the geraghty family 

THE HOMESTEAD

This Geraghty family is known to have originated along the Galway-Mayo border near the town of Headford and along the northeastern shores of Lough Corrib in the townland of Ballycurren. The property consists of about forty acres of land divided by low rock walls in to about four or five adjacent fields, one of which appears to have about 300 feet of lakeshore frontage on Lough Corrib sporting an excellent view of the Conamara hill country. A short distance down the shoreline from where the property ends one can see the ivy covered remains of Ballycurren Castle and an old lighthouse once used for navigation on Lough Corrib. 

The property still includes the remains of the old home and a separate barn both of which were constructed of the same local limestone typically used to divide the farm plots in the west of Ireland. The buildings were constructed by carefully keying the stones together with a light mortar. All of the remaining support walls appear about 20 in. thick. Both the inside and the outside walls appear to have been surfaced with a smooth coat of mortar or plaster (now mostly worn off) which may have at one time been painted or whitewashed. 

The main cottage consisted of three lower rooms separated by stone partition walls and low linteled doorways, The back room was apparently used as a kitchen with a small stone oven hearth faced with ceramic tiles at the base of a stone chimney on the outside wall. This same room has notches in the walls to support second floor joists (no longer existent). The existence of a second story is also evidenced by a small windows located high in the rear gable and what appears to be a door opening in the upper part of the partition wall between back kitchen and the main room. This same partition wall includes a large main hearth made of stone which opens up into the main room and is vented through a second chimney running up the center of the cottage. The third room opened off this center room opposite the kitchen, the outside wall of which also provides evidence of a second floor. The roof is no longer in existence but the brother of the property's current owner stated that he remembers it having a thatched roof at one time. A small area enclosed by a rock wall outside the house may have been used as a garden. The barn is also constructed of the same stone as the cottage and is also divided into three rooms which appear to have been used primarily for livestock and storage. It still has a corrugated metal roof of relatively recent origin. However it is likely that this was a replacement for an earlier thatched roof. 

The cottage and the barn are located in a small grove of trees at the end of a long rutted drive which is itself lined with ivey covered trees and wild rose bushes. The property was at one time served by a spring well (now dried up) located about 100 ft from the cottage. There is also a small apple grove located on the property near the cottage. It was also stated that somewhere on or near the property some distance from the house, there is an old cemetery of unmarked graves once used by local residents for burying young children. The exact location of this was not determined. 

It is impossible to determine how far back the Geraghty family was associated with this property. A local resident told a Michael Geraghty, a cousin from Minnesota that they thought the cottage goes back to at least 1600. This could not be verified with any accuracy. However, the burials at Ross Abby near Headford include one for an Ann Rose Geraghty who died Nov. 8 1690. The inscription is in Latin and difficult to read. Equally difficult to read is another inscription for an Ellen Geraghty [Garraghty] wife of John [Kauwren ?] who died in 1732. Although no direct connection can be made to these individuals, the proximity of these monuments to more recent Geraghty burials not only suggests a connection but provides evidence for Geraghtys in the Headford area back at least to the late 1600s. It is worth noting that a distant relative, Conner Beirne, when writing to relatives in the U.S. in 1939 referred to his wife (Bridget Nee Geraghty) as "belonging to one of the great old Irish families" ... "Her family was once of great notoriety, but like everything else they became poor and are now of no importance." He further states that when she died " the place she was buried, is called Ross Abby in the town of Headford, Galway, she lies in a tomb with her ancestors, who have passed on since the year 1600." Whether or not the family was in possession of this particular property at that time remains to be determined. 

There is also some question regarding whether of not the property was originally held as a free hold or in leasehold tenancy. A short family history complied in the 1930s makes vague references to a Charles Lynch as landlord over the Ballycurrin area, presumably including the family land. The current owners have no memory beyond there immediate family who appear to have been fee owners. It is worth noting in this respect, that the current holding is much larger than what would have been expected for most homesteads in this part of Ireland. It is not clear whether the current extent of the holding is comparable to what it may have been 200 years ago. 

