McCanna family
From birchyHistory
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| − | The McCannas were early settlers in [[Miles City]]. The matriarch and | + | The McCannas were early settlers in [[Miles City]]. The matriarch and a daughter and two sons (both with fair sized families), weathered two [[fires]] and a major death while living in Miles City. All three branches eventually moved westward to Washington and [[Alaska]]. They are related to the [[Rooney family]]. The adults were born in County Latrim, Ireland and came from Minnesota to Miles City. Mother Bridgett ran at least one boarding house on Main Street between 3rd and 4th streets. They were [[Irish]] [[Catholics]]. |
==Before Miles City== | ==Before Miles City== | ||
| − | About 1848, Myles McCanna (1810?-1879) and his wife, Bridget McDevit (1849-1890) emigrated from Ireland (possibly Waterford) to Canada with four children: Elizabeth (12/29/1837), James S. (1842), Mary Ann Lavina (8/1/1844), and Michael Bernard (1849). They settled in the "Queen's Bush" area of Ontario until 1868. Three more children were born to them there: Bridgette (1854), | + | About 1848, Myles McCanna (1810?-1879) and his wife, Bridget McDevit (1849-1890) emigrated from Ireland (possibly Waterford) to Canada with four children: Elizabeth (12/29/1837), James S. (1842), Mary Ann Lavina (8/1/1844), and Michael Bernard (1849). They settled in the "Queen's Bush" area of Ontario until 1868. Three more children were born to them there: Bridgette (1854), '''Katherine Bridgette "Madge"''' (1856), and '''Margaret Jane "Bridget"''' (3/1858). |
| − | + | In time, the children married into neighboring familes and several of these intermarried groups emigrated to Minnesota about the time that the Homestead Act was passed in the US in 1862. These included Myles and his wife '''Bridgette'', Elizabeth and her family, James and his family, plus Michael. '''James''' had married Sarah Anne Duffy in Mt. Forest, Ontario on 4/11/1866. They emigrated by spring of 1868. | |
| − | Myles homesteaded a 160 acre farm near Lake Alice. As he was in his late fifties, and since Michael Bernard was unmarried and nineteen, Michael probably worked this farm with his Dad while Bridget took care of the house and the three young girls. James and Sarah Ann had another 160 acre farm nearby, as did | + | Myles homesteaded a 160 acre farm near Lake Alice. As he was in his late fifties, and since Michael Bernard was unmarried and nineteen, Michael probably worked this farm with his Dad while Bridget took care of the house and the three young girls. James and Sarah Ann had another 160 acre farm nearby, as did Mary Ann Lavina's husband John Hanrahan. Myles McCanna became a naturalized citizen of the United States on 10/14/1873; James followed suit the next day. |
| − | They had settled near Padua, MN which at that time was called Rooneys' Settlement. The place was thick with a large branch of the Irish [[Rooney family]] (see), who had also immigrated through Canada. By 1872, one of them, '''Katherine Ann Rooney''' was twenty years old. She had been well schooled for a young girl living in rural Canada. Indeed, she became the first teacher in Raymond Township and taught in a small one-room schoolhouse about three miles east of present-day Padua. The school director was her cousin Hugh Rooney, who would end up in Montana with her family. Two years later, on April 9, 1874, '''Michael McCanna''' married Katherine Ann Rooney. The best man was her brother Michael; the bridesmaid was his sister Margaret Jane. In all likelihood the new couple moved in with the Myles McCanna family. Elizabeth Elinor, their first child, was born at this farm in Grove Lake on [[13 May 1875]]. | + | They had settled near Padua, MN which at that time was called "Rooneys' Settlement". The place was thick with a large branch of the Irish [[Rooney family]] (see), who had also immigrated through Canada. By 1872, one of them, '''Katherine Ann Rooney''' was twenty years old. She had been well schooled for a young girl living in rural Canada. Indeed, she became the first teacher in Raymond Township and taught in a small one-room schoolhouse about three miles east of present-day Padua. The school director was her cousin Hugh Rooney, who would end up in Montana with her family. Two years later, on April 9, 1874, '''Michael McCanna''' married Katherine Ann Rooney. The best man was her brother Michael; the bridesmaid was his sister Margaret Jane. In all likelihood the new couple moved in with the Myles McCanna family. Elizabeth Elinor, their first child, was born at this farm in Grove Lake on [[13 May 1875]]. |
A locust plague devasted Minnesota from 1872-1875, hitting Pope and Stearns Counties especially hard in 1874. On November 15th Myles laid claim to his farm at the federal land office in Alexandria, Minnesota. Again James imitated his Dad. Myles owned his land by March 10, 1874 and James his by September 10, 1875. But eleven days later (9/21) Myles and Bridget sold their farm for $1,000 and James and Sarah Ann theirs immediately thereafter (9/23) for the same amount. The locusts had done them in. | A locust plague devasted Minnesota from 1872-1875, hitting Pope and Stearns Counties especially hard in 1874. On November 15th Myles laid claim to his farm at the federal land office in Alexandria, Minnesota. Again James imitated his Dad. Myles owned his land by March 10, 1874 and James his by September 10, 1875. But eleven days later (9/21) Myles and Bridget sold their farm for $1,000 and James and Sarah Ann theirs immediately thereafter (9/23) for the same amount. The locusts had done them in. | ||
