Catherine Ryan O'Brien  Youngest daughter of James and Ann Ryan, Allamakee


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Catherine Ryan O'Brien Death Certificate (1945)
 

Click on Death Certificate image (on your left) to enlarge.

Minneapolis O'Brien Clan     

We wish to thank Pete O'Brien and Mary Swanson for helping us connect our families with the O'Briens.  We believed that by obtaining a death certificate, we could definitely prove the connection to Catherine Ryan O'Brien.  We noted that if her mother's maiden name was "Campbell", then we would have a match.  With that request, Mary Swanson went to the historical society, and this is what she found:

      "Catherine E. O'Brien was born in Ireland on 27 May 1856 (according to her d.c.).  Her father's name was listed as James Ryan and her mother was recorded this way.... ? ? Campbell.  Both born in Ireland. " 

                           

     She died on 19 Nov 1945 at St. Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis at the age of 89 yrs, 5 mo. and 22 days.  She had been in this community for 54 years, was a widow of Thomas F. O'Brien.  Her home address was 4034 Girard Ave. No., Mpls.  Cause of death was a stroke, old age and a fracture of the left femur; "fell on floor" at her home.  The informant was her son, J. H. O'Brien, 2411 - 19th Ave. No.  Burial took place on 23 Nov 1945 in Osseo, MN.  A specific cemetery was not listed.  The mortuary was Gill Brothers of Mpls.
Tim also provided further substantiation by sending an attached email that Mary Rita (Ryan) Jacobsen had sent to him in 2006:

"I do have some information regarding a sister of Batt Ryan - Catherine.  She has family living in Minneapolis.  The last address I have is from a Mrs John O'Brien 5945  Elmhurst Ave., North, Minneapolis MN.   Her husband was the son of Tom O'Brien and Catherine Ryan.  They had three children (according to Mrs. John O'Brien) James, William and Ruth.  (How about that).  John O'Brien died July 1, 1977.  Ruth O'Brien married Edward Kennedy and had seven children.  I also heard from a Katherine Lanabee, Box 209 Webster Wisc. 54893.  She was planning a family reunion but she died.  I had planned to attend but when I hadn't heard from her in several weeks I called and her husband informed me that she had passed away.  She said that her grandmother was Catherine O'Brien and that Batty had come to visit them when she was a little girl.  I don't know if they ever had any more reunions as this Katherine evidently was the planner for the events.  She said that at one of their reunions they had about 165 people.  I had this information stuck away in a note book and just got it out.  It seems there is no end to relatives as everyone seems to have many children ."

The John O'Brien that Mary Rita references was a grandson of Catherine and Thomas O'Brien, and suspect that is what Mary Rita meant to write.  By looking at the 1920 United States census, we can see that John was living with his grandparents, Catherine and Tom O'Brien.  We now can see Catherine from 1870 to 1930 in these government documents.

1870 Allamakee Census - Kity Ryan

1880 Allamakee Census (Cath Ryan)

1900 Census Minneapolis

1910 Minneapolis Census

1920 Minneapolis Census

John D. Ryan, Grandson, living with Cath & Thos O'Brien

1930 Minneapolis Census
 

Pete O'Brien, who supplied much of the information you will see below, knew this family fairly well:

I know this family lived in North Mpls as did the Kennedy's - We lived South Mpls and Thomas Frances lived near us up to WWII - I'm sure that Mary will find out much more for us soon.

 

The Genealogy of Michael O'Brien, father of Thomas O'Brien, husband of Catherine Ryan O'Brien

* * *

 (Pete O'Brien short synopsis).  She (Catharine) died 19 Nov 1945 at St. Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis and had been in the community for 54 years, was the widow of our Thomas F. O'Brien - Thomas was the son of Michael & Mary O'Brien and was born in Illinois 14 November 1851 - He died 12 April 1944 in Minneapolis - His father Michael was born 1820 in Cashel, Tipperary Co. Ireland Mary was also an O'Brien born 1824 in Limerick - They had 7 children, My grandfather William was the youngest, born 22 September 1860 in Waukon, Allamakee Co. Iowa - The homestead was in French Creek, Allamakee Co. Section 19 & 20 - Mary's brothers farmed alongside
First Generation

Second Generation

Third Generation

      

Information provided by Pete O'Brien and Mary Swanson