McGonigle and Allied Families
of County Donegal
McGonigle Family in America
(MRJ) Francis McGonigle had cousins living in Belvidere,
among them, Stephen McGonigle. Also, John McGonigle and I believe a Hugh
McGonigle. They started out in the bar business and worked up to having a men's
clothing store in Belvidere. When we were younger my mother visited with
cousins, one of the girls lived in Baraboo WI. I do not know her married name.
Another married a Kehoe and they lived in Belvidere.
Francis McGonigle's obitituary states that he had a brother living in Rock
Island IL. Aunt Carrie wrote the obit. She must have known the brother's name
but didn't think it important or something. Miles McGonigle is listed as living
at the same address as Francis McGonigle in Colorado as well as a Wm. McGonigle.
James and Bridget Murrin did live in Alabama as well as Belvidere. I belive they
died in Alabama but are buried in the cemetery (St. James) in Belvidere. I don't
know what his occupation. The lived in the South after the Civil War. Barney's
obit states that he was quite wealthy and I think a Carpet Bagger. I wondered
why he was not buried in Alabama and the Belvidere Museum Director said that the
South didn't want the carpet baggers buried in their cemeteries. Their son
Barney Murrin is buried in the same grave site as his parents. It is interesting
that Miles McGonigle smuggles himself aboard ship as the story goes that Francis
McGonigle worked his way aboard ship - they may have both smuggled themselves
into the U.S. Anyway the story goes that Francis McGonigle worked as a salesman
in the South also. A Patrick Murrin, married Liza Hill Ryan's sister and his
occupation listed in the census states that he was a salesman.
(MRJ) . Francis (Frank) McGonigle arrived in Belvidere in 1869. He was 19 years old and had worked for his passage on the boat to America. He had cousins, the John McGonigle family living in Belvidere and was acquainted with the Murrins' also from Donegal. He renewed his friendship with Kate Murrin and in 1875 they were married at St. James in Belvidere. Daughter Mayme was born in 1875. He as well as many had traveled many miles across the sea and a thousand miles or more to Belvidere, so when the stories of fortunes elsewhere were related, the idea that pot of gold was intriguing and what's a few more miles!
(MRJ) 1881 and the Francis McGonigles along with Wm. McGonigle, John McGonigle, Miles McGonigle, Ed Brennan and his wife Bridget, a sister of Kate, were in Leadville CO, a mining town, 9,000 ft. above sea level. Frank began a dray business and hauled ore out of the mines. He addition he assisted his brother-in-law, Ed Brennan in a saloon business downtown in Leadville. Kate took in boarders at their place on 6th Street. One of the boarders may have been the Unsinkable Molly Brown as a history report stated she boarded at a house on 6th Street and she was married at the Annunciation Church. Three daughters were born to Kate and Frank in Leadville and were baptized in the Annunciation Church. They were, Carrie, Anne and Adelaide. Leadville was a rough mining town and Kate wasn't convinced that it was a good place to raise daughters. One day she issued an ultimatum, she was going to leave and take her children back to Belvidere. That was rather daring - before Women's Liberation. There was money coming in but it was also going out almost at the same pace. Frank agreed, sold his property and they returned to the Irish Patch in Belvidere. Frank and Kate built a house at 306 Gilman Street. Frank worked at Borden's which is now Dean's and during his late 70's took a job as night watchman at the canning company. Kate was back to the business of taking in boarders. Ed Brannan returned also. He built a saloon on the corner of Buchanan and State Street and a home on Pleasant Street in the Patch. Those two buildings and well as the house on 306 Gilman Street are still there today.
Frank McGonigle advertised for many years in Colorado. The following appears to be from a directory found in that part of Colorado, and Frank’s surname was spelled with an additional ‘n’:
McGonegal, Margaret Mrs., r. Oro rd. nr. Lake Co. Sampling wks
McGonigle, William, miner, r. 131 w. 2d
McGonnigle,
John, lab. R. 121 e. 6th
McGonnigle, Frank, teamster, r.121 e. 6th
McGonnigle, Miles, teamster, r. 121 e. 6th
(MRJ) Perhaps you may have heard that the Irish are somewhat clairvoyant. I'll add to that rumor. My mother, Adelaide, told this tale. One particular night Kate was awakened by the flutter of wings in the bedroom. She told the family in the morning that her sister-in-law had died and she had requested that she, Kate, take care of the baby. The message from the brother came later in the morning verifying Kate's report. Kate took the baby and raised him as her own. One day in July l932 Frank McGonigle was not feeling well, and stayed home from work which was unusual. Daughter Carrie, who was not married went up to >his room to see if he needed anything. Carrie found him counting what seemed a great deal of money. Two days later he died. Because Carrie had seen him counting money, a search for the cash began to no avail. My mother, Adelaide, came from South Dakota to attend the funeral and was told about the missing money. The search began again. The day ended and they all retired.
