The History of the Giles Family

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The O' Donnell Family

The O' Donnells are currently the earliest traced family line on Calum's maternal side, coming from Whitechurch, County Kilkenny, Ireland.
 
It is known that at some stage in the family's past the name was anglicised to "Daniel". But in 1901, William O'Donnell in the United States, changed the name of his branch back to O'Donnell, and the whole family in Ireland soon followed suit. According to William's granddaughter, Brigid McGrath (nee O' Donnell), this was most likely due to the rising sense of Irish nationalism and Gaelic revivalism at that time in Ireland.
 
 
ASSOCIATED NAMES:
 
Carmody   DeMarco   Derrick   Dunford   Flavahan   Graver   Holden   Joy    Kenney   Kiely   Lonergan   Mangan   McKenna   O' Brien   O' Connor   O' Dwyer   O' Neil   Pape   Power   Powers   Prendergast   Sheehan  
 

 
NB: Family history charts can be accessed at http://www.tribalpages.com/tribes/chrispaton
 

Patrick O' Donnell
abt 1780 - d: 18??
 
Patrick was Calum's and Jamie's five times great grandfather.
 
It is known that Patrick took the tenancy of a holding in Ballyhennebury, Co. Kilkenny. He married Margaret Rafter in approximately 1804. Se is believed to have died in 1864, although the record has as yet to be checked.
 
The couple had the following children.
 
CHILDREN of PATRICK O' DONNELL and MARGARET RAFTER:
Margaret O' Donnell
b: 25/4/1805 
 
Margaret was baptised on 15 APR 1805, her parents being resident at Ballyhenebry, Co. Kilkenny. The sponsors were Parick Henebry and Mary Daniel.
 
 
 
Mary O' Donnell - twin
b: 17/3/1806  d: 16/2/1852
 
Mary was a twin, baptised on 17 MAR 1806, her parents resident at Ballyhenebry, Co. Kilkenny. .
 
She died in 1852 and was buried in the old burial ground of Owning Roman Catholic Church, County Kilkenny, having spent her life in Killonerry.
 
The inscription on the family plot headstone reads simply:
Mary O' Donnell
Killonerry
Died 16th Feb 1852
Aged 46 years
 
John O' Donnell - twin
b: 17/3/1806 
 
John was a twin, baptised on 17 MAR 1806, his parents resident at Ballyhenebry, Co. Kilkenny. John died in infancy.
 
 
 
Michael O' Donnell
b: 10/9/1810  d: 1873
 
Michael was baptised on 10 SEP 1810, his parents resident at Ballyhenebry, Co. Kilkenny. Michael married Mary Hahassey in about 1845.  
 
Michael is believed to have died in 1873.
 
 
 
John O' Donnell / John Daniel
b: 1813  d: 16/3/1896
 
John married Catherine Joy (1834-1882), more colloquially known as "Kitty". John then bought a farmstead at Killonerry, County Kilkenny, Ireland, which is still host to the O' Donnell family today, and settled with Kitty to have a family. In some records, John's surname is transcribed as Daniel, an Anglicised version of O' Donnell.


The O'Donnell family burial plot in the old Owning Roman Catholic Church yard

The couple are believed to have had twelve children, most of whom emigrated to the United States of America.
 
Kitty predeceased John in 1882 at the age of 48. John himself died on March 16th 1896, and was buried at the old burial ground of Owning Roman Catholic Church. The inscription on the front of the O' Donnell family plot headstone reads:
Erected in memory of
John O' Donnell
of Killonerry
who died on March 16th 1896
aged 83 years
Also his wife Catherine
who died on Feby 2nd 1882
aged 48 years.
And his daughter Ellen
who died on June 11th 1880
aged 14 years
R. I. P.
 
Mrs Mary O' Donnell
died 5th Oct 1929 aged 59
R. I. P.
 
Also her husband Willm. O' Donnell
died 28th 1937 aged 78 years
 
Thanks to Doreen McKenna Powers, a descendant of John, for her research into the O'Donnells of Killonerry and their descendants.
 
CHILDREN of JOHN O' DONNELL and CATHERINE JOY:
Patrick O' Donnell
b: 1854  d: 1906
 
Patrick was more commonly known as "Patsy". He emigrated to the United States in approximately 1880, settling in Brooklyn, Long Island, New York State, where he took up work as a stableman.
 
