A Legacy for the Eight of Us: The Story of Our Early Family Life

By Catherine M. Cavanaugh

This book is about our early family life. But the story is much more. It is about life itself the life experiences that all of us share.

"A Legacy for the Eight of Us" begins with a look back at some of our ancestors, next describes Daddy and Mama's early lives and continues with their marriage in 1925. It then focuses on the early life of their family my seven siblings and myself -- concentrating on our life during the 1930s and 40s.

This life took place in another era on a farm in central Illinois. You will read vivid details of that life. You will share in our familys interactions, our heritage, our faith, our love of the land; but you also will share in our challenges and shortcomings.

As I wrote this book, I kept in mind the admonition heard at a series of Barn Lectures at the Carson Valley Museum: "We cannot know where we are going as a people until we know where we have been."

It can be beneficial for each of us to discover our own individual legacies. From the memories captured in these pages, I hope you discover more about our familys legacy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456754570

Catherine M. Cavanaugh

Catherine Cavanaugh’s first publication, in her early grade school years, was a letter to the Junior Journal Page in the Sunday edition of the Illinois State Journal. Catherine does not profess to be a professional literary writer; indeed she states that more often than not, she has been a scribbler, not a scribe. However, Catherine has been involved in some mode of writing most of her life. As examples, she developed a nurse aide manual, helped write nursing care projects, updated parent/teacher organizational data, collaborated on a constitution for a family investment club, and made many, many family ‘to do’ lists. The genesis of A Legacy for the Eight of Us came in part from a family cookbook published by Catherine, The Murphy Family Cookbook. The cookbook contained historical data that was well received. This affirmation reinforced the author’s determination to work on her goal of writing about her early family history. Catherine is next to the oldest in a family of eight. Her younger brother and sisters have no memory of the early family life. She wrote the Legacy primarily for them; but the author has come to realize that it is also written for her own children and succeeding generations in the Murphy family. Catherine and her husband retired to the Carson Valley in Nevada. She is now widowed. Catherine’s life has been and again continues to be happy and fulfilled, productive in many ways.

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Contents

INTRODUCTION

PROLOGUE

Chapter 1 — Our Lineage

Chapter 2 –

Daddy’s Life Before 1925

Chapter 3 –

Mama’s Life Before 1925

Chapter 4 - The Really Early Times

Chapter 5 - Our Farm Life

Chapter 7 - The Good Life

Chapter 7 - As We Grew

Chapter 8 - Mama’s Later Years

INTRODUCTION

A Legacy For the Eight of Us is the story of George Joseph Murphy and Marie Anastasia Clarke Murphy and their family of eight children –- my brothers and sisters and myself. This narrative focuses primarily on the early years of our family. It begins with our ancestors, then Daddy and Mama’s early lives, continues with their marriage in 1925 and proceeds through the 1930s. The story then includes excerpts mostly from decades of the forties and fifties, in a semi-chronological order; these latter years form an uneven tapestry. To complete the tapestry, Chapter Eight sketches Mama’s history through to the end of her life.

Most families have a good oral history and ours is no exception. But all too often, oral history is not maintained. We often have wished, If only we had talked with Daddy or Mama about this or that or had asked, for example, Aunt Mary or Uncle Tom about something. The original oral account is priceless, but it is also good to have permanent history.

One of our family treasures is the DVD, In George J. Murphy’s Steps, produced by our sister Imelda’s family and given to us at Reunion 2003. We continued with the written word by including historical data in our Murphy Family Cookbook, Reunion 2006. In 2007, our cousin James Murphy chronicled the life of our paternal grandfather in Bleak Winters Bright Springs.

Because of the untimely death of our Father in 1943, I am writing this account for my youngest siblings — Carol, Imelda, Bernard and Helen, who have no memories of our early family life. However, it also has become important to me because it will tell our family’s story to our own children and to succeeding generations. This is a story about life in another era — the early decades of the 20th century, and particularly the ‘30s and also the 40s. I remember the admonition heard at a series of Barn Lectures at the Carson Valley Museum: We can not know where we are going as a people until we know where we have been.

Most of us were quite young when Daddy died: Carol was one, Imelda was three, Bernard almost five, Helen six, Agnes just turned nine, Robert, ten, I was 12, George was 15, just shy of being 16 years old. Even more significant is that Mama was only 43 yeas old. After 18 years of marriage, she was left with eight children under the age 16. She was widowed for over twenty-eight years.