The last Geraghty to own the property appear to have been one Timothy Geraghty who died in 1971. The property is currently owned by the Varley family. The Varleys are related to the Geraghty family through their grandmother Julia Geraghty Varley a sister of Timothy Geraghty. One of the current Varley brothers, Thomas Varley currently owns and operates a pub in the town of Headford. There is at this time no residents on the property which is currently being used for sheep grazing. It is said that there are other farms in the Ballycurren area currently owned by Geraghtys and that they may be distantly related. However the exact relationship has yet to be determined. 

THE FAMILY

The record of the immediate Geraghty family begins with Thomas Geraghty and Elizabeth Newell. 

THOMAS GERAGHTY ( - ) (Parents Unknown)
ELIZABETH NEWELL ( - ) (Parents Unknown) 

All that is known about Thomas & Elizabeth is that they apparently operated a farm near Headford Ireland in the townland of Ballycurrin Co. Mayo. 

Children

Timothy ( - ) m Katherine Hynes ( ) (Headford Co. Galway ??)
James ( - ) (Died in London England ?)
Hubert ( -1872) m. Margaret Keville ( ) (Ross Abby Headford Ire.??)
Patrick ( -1888) m. Mary Fitzgerald ( ) (Died in New York)
Martin ( - ) ???? (England ??)
Mary ( - ) m. Robert Newell ( ) (San Francisco Cal.??)
Richard ( -1893) m. Julia Keville ( ) (Ross Abby Headford Ire.??)
Honorah ( - ) ???? O Neill ( ) (Died in Ireland ??)
Thomas (1818-1893) m. Julia Hyland ( ) Ross Abby Headford Ire. 

Thomas died in Ireland and it is assumed that both he and his wife were buried in the Ross Abbey near the town of Headford In Co. Galway . However the graves have not been located. Most of the current information on their children was provided collected in the mid 1930s from Hubert Geraghty's daughter Nora Lynch. Their son James was a constable in Ireland and later moved to England and joined the London police force. James never married. Mary supposedly married and moved to California with her husband. Nora and her husband settled in Trenton New Jersey. 

TIMOTHY GERAGHTY ( - ) Son of Thomas Geraghty & Elizabeth Newell
CATHERINE HYNES ( - ) (Parents Unknown) 

All that is known about Timothy is that he was apparently born near the town of Headford in Co. Galway Ireland. Some time in the mid 1840s he emigrated to the United States and eventually settled in Pittsburg Penn. It is not known when or where he was married nor is there any clear information about his wife. She may have been a sister of the Patrick Hynes who eventually settled in Dakota Co. MN. 

Children

Thomas (1848-1880) (Priest) St. Lawrence Brinkinhead Engl. 

John C. (1849-1911) m. Bridget Corcoran (1875) buried St. Joseph's Rosemount 

m. Mary Doran (1889) 

Elizabeth ( - ) ??? LeBaugh ( ) (Baltimore Md. ??) 

Patrick ( - ) ??? ( ) (Baltimore Md. ??) 

Timothy and Catherine remained in the United States until some time in the 1850s when they apparently returned to Headford Ireland where their family was raised. Only four children are known from this marriage, at least one of which was known to have been born in the U.S. All of these children are known to have left Ireland at some point in their lives. It is not known when or where Timothy and Catherine died, but they are thought to be buried in the churchyard at Headford Ireland. 

Hubert was born in Co. Galway Ireland and is thought to have worked a farm in nearby Co. Mayo. It is not known when or where he was married but it is known that Margaret was the sister of Julia Keville who married Hubert's brother Richard. 