Patrick's last known address was 134 Heigh Street, in either Long Island City, Greenpoint Brooklyn or Queens, New York.
 
 
 
Richard O' Donnell
b: 18??
 
More colloquially known as "Dick", Richard emigrated to Australia and lost touch with his family in Ireland.
 
 
 
Margaret O' Donnell
b: 1856  d: 4/2/1941
 
After her mother Kitty's early death, Margaret was charged with raising her brothers and sisters in her father's house.
 
Margaret was buried in the family plot at the old graveyard of Owning Roman Catholic Church, in the parish of Piltown. The inscription on the stone reads:
 
Margaret O' Donnell
Killonerry
Died 4th Feb 1941
Aged 84 years.
 
 
 
Michael O' Donnell
b: 1857  4/7/1893
 
Michael married Mary Sheehan (1857 - 1893), and had two children. With his family, he emigrated at some point after 1886 from the port of Cork to the United States, and was living in San Francisco at the time of the great earthquake in 1901. He subsequently moved to Long Island, New York State, settling in Brooklyn and Queens.
 
After the death of his wife in 1936 it is believed that Michael may have remarried to a Pat Carmody.
 
Michael is believed to have died in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, on Independence Day, July 4th, 1904.
 
 
CHILDREN of MICHAEL O' DONNELL and MARY SHEEHAN:
John (Jack) O' Donnell
b: 1886  d: 1936
 
At some stage soon after he was born, John emigrated from the port of Cork to the United States, settling in New York state in the town of Greenpoint.
 
On July 8th 1907, John married a Greenpoint lass, Catherine O' Connor, daughter of John O' Connor and Ann Derrick, in St. Cecilia's Church, Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The priest was Reverend M. Biggane and the witnesses to the marriage were William Fales and Jane Gallagher. The couple subsequently had nine children. (It is also known that Catherine had a sister known only to us as Mrs J. Heim, who may have lived in Boston.)
 
In the 1930 United States Federal Census, John is recorded as living at 178 Kent Street, Kings, Brookly, New York, along with his wife Catherine, his sons John, William, James, Robert, David and Joseph, and his daughters Mary and Lorrain (sic). In the census he is described as a 45 year old machinist in a New York jute mill. His house was rented at a cost of $31 a month, he owned a radio, and he could read and write. Although he was listed as employed, on the day prior to the census he was described as not being at work. 
 
According to his relative Doreen McKenna Powers, John eventually abandoned his family for drink, which may have led to his early death.
 
John's sister from New Jersey, who was working at a raceway nearby, buried him in 1936.
 
 
CHILDREN of JOHN O' DONNELL and CATHERINE O' CONNOR:
John Edward O' Donnell
b: 1908  d: 1945
 
John was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of his childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
In the 1930 US Federal Census, John was listed as a 22 year old messenger at a grocery store, and was living at home with his parents in Brooklyn.
 
In his mid twenties, John married Mary O' Neil, and subsequently had one daughter. At some point, Mary remarried to a Jewish gentleman, and both she and her daughter took on her new husband's surname.
 
 
CHILD of JOHN O' DONNELL and MARY O' NEIL:
Ann O' Donnell
b: 19??
 
 
 
William O' Donnell
b: 1909  d: 1973
 
William was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of his childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
In the 1930 US Federal Census, William was listed as a 19 year old helper at a gas company, and was living in the family home at Brooklyn.
 
William later married Winifred Graver.
 
 
 
Mary O' Donnell
b: 26/5/1912  d: June 1983
 
Mary was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of her childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
In the 1930 US Federal Census, MAry was listed as an 18 year old box marker at a local box factory, and was living with her parents in Brooklyn.
 
Mary married James Warren McKenna in 1931 and had two sons. She ended her days in Staten Island, New York, in June 1983. At the time of death, her social security number was 109-32-9042 (IGI).
 
 
CHILDREN of MARY O'DONNELL and JAMES WARREN McKENNA:
Richard McKenna
b: after 1931
 
Richard tragically died at the age of four.
 
 
Thomas McKenna
b: after 1931
 
Thomas married Kitty and had four children.
 
