Viewed 9264 times

But in 2017, no stamps were issued to commemorate its sesquicentennial. 150th anniversary stamps of historical events are very commonly issued by the Irish post office (as well as in the USA, see 150th anniversary stamps for the Transcontinental Railroad in a prior posting). But why were there no commemorative stamps for the Fenian Rising sesquicentennial? I have a strong theory as to why not, but I reckon some topics in Ireland are best to avoid, and at the risk of ridicule for being "oirish", it is better for Americans to stick to "shamrocks, blarney stones, leprechauns, and Guinness".

Next week on 28 April 2022, An Post will release four commemorative stamps entitled "Irish Breakfasts". There has been no press yet on what the stamps will look like. While touring in Ireland, I've had an "Irish Breakfast", singular, but have no idea what will make up the four stamps. On an on-line stamp collecting forum, one Irish member suggested "a Guinness, a cigarette, and a cough", but not the fourth stamp. "Irish Stirabout" was fed to the souper children back in the day. And at the 1847 trial of four prisoners from Glandree who were sent to Bermuda (Andrew Sheedy McNamara, Matt Collins, Martin McEvoy, and Thomas McMahon), the 15 year-old witness John Linnane, upon questioning by the defense attorney, testified "we get bread and tea with the police, and only get stirabout and yellow meal at home" (complete trial on page 29). Will "Irish Stirabout" be one of the four commemorative stamps issued next week?

Getting back to the Fenian prisoners of Western Australia, Thomas Fennell, according to his biography on wikipedia, "sailed for San Francisco on board the City of Melbourne. In 1872 he went to Connecticut. While there, he was approached by John Devoy about plans to rescue the military Fenians still in Western Australia's penal system. Fennell's suggestion was ultimately implemented in the Catalpa rescue. Although Devoy and the other Irish-Americans always credited Fennell with the original idea, Fennell himself claimed that the idea came from "two gentlemen in Australia whose names it would not be well to mention, and a Rev'd gentleman now out west in this country".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_McCarthy_Fennell

While searching for the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree, I've now stumbled upon three Fenians involved in the planning of the rescue of Fenian prisoners from Western Australia in 1876. Could the three stories, of Michael W. Stackpool, John Kenealy, and Thomas Fennell, all be true?

To be continued

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Sun Apr 24, 2022 9:37 am

Hi Jimbo

Thank you for continuing the story and for including the 1967 commemorative stamps, which I liked. You don’t give your theory as to why there were none in 2017, and I haven’t formed one. It may be that An Post wants to move away from commemorating “old, unhappy, far off things, and battles long ago.” But some people continue to be interested in the Fenians, including me. I was very interested to read the letter from John B. Walsh and didn’t consider it too whingy at all. I liked his careful lists of names, and went straight to the list of “our military friends” – those prisoners who were guilty of mutinous conduct and who could never expect to receive a pardon. There were two soldiers among the assembled Fenians at Drumcliff on the night of the 5 Mar 1867, and I’ve often wondered what happened to them. The Clare Journal of Mon 14 Oct 1867 (see below*) gives their names in full: Private Robert Quin, 74th Regiment, and Private Richard Meade, 9th Regiment. I did not find their names in John B Walsh’s list. I assume they were given the same sentence as Patrick Tierney, but maybe they served it in an English jail.