Children

Mary (1863-1890) m. Patrick Garvey ( ) Ross Abbey Co. Headford Ire.
Honorah (1867-1949) m. Patrick Lynch ( ), St.Michaels Bayport MN
James (1866-1922) m. Julia Gibbons (1896), St. Joseph's Rosemount MN
Elizabeth (1870-1950), St. Joseph's Rosemount MN 

Hubert and Margaret both died in Ireland and are thought to be buried in Headford Ireland. The children were apparently raised by relatives after the premature death of their parents. All of their known children left Ireland in the early 1890s. Mary moved to England after her marriage. Nora and Elizabeth, after spending some time in New Jersey with relatives eventually settled in Minnesota and kept house for their cousin John C. Geraghty. James followed shortly after. 

Patrick apparently emigrated to the United States where he settled in New York and went to work as a carpenter. It is not known when or where he was married and nothing is known about his wife's background. 

Children

Michael ( - ) (No information available)
Mary ( - ) John Elliot ( ) (No information available)
Honorah ( - ) (No information available) 

Patrick appears to have died in New York in 1888 but it is not known when his wife died or where he and his wife are buried. Little information is available about the three children known from this marriage. The Michael listed here might be the Michael Geraghty who worked on the railroad and was living in Rosemount MN in the 1880s. Mary Elliot apparently had a daughter named Mary. 

Not much is known about Martin except that he was born in Co. Galway Ireland and eventually emigrated to England where he was engaged as a carpenter. It is thought that he was married but nothing is known about his wife. 

Children

Honorah ( - ) (no information available) 

Martin apparently died in England. All that is known is that he had a daughter names Nora. It is not known what happened to her or whether or not he had any other children. 

Richard was born in Co. Galway and eventually took up farming in nearby Co. Mayo. All that is known about his wife is that she was the sister of Margaret, Hubert Geraghty's wife. Richard and Julia raised their family in Co. Mayo Ireland. 

Children

Thomas (1852-1934) Mary Corbett (1897) Ross Abby Headford Ire.
Elizabeth (1864-1935) John O Connor ( ) (Headford Ireland ??)
Timoth ( - ) ??? ( ) (Savannah Georgia ??)
Bridget H. (1862-1909) Connor Beirne ( ) Ross Abby Headford Ire. 

It is not known where Richard & Julia died. Richard is thought to be buried in Ross Abbey near Headford Ireland. Timothy clerked for a time in Ballinrobe and later moved to New York where he worked in a dry goods store. It is possible that he died in Savannah Georgia some time before 1938. He is thought to have had a son named Hubert. Elizabeth remained in Headford where her husband ran a grocery store and butcher shop. 

Thomas was born and raised near Headford Co. Galway Ireland . He farmed land near the townland of Ballycurrin. All that is known about Julia is that her sister Ellen married John Corcoran and was the mother of Bridget, wife of John C. Geraghty of Rosemount MN. 

Children

Peter N. ( -1900) (died in Chicago Ill.)
Martin (1855-1944) Julia Kearney ( ) Ross Abbey Headford Ire.
Thomas ( - ) (Parkersberg West Virginia ??) 

Thomas is thought to have died about 1893 and is buried in Ross Abby. No information is available regarding his wife or their children. Only two children are known for certain and it is possible both emigrated to the United States. 

John was supposedly born in Pittsburg PA (or somewhere in Ohio) and apparently returned to Ireland with his family at an early age. About 1870 John returned to the United States and apparently came directly to Rosemount MN where he took up a position as a clerk in the General Store owned and operated by F. Gollan. John apparently had relatives in the area at the time. He is listed as a nephew of Pat Hynes and was a pallbearer at his funeral. The exact nature of this relationship is however unclear. By 1875 John had become a full partner and eventually bought out Mr. Gollan's interest. About the same year he returned to Ireland to marry Bridget Corcoran. It is known that she had a brother Peter who became a priest and eventually resided in San Francisco Cal. Little else is known about Bridget except that she was apparently from the town of Ballinrobe County Mayo, near where John's family resided. John continued to operate the store with various other partners after his marriage. He also became involved in several other business ventures, was a trustee of St. Joseph's church and acted as treasurer for town of Rosemount. 