 
CHILDREN of THOMAS McKENNA and KITTY (UNKNOWN):
Doreen McKenna
b: 19??
 
Doreen married a gentleman by the surname of Powers.
 
It is thanks to Doreen that so much of Calum's O'Donnell ancestry is known, and for this we are truly grateful.
 
Doreen can be contacted at the following e-mail address in the United States: Doreen McKenna Powers
 
 
 
(Unknown) McKenna
b: 19??
 
 
 
(Unknown) McKenna
b: 19??
 
 
 
(Unknown) McKenna
b: 19??
 
 
 
Lorena O' Donnell
b: 26/9/1914  d: Dec 1974
 
Lorena, nicknamed Chickee, was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of her childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
In the 1930 US Federal Census, Lorena was mistakenly listed as Lorrain, and was described as a 16 year old box marker at a local box factory, resident with her parents in Brooklyn.
 
Lorena married James Kenney. She ended her days in New York, and sat the time of her death in Decemer 1974, her social security number was 057-26-0968 (IGI).  
 
 
 
James Francis O' Donnell
b: 11/4/1918  d: June 1985


James Francis O' Donnell (courtesy Doreen McKenna Powers)

James, more colloquially known as Jimmy, was oddly nicknamed Oswald, and was twin brother to Charles. He was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of his childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
In the 1930 US Federal Census, Jimmy was listed as living at the family home of 178 Kent Street in Brooklyn.
 
Jimmy fought in World War Two from 1942 onwards, and upon his return to the USA after the war, he was driven by his brother Bobby to San Diego, where he was to stay for the rest of his life. In 1950, Jimmy joined the Naval Reserves, staying with the body until 1966. He continued after his service to live in Chula Vista, California.

 
 
Charles O' Donnell
b: 11/4/1918  d: ????
 
Charles was twin brother to James. He was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of his childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
Charles was not listed in the US Federal Census as living at his parents home in Brooklyn, and his whereabouts at this point are currently unknown.
 
 
 
David O' Donnell
b: 1921  d: 1956
 
David, more colloquially known as Davey, was twin brother to Robert. He was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of his childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
In the 1930 US Federal Census, Davey was listed as living at the family home of 178 Kent Street in Brooklyn.
 
Davey enlisted with the United States Navy and saw action in World War Two. He died several years after returning home, having suffered extensively from distressing flashbacks from the war, as well as several bouts of malaria.
 
Davey was awarded the Philipine Liberation Ribbon with 1 bronze star, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with three Bronze Service Stars and Good Conduct Medal, a Victory Medal, and one further medal that cannot be identified as yet, all of which were discovered in his wallet after death.
 
 
 
Robert O' Donnell
b: 1921


Robert O' Donnell (courtesy of Doreen McKenna Powers)

Robert, more colloquially known as Bobby, was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of his childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
In the 1930 US Federal Census, Bobby was listed as living at the family home of 178 Kent Street in Brooklyn.
 
It is known that every summer, Bobby went upstate New York to visit his aunt and a cousin of his father's named Father Seamus Power, a Roman Catholic priest.
 
Bobby, like his twin brother David, joined the US Navy, but Bobby was medically discharged from the outfit when a stigmatism was found in one of his eyes. Later, he was drafted into the Air Force.
 
Bobbyt married Catherine DeMarco in 1948. The couple settled on Staten Island, where they had one son.
 
Bobby still lives on Staten Island. 
 
 
CHILD of ROBERT O' DONNELL and CATHERINE DeMARCO:
James O' Donnell
b: 19??
 
 
Joseph O' Donnell
b: 1926  d: 1983


Joseph O' Donnell (courtesy of Doreen McKenna Powers)

Joseph was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, USA and spent the latter part of his childhood in Long Island City. The family parish church was St Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church.
 
In the 1930 US Federal Census, 3 year old Joseph was listed as living at the family home at 178 Kent Street, Brooklyn.
 
Joseph joined the United States Marine Corps and served in World War II. He retured home and lived with his siblings as both parents had passed on.  
 
After the war, Joseph married Mary Ann Pape in 1952. But just as he settling back into civvy street, the Korean War broke out, and he was called back to serve again. At this point, both he and Mary Ann lived in North Carolina near his base.  
 
