Category: Emigrant Stories

Emigrant Stories: Catherine & John Clinnin

Rutland, Kane County, Illinois, USA

Catherine (née Long) & John Cullinane were a married couple from Ballymacoda who emigrated to the United States in the 19th century. From humble beginnings, the Great Famine forced them to emigrate in 1847, and they were to eventually become owners of a large tract of farmland in Illinois. Their surname ‘Cullinane’ would go through various changes in spelling on official documents of the time as we shall see, with it ending up being spelt as ‘Clinnin’ by the time John & Catherine passed away. This was not uncommon for the time given the low literacy rates, with many people who could spell, spelling a name as it was pronounced and thus a surname evolving in such a manner.

Both John (known as ‘the red’) and Catherine were born in Ballymacoda – Catherine in 1815, and John in 1817. Catherine was the daughter of James Long & Catherine Lee. John was the son of James Cullinane and Ellen McCarthy. The Ballymacoda Parish marriage records show that John & Catherine were married on June 14th, 1838.

Marriage record for John & Catherine, June 14th, 1838

In 1847, during the worst year of the famine, John, Catherine and family emigrated to the United States. The year is corroborated by an entry in the 1900 United States Federal Census, in which Catherine, now living in her daughter’s household since John’s passing, confirmed her year of arrival in the United States as 1847. Their arrival in the United States in 1847 is also corroborated by the first trace of the family we find in America in the historical record – this is in the 1850 United States Federal Census.

The data in this census, three years after their arrival, shows John & Catherine living in the Grafton Township in McHenry County, Illinois. John’s occupation is recorded as farmer. This region, having recently been settled, was originally settled as a farming community. Fertile fields and dedicated labour by emigrants led to abundant harvests, enabling local farmers not only to supply nearby creameries but also to ship milk to processing plants in Chicago. Grafton lies in the southern part of McHenry County, bordered on the south by Kane County, on the east by Algonquin, on the north by Dorr, and on the west by Coral. In the 1850 US census, John & Catherine are recorded as having three children – Ellen, Hannah, and Catherine. Also noteworthy in their 1850 US census entry, is that their surname is once again misspelt, this time as ‘Clynnen’ – here we can start to see the progression in the morphing of the surname from ‘Cullinane’ to its final ‘Clinnin’ – with the latter still being used by the many descendants of John & Catherine today.

Fast forwarding ten years to the 1860 United States Federal Census, we find our next trace of the lives of John & Catherine. By this time, they are living in Rutland Township, in Kane County, a little south of where they were previously recorded as living in the 1850 census. John is again recorded as a farmer, and it is possible that the move south was due to better opportunities to procure land – his obituary refers to him owning 200 acres in that area by the time of his death. The obituary of their daughter Mary in 1910 also mentions that John & Catherine were ‘among the earliest settlers of Rutland township, obtaining their land from the government’. Their location remains the same in the 1870 United States Federal Census, and by this time five children are listed as present – Catherine (aged 21, a dressmaker), James (aged 19, a farm hand), Mary (aged 17, whose occupation was recorded as ‘housework’), and John (aged 13) and Margaret (aged 9), whose occupations were recorded as ‘at home’. The oldest children – Ellen and Hannah are not recorded in the 1870 US census entry, likely because they no longer lived at home and now had their own families.

Likely, John and Catherine began their American journey with little more than hopes, dreams, and the determination to build a better life for themselves and their family in America, having left the hardship and poverty of the famine at home in Ireland. As recent emigrants, they may have started by renting or labouring on smaller plots of land, gradually learning which crops thrived and which methods brought greater yields. Over time, thrift, steady work, and an astute sense for opportunity likely enabled them to increase their holdings and livestock and invest their profits back into the farm. The favourable farmland in their chosen destination, combined with economic demands for dairy products in nearby Chicago, would have provided them with both stability and prosperity. As they raised their children, tended to livestock, and steadily expanded their acreage, John and Catherine’s reputation as successful landowners grew. By the time of their deaths, they were no longer simply emigrants from Ballymacoda making a go of it in a new country, but rather respected, wealthy figures who had helped shape the community’s agricultural landscape and left a legacy that extended through multiple generations of their descendants.

