Shaughnessy Family History & Genealogy

James was born in Limerick, Ireland on Wednesday, May 17, 1848. His father, James was about 28 and his mother, Honora was about 26. The family survived the potato famine in Ireland and in 1854, when he was six the family sailed to America settling in Cleveland, Ohio. His mother died March 28, 1862 in Cleveland and his father remarried on May 11, 1862 and shortly thereafter his brother, David, enlisted in the Union Army. When he was 16 (1864) James ran away from home and got a job shoeing horses for the Confederate Army at Nashville, Tennessee. After the civil war was over, he returned to Cleveland and enlisted in Company E of the 18th Infantry of the United States Army in 1865. He was transferred to Company E of the 27th Infantry at Fort Steele, Wyoming (located about 135 miles south and east of Casper). His life in the army was enlivened by the Indian Wars and once in a skirmish he was struck by a tomahawk. He bore that scar for the rest of his days. According to his pension application in 1917, he remained a Private during his three-year hitch.

In 1869 after his hitch in the army, he became a fireman (keeping the engine loaded with wood or coal) for the Union Pacific railroad running out of Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 1874 he became an engineer for the Kansas Pacific railroad at Hugo, Colorado (located about 90 miles northeast of Colorado Springs). In 1881 at the age of 33, he married his wife Belle Bartley who was born in Wisconsin and was 20 years old. On May 27, 1882, their son David Edgar was born apparently in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1883 his sister, Margaret, left Cleveland and moved to Colorado to live with him and his wife in Hugo for two years before moving to Denver. In 1886, Nina Shaughnessy was born in Colorado to James and Belle Shaughnessy. Unfortunately Nina died when she was 2 ½ in 1889. She was buried in another cemetery, possibly Cheeseman Cemetery in Denver. Cheeseman cemetery later had all the remains moved to Riverside Cemetery and was closed. James' wife, Belle, died in 1903 at the age of 42. They were married 22 years. She was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Denver and Nina was moved to be next to her in block 19 south half of lot 133. Belle's headstone has a seal of "Women of Woodcraft" and the words Courage Hope Remembrance on it. Apparently this was a fraternal organization that sold life insurance and conducted social activities. James retired from the railroad in 1907 when he was 60.

On March 2, 1937, James' son David, who was single, died of chronic alcoholism and was buried next to his sister in Riverside Cemetery. Charles J. Shaughnessy, apparently one of David's sons provided the information for his death certificate. Then on September 29, 1938, James died at the veteran's hospital in Fort Lyon, Colorado at the age of 90. Ft. Lyon is about 115 miles east and north of Colorado Springs. Funeral services were held at Olinger Mortuary at Sixteenth Street in Denver on October 3, 1938. He was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Denver (block 19 south half of lot 133) next to Belle, Nina and David Shaughnessy. His VA supplied tombstone shows that he served in "E" Company, 27th Infantry.

David was born in County Limerick, Ireland in 1843 to James and Honora (nee Martell) Shaughnessy. His father, James was about 23 and Honora about 21. In 1854, when he was eleven, his family sailed to America settling in Cleveland, Ohio. His mother died March 28, 1862 in Cleveland and his father remarried on May 11, 1862. Shortly thereafter, David enlisted in the Union Army when he was nineteen or twenty, according to his enlistment papers, for a three month tour of duty in Company G of the 87th Infantry which was being formed at Camp Chase at Columbus, Ohio on May 29,1862. The 87th was sent to defend the city at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. The city was overrun by Confederate troops and the entire Union forces were surrendered. After their capture, they either escaped or were paroled in mass and returned to Camp Chase where he was mustered out on October 3, 1862.