Since you made your previous posting, I’ve read two very different books: one was Fenian Fire: The British Government Plot to Assassinate Queen Victoria, by Christy Campbell (Harper Collins, 2003). Campbell is a born storyteller. He waded into a lot of messy murkiness and produced a real rattling tale that kept me turning the pages for a few days. I must admit I did not bring my critical faculties to bear on it, as I needed all my wits to keep track of the plot (or plots). As far as the U.S. is concerned, the action takes place in the East coast cities, plus Chicago, and there is scarcely any mention of San Francisco. But there is this piece on page 97:
[In 1877, after the Catalpa success] Edward Archibald [British Home Office consul-general at New York City 1862-82] sent London a stream of reports of rumoured piratical attacks – on Bermuda; on New South Wales; there was talk of an Irish-American raiding party about to leave San Francisco to capture the Falklands Islands. Mr J Callaghan, the colony’s alarmed governor, demanded a Royal Navy gunboat be sent to protect his ‘most isolated and defenceless settlement’. He was concerned that a mysterious American, a ‘Mr Noel’, was using a peat-digging project as cover. But Port Stanley remained untroubled.
The other book I read was Fenian Diary, edited by C.W. Sullivan III, published by Wolfhound Press (2001). The diary is that of Denis B. Cashman, one of the Fenian convicts who were transported to Fremantle, Western Australia, aboard SS Hougoumont, in 1867. The diary begins on 24 Sept 1867, when Cashman (from Co. Waterford), who is still in solitary confinement in Millbank Prison six months after his trial, and is informed that he is bound for Australia. The diary ends on 8 Jan 1868, the day before the ship reaches Fremantle. Many of the entries are short and impersonal, giving weather, position, e.g.
28th [Dec 1867] – We had rather a rough night - a gale commenced 12.30 o.c. p.m. & has not yet abated – all hands are stowing away the fore-top sheet – 12 o.c. S. lat 44.9 [degrees] E. long 84.38 [degrees] – 63 miles – gale abating – 5 o.c. a calm has just set in – shipping seas.
But many of the entries are interesting, many setting out the programme for the concerts the Fenians gave aboard ship. The names of the songs and recitations are listed, and some were performed a few times. Each concert ended with “Let Erin Remember.” John Boyle O’Reilly recited some of his own poems, which were also included in The Wild Goose, the magazine produced by the group while on board (there were just seven issues). There are a few mentions of Thomas McCarthy Fennell, who was one of the group, of course. A poem written by him for The Wild Goose is not quoted in the diary, but is reproduced in a later chapter entitled “the Hougoumont Poems and Others” (p 139) – C. W. Sullivan found some words were too faded to be legible. These are the first and last lines:
“To lonely dreams of grief I bend ….. To die [without?] the [cursed?] chains.
It is followed by a dedication to Denis Cashman: “To Denis Cashman. In token of our love and friendship during in our acquaintance on board the convict ship, Hougoumont; so undying as never to be forgotten. Thomas McCarthy Fennell.”