John Clinnin died on July 3rd, 1884. His obituary, seen below, was carried in local newspapers, ensuring that news of his passing reached a wide audience in the surrounding community.

By this time, it was mentioned that he owned 200 acres of farmland and was worth $12,000, a considerable sum of money for that period. Such an amount would have placed him comfortably among the more affluent members of society, reinforcing the notion that his estate and possessions were well beyond the common standard of wealth. This notable financial standing, coupled with the substantial size of his landholdings, indicates that John Clinnin held an elevated position within the social and economic fabric of his era. It was also noted in his obituary that John had held public office as Commissioner of Highways for three years.

After John’s death, Catherine eventually went to reside with one of their daughters, a move that likely reflected the changing circumstances of her later life and the close-knit family ties that provided comfort and stability. Catherine’s obituary not only serves as a record of her passing but also offers significant data regarding the fate of the couple’s children. By the time Catherine died on August 10th, 1902, only four of their children were still alive, a poignant reminder of the era’s elevated mortality rates and the fragility of life on the American frontier. Both Catherine and John were buried in Saint Marys Cemetery in Huntley.

Furthermore, the obituary makes note of Catherine’s extensive lineage, citing a remarkable total of forty-nine grandchildren. One of these grandchildren, as we shall see later, was destined to play an especially notable part in preserving the family’s legacy, shedding further light on the enduring impact that these Ballymacoda emigrants had on their country of destination and the generations that followed.

Based on my research into John and Catherine Clinnin, it is likely that they were the ones who first introduced the ‘Clinnin’ surname to this region of America – as we have seen, this is a morphing of John’s original surname of ‘Cullinane’. There are countless examples of the generations that followed, right up to the present, using this surname. Another interesting find is that there is a laneway called ‘Clinnin Lane’ in the village of Huntley, just north of Rutland – I would be extremely surprised if this wasn’t named after a descendent of John & Catherine Clinnin from Ballymacoda.

Clinnin Lane, in the village of Huntley, Illinois

The descendants of John and Catherine’s son, James Clinnin, would find themselves closely tied to numerous significant historical conflicts. James married Jane Dougherty, a native of Nantucket, Massachusetts, on New Years Eve 1874.

Their first-born son, John Vincent Clinnin (grandson of John & Catherine), would go on to become a well-known figure in Illinois and the United States in general. He was heavily involved in the sport of boxing, being at one time chairman of the Illinois Boxing Commission and president of the National Boxing Association. He was also an accomplished lawyer, who became an Assistant US Attorney, and practiced law in Chicago. He also ran unsuccessfully for the position of Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 1936 and 1940.

John V. Clinnin

But it is his wartime service that is probably most notable. He had a distinguished service in the US Army – being awarded the highest honours possible – the Distinguished Service Medal, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. He was Commander of the 130th US Infantry during World War 1 and ultimately attained the rank of Major General. He died in September 1955 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia with full military honours.

The son of John V. Clinnin, John Vincent Clinnin Jr., also served the United States, fighting with the US Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean War. He also received a Purple Heart and also had the honour of burial in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. There are not many father and son pairs in US history who have both received a Purple Heart.

It is truly remarkable to consider that the descendants of two emigrants from Ballymacoda established such a distinguished record of service in the United States. From the quiet beginnings of a modest farming endeavour to the eventual accumulation of expansive landholdings, their journey embodies the promise and opportunity that America offered to those Irish emigrants who worked hard and took risks. Over time, these individuals would become deeply entwined with major historical conflicts, their contributions helping to shape the broader narrative of the nation. Their story, spanning multiple generations as we have seen, highlights the resilience, adaptability, and community-minded spirit that our emigrants often carried with them as they wove their legacy into the very fabric of American history.

Seen below, an article that carried in the Northwest Herald, in Woodstock, Illinois on Sunday, August 23, 1998, regarding a large Clinnin family reunion – all descendants of John & Catherine who left Ballymacoda in 1847 to seek a better life.