George’s memories of our Father and early family life are more mature than mine. (3 ½ years more mature!) My aim is to convey as true an impression as memory permits. I do hope that this writing does not come off as being too somber. We grew up with happiness and fun that balanced the sadness and hardships; though a lack of security did prevail at times. It is to Mama’s and to George’s credit that we were each able to have successful lives.

Recording our early family history has been a hope of mine for much of the past four decades. In 1998, I began to write, albeit sporadically. Subsequent writings were sent at different intervals to my brothers and sisters. I have included most of my past writing in the last portion of this book.

The concept of Our Legacy began to emerge during the past several years. At first I had thought that this story could be a collaborative effort with all eight of us contributing. Each of us has a unique perspective. But because these perspectives span multiple years, I came to realize that a combined account simply was not practical. Therefore, this story is written from my own viewpoint with much input from George. As you well know, he is an excellent oral historian! His input is credited in specific instances; to credit all of it would be cumbersome. Some of the writing is simply a joint venture with George and shared remembrances. George’s priceless contribution is very much appreciated. You will note invaluable inserts by other specific family members — for which I am also grateful

For clarification, I should give you variations on our given names: George is also GT; I am also Cathy or Kate; Robert is Bob and RT; Agnes is Ag and especially, Tweet; Helen is also La La; Bernard answers to Bernie or BJ; Imelda is Meldie or even Phele; and Carol is sometimes referred to by her toddler name of Delsey. George, during his adult life, refers to our father as ‘Dad’, I use Daddy. I also skip back and forth between Mama and Mother. When we were young, it was always Mama, then as I was older, I thought it more upscale to use "Mother’. Even the spelling of Mama has varied. Originally, we used ‘Mamma’ or ‘Momma’.

Our family is a closely knit family. Collectively, we have strengths and wonderful qualities. Of course, we also each have faults, flaws, shortcomings. But, all in all, a good family. Reflecting on our past history reminds me how fortunate and blessed I am to be a part of it.

Catherine Margaret Murphy Cavanaugh, 2010

PROLOGUE

DADDY and MAMA’S LEGACY

Does any young person ponder whether anyone will be interested in his or her life 85 years later? Eighty-five years seems like an eternity when you’re young. Why in the world would anyone care, and if they did care, what would they care about?

On their wedding day in 1925, our Daddy and Mama surely had the same dreams most newlyweds have — to love and cherish each other and have a happy home with children who would become good individuals, a positive and productive part of our society.

Each of our parents had strong ethical values and a strong dedication to family life. In spite of ongoing hardships, Daddy had happiness and a zest for reaching out. Had he been blessed with a longer life, he would have been a much beloved senior in our family. Indeed, we all were deprived of that special gift. Mama, though often overwhelmed, gave us her all: her strength, her care and above all, her enduring love. In spite of how hard life was for her at times, Mama also had a joy for life. We were blessed to have her with us into our adult life.

Human nature seems to have a strong need to ‘leave a legacy’. We want to impart our values to those who follow. Today, 85 years after Daddy and Mama’s marriage, their legacy has been fulfilled; it continues in our family life today.

The year 1925 was light years different from the present day. How have events shaped us as individuals, as a family? How has farm life changed? Has our national character changed? How do we adapt to changing times? Do we have insight to discern positive changes, to discern changes that might be wrong and should be set right? Do we have justifiable pride and satisfaction in our own contribution to our family and to society’s values? How does who we are today relate to 1925?

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the profound changes that happened during our parents’ lives. This is who we were, our Murphy family, when we all lived in the same house on the farm[1].

There was no question of an identity other than being farmers! We were poor during our early family life, quite poor some of the time, but not ‘dirt poor’. Daddy was getting started in farming during the Farm Depression of the 20s, struggled through the Great Depression, had illness; all in all, because of many circumstances, the timing was not optimal to ensure financial security.

Our poverty was also partly social and cultural. We were not geographically connected with extended family; our close connection with those of our same faith was limited to one neighbor family. We were country folk, not town folks. For the most part, cultural enhancements were not available. Of course, many of these criteria were the same for traditional rural Midwestern families of that era. We usually had hope; our circumstances did not suffocate our spirit.