Children

John T. (1876-1926) (Moved to Baltimore Md)
Thomas P. (1877- ) m. Marcella Cannon. (1909) (Moved to Seattle Wash. ??)
Joseph (1878-1898) St. Joseph's Rosemount MN
Hubert J. (1878-1879) Highland Cem. Lakeville MN
Mary (1879- ) ??? Skinner ?? ( ) (No information available)
Patrick H. (1881-1882) Highland Cem. Lakeville MN
James J. (1883-1976) m. Catherine M. Farrell (1909) buried Resurrection Cem. Mendota
Hubert (1885- ) m. Udura Michaude (1908) (Moved to Rochester NY ??) 

Sometime in 1885 Bridget's father died in Ireland and in 1886 Bridget returned to Ireland with her eldest son for a visit. While there she contracted an illness which after a short trip to Scotland caused her death. She was buried at the old cemetery in the town of Ballinrobe in Co. Mayo and her son John remained for a few years with relatives. John continued to reside in Rosemount for a few years where he expanded into the grain business holding an interest in various elevators in the area. In 1889 he married the daughter of one of his business partners. His second wife, Mary Doran was apparently born in Killkenny, LeSeur Co. MN where her father ran a grain elevator. There were no children from this marriage and little is known about her. Some time in the 1890s John was appointed to head the St Paul office of U.S Customs. He eventually sold his business interests in Rosemount to a cousin and moved his family to St. Paul, taking up residence at 580 Holly Ave. By 1902, he had established himself in his own business in the Endicott Bldg. as a broker/dealer in stocks, commodities, etc. By 1911 he had moved to 689 Ashland Ave. and was employed as a Manager for W.H. Dickerson & Co.. He died of a heart attack that same year and was buried in Rosemount. His second wife Mary appears to have survived him by several years. She died in in 1922 and is thought to be buried in Rosemount but no information is available on her. 

John and Bridget's oldest son graduated from St. Thomas and attended John Hopkins medical school in Baltimore. While he was at John Hopkins he gained wide renown as a result of his extensive study of urology. He is said to have include Diamond Jim Brady as one of his patients. 

Patrick apparently settled in Baltimore Maryland. No other information is available at this time. 

Children

Thomas ( )
Vincent ( )
Catherine ( ) ???? Grogan 

Thomas apparently had one son named Patrick. Catherine Grogan remained in Baltimore and kept contact with the J.C. Geraghty and James Geraghty families in Minnesota for many years. 

Nothing is known about Thomas except it appears that he farmed in Corrinradra near Headford Ireland, Thomas was married in Shrule on Feb. 15 1897. His wife was born in Ballycusheen, Killmaine Co. Mayo and may be related to the Hyland family and the Corcorans. 

Children

Honorah ( ) (No information available)
Richard (1901-1974) m. Delia ??? ( ) Ross Abby Headford Ire.
Mary (1901- ) ??? m. Ford ( ) (No information available) 

Thomas died Aug. 11, 1934, and is buried with his wife in Ross Abby. Their son Richard and his wife are buried with them. Thomas & Mary had a grandchild named Thomas who died in 1996. Family members were still reside in Corrinradra. 

Children

Timothy (1888-1971) Ross Abby Headford Ire.
Thomas P. ( -1977) Carrowconlaun Ire.
Julia (1896-1983) m. Thomas F. Varley ( ) Carrowconlaun Ire.
Molly ( ) (Settled somewhere in the U.S.) 

Martin apparently died in 1944 and is supposedly buried in Ross Abby near Headford . Timothy apparently farmed the family estate in Ballycurren Ireland, Thomas came to the U.S. and worked as a butcher in New York. He apparently returned to Ireland where he died. Julia worked in a hotel in Headford and Molly moved to Parkersburg W.Va. 