This carried in the Northwest Herald, Woodstock, Illinois, Sunday, August 23, 1998, Page 17

References & Further Information

Ballymacoda Parish Records

1850 United States Federal Census

1860 United States Federal Census

1870 United States Federal Census

1900 United States Federal Census

Google Maps

Northwest Herald, Woodstock, Illinois, Sunday, August 23, 1998, Page 17

Jeremiah Shea – From Knockadoon to White Court

The more time I have spent delving into the stories of emigrants from Ballymacoda, the more firmly I am convinced that I have only begun to scratch the surface of the most interesting tales. It seems that, despite the passage of generations, only a small fraction of these remarkable stories has ever reached a wider audience, leaving countless individual journeys forgotten. One such journey belongs to an emigrant from Knockadoon, Ballymacoda – Jeremiah Shea – whose path in life took a truly unexpected turn. Far from the familiar coastline of East Cork, he found himself in the orbit of one of America’s most prominent figures, ultimately marrying a woman who was counted among US President Calvin Coolidge’s favourite cooks.

Two pieces of evidence in official United States documentation relating to Jeremiah point to a birth date of July 22nd, 1892. These documents are his World War 2 draft card, and his US naturalization application. Jeremiah’s gravestone also lists his birth year as 1892. Jeremiah’s mother was Norah Shea, and she is listed as a widow in both the 1901 and 1911 Census of Ireland records. Norah lists 8 children, 7 of whom are still living in her 1911 census entry.

There is documentary evidence suggesting that Jeremiah enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve as a young man and saw active service during the tumultuous years of World War 1, gaining firsthand experience of the global conflict that reshaped the European continent. His Royal Navy medal record indicates that he received the Star (1914 or 1914/15), the Victory Medal, and the British War Medal for his wartime service. After the war ended, like so many others he sought new opportunities beyond the shores of his homeland. In 1920, he made the transatlantic journey that would forever alter the course of his life, departing from Liverpool, and arriving in New York on November 11th. The vessel on which he travelled, the SS Suelco, carried him across the ocean at a moment in history still reverberating with the aftermath of war. Stepping onto American soil in the bustling port of New York marked the beginning of a new chapter, one that would see him integrate into a different culture, forge lasting connections, and lay the foundations of a life far removed from the rural Knockadoon origins of his youth.

Jeremiah worked as a caretaker at the estate of businessman Frank W. Stearns adjoining White Court, seen here on the right. Located on the coast in Swampscott, Massachusetts, White Court became then US President Calvin Coolidge’s ‘Summer White House’ in 1925. He and First Lady Grace Coolidge spent the warmer months of that year there, escaping Washington, D.C.’s summer heat and humidity, while still carrying out official duties. The estate’s name stems from its grand, white, columned façade, and it was one of several locations to which Coolidge would retreat during his presidency to rest and conduct presidential business in a more relaxed setting. It was while working as a caretaker that Jeremiah met his soon to be wife, Margaret Carr during the summer of 1925.

White Court, Swampscott, Massachusetts

Margaret Carr, like Jeremiah Shea, was an Irish immigrant. She had left Galway for the United States in early 1920. Margaret worked as a cook for the Coolidge’s at the White House in Washington, D.C. and was with them in White Court during the summer of 1925. There are references to Margaret being the President’s favourite cook. She had also worked as a cook for previous US President Warren G. Harding before he died in 1923, elevating then Vice President Coolidge to the position of President. Margaret and Jeremiah’s granddaughter recalls from family lore that President Coolidge was particularly fond of Margaret’s corned beef with cabbage, her beef stew and her apple pie. Margaret & Jeremiah were married on October 20th, 1925, at the St Francis de Sales Church, Bunker Hill St. in the Charlestown neighbourhood of Boston. Margaret had resigned from her position as the Coolidge cook shortly before the wedding. The couple honeymooned in Bermuda. After returning they made their home at 58 Main St. Somerville, located directly to the northwest of Boston.