As for religion, the Catholic faith was who we were — part of our very being. Both Daddy and Mama were well grounded in their faith, and saw to it that we would be too. Daddy was a Republican in local politics. A majority of the Farm Bureau members were also Republican. Mama, in those days, supported Daddy’s interests, but throughout her life, her party was the Democratic Party.

We had a strong patriotic sense — a faithful belief in the United States of America. We were proud of the fact that Abraham Lincoln was from Illinois and had lived in Springfield. We knew we were of Irish descent, but did not realize how very Irish we actually were. From our parents, we received a strong expectation to do well and above all, to be a good person.

Each of us, except George, left home after graduating from high school. But that same house was always home to all of us through the years.

As you continue reading, you will decide how or if the changes of the 20th century impacted us as a family. ‘Family’ is a very fluid entity. Each marriage, birth, and death, each achievement and each difficulty adds to the whole of who we are. Our own family started 85 years ago and will continue, with God’s Blessings, for years to come.

You will decide what our family legacy is. It can be beneficial for each of us to discover our own individual legacy. Our inheritance has given us much to cherish and treasure — our faith, our Irish ancestry, our American citizenship, our education and yes, our rural life. CMC, 2010

Chapter 1 — Our Lineage

Genealogical Data

As with any beginning, it can be beneficial to first look backward. Review of our lineage in this first chapter will help illustrate our legacy. The next two chapters talk about Daddy and Mama’s lives before their marriage.

Although I am fairly confident that these recorded dates are accurate, I’m not verifying that they are ‘official’. In addition to my limited genealogical research, I am using data from family members including Mama’s first cousin, Bernard Clarke; from Aunt Marie Murphy, who gave me a copy of Alice Murphy Hayward’s[2] history; and from other sources. I am looking forward to finding even more information in the future.

All four of our ancestral families — Murphy, Mooney, Clarke, and Whealon — have similar challenges in sorting out the facts. The surnames were all intertwined into different families. I imagine the cousins themselves had a hard time knowing to whom they were related and ‘on which side’. Spelling of names was not consistent, e.g. in Mother’s own handwriting, she spells her maternal Grandmother’s surname as both Reidy and Reedy. Earlier census records had a slightly different spelling than subsequent records; e.g. Clarke[3] was both "with an ‘e’ and without." Even in the Farmersville locality during the early 20th Century, both spellings were still used. Grandma Clarke was ‘Catherine’ on some records, ‘Kate’ on other records.

Daddy’s paternal and maternal grandfathers were Irish immigrants. His paternal grandmother was a Quaker in Pennsylvania, whose father immigrated from England, and his maternal grandmother immigrated from Scotland.

Mama’s paternal and maternal grandparents were all Irish immigrants. The 1993 centennial publication, THE HISTORY OF FARMERSVILLE, ILLINOIS, Our First 100 Years, talks about the original pioneers who immigrated in the mid 1800s to the location east of present-day Farmersville, then known as the Irish settlement.[4] Two of the original pioneers listed were John Whalen and Thomas Clarke. These two men were to become Mama’s grandfathers. Most of the descendants of the original pioneers remained predominately in this same area.

Indeed, as we were growing up, we heard over and over again the names of many of the families living in Farmersville.[5] These names, among others, included the Abbott’s, Browns, Jordan’s, McAnarney’s, Commerfords, Leonard’s, Aherin’s, Coen’s, Doody’s and of course, Clarke’s, Whealon’s, and Murphy’s of all descriptions. Our parents certainly had enduring friendships with and respect for these families. Visiting with them was a source of joy and happiness for Daddy and Mama. I regret that I myself did not take more opportunity to get to know these families personally.