In the middle of the night Frank appeared to Adelaide and told her to go down to the basement and to the right of the steps she would find a keg, look inside and you will find the missing money. Adelaide did as he had told her, and she found the money. Adelaide told the story that a monk was sometimes seen walking around the church in the early evening. She and a girl friend testified they had seen the apparition one evening. Of course young girls have good imagination but I keep an eye out for that monk. (Ruth Ryan Smith insisted the Irish were more perceptive of the spiritual world than any race on earth.)
(MRJ) Frank and Kate are buried in the St. James cemetery. Kate died in 1916 and Frank in 1932. Other family members buried there are James and Bridget Murrin, father and mother of Kate, James was born in Donegal 1808 and died 1885. Bridget McCloskey Murrin was born in Donegal 1804 and died 1883.
(MRJ) I didn't go into F. McGonigle as a salesman. Actually he was probably a carpet bagger. Kate's brother Barney stayed in the south, Birmingham Alabama, but is buried in the St. James Cemetery in Belvidere. Evidently he had made quite a bit of money but burial in the south for the carpet baggers was forbidden. That is what I was informed.
(TFS) Other McGonigle tales passed down through the generations. Ruth (Ryan) Smith would tell her children a story of how her great grandmother, Catherine McGonigle, saw an approaching fire heading towards their cabin in Colorado. A devout lady, Catherine sprinkled holy water around the cabin and huddled inside with her children. Later, Catherine stepped outside and saw that that the fire stopped where she sprinkled the holy water. There was relatively little damage to the cabin other than a few singed tiles on the roof.
(TFS) Another story concerns the McGonigle trip back to Illinois. Adelaide told her children later that she could not recall anything of her trip back to Belvidere. She claimed her mother, Catherine, gave the children laudanum to keep them quiet. Laudanum, for he unitiated, is a cocaine based product that was legal back during the turn of last century.
Early settlers of Boone County, Belvidere, Illinois: McGonigle, Stephen 1868
Other McGonigle Family Information (MRJ)
Family of Francis McGonigle
Francis McGonigle and Catherine Murrin
Daughters:
Mary (Mayme) McGonigle + Tony Mulloy
Children: Helen Tuttle Mullory (no children)
Catherine Mulloy (no children)
Francis Mulloy (no children)
Jack Mulloy (4 or 5 daughers)
Bernard Mulloy (12 children)
Carrie McGonigle - Spinster
Annie McGonigle + James Tripp
Charles Trip
Catherine Tripp Centeno
Tana Centeno + David Thompson
Michael Thompson
Catherine Thompson
Peter Thompson
Adelaide McGonigle + Frank Ryan
Bernard is the only one left in the Mary McGonigle family and lives near Grand Rapids Michigan.
Gail Grahl is a daughter of Jack or John Mulloy and I haven’t heard from her for some time and at that time she was quite ill. She had 4 boys.
Mary McGonigle was married to a Wm. Tuttle in 1898 and daughter Helen was born to this union in 1900. Wm. Tuttle deserted Mary. He had a bit of wonder lust and must have joined a carnival or a circus. He fell to his death from a Ferris wheel. Mary McGonigle Tuttle married Tony Mulloy and Tony officially adopted Helen as his daughter in 1907.
Vital Records
These are the baptismal records located in Annunciation Church in Colorado.
Helenan McGonnigle (went by the name of Carrie)
Born April 18, 1882
Baptized April 23, 1882
Father – Frances McGonnigle – Donnegal Ire
Mother Cath Murrin
Sponsors James McGonnigle Briget Brennan
Ann McGonnigle
Born – June 24, 1884
Bapt – June 29, 1884
Father Francis McGonnigle
Mother Catherine Murrin
Sponsors – John Shanon Ann Powers
Bridget Harriett McGonnigle (went by Adelaide?)
Born Feb 8, 1886
Father. Frank McGonnigle
Mother Cath Murrin
Sponsors Ed Farly Cath. McCarthy
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WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT
Early Morning Church Wedding
Miss Adelaide M’Gonigle married to Frank Ryan at Seven O’Clock at St. James Church – Ceremony witnessed by Friends.
Many friends had the pleasure of witnessing the marriage of Miss Adelaide McGonigle to Frank Ryan this morning at 7 o’clock at St. James Catholic Church.