The wedding of these two Irish immigrants in the United States – Jeremiah from Knockadoon and Margaret from Galway – drew widespread attention due to their unique presidential connection and the circumstances under which they first met. In a time long before modern social media platforms and instantaneous news updates, their union nevertheless achieved a level of notoriety akin to the high-profile weddings we might see splashed across the feeds of prominent social media influencers today. Major newspapers like the Boston Globe and the Washington Times carried reports on their nuptials, demonstrating just how fascinated the public was with every detail of their story. After their marriage, the granddaughter of Jeremiah and Margaret recalls that they opened a restaurant aptly called ‘The White Court Lunch’ on Bunker Hill St. in the Charlestown neighbourhood of Boston, where the bestseller on the menu was President Coolidge’s beloved apple pie.

Jeremiah and Margaret had seven children, all born in Massachusetts – Jeremiah Jr (born 1926), Patrick (born 1928), Margaret (born 1929), Delia (born 1931), Timothy (born 1932), Johanna (born 1936) and Daniel (born 1937).

At some point, the family moved to 1 Snow Terrace in Somerville, just a few minutes away from their previous home. The 1940 Somerville city directory confirms the family living at this address, with Jeremiah’s occupation listed as chauffeur. The record of Jeremiah’s petition for US naturalization from November 9th, 1942, also lists his place of residence as 1 Snow Terrace. As mentioned earlier, this record also confirms his birth date of July 22nd, 1892, in Knockadoon. In addition, it confirms that he has never returned to Ireland up to this point.

Clipping from The Washington Times, October 22nd, 1925

Jeremiah Shea died in Plymouth, Massachusetts on June 27th, 1980, aged 87. Margaret had predeceased him, having died in August 1977. Both were laid to rest in Vine Hills Cemetery, Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

The story of Jeremiah Shea and Margaret Carr is emblematic of the uncharted chapters in the wider emigrant narrative of Ballymacoda – an extraordinary reflection of how far an individual’s journey can stretch beyond our shores. Their odyssey underscores the resilience and fortitude of countless others whose stories remain hidden in archives or family lore, waiting to be pieced together.

From Jeremiah’s beginnings in Knockadoon and his wartime service, through Margaret’s migration from Galway and subsequent work in two presidential households, their shared trajectory draws a vivid line from Ireland to the heart of American political life. Their marriage and the success they found – whether through their connections to President Coolidge, the bustling restaurant they opened, or the large family they raised – demonstrate that the pathways carved by Irish emigrants often crisscross continents and history alike. In doing so, they remind us that for every familiar tale, there are countless more to discover, each deserving to be chronicled for the role it plays in the ever-evolving tapestry of our diaspora.

References & Further Information

Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958

1901 & 1911 Census of Ireland

UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923

UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972

U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 for Jeremiah O Shea

Wikimedia Commons, Photograph of White Court

The Boston Globe, October 21st, 1925, Page 8, report on the wedding of Jeremiah Shea and Margaret Carr

U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, Somerville, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1940

The Washington Times, October 22nd, 1925

Kai’s Coolidge Blog, available online – https://kaiology.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/a-coolidge-grace-that-is-dessert-recipe/

Massachusetts, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798-1950 for Jeremiah Shea

Emigrant Stories: Thomas F. Russell

Taunton, Massachusetts, USA

Massachusetts emerged as a destination of choice for many Irish people in the 19th century due to numerous factors. Firstly, the state’s industrialization at that time offered many job opportunities, particularly in cities like Boston, where Irish immigrants found employment not only in the factories and the mills, but also in construction, domestic service, and the police and fire departments. In addition, Massachusetts had a well-established Irish American community that provided crucial support networks, including housing, work, and social connections, making the transition to a new country easier. The presence of the Catholic Church, which played a central role in Irish culture and identity, was also influential in attracting Irish immigrants to Massachusetts, where they freely practiced their faith. Thomas F. Russell from Ballymacoda was one of these such emigrants who made his way as a young man with his family to Massachusetts in the late 19th century.

Thomas F. Russell

Born in Ballymacoda in 1866, Thomas was the son of Thomas G. Russell (1843-1909) and Elizabeth ‘Betsey’ Quinn (1837-1912). Sources have listed Thomas as being born in 1867, but the Ballymacoda Parish baptismal records prove that he was born in 1866, as is evident from the record of his baptism, listed as having occurred on October 16th, 1866.