David turned right around and enlisted for a three-year hitch on October 16, 1862 in the 124th Infantry Regiment of the Union Army at Camp Cleveland. According to his military record he stood 5' 9" tall with brown eyes and black hair. At the time, most soldiers were 5' 5" tall. He joined Company C on December 31, 1862. He was promoted to the rank of Corporal on September 3, 1863. According to his military record David fought in 10 major battles ~ Chickamauga, Georgia in September 1863, Brown's Ferry then Lookout Mountain and Mission(ary) Ridge in Tennessee in November 1863. On December 10, 1863 David was promoted to Full Sergeant. He fought at Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Pickets Mills, Kenesaw Mountain and in and around Atlanta, Georgia during May 1864 and Franklin and then returned to Tennessee in December 1864 to participate in the battle of Nashville. The 124th pursued the defeated Confederate Army until the end of the war. David was mustered out of the Army on July 9, 1865 in Nashville, Tennessee. He elected to keep his musket as provided by General Order No. 101 at a cost to him of six dollars.

Presumably, David returned to Ohio after the war was over. He married Annie from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and moved to Leavenworth, Kansas by April 1872 when their first child, James, was born. David was 29 years old and Annie was 24. Then their son, David, was born in 1874 and Charles in June 1876. The family continued to live in Leavenworth. By 1879, they had moved to Montana where their daughter Annie was born. According to the 1880 census, the family was living in Wallace County, in the western part of Kansas. His occupation was listed as "Fuel Keeper" probably working for the railroad. By 1883, they were living in Parker, Colorado when David's wife Annie died at the age of 35. Unable to care for his young children, David went to Denver and placed the children in the St. Vincent de Paul orphanage. Shortly thereafter, the children ran away and went back to Parker, Colorado and were allowed to stay at the Valgamont Ranch in Parker, Colorado presumably where their father worked. They stayed at the ranch doing chores as they grew until they were young adults. By 1900, James and Charles and their families were living in Pueblo, Colorado while the men worked for the railroad. David died on May 21,1903 at the age of 60in Peublo, Colorado. He was buried next to his wife, Annie, in J. S. Parker Cemetery in Parker, Colorado.

From Civil War Service Record: David Shaughnessy
87th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry Company G
20 May 29, 1862 3 months Mustered out with company October 10, 1862

124th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry Company C
20 October 16, 1862 3 years Appointed Corporal September 3, 1863; Sergeant December 10, 1863 mustered out with company July 9, 1865

Margaret was born Tuesday, November 14, 1865 in Marion, Ohio. Her father, James was about 45 and her mother, Sarah was about 41. The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1880 when she was fifteen years old. In 1883 at the age of 17, Margaret moved to Hugo, Colorado (located about 90 miles northeast of Colorado Springs) to live with her half-brother, James and his family. Her father died that same year. Two years later she moved to Denver. On Monday, December 31, 1888 she married Jeremiah Murphy, a cattleman. The new Mrs. Margaret Murphy was 23 years old and her husband was one year older. They had five children. Their first, Marie, was born October 3, 1889. The family moved to a ranch in Kit Carson, Colorado (located about 115 miles east of Colorado Springs). The ranch was 5 miles from the closest neighbor. Margaret kept a shotgun near the door to deal with rattlesnakes when she went outside. Leonard was born in November 1891. Cornelius arrived in July 1894 and Kathryn August 16,1899. Margaret was born February 13, 1901. When Margaret was born her father was 37 and her mother was 36. Her sibling's ages were Marie 11, Leonard 9, Cornelius 6 and Kathryn 1.

According to the 1900 census, they owned a home with a mortgage and listed their occupation as "stock raiser". They sent their oldest daughter to school at Loretto Heights Academy in 1902. According to the 1910 census, they owned a farm with a mortgage and listed their occupation as "merchant and rancher". Jeremiah ran a general store in Cheyenne Wells with a partner. Leonard was the oldest boy and was the favorite of his father. He got choice chores to do on the ranch while his brother, Cornelius, got the dirty jobs like riding the range. Once while out riding the range, Cornelius was caught in a blizzard and couldn't see to find his way home so he let his horse have his head and his horse found the way back safely. Marie would later become Sr. Marie Clyde of the Sisters of Loretto in 1915 at the motherhouse in Kentucky.