After the war, both Joseph and Mary Ann returned to Brooklyn , where they raised their family.
 
 
CHILDREN of JOSEPH O' DONNELL and MARY ANN PAPE:
Michael O' Donnell
b: 19??
 
 
 
Linda O' Donnell
b: 19??
 
 
 
Laura O' Donnell
b: 19??
 
 
 

 
Mary (Minnie) O' Brien
b:18??  d: 1959
 
It is believed that Mary died in Freehold, New Jersey, USA, on December 11th 1958.  It was Minnie who buried her brother John O' Donnell in 1936 in Greenpoint.
 
 
 

William O' Donnell
b: 1859  d: 28/2/1937
 
William emigrated to the United States where he took up work on ranch. He later returned to Ireland to marry Mary (Minnie) Holden (1870 - 5/10/1929). 
 
For a time, William's name was recorded as Daniel, an Anglicised version of O' Donnell, but in the 1900s it was changed back to O' Donnell.
 
In the family burial plot in Owning Church, parish of Piltown, the following inscription remembers both William and Mary:

Mrs Mary O' Donnell
died 5th Oct 1929 aged 59
R. I. P.
 
Also her husband Willm. O' Donnell
died 28th Feb 1937 aged 78 years

 
 
CHILDREN of WILLIAM O' DONNELL and MARY HOLDEN:
Brigid Daniel
b: 18??  d: ????
 
Brigid died in infancy.
 
 
 
Kathleen Daniel
b: 18??  d: 1965
 
Kathleen was born in Killonerry at the family farm. She married Nicholas Flavahan.
 
 
 
Mary Daniel
b: 18??  d: 1952
 
 
 
Patrick Daniel
b: 189?  d: ????
 
Patrick died in infancy.
 
 
 
Lena Daniel
b: 1897  d: 1980
 
Lena married John Power.
 
 
 
John Daniel
b: 1900  d: 1977
 
John married Kathleen Dunford in 1944.
 
 
 
Aggie O' Donnell
b: 1902  d: ????
 
Aggie married William Kiely.
 
 
 
John O' Donnell
b: 14/5/1861  d: 16/2/1919
 
John was born in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland, on May 14th 1861.
 
John married Ellen Cooney (1863 - 14/3/1926), daughter of John Cooney and Mary Fitzgerald, also of Carrick-on-Suir, from the Ballyneale area. with whom he went on to raise two children. John worked in Carrick as both a publican and grocer.
 
In the 1901 census, John was listed as a grocer at 59 Main Street, Carrick-on-Suir, along with his wife Ellen, her sister Johanna Cooney, and his son, John O' Donnell. In 1911, John was listed at 57 Main Street in the twon, along with his wife Ellen and another of hers siters, Margaret Cooney. On this occasion, John was described as a grocer and spirit dealer.
 
John eventually passed away on February 16th 1919, and was buried at Friary Cemetery in Carrickbeg, County Waterford, just across the River Suir from Carrick-on-Suir.
 
When Ellen eventually passed away herself on March 14th 1926, the family pub passed on to her sister Margaret, and on the death of Margaret herself in 1959, her nieces Bridget and Nora took over the premises. Both sisters worked in the pub for the rest of their lives, and when Nora died in 1986, the pub was effectively closed and sold on in 1988. The pub still stands in Carrick-on-Suir, and in 2003 was still known as Nora Cooney's.
 
 
CHILDREN of JOHN O' DONNELL and (UNKNOWN):
John O' Donnell
b: 1895   d: 4/2/1924
 
John was born on Main Street, Carrick-on-Suir, in 1895, and in 1901, was recorded as living at 59 Main Street, Carrick-on-Suir, in the census.
 
Between 1914 and 1922, John worked for the National Bank, Tralee and Sligo, as an official.
 
In the early 1920s, whilst still living at 59 Main Street, John developed poor health, culminating in his early death on February 4th 1924 from a heart attack and haemhorrage.  A local newspaper carried an obituary for him.
 
An "In Memorandum Card" held by Margaret Cooney Dunne in Ballyneale was sourced by Gerry Cooney, who passed the info on to us, for which we are extremely grateful.  
 