Nuptial mass was said by Rev. J. P. Joyce, pastor of the church of the church. The couple were attended by Miss Terressa Murrin, of this city, and James Ryan, of Rockford, a brother of the groom.
The bride’s costume was of tope broadcloth and she wore a corsage bouquet of white pompons and maiden hair ferns. The bridesmaid’s gown was of tope color and she carried a bouquet of yellow pompons.
A wedding breakfast for the immediate relatives was served after the ceremony of the home of the bride’s father, Francis McGonigle, 302 Gilman Street.
The bride was born in Leadville, Colorado, but has spent nearly all her life in Belvidere. She is a young woman of charming traits of character and an engaging personality. The best wishes of a multitude of friends for her happiness will be given her.
The groom is in the farm implement and automobile business in Kimball, S. D. He is a nephew of Mrs. Ann Murrin, of this city. He will have the congratulations of many friends.
The bridal pair left this forenoon on a wedding trip to Detroit, Mich., and Pittsfield and Boston, Mass. The home of the bride and groom will be in Kimball, S. D.
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OBITUARIES
F. M’Gonigle is Summonded Early Sunday (July 28, 1930)
Death comes to well known and long-time resident after illness of but two days from heart disease – funeral services to be held on Wednesday
Francis McGonigle, most of whose life has been passed in Belvidere, died at this home, 302 Gilman street, at 3:30 o’clock Sunday morning following an illness of two days from heart disease.
He was born in County Donegal, Ireland, June 15, 1851, and came to Belvidere when 19 years old. He had lived here since continuously with the exception o 10 years passed in Colorado. He was married in 1875 to Miss Catherine Murrin, of this city. She preceded him in death in 1916.
Three of his four daughters born to them survive, they being Miss Caroline at home, Mrs. James Tripp, of Spring township, and Mrs. Frank Ryan, of Kimball, S. D. The other daughter, Mrs. A. Mulloy of Detroit, Mich., died four years ago. A brother lives at Rock Island. There are 13 grandchildren.
Mr. McGonigle was employed for several years at the Borden factory here and more recently was employed by the Keene-Belvidere Canning Company.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday morning. Private rites at the home at 8:30 o’clock will be followed by the services at St. James Catholic Church at 9 o’clock and burial will be in St. James Cemetery.
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M’Gonigle Funeral Held This Morning
Funeral services for Francis McGonigle were held this morning at the home, 302 Gilman street and St. James church and were very largely attended. Rev. Fr. Urban Halbmaier officiated. The bearers were William Conwell, P.D. Murrin, Richard Merriman, Hugh Gallagher, Michael Canon and John Sullivan. Burial was in St. James cemetery. Bur July 30, 1930
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Death Calls Mrs Francis M’Gonigle
Grippe and Erysipelas cause of death of beloved Belvidere woman – funeral services Monday forenoon at 9 o’clock at home, 302 Gilman street (April 1, 1916)
Mrs. Francis McGonigle passed away yesterday evening at 9 o’clock at the family home, 302 Gilman street.
The funeral services will be held Monday forenoon at 9 o’clock at the house and at 9:30 o’clock at St. James church. The interment will be in the St. James cemetery. It is requested by the family that no flowers be sent.
Mrs. McGonigle’s demise was caused by grippe and erysipelas, her sickness lasting two weeks. Her age was 70 years last January. She was born in Ireland and came to this country and to Belvidere fifty years ago last June and has been a resident here since then with the exception of ten years when the home was in Colorado. Mrs. McGonigle’s maiden name was Miss Catherine Murrin.
The immediate relatives surviving are the husband and the daughters, Mrs. A. Mulloy, of Detroit, Mich., Mrs. James Tripp and Misses Carrie and Adelaide McGonigle of this city.
Mrs. McGonigle was esteemed and beloved by a multitude of friends. Their sympathy will be offered by large measure to the relatives in their said bereavement.
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Funeral of Mrs. MGonigle. (April 3, 1916)
The remains of the late Mrs. Francis McGonigle were laid at rest at St. James cemetery this morning. Services were held at the home, 203 Gilman street, at 9 o’clock and a half hour later at the St. James church, Rev. William A. O’Rourke officiating. The bearers were James Downs, P.J. Conley, William White, James Gallagher, John Dooley and J. J. Shanesy.
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May the Irish hills caress you, May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. May the blessings of St. Patrick behold you. May the leprechauns be near you. To spread luck along your way. And may all the Irish angels, smile upon you St Patrick's Day.
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US Census information for these families will be included in the Ryan Family Library. Some of this information already appears on our website in the Census location or included in a document found in the Smith Family Library titled ‘20th Century Smith Relatives’.