Margaret was known as "Aunt Maggie" to her nieces and nephews and their families. About 1915 the family sold their ranch to Swift & Company, meat packers, and moved back to Denver and lived either there or in Englewood, Colorado (just south of Denver) for the remainder of their lives. Jeremiah invested a good part of the proceeds from the sale of the ranch into a mine at Central City and lost most of his investment. Margaret's son, Cornelius lost his wife, Clarris, on June 20, 1926. She was only 30. Cornelius purchased a four grave plot in Mt. Olivet Cemetery (sect 7 block 7 lot 2 graves 8 through 12). Mt Olivet was the only Catholic cemetery in the Denver area. Clarris was buried in grave 9. In 1927, Margaret and Jeremiah's daughter Kathryn lost her husband, Malcolm who was only 39. Shortly afterwards, Margaret & Jeremiah moved in with their daughter Kathryn in Englewood. In 1929, during the depression, Margaret and her husband Walter Sullivan and their young son, Richard, also moved in with Kate. They lived with her for about five years. In 1935, their daughter, Sr. Marie Clyde, returned to Denver to teach at Loretto Heights College 21 years after she left to become a nun. This provided them with an opportunity for much more frequent visits. They were living with their daughter Kathryn Marks in Englewood when Margaret died October 27, 1940 from a cerebral hemorrhage. She was 74. The funeral home was Boulevard Mortuary. After a requiem Mass at St. Louis Catholic Church in Englewood, she was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Denver (sect 7 block 7 lot 2 grave 11). At the time of her death she had 5 grandchildren ~ James Marks, Richard, Joseph Eugene, Dennis, and Mary Kathleen (Susie) Sullivan.

Her husband, born in 1864, died six years later in 1946 at the age of 82 and was buried next to her (sect 7 block 7 lot 2 grave 12). Accoring to cemetery records, his name is listed as "John I. Christopher Murphy". Margaret was married to Jeremiah for 51 years. On March 29, 1962, Cornelius was buried next to his wife (grave 8) who died 36 years earlier and his parents (graves 9 & 10).

John Thomas Shaughnessy was born Friday, December 29, 1869 to James and Sarah (nee Collins) Shaughnessy in Marion, Ohio. His father, James was 48 and his mother, Sarah was 35. The family moved back to Cleveland, Ohio in 1880 when he was eleven. His father died August 30, 1883 and John signed the burial receipt. John was 14 years old at the time. Between 1880 and 1896 Sarah and her son John moved at least seven times before settling on 92 Lindus (later renamed 1390 East 90th Street) that would become their permanent home. They were members of St. Thomas Aquinas parish. From age 20 to 27 John was listed in the City Directory as either a painter or wood finisher. The 1900 census listed his occupation as house painter and showed that he owned his house and carried a mortgage on it.

John married Louise Helen Blondin on Wednesday, May 27, 1896 in St. Patrick's Church on Bridge Ave. Cleveland, Ohio. Rev. James P. McCloskey officiated. John was 27 and Louise was 21. They settled into their own home for almost a year before they moved in and began living with his mother. Their first child, Adele H. Shaughnessy, was born April 17, 1897. Nina, their second child was born in March 1900. Unfortunately, Nina died when she was only 17 months old from cholera infantum. Louise gave birth to a boy on February 3, 1902 but he only lived three hours. Both children were buried with their grandfather, James, in St. John's Cemetery. John and Louise had two more children. Lawrence was born May 23, 1903 and Marion arrived February 24, 1906. When Marion was born Louise was 31 and John was 37 years old. Adele was 9 and Lawrence almost 3 years old.

