From Ireland to Iowa

Way Back When…

I started this before and then looking for something in the ‘OLD’ Bible I found an old letter addressed to Mary Fields, my grandmother, before she was married.  It is information to her about a teaching position in Greene County, Iowa.  The letter is signed by Phillip Picht and dated April 1, 1883, or 1893 (the date has been written over so I can’t be sure which is correct).  It sounds as though he must have been school principal or Superintendent.

Mary Loretto Fields – Circa 1890

I am supposing, knowing she taught school at Lohrville, Iowa this must be how she met Grandfather Ambrose.  They both, being Catholic’s, would have gone to the same church and lived in the same area.

St Joseph’s Church – Lohrville Iowa Circa 1899

Filling in some blanks on Grandma Mary Fields’s family.  Here again there is so much I don’t know.  Granma’s father was Timothy Fields, and he came to America when he was 17, from Ireland.  He was from County Cork, and her mother was Brigid Warren, and she was 16 when she came from County Clare, Ireland.  County Clare and County Cork are adjoining in Ireland as is Tipperary all in the southern part of Ireland in  the Munster district or what every they call the divisions in Ireland.  Guess I need to do some studying on my Irish history :)  Timothy’s parents where John Fields and Abigail Kaliher.  Both were from County Cork, as far as I know, neither of them left Ireland.

Brigid’s parents were Patrick and Ellen Keane and both were from County Clare.   Timothy and Brigid had 5 children that I know of, although there may have been others who died in infancy as was so usual in those times.  The children were all born in Illinois, at Wilmington. At this point I’m assuming that Timothy and Brigid were married in this country but don’t have the proof yet. (Update: The correct names are Bridget, her parents are Patrick Warren & Ellen Keane | Bridget is buried in Lohrville not sure about Timothy ~Julie)

The children were John Fields, died age 21, is buried at Grand Junction, Iowa, Abigail, died at age 12 of what is called Black Diphtheria, Mary (Granma), died in 1936 from pneumonia, and is buried in Mitchell, SD at Calvary Cemetery, Ellen, died age 9 died also of Diphtheria.  The two girls having died within 2 months of each other in the same year, both are buried at Wilmington, Illinois and the last child, Johanna who lived in Rapid City with  her husband Jim Grant at the time of her death in Feb of 1960.  She and Jim are both buried in Calvary Cemetery in Mitchell.  Auntie Jo (as we called her) was born Aug 31,1871 Jim was born in 1884 and died in 1966.  Their graves are just a few steps from where my father Clarence Borchard is buried.  Both of my grandparents are buried in the same cemetery, as are mother’s brothers Tim, Ambrose Jr., Leo, and her sister Mary (Babe).

My Best Guess

All of this following is pure guessing, Granma Mackey was 65 when she died in 1936 so that made her birth year 1871 (confirmed), her mother was 16 when she came to the States, and guessing again — she was 17 or 18 when she married, knowing John was probably born the following year it goes something like this, when Mary was born her mother would have been around 23 in 1871, making her 21 when Abigail — in 1869, and making her (Granma Brigid) around 17 to 18 in 1865 or 1866.  So marriage date of Timothy and Brigid would have been around the year of 1866, or 1867 like I say guessing but a start date to start looking in records.

My reasoning — because they all being Catholic the general age difference in Children in large families was about 2 years.  Does this make sense?  “Say yes mother”

In early records of Lohrville church, it lists Timothy Fields.  I have reason to believe it’s Granma’s father, so Granma Brigid must have been dead by that time so don’t know if she’s buried in Wilmington or Iowa.  For some reason I think he is buried in Iowa so she may be also. Hope to answer that this summer also.