ST ISIDORE’S AND ST MARY’S

FARMERSVILLE, ILLINOIS

In reviewing Farmersville Catholic Pastoral History during the early 20th Century, I can’t be sure in which church our parents were married; St. Isidore’s in the country or St. Mary’s in town, but we know that Father Ryan officiated. The following information is from a memento celebrating the 50th Anniversary of St. Mary’s Church, Farmersville, IL, 1902 – 1952:

St. Isidore’s was the foundation of St. Mary’s. St. Isidore’s was established in 1876, three miles east of Farmersville, where Father Timothy Hickey, an outstanding pioneer priest, tended the little flock of St. Isidore’s Parish. He traveled horseback from Virden, a distance of twenty miles, and said mass in the Mt. Vernon School House. Father Joseph O’Rourke was serving St. Isidore & St. Mary’s 1899-1914 – the last time St. Isidore’s is listed. St. Mary’s was established in Farmersville in 1902 by Father O’Rourke. Father J. P. Kerr is listed at St. Mary’s 1914 – 1919; Father Thomas Carroll, St. Mary’s, 1919- 1926; Father Timothy Hickey, St. Mary’s 26-27; Father A. Teppe, 27 – 29; Father John B. Franz, (later Bishop Franz) 29- 35; Very Rev. Msgr. Timothy Maloney, 1935 - 1967.

A newspaper clipping about Father O’Rourke’s transfer to Mt. Sterling describes him as A genial and broadminded priest and is greatly beloved by the members of his congregation. He is noted for his charity and is warmly devoted to his sacred calling.

In 1919, Father Lawrence Ryan (later Bishop Ryan, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois) came to Farmersville and, in 1921, established a parochial school with 12 grades and a convent – St. Isidore’s. Because of transportation difficulties, some of the country students boarded in dormitories on the third floor of the building; during WWII this was also due to a shortage of gasoline and tires. After consolidation in 1948, when bussing routes began, the boarding ended. The grade school remains today; the high school closed in 1932. An interesting note is that Farmersville High School’s first class graduated in 1923; the last class graduated in 1962.

Mama kept mementos of: A program[6] of Father Rourke’s 25th Anniversary; the Anniversary of St. Mary’s in 1917; a Mission at St. Raymond’s by Father Chas. W. Opppenheim, October 6 – 13, 1918; Rev. Joseph P. Jordan’s 1st Mass at St. Mary’s on September 22, 1920.

Family Trees

MURPHY

Married Jun 9, 1856

Daniel

b 1857, Philadelphia, PA

d. 1860, Philadelphia PA

TISDALE HILL

b Mar 09, 1863, Philadelphia

m. Feb 11, 1989, Niantic IL to Margaret Mooney

d. Jun 19, 1937, Farmersville, IL

George

b. 1865, Philadelphia, PA

d. Jul 02, 1892

Joseph

b. 1867, Philadelphia, PA

d. 1893, Columbia, MO

MOONEY

Married Jun 1833, Kilwinning, Scotland

Hugh

b. May 5, 1854

d. 1855, Stevenston, Scotland

Agnes

b. July 27, 1856

Scotland (?)

Francis

b. Dec 20, 1860

Illinois

Catherine

b. Jan 20, 1862

Illinois

Jane (Jennie)

b. Nov 12, 1865

Illinois

MARGARET

b. Jan. 14, 1868, Niantic, Illinois

m. Feb 11, 1890 Niantic IL to Tisdale Murphy

d. Dec 12, 1966

James

B. Mar 03, 1870

d. 1872

John

b. Mar 21, 1873

Matthew

b. Jun 02, 1875

CLARKE

Married: November 6, 1862, Montgomery[7] County, Illinois

James

b. 10/28/1863

m. Elizabeth Coen

d. February 1923

THOMAS WILLIAM

b. Sep 30, 1868

m. 1898 to Catherine Bridget Whealon[8]

d. Jun 08, 1956

Patrick

b. Mar 17, 1865

m. Honora Quinlan

d. Aug 22, 1931

Matthew Daniel

b. 1873

d. 1873

WHEALON

THOMAS WHEALON[9] ANASTASIA GRACE

[10]

Waterford, Ireland Kilkenny, Ireland

d. 08[11]/14/1878 d. 08/22/1924[12]

Date and Place of Marriage not yet located

Anastasia remarried James Reidy, 1882, in Montgomery County, IL. after being widowed .

