abt. 1834 James Thistle is born in Ireland the son of a James or John Thistle and Elizabeth McQuade/McQuaid - possibly from Londonderry

abt. 1838 Mary Bulger/Bolger is born in Ireland the daughter of James Bulger and Julia Murphy - possibly from Kilkenny. 

 

1864 James M. Thistle marries Mary Bulger/Bolger at Healdsburg he would have been 30 and she about 26

 

- this is the first time James is seen and the marriage (Catholic) says he was Protestant and she Catholic.  He was a tanner who was a foreman at the Curtiss Tannery (in Bodega?) and later had his own shop "J.M. Thistle Tannery"

son John Thistle is born
dau. Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" is born
dau. Anna Marie "Annie" is born
May 1869 James appointed to Healdsburg City Council

 

1 Sep 1869  James appears on the 1870 Federal Mortality Schedule, Mendocino, Sonoma, CA as having died on this date - age 34 years born Ireland died 1 Sep -  - minutes of the City Council reflect his death also in Oct 1869.  He is buried Oak Mound Cemetery in Healdsburg - no marker

Jan 1870 dau. Isabelle "Belle" is born after the death of her father

widow Mary Mulger Thistle remarries to Louis Ottman who had migrated to Healdsburg from St. Louis, MO.  He owned a brewery near James Thistle's tannery. 

1873 Louis Ottman committed suicide in San Francisco

1874 Mary Bulger Thistle Ottman died leaving her four orphaned children - she is buried next to James as Mary Thistle not as Mary Ottman and next to both Mary and James is a small marker for "G" Thistle which is probably a child.

son John sent to St. Vincent's Orphanage at San Rafael - died as a teenager

dau. Annie age 6 went to live with Thomas & Ann (Murphy) Clark who had no children - in San Buenaventura. They came to Sonoma Co. in the mid 1860s and were prominent Catholics in the community.

daus. Lizzie & Bell stayed with "Aunt" Margaret Ryan in Healdsburg who had no children of her own and was probably the widow of James Ryan - her maiden name is unknown.  James Ryan probably related to Patrick & Bridget (Kearnes?) Ryan born in Ireland who lived near the Thistles.  He was a shoemaker.  Nobody knows more about them.

 

Bell married Frederick Mueller from Alsace Loraine - lived Valleio

1887 Annie married John H. Clark a nephew of her adoptive father

 

 

Sources:
1870 U.S. Federal Mortality Schedule: Mendocino, Sonoma, California