| − | Either that Fall or early in 1876, the McCanna family moved on | + | Either that Fall or early in 1876, the McCanna family moved on for newer lands in the West. Mary Ann and her family did not leave and raised 4 children on their Pope County farm. Indeed, a sick Myles also stayed, probably with them. He died of jaundice in 1879 and is buried in the Hanrahan plot at the Lake Alice Cemetary, on land that probably was once part of his farm. |
| − | Bridget left with her two married sons, James and Michael, and her two unmarried daughters, | + | Bridget left with her two married sons, James and Michael, and her two unmarried daughters, '''Katherine Brigette “Madge”''' and ''' Margaret Jane “Bridget”'''. They made it as far as Bismark in 1876 where they leased a building and ran a boarding house for about a year. It is likely that Michael's second child, James, was born there on December 16th. Miles City was the hot new frontier. Margaret Jane met a salesman for the [[Jordan and Leighton]] store in Ft. Buford who she would marry four years later. By the end of 1876, plans were underway to build a fort there, and Bismarck would be a major supply point. Construction of the fort would need a lot of workers and both the soldiers and the workers would need supplies and lodging. |
==Miles City== | ==Miles City== | ||
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| + | 1877 Mother Bridgette (or possibly Sarah, James' wife, but not likely. If so, it would be James mentioned) moves from Oldtown to new Miles City. | ||
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| + | Jan 1878 Michael is building a large hotel at the corner of Casey and Jew street in Oldtown, 24 by 72 feet, to be ready the first of February. | ||
| + | 1878 Michael's family (Catherine Rooney and 3 children) arrives. | ||
| + | 1878 James is a teamster and railroad contractor. (Note: construction of the NP extension from Bismarck didn't start until 1870?) | ||
| + | 1878 Michael is a teamster. | ||
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| + | 1879 Mils Emma born to Michael and Catherine. | ||
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| + | Mar 1880 Michael begins operation of the Tongue River House at 3rd and Main in new Miles City. His mother runs it (or possibly Sarah, James' wife, but not likely). | ||
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| + | 1881 James' family (Sarah and 4 children) arrives. | ||
| + | [[25 May 1881]] Mary Cordella born to James and Sarah. | ||
| + | [[31 Jul 1881]] sister Mary Jane (Margaret Jane “Bridget”) and her husband Robert Cobb Matthews travel 10.5 days on horseback to Miles City to have their 6 week old son baptized by Father Lindesmith. (They could have taken the train if they waited until the end of the year, could have taken a stage regardless.) | ||
| + | 1881 James is a teamster and railroad contractor. | ||
| + | 1881 Michael is a freighter, living on Main street, Block A, lots 9 & 10. Mother Bridgette operates it as a boarding house. | ||
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| + | 1884 Philip Francis born to Michael and Catherine. | ||
| + | Feb 1884 Michael has contract to excavate lot for new Stebbins-Mund Bank building at SW corner of 6th and Main. | ||
| + | Mar 1884 Michael is a street grader. | ||
| + | June 1884 lives in a frame building about 2 houses away from his mother's residence at 3rd and Main. | ||
| + | 1884 mother Bridgette runs a boading house at 3rd and Main. | ||
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| + | Mar 1885 (?mother) Bridgette lives at 4th and Main. | ||
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| + | It is probable that James, Michael and | ||
| + | Bridget and her girls stayed in North Dakota, while James and Michael and Katherine Ann continued on to Miles City with their children. Bridgette married Charles Johnson in 1878 and had two children, Charles and Helen; she remarried in 1890?. She and her new husband, Patrick Fox, then took the family to Alaska in 1885. Finally, Margaret Jane married Robert C. Mathews in Bismark on 6/6/1880 and settled in Williston, ND. Because of a payment default, the McCanna farm had reverted back to Bridget. When she died in 1890, she left it to her daughter Margaret Jane and husband, Robert Mathews. They in turn sold the land to Mary Ann Lavina and husband, John Hanrahan, for $1,900. In this way the original McCanna homestead stayed in the family. | ||
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'''Michael''' and family headed west either that Fall 1875 or in the Spring of 1876. Mother Bridgett and probably Michael arrive in 1877, Michael's family (Katherine Rooney McCanna and 2 children) arrives in 1878. Sister Bridgette came either in 1877 or 1878. For 10 years, he is involved in construction projects. In 1883, he's listed as a teamster. The family lived on 4th Street, | '''Michael''' and family headed west either that Fall 1875 or in the Spring of 1876. Mother Bridgett and probably Michael arrive in 1877, Michael's family (Katherine Rooney McCanna and 2 children) arrives in 1878. Sister Bridgette came either in 1877 or 1878. For 10 years, he is involved in construction projects. In 1883, he's listed as a teamster. The family lived on 4th Street, | ||
between Main and Pleasant, around the corner from mother Bridgett. | between Main and Pleasant, around the corner from mother Bridgett. | ||