Mary

b. 07/25/1866

m. 1898 to James Maher (b. 08/15/1861; d. 09/09/1942)

d. 04/21/1956

Elizabeth

b. 07/25/1866

m. 1893 to Cornelius Meehan

d. St. Louis, Missouri

John

b. About 1868

m. 1893 to Mary Commerford*[13]

KATE (CATHERINE) BRIDGET

b. Jan 14, 1872

m. 1898 to Thomas Clarke

d. May 4, 1939 Springfield, Illinois

Thomas

b. About 1875

m. 1893 to Elizabeth Clark*

MURPHY ANCESTORS

Our Murphy ancestry has been traced back in Ireland to Daniel Murphy, born in 1780 in County Antrim, Ireland. One tidbit about our lineage is Grandpa Murphy’s middle name, Tisdale Hill Murphy. Grandpa’s paternal grandfather, William, married Letitia Hill who was born, and also died, in County Antrim, Ireland. William, after becoming a widower, married Mary Craig, also born in County Antrim. I again refer you to James Murphy’s book, Bleak Winters Bright Springs, for well documented and interesting data about both our Murphy and Mooney lineage.

You may have heard, perhaps numerous times, about the watch that our brother, George Tisdale, now has in his possession. Two of Grandpa Tisdale Murphy’s uncles were in the Union Army in the Civil War, Lt. George Murphy and his younger brother, 1st Sgt. Adam Murphy. George was killed in the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 3, 1862; Adam went onto the battlefield and retrieved his brother George’s revolver and watch. Adam, before his own death, passed the watch on to the son of another brother, James. This son of James was also named George Murphy. After this George’s death in Canada, (1938) the watch was found among his possessions. At that funeral, the watch was given to our father. In turn, it was given to our brother, George Tisdale Murphy, and will in turn be given to his son, George Michael Murphy.

It is thought that Daddy’s Grandmother’s family disowned her for marrying a non-Quaker. Daddy’s Grandfather died at the age 34 of typhoid fever. This left a 37-year-old woman in the year of 1867, who had already lost a child, to raise a ten-year-old, a four-year-old (Grandpa Tisdale) and a two-year-old.

Soon after Daddy was born, Grandpa Tisdale’s remaining two brothers died. His cousins included the Craig’s; they were well known but I don’t remember knowing them. Grandpa’s cousin, Charlie Murphy and wife, Ina, lived on the land just to the west of Grandpa and Grandma Murphy’s house. Charlie and Ina later moved into the little house near the road and one of their sons (Bryon?) lived up their lane in the big house. Ina had a wig, as I remember, that was intriguing for a child to look at. Daddy and Mama would often stop in to respectfully visit them and enjoyed the visiting. However, I don’t ever remember being in their homes.

MOONEY ANCESTORS

Going way back, this part of our family tree dates to 1798 when Archie Graham and Anne McKearny were married in Ireland, both of County Armagh. Their first child, Catherine, married Frank Mooney, Frank and Catherine Mooney’s second child, Hugh Mooney, married Margaret Read. From this marriage came nine children, one of whom was our Grandmother Margaret Mooney Murphy.

Grandma Murphy’s father, Hugh Mooney, is described as a gregarious Irishman. The Mooney home near Niantic, Illinois was a haven for people coming from the Old Country until they got established in this country. Hugh Mooney was a great man for buying and selling stock and had a large threshing machine. He sunk the Niantic Coal Mine on Valentine’s Day 1882, but caught pneumonia working in the mine and died March 7, 1882. He did not live to see the outcome of his work.

I have only a nebulous memory of any of Grandma Murphy’s siblings as individuals, but remember them collectively as the Mooneys; but I certainly remember our parents talking about ‘Aunt Agnes’, ‘Aunt Jennie’ and ‘Uncle Matt’ and also Frank and/or Paul Moore. Aunt Jennie is the one who took care of her Mother all of her life. A sister, Catherine, married a Hugh Moore, the brother of Thomas Moore, Aunt Agnes’ husband. Matt’s wife was Ophelia Hughes.[14]

ONE of the MOORE FAMILIES

Because Daddy was close to Aunt Agnes, I am including a bit about her family. Aunt Agnes, Grandma Murphy’s sister, was the oldest daughter of Hugh and Margaret Read Mooney. Her older brother, Hugh, died in infancy. Her father had immigrated to America and sent for his wife and daughter when Agnes was four years old. Agnes married Thomas Moore on August 15, 1882. Thomas Moore was born May 12 in Ireland, came to America in 1874, settling on a farm near Niantic, Illinois. Thomas and Agnes Moore had eight children:

1. Their first son, Hugh J., married Sophia Woodall. Hugh and Sophie had ten children, including twins, Merle and Earl just a bit older than George. The Moore’s were among the early[15] visitors at our home. Of historical note, George, Earl and Merle are the boys that, while playing, threw tin cans at me so that I would ‘get lost’.