Baptismal record for Thomas Russell, with the names of his parents Thomas & Betty clearly visible

Even the gravestone of Thomas lists his birth year of 1867, but that does not seem to be correct based on the available parish records, which clearly show he was born and baptized in 1866. Thomas had five siblings – Elizabeth (1863-1942), Mary Jane (1864-1938), Michael (1869-1927), John (1871-1890) and Jeremiah (1874-1945). All were born before the family emigrated to the United States. The Russell family emigrated in 1882 when Thomas was about 15 years old, and settled in Taunton in Bristol County, Massachusetts, approximately 40 miles south of the city of Boston.

Thomas married Catherine ‘Kate’ Twiss in August 1890. At the time of their marriage, Thomas, aged 23, was a driver, and Kate, aged 20, was a mill operative. While from Providence, Rhode Island, Kate was the daughter of Irish emigrants Patrick & Kate Twiss. In the bustling streets of late 19th century America, it must have been an exciting time for the young Thomas & Kate, as they embarked on their journey in life surrounded by a vibrant tapestry of their fellow Irish expatriates, forging a path into an unknown future, where dreams probably seemed boundless in the ‘land of opportunity’. Thomas and Kate had three children – Lillian (1891-1897), Gertrude (1893-1983), and Thomas Leo (1894-1918). Lillian, their eldest child, tragically died of Meningitis while still very young.

The 1900 United States Federal Census shows Thomas, aged 33, living at 10 Russell Street in Taunton and listed as the head of the household. There is anecdotal evidence that Russell Street, which survives to this day in Taunton, was named as such because of the large number of families with the surname ‘Russell’ living there, but that is hard to verify as a fact. Thomas’s parents lived at nearby 6 Russell Street.

Today’s Russell Street in Taunton, Massachusetts

In the same 1900 Census document, Thomas’s wife Kate is also listed in the household along with John Twiss (Kate’s brother), and Thomas and Kate’s children Gertrude, then aged 7, and Thomas Leo (seen below), then aged 5. Young Thomas would later fight and die during World War 1. The Census document mentions that Thomas is a naturalized US citizen, and has been 18 years in the United States, which confirms the family’s emigration from Ballymacoda in 1882. Thomas’s occupation is shown as ‘Cloth Room’, which likely refers to a specialized section within a textile mill or factory where a variety of activities associated with fabric manufacturing took place.

A Young Thomas Leo Russell

In the 1910 United States Federal Census, Thomas, wife Kate, and son and daughter Thomas Leo and Gertrude are listed as living at the same address of 10 Russell Street in Taunton. However, Thomas now lists his age as 40, which doesn’t tally with his entry in the 1900 Census, or his actual birth year of 1866. Thomas lists his occupation as ‘Foreman’ and under industry lists ‘Car Barn’. A ‘car barn’ at the time was a building where trams, railroad cars, or buses were stored and maintained.

As often happens in life, tragedy struck Thomas and family in 1912. In April of that year, his wife Kate passed away suddenly at their home on 10 Russell Street due to a cerebral embolism. The grief must have been overwhelming, but fate had more sorrow in store just a few months later. In August, Thomas faced another devastating loss when his mother Betsey also died. She was 75 years old and lived just a few houses away at 6 Russell Street. This must have compounded Thomas’s sorrow, especially since his father had already passed away three years earlier in 1909. The series of losses likely left a lasting impact on Thomas, as he coped with the absence of the closest members of his family in such a short span of time.

Two years later, in April of 1914, Thomas found hope and companionship once more by remarrying. His second wife, Johanna O’Keefe, shared a similar background, being an Irish emigrant herself. Johanna was the daughter of Michael and Bridget O’Keefe, who had also made the journey from Ireland in search of a better life.