James was born and raised in Headford Galway. He came to America in May 1885 and went to work for his cousin John C. Geraghty in Rosemount. His sisters Nora and Elizabeth had already been brought earlier to keep house and help care for John's children. He worked 10 years as a clerk for the firm of Geraghty & Mullroony before becoming a partner in Geraghty & Co. In the late 1895s he purchased the general store from John and continued to operate the business in partnership with J. J. Hynes until 1911 when Mr. Hynes withdrew from the firm. In 1896 he married Julia Gibbons, the daughter of another Rosemount business owner. 

Children

Hubert J. (1898-1979)  m. Helen M. Jagoe (1920) buried St. Josephs Rosemount MN
Elizabeth (1899-1974) m. Thomas J. Cummings (1924) St. Josephs Rosemount MN
Helen (1904-1988) St. Josephs Rosemount MN
Julia (1907-1984) m. Ralph McMenomy ( ) (Maustin WAS) 

James continued to reside in Rosemount until his death on April 10, 1922. Julia survived him by several years until her death in 1949. Both James and Julia are buried in Rosemount. 

James Geraghty was born and spent his early years in Rosemount MN. Sometime in the early 1890s he moved into St. Paul where he attended catholic school. After a brief time at Notre Dame University he returned to Saint Paul where he worked as a surveyor for James J. Hill. In 1908 he married Catherine at St. Josephs church in Rosemount . She was the daughter of a prominent farmer from Lebanon Twp. in Dakota Co. After their marriage they built a home at 1144 Lincoln Ave in St. Paul (supposedly a wedding gift from Catherine's father). James secured a regular job as an auditor for the Great Northern Railroad. 
 

Children

Joseph (1910-1988) m. Ruth ?????? ( ) Ft. Snelling; m. Mahlla ?? ( )
John C. (1912-1988) m.  Leona Fahley (1938), Fort Snelling National Cemetery
Leo F. (1914-1978) m. Jewel Steiner ( ) Fort Snelling National Cemetery
James (1916-1989) (Priest) (1939) (LaFayette L.A.)
Catherine (1920- ) m. Richard Walsh (1946) 

Sometime in the late 1920s James built another house on Beechwood Ave which he ended up losing during the depression. The family rented a home on W. 7th street for a short time before purchasing a duplex at 13xx Fairount Ave. James remained with the railroad until his retirement in the 1940s. Catherine died in 1964. After her death James lived for a time with his daughter's family and spent the last years of his life in Midway Manor Nursing Home where he ran the home's library. James died in 1976 and is buried with Catherine at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights MN. James has one daughter, Mrs Richard Walsh. 

Hubert was born and raised in the town of Rosemount MN where his father ran a general store. After his father retired from business, Hubert took over the store and opened up an insurance business. He remained in Rosemount his entire life residing in a home on Cameo Street. His wife Helen was born in Coats May 25, 1897. 

Children

James (1921- ) Irene Hinderer (1943) 
(infant son) (1927-1927) St. Josephs Rosemount MN
William H. 

Hubert died just before Easter in 1979. His wife died about nine years later on Nov. 4 , 1988. Both are buried in St. Josephs Cemetery in Rosemount MN. 

Joseph was born 5-27-1910 and raised in Saint Paul MN. He graduated from Cretin HS and apparently went out east where he was married for a short time. Following his divorce, he entered the merchant marines and served in Iceland during the war. While there, he met and married his second wife Mahla. She was apparently a war widow with one child named Berger. After the birth of their first child together, Joseph brought the family back to Minnesota and eventually took up residence in Lindstrom MN. Joseph was employed at the Control Data Corporation in Saint Paul 

Children

Ehrdla
Margaret
Michael
Brian
Patrick 

After his retirement, Joe retired to Lindstrom where he spent time reading and volunteering at local schools. His wife worked as a nurse at the local hospital. Joseph died 5-23-1988 and his wife died a few years later. Both are buried at the National Cemetery at Fort Snelling MN. 