2. Frank Moore, born May 7, 1885 was the second son. Frank lived on the family farm northwest of Niantic where he farmed until he retired and moved to Decatur in 1946. He died September 15, 1966 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Illiopolis, Illinois

3. A third son, John M. (Jack) b. July 20, 1887, died of pneumonia on October 8, 1918 while in the U. S. Army, stationed at Rockford. Since that Army base had an influenza outbreak, he was probably a victim of the worldwide Flu Epidemic of 1917 – 1918.

4. James C. b. Aug 22, 1989, married Elizabeth Connor, d. 1957

5. Jane Moore, born Nov 26, 1891, was the oldest daughter. She was a St. John’s nurse (Class of 1919) and good friend of Aunt Tamie.[16]

6. Margaret Josephine, born Jun 13, 1894, did the family cooking and housekeeping for many years.

7. Mary Lucille, born Mar 32, 1896, was a secretary at E. E. Lily for many years. Jane, Margaret and Mary did not marry; they cared for their Mother and also for Aunt Jennie.

8. Paul Moore, born Jan 29, 1900, married Opal Allison, d. Apr 23, 1987. Paul was Daddy’s best man at his wedding

CLARKE ANCESTORS

James Clarke was our Grandpa (Thomas William) Clarke’s grandfather. He was born, possibly 1795, in Dunshaughlin, County Meath, Ireland. James Clarke married Catherine Shalvoy, born 1801, also of County Meath. Catherine’s mother’s maiden name was Gilshannon. James and Catherine had three sons: Thomas, Patrick and James. James and Catherine’s oldest son, Thomas Clarke, (our Grandpa Clarke’s father and Mama’s grandfather) was the first of his family to come to America — in 1845 or 1848 when he was 18. Thomas worked on the railroad near Jerseyville, Illinois. His brother Patrick (Grandpa’s uncle) came from Ireland and joined him. They moved to Montgomery County, Illinois to a place known as The Brown Settlement. Next came another brother, James, with their mother, Catherine Shalvoy Clarke, (Grandpa’s Uncle and Grandmother).

Grandpa Clarke’s Grandfather, James Clarke, Sr. died in Ireland before any of his family immigrated to America. Grandpa Clarke’s Grandmother lived to be 85, died in 1886, and is buried in St. Martin’s Cemetery in Farmersville, Illinois.

James and Catherine Clarke’s second son, Patrick, (Grandpa’s Uncle) married Mary Ann McAnarney. They had 13 children who lived to adulthood: Catherine, Mrs. Henry Benson; Mary, Mrs. Thomas Doody; Elizabeth, Mrs. Thomas Whealon; Margaret, Mrs. M. Howard; Rose, Mrs. M. Aherin; plus Jane, Delia, Julia, Gussie, Cecelia, James, Arthur, and Thomas. Genevieve Aherin Stieren is a descendant. Patrick was killed in a freak accident in 1902.

The third son of James and Catherine Clarke, James, married Bridget Shaughnessy. The children of that marriage were John, Frank, Matthew, Catherine (Kate) and Mary (Molly) Irene. This James Clarke died in 1909. Their son, Frank, lived in Springfield, close to Grandma and Grandpa Clarke. His wife was Sarah Carey Clarke, but she must have died early as newspaper accounts do not mention her and I always thought of him as being widowed. Howard Clarke, killed WWII, Frances Clarke Riker, Edmund J (FBI Clarke) and Mary Agnes McAnarney (Mrs. Elmer) were his children.

James and Catherine Clarke’s oldest son, Thomas Clarke, (Grandpa Clarke’s father) married Mary Commerford. They had four sons, James, Thomas, (Mama’s father, our Grandpa Clarke), Patrick and Matthew. Mary Commerford Clarke and their fourth son, Matthew Daniel, died in childbirth, 1873.[17] Thomas Clarke (senior) died in 1912. He had acquired land, and deeded 160 acres to each of his surviving three sons: James, Thomas and Patrick.

