mcgonigle name belvidere

McGonigle & Murrins of Belvidere, Illinois

Independent Order of Foresters (1896)

Belvidere, Illinois

1896 Notice in Newspaper -

I. O. Forresters. Court Clair, No. 183. Louis

Dovenmuhle, C. R. ; W. Eisenstein, Y. C. R. ;

E. Lembachner, F. S. ; James Tynan, R. S. ; J. H.

Downs, Treas.; H. Keorting, J. W.; E. Smith,

 S. W.; F. McGonigle, J. B.; C. Thurlby,

S. B. ; A. Phillips, R. S. P. Membership, 43.

Frank McGonigle belonged to the Foresters, and most likely the Catholic Order of Foresters (COF). The Foresters are a fraternal benefit society governed by a court system, of which our ancestor belonged to Court Clair.

State and local courts are made up of COF members who perform fraternal and charitable activities in a particular geographic area. For 130 years, Foresters have been tied to financial strength and commitment to family and community. The COF supports and raises funds for children's causes, and its members and staff volunteer locally

Now you might ask...what do the letters J.B. stand for? This indicates that he held an office in the local Foresters organization. Frank was a Junior Beadle (within the Court Clair). The J.B. is an officer position and part of the Board of Directors. Other officers are Senior Beadle, Senior Woodward, Junior Woodward, Chief Ranger & Permanent Secretary, and Treasurer.

Frank McGonigle - Belvidere, Illinois

Murrins of Belvidere

Below is our cousin Bethany's listing of our connection:

patric murrin sr. born about 1800 in killybegs,
donegal co. ireland. died boone co. illinois
usa oct. 14, 1885. his wife was margaret meehan ?
born 1800 ireland. died april 21, 1898 boone co.,
ill.. son patric murrin II was born oct. 1844 in
killybegs. other relatives came to boone county.
there is a large stained glass window in the st.
james catholic church in belvidere, boone co., ill.
for patric murrin I. my dtr. is a descendant on
her mothers side. martin w. johnson 514 w. menominee st., belvidere, illinois

The McGonigles named on the Church Stained Glass Windows

When we photographed the stain glass windows in Belvidere, we weren't sure of our relationship to the McGonigles etched on the glass windows. The following letter sent in 2005 from Mary Rita connects our family with these names on the windows.

Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 11:33 AM. Subject: Re: More Questions

In response to some of your questions: 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 cemetary (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 cemetaries. 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 saleman. . Do take care! Love, Mary Rita

Catherine Murrin McGonigle - Belvidere, Illinois

Kehoe Connection

Below is the Kehoe relative that Mary Rita mentioned in her letter to Tim in 2005. It appears that Catherine was a fairly common name for the McGonigle women.

KEHOE	First Name	Middle Name	Maiden Name	BirthDate	DeathDate

	Catherine	-	(McGonigle)	1881	1956

	"Michael	Mrs."	-	-	1857

	Ethel	C	-	1909	1992

	Wendy	-	-	1966	2004