Around this time, the world was on the brink of World War I, the global conflict ignited by a complex web of factors, including rising tensions among the European powers, militarism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife Sophie, Duchess von Hohenberg, in Sarajevo on June 28th, 1914, by Bosnian Serb student Gavrilo Princip. America joined the war in 1917, and the Selective Service Act of 1917 required all American males aged 21-31 years (later 18-45 years) to register to be potentially selected for military service. Thomas Leo Russell fell into this age bracket and was required to register in the draft. At the time he was working as a silversmith for the Reed & Barton company in Taunton (Taunton was known as the ‘silver city‘, due to it being a historic center of the silver industry beginning in the 19th century). He was selected for service in the draft and enlisted into the US Army as a Private on September 20th, 1917, initially serving in Company F within the 302nd Infantry Regiment, which was part of the 76th Division. In February 1918, he was transferred to the 3rd Company of the March Automatic Replacement Draft at Camp Devens, a training and mobilization camp located in Massachusetts.

WWI draft registration card completed by Thomas Leo Russell, his home address of 10 Russell Street in Taunton is clearly visible.

Thomas Leo’s military record next indicates that he started training within the 2nd Infantry Training Battalion and later moved to the 7th Company within the 1st Infantry Training Battalion. On March 12th, 1918, he was transferred oversees to France, as part of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division.

Oversees Transfer Record for Thomas Leo Russell, Hoboken, New Jersey, March 1918

Just a few months into his oversees service, Thomas Leo Russell was killed in action on July 1st, 1918, during the Battle of Belleau Wood in Northern France, in which 1,811 United States soldiers were killed. He was buried in the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery nearby (Plot A, Row 2, Grave 6). Back home in Taunton, when Thomas Russell received the heartbreaking news that his only son had fallen in battle, he must have been engulfed by a sorrow so deep that words could hardly capture its depth. The future he had no doubt envisioned, brimming with dreams and aspirations for his child, was suddenly and irreparably shattered. The pain was undoubtedly compounded by the fact that his son was buried in France, with no possibility of repatriating the body. Knowing that his final resting place was so far from home must have added an additional layer of heartache.

The death of Thomas L. Russell, reported in the Boston Globe on October 1st, 1918

A few years later, in his entry for the 1920 United States Federal Census, it seems that Thomas again lists his age incorrectly, as 50 (younger than he is). In this Census, there is no mention of wife Kate – as mentioned earlier, she had passed away in April 1912, and Thomas had remarried Johanna. She is listed on the Census as Hannah. Thomas’s daughter Gertrude, now 26, is listed, now working as a grocery store attendant. In this census, young Thomas is also absent, having died during World War 1 as we have seen.

Thomas F. Russell died in Taunton on Monday March 28th, 1927. His obituary lists him as having died ‘following an illness of two weeks’ duration’. He was survived by his wife Hannah, and daughter Gertrude. He was buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery in Taunton, where his parents had been buried earlier. Hannah lived until 1955, and Gertrude passed away in 1983.

A long line of descendants from the Russell family, who emigrated from Ballymacoda in 1882, still resides in this part of the world today. The legacy of the Russell’s continues to thrive, with each generation no doubt maintaining the connection to their Irish roots. There is no evidence to suggest that Thomas ever returned to Ballymacoda during his lifetime. This raises a poignant question about whether any of his descendants have made the journey back to their ancestral homeland. It would be fascinating to know if any of them have traveled to Ballymacoda, perhaps to walk the same street their forebears once did. The idea of reconnecting with their heritage, experiencing the culture, and witnessing the land that their ancestors called home might be a compelling and emotional journey for the descendants of the Russell family.

The gravestone of Thomas F. Russell, Saint Joseph Cemetery, Taunton

Seen below, the grave of Thomas G. Russell and his wife Betsey in Saint Joseph Cemetery in Taunton, the parents of Thomas F. Russell. You can see the reference to Ballymacoda at the base, this was common at the time for emigrant graves to mention their home parish.

References & Further Information

1900 United States Federal Census

1910 United States Federal Census

1920 United States Federal Census

Ballymacoda Parish Baptismal Records

Haulsee, W.M., comp.. Soldiers of the Great War. Vol. I-III. Washington, D.C.: Soldiers Record, 1920.

U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910-1939

U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949

American Battle Monuments Commission, Details for Thomas L. Russell