Grandpa Clarke’s older brother, James, married Elizabeth Coen, also from Ireland: they had eight children whose marriages included the McAnarney, Brown, Fireman and Martin families. James died in 1923.

Grandpa Clarke’s younger brother, Patrick (Paddy), married our beloved Aunt Nora (Quinlan), an immigrant from County Clare, Ireland. Patrick died in 1931. Paddy and Nora had five boys and two girls: James, Helen, Rita, Edmund, Francis, Patrick and Bernard. Of all Mama’s cousins, this is the family we knew best. Their family ‘lost everything they had’ when their home burned. Mama always told of that fire with genuine concern for Aunt Nora. Many years later our Dominican Aunts spent the precious few days of their vacation for their annual ‘home visit’ with us each August. Aunt Nora’s family would urge Mama to invite them to come over and visit; but the nuns appreciated - and needed - a few days of private time. In hindsight, it is now understandable how much Aunt Nora loved to visit her brother-in-law’s daughters. Aunt Nora died on August 2, 1971.

We were very fond of Aunt Nora. She was one of a kind. She wrote charming letters, albeit in her one unique handwriting, with lots of ‘ha’ ‘ha’s and in a stream-of-consciousness style. When Mama was hospitalized in July 1970, our 92-year-old Aunt Nora wrote Mama a four-page letter. That letter began, Hello Marie, I don’t have a card and can’t write enough on a card anyway … . I have to use a walker tho I fell four times never broke any bones if you know how to fall you don’t. ‘Ha’! She concluded the letter by talking about her famed ‘Storm Novenas’. I am saying storm novena for you. I say it every 5 min. have a clock in bedroom. I’d better do some good in my old days.

Even though Grandpa Clarke was the one remaining brother of his family after 1931, he and his family were close to the extended Clarke Family.

From a handwritten circa-1930 account given at a Clarke Family Reunion: The pioneer members of this family attended Mass in a schoolhouse on the Todt farm. Later St. Isidore’s was built. The religious and social life of these three families centered around this little friendly country church for many years. Here many of our fathers and mothers were married and their children were baptized… . With all the hardships they had to endure, the members of this family preserved the faith which their fathers brought from Ireland with them.

WHEALON ANCESTORS

Mama’s maternal great-grandfather, John Whealon, married Mary Ennis in Ireland. One of their sons, Thomas, came to America and married Anastasia Grace. Thomas Whealon and Anastasia Grace Whealon -– Mama’s grandfather and grandmother — had five children: Mary, Elizabeth, John E., Kate (Mama’s mother, our Grandma Clarke), and Thomas.

Thomas Whealon died at age 45. Anastasia Whealon was remarried to James Reidy in 1882[18]. Grandma Clarke would have been ten years old at the time of their marriage. Mr. Reidy was a grocery store owner in Raymond. George thinks their store was probably where the present Hough Funeral Home is located in Raymond. Neither George nor I remember conversation about Mr. Reidy; but he must have been a good man to marry a widow with five children, ages 16 to three. However, our second[19] cousin, Helen Bailey, states that James Reidy was a mystery. She heard that he just disappeared one day. Grandma Reidy died August 22, 1924. Her obituary states that her first husband was Thomas Whealon and gives the date of his death; James Reidy is listed but no additional information is given.

Grandma Clarke’s sister, Mary, married Jim Maher in 1898. Their children included Marie, Grace, Nellie and John. I don’t specifically remember Uncle Jim Maher, though he died as late as 1942; but I certainly thought Aunt Mary’s family was grand. I knew her when the family lived at 1831 Belmont, East St. Louis. Aunt Mary did lots of sitting in her chair in the dining room, but knew what was going on in the entire house. She was always interested in talking with you, had a warm smile, and smiling eyes. Her daughter, Marie, was always working, especially in the kitchen, when we visited. (She also worked full time at the famous St. Louis department store, Stix Baer and Fuller in the Infant section.) In the evening after her work, Nellie would be in the dining room, doing her nails, but very interested in what was going on. Nellie did lots of caring for their Mother, Aunt Mary. John appeared at meals and infrequently at other times. He spent lots of time in the basement. His one endearing value was that he always took Aunt Mary over to play Bingo at the church each week, and was there to bring her home.

Marie married Fred Deutschman, who worked the swing shift