 
 
Katherine O' Donnell
b: 18??  d: ????
 
Nothing is known of Katherine, except that she died young. She is not recorded at the family home of 59 Main Street in either the 1901 or 1911 census, and it is therefore assumed that she died in infancy.
 
 
 
Edward/Edmund O' Donnell
b: 18
 
More colloquially known as Ned, Edward or Edmund emigrated to Sydney in Queensland, Australia. He was killed in a mill accident whilst there, and after his death, his wife remarried to a gentleman with the name O' Brien.
 
 
CHILDREN of EDWARD/EDMUND O' DONNELL and (UNKNOWN):
John O' Donnell
b: 18?? d: ????
 
 
 
Maurice O' Donnell
b: 18??  d: ????
 
 
 
Margaret O' Donnell
b: 18??  d ????
 
 
 
Peter Daniel / Peter O' Donnell
b: 30/6/1864
 
Peter was born in Whitechurch, County Kilkenny, Ireland. He emigrated to the United States, but no more is as yet known about him.
 
 
 
Ellen O' Donnell
b: 1866  d: 11/6/1880
 
Ellen died at the age of 14.
 
 
 
James Daniel / James O' Donnell
b: 12/8/1867
 
James was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, and later emigrated to the United States, but never married. At one point, he sent a gold watch back home to his family in Ireland.
 
 
 
Kathleen/Catherine O' Donnell
b: 1871
 
More colloquially known as "Katie", Kathleen/Catherine emigrated to the United States and settled in Boston, where she married a gentleman by the surname of O' Dwyer. She had four children.
 
 
CHILDREN of KATHLENN/CATHERINE O' DONNELL and (UNKNOWN) O' DWYER:
Annie O' Dwyer
b: ????  d: ????
 
 
 
Kathleen O' Dwyer
b: ????  d: ????
 
 
 
John O' Dwyer
b: ????  d: ????
 
John was killed in the First World War.
 
 
 
Donald O' Dwyer
b: ????  d: ????
 
 
Mary O' Donnell
b: 1874  d: 1951
 
Mary emigrated to the United States. On December 2nd 1900 she married James T. Lonergan, in Manhattan, New York, and the couple went on to have a daughter in Denver, Colorado.
 
Later in life, both Minnie and her daughter relocated to Long Island, New York State.
 
 
CHILDREN of MARY O' DONNELL and (UNKNOWN) LONERGAN:
Nora Lonergan
b: 18??  d: ????
 
Nora was born in Denver, Colorado. She married a gentleman by the surname of Elliot, and later relocated to Long Island with her mother.
 
 
Brigid O' Donnell
b: 1815  d: 19/2/1903
 
Calum's and Jamie's great great great grandmother - see below.
 
 

Bridget O'Donnell / Daniel 
abt 1815 - 19/2/1903
 
Bridget was Calum's and Jamie's four times great grandmother.
 
Bridget was born in approximately 1815.
 
On June 15th 1853 Bridget married Thomas Prendergast. The witnesses to the wedding, which was carried out in the parish of Templeorum, were Terence Whelan and Margaret Cuddihy.
 
Ownership of the Killonerry farm was recorded in Bridget's name in 1893 in the revaluation books, and then to her son Patrick in 1903.
 
Bridget died on 19 FEB 1903 at Killonerry. She was noted as the 88 year old widow of a farmer, with the cause of her death being senile decay, 28 days. There was no medical attendant. Her son Patrick was the informant to the Carrick-on-Suir registrar on 9 MAR 1903 (Source: GROI D 1903, Group Reg ID 4618602, SR District: Carrick on Suir, RD: Piltown).
 

Connecting to Calum and Jamie

Brigid O' Donnell married Thomas Prendergast in the 19th Century.

Son, Patrick Prendergast, married (unknown) in the 19th Century.

Son, Thomas Prendergast, married Mary O' Shea in the late 19th Century.

Son, Paul Prendergast, married Mary Murray in 1931.

Daughter, Mary Pauline Prendergast, married Patrick Joseph Giles in 1960.

Daughter, Claire Patricia Giles, married Christopher Mark Paton in 2000.

Sons, Calum Graham Paton and Jamie Christopher Paton.