John's oldest daughter was married in November 1918. By 1919 at the age of 50, John was listed as foreman in the City Directory. He was in charge of the paint shop at the Cleveland Railway Company which would later be called the Cleveland Transit System, the forerunner of the Regional Transit Authority. In 1928 he bought a house and moved to 13516 6th Avenue in East Cleveland, which was in St. Philomena's parish. In that same year, John went out to Denver to visit relatives. On that trip, John and his nephew Leonard Murphy and his four-year-old great nephew, Richard Sullivan, drove up to Central City to see the Glory Hole mine, which was still in operation. In April 1929, John traveled back to Marion, Ohio the town where he had grown up and noted that everything's changed in his 49-year absence. His youngest daughter was married on November 8, 1932. John's son got married on October 19, 1934. John's wife, Louise was in poor health and this together with economic conditions brought on by the Great Depression made it a natural for Marion and her husband Ed together with their first child, Robert, to move in with Marion's parents. John retired from CTS as their paint shop foreman about 1939 probably at the age of 70.

Ed and Marion's second child, Mary Louise was born October 4, 1937. On the afternoon of October 8, 1941, Kathleen Frances arrived. Then on September 20, 1943 Richard Joseph was born. John developed colon cancer. After several years living with Marion's parents, the family moved to Mayfield Heights in February 1944. The older children would go back to their grandparent's home on 6th Avenue in East Cleveland to help out with yard work and the like. John discovered he had colon cancer in January 1944. Surgery was unsuccessful in eliminating John's cancer and he died July 11, 1945 in his home. By the time of his death, John had seven grandchildren. After a Requiem Mass at St. Philomena's Church, John was buried at Calvary Cemetary (section 39 lot 144) in Cleveland. He was 76 years old and had been married to Louise for 49 years.

James SHAUGHNESSY or rather James O'SHAUGHNESSY, the name he went by in the early years, was born in Ireland (probably County Limerick) about 1820. James married a girl named Honora Martell about 1842 and their first child, a boy named David, was born in 1843. The potato famine struck Ireland from 1846 until 1851, killing one million of the approximately eight million populace. Another two million immigrated to America during that period and shortly thereafter. A second son, James, was born May 17, 1848. The family survived the potato famine, and in 1854 or 1855 they sailed to America settling in Cleveland, Ohio. They had two girls, Margaret and Mary about 1854 and 1855. According to the 1860 census (Cleveland), James worked as a clerk. In 1862, James wife Honora died in Cleveland and was buried at St John's Cemetery there. At the age of 42, James also bought a two grave burial plot (part 10 range 5 section 2 No. 5) in St John's Cemetery located at E.70th and Woodland in Cleveland, Ohio. Having small children and no wife, James quickly remarried as was the norm for the times. On May 11, 1862 James married Sarah Collins in Cleveland. Their marriage license shows her name as Jean Collins.

Also in 1862, his son David enlisted in the Union Army and fought during the Civil War. His other son James, ran away from home in 1864 at the age of sixteen and got a job shoeing horses for the Confederate Army at Nashville, Tennessee. After the civil war was over in 1865, the younger James returned to Cleveland but after a short while he enlisted in the United States Army to go to fight Indians in Wyoming. Apparently, the family moved to Marion, Ohio before Margaret was born November 14, 1865. Finally, John Thomas was born December 29, 1869. When John was born his father was 49. His sibling's ages were David 26, James 21, Mary 13, all half-brothers and sisters and his sister Margaret was 4. Apparently, the Margaret born about 1855 died as a child.

According to the 1880 census (Marion, Ohio), James was a laborer working for the railroads, neither he nor his wife could read or write. The family moved back to Cleveland, Ohio in 1880. After retiring from the railroad, James worked as a watchman and then as a laborer until he died August 30, 1883. James was 63 and had been married to Sarah for 36 years. His youngest son, John, signed the burial receipt at the young age of 14. James was buried in the plot he had purchased 21 years earlier in St. John's Cemetery.