John Geraghty 3-24-1912 was born and raised In St. Paul. His wife Leona was born and spent her early years in Jefferson Barracks Missouri where her father served in the U.S. Army. She moved to Fort Snelling MN where her father was transferred in the early 1920s. John and Leona met while attending the same church in St. Paul. They were married June 24 1938 at St. Theresa's church and took up residence in an apartment on Ramsey Hill. After his marriage John worked as a delivery man for the Saint Paul Milk Co. After the outbreak WW II, John spent a few months working at local arms plant and than enlisted in the Navy CBs, serving in the Phillipines until the end of the war. During his absence, he wife Leona worked for a crew reconditioning war planes at Holman field in St. Paul. After the war John worked various jobs, finally ending up working both as a switchman for the Chicago, Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific RR and as a warehouse man for Montgomery Ward Company in St. Paul. 

Children

Mary (1939-1940) Calvary Cem. St. Paul
Kathleen ( ) m. Thomas Weaver ( ) 
Laura Lee ( )  m. Richard Beans 
Dennis J. m. Grace Campbell 
Kevin A. m. Marie French 

In 1954, John and Leona moved to a home at 1143 Portland just three blocks from where John grew up. John was to remain at this home for the remainder of his life. John died Aug. 18, 1988 and is buried at the National Cemetery at Fort Snelling. Mary died as an infant. 

Leo was born Sept. 30 1912 and raised in St. Paul MN. He worked as a switchman for the Great Northern RR Co. He and his wife resided at W. Larpenteur Ave. in Saint Paul MN. 

Children

Gerald (1936-1975)
Judy ( ) 

Leo died in 1977 and is buried at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights MN. 

James was raised in Rosemount. He attended St.Thomas College and went on to graduate from the William. Mitchel Law School. He was one of the founding partners in the law firm of Geraghty, O'Laughlin & Kenny P.A. in Saint Paul MN. James married Irene Hinderer in 1943 at St. Lukes church in Saint Paul. 

Children

Patrick J. m. Patricia Kleve 
Michael E. m. Joan Myler (California ??)
Timothy H. m. ?? ( )
Maureen m. Michael Bouchar 
Infant (1954-1954)
Colleen B. m.  Robert Langford 
Kathleen A. m. Michael O'Malley 
Sheela m. John Mullen 

• Siblings TIMOTHY HUBERT RICHARD 
• 1st cousins JOHN JAMES MARTIN 
• 2nd cousins JAMES HUBERT JULIA VARLEY 
• 3rd cousins JOHN JAMES OLIVER VARLEY 
• 4th cousins KEVIN MAUREEN THOMAS VARLEY 

See also Geraghty Family - Early History in Ireland. 

Related Pages

• The Devitt Family
• J. C. Geraghty biography (1881)
• The Gibbons Family
• The Patrick and Bridget Killallea Hynes Family
• The Michael Newell & Mary Roddy Family
• Dakota County Historical Society
  • DCHS Searchable Databases - census data, cemetery records,  and obit cites

Geraghty Sites

• Thomas Geraghty and Elizabeth Newell (messages for this family )
• http://www.geraghtyfamily.com/
• Message Board - Clan Na MogOireachtaigh - Geraghty Clan

Resource Sites

• Dakota Co MN GenWeb
• Ramsey County GenWeb (St. Paul)
• Minnesota GenWeb
• Local Ireland: Local Galway: Headford
• Welcome to County Galway, Ireland
• Local Ireland Local Mayo
• County Mayo Ireland GenWeb

Cemetery Sites

• Rosemount city - St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
• Calvary Cemetery, St. Paul MN: information at Ramsey County GenWeb
• Calvary Cemetery, St. Paul MN: ordering records
• Fort Snelling National Cemetery
• Highland Cemetery Registry: Hubert J. Geraghty-Rosa C. Guth
• Lakeville Township - Highland Cemetery 

Railroad Sites

• Milwaukee Road
• Dan's Great Northern Railway History Page
• Great Northern Railway Historical Society
• Genealogy resources for researching GN Ry employees