I don’t want to quote too much, but I think it will be okay if I quote the entry for Christmas Day 1867:
Before I arose this morning the ‘Adesti’ was sung by all hands – some dressed, others in their bunks. I immediately dressed – went on Deck – had a fresh water wash – We had a terrible storm last night, which has not yet abated, the ship is being tossed about like old boots - & shipping heavy seas – We have just breakfasted off a sweet loaf (rather a delicacy to convicts) and have another for Skilly at 12 o.c. No Mass, ship too unsteady – Communion administered – We sang in admirable style – J. F. [John Flood] and I had a chat about home – 1 o.c. we have just dined off plum duff and salt horse – rather venerable – wine served at 2 o.c. 2 glasses to each – after which I had a Smoke and went below to hear our Christmas Goose read by Jack – I feel rather cheerful today, thank God. I sincerely trust that my dear K., Anne, Billy & our dear boys are enjoying a happy Xmass – I feel the day is not so far distant when I shall again press them to my bosom, which is all the happiness I care for, in this world, and even in a strange far off country I can be happy – these dear ones can make me inexpressibly happy in any country – God bless them, I waft them my blessings and a 1000 kisses across the thousands of miles which divide us
Denis Cashman was one of those pardoned in 1869 and was among the men arriving in San Francisco in 1870. He headed to Boston and, according to the Wikipedia entry, he helped plan the Catalpa rescue: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Cashman.
And, Jimbo, here is yet another man, who, according to this biographical piece, was involved in the initial planning: Captain Larry O’Brien (remember he erected the headstone for Patrick Tierney in New Haven, Connecticut): https://www.dib.ie/biography/obrien-laurence-a6482. I came upon him while searching for Mr J O’Brien, who came to Lahinch in Aug. 1878, and whose full name I am (mildly) interested in finding ever since I transcribed this report from the Clare Freeman of Wed 14 Aug 1878: :
The Sea side – the released Fenian prisoner O’Brien.
The number of visitors to the Lahinch watering place has increased considerably within the past few weeks. On Wednesday evening, of the the ex-political prisoners, Mr J O’Brien arrived at the Victoria Hotel. Soon the rumours went abroad that there was such an arrival, and crowds gathered in front of the hotel. An Ennis townsman, Mr J Ahern, introduced the gentleman to the assemblage, prefacing the ceremony with a short introductory speech relevant to the occasion. When the gentleman appeared at the window he was cheered to the echo, but, in the short address which he delivered, he carefully abstained from touching on political matters. In a very appropriate and true manner he returned the people and visitors of Lahinch thanks for the very warm reception they unexpectedly had accorded him, and concluded with a national phrase “God Save Ireland (http//www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7228)
* Clare Journal, Mon 14 Oct 1867:
Removal of Fenian Prisoners from the Ennis County Jail. On Friday moring John Byrne, John Maguire and Patrick Hogan, charged with complicity in the Fenian movement, were removed from our county jail to Mountjoy prison, in charge of Head-constable Mills, Constables Alexaner, Molloy, Dillon, Lorinane and O’Shea. The last named prisoner had been for some time in the constabulary, and was one of the persons arrested under the habeas corpus suspension warrant about two years ago at Feacle, when he succeeded in effecting his escape from Cahir Station. He eluded every effort of the police to recapture him until within the last few month, when he voluntarily surrendered himself to Francis M. Westropp, Esq, in the hope of experiencing the clemency of the executive. The prisoners took their departure by the eight o’clock, a.m., train, and so close was the secrecy observed that not even their immediate friends were apprised of it. It is conjectured that Private Robert Quin, 74th Regiment, and Private Richard Meade, 9th Regiment, now the only prisoners in Ennis jail on a charge of complicity with the Fenian movement, will be immediately transmitted to their respective regiments.

Sheila

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:48 am

Hi Jimbo, again

I’ve discovered that there were two John Walshes, one being John Bennett Walsh (pardoned in 1869 and writer of the letter to John B. O’Reilly) and the other being John Walsh, of Middlesborough, Durham, who was sent along with Dennis F. McCarthy, of Cork, by the I.R.B. in Ireland and England to effect the rescue of the prisoners: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/perio ... 00509.2.41 (note, also, the mention of John Talbot of San Francisco).
It seems Breslin thought at first that they were detectives! The great wonder is that, with so many cooks in the kitchen, the rescue came off at all.

It was this entry on John Bennett Walsh that alerted me to the other John: https://rune.une.edu.au/web/bitstream/1 ... URCE11.pdf

John Bennett Walsh seems to have faded into obscurity – at least the only mention I can find of him is in regard to a letter from John B. O’Reilly, wondering if his one-time girlfriend, Jessie Woodman (in Australia), had given birth: https://www.johnboyleoreilly.com/the-bl ... le-oreilly

Getting back to our Clareman, Michael W. Stackpoole: I’ve been reading an account of the 1867 Rising in Cork, given by J. F. X. O’Brien, in the Appendix to Joseph Denieffe’s recollections of the I.R.B.: https://archive.org/details/personalnar ... ew=theater (Go to page 286 near the end of the book). J. F. X. O’Brien’s gave his memories of the 1867 event in 1904 – almost 40 years afterwards – so may not be very accurate*. Anyway, even if you halve the numbers given by O’Brien, the turn out of men in Cork was very large. So it’s quite possible that Stackpool was among them. If “he bore arms” as the obituary says, it may have been just a pike.

*John Devoy began writing his in 1904 and I gather that his memories are considered to be not very reliable: https://digital.library.villanova.edu/I ... 7%2C6344%2)

Sheila

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