USA Michael OConnell

1903

Michael left Queenstown (Cobh) aged 23 on April 3rd 1903 aboard the SS Teutonic bound for New York. According to records he was a porter and headed to stay with his sister Maria (Mary) whose address was given as 121 Central Avenue Tarrytown NY. Mary had only arrived in New York the previous year.

Interestingly he is listed on the ships manifest alongside a Kate Cassidy also from Collooney who was headed to stay with a friend in NYC on East 66th Street

Michael later met and married Norah Coleman from Galway on 9th November 1913. They had 3 children Ann, Michael & Daniel. He is listed as living at 555 Greenwich Street on his sister Elizabeth's entry manifest on September 1913. This area also fits with his nephew Lawrence's account of visiting Michael's family in Greenwich Village as a young man.

in 1932 Michael became a naturalised American citizen. The photo underneath is taken from his application form. He is listed as 5'11" and a laborer on his forms. The family were living at 221 East 74th Street NYC. One of the witnesses on his form was his brother John.

On his death on 15th January 1940 the family were now at 149 East 81st St. He is buried in St John's Cemetery.

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Nora

Michael's wife Nora came from Co. Galway close to the border with Roscommon. She is listed on the 1901 census, but by 1911 her father had died and the family had moved to Brierfield Ballinaheglish, a few miles away. Nora travelled to America in 1912 aboard the RMS Celtic to her sister Katie.

Nora died in 1968. Her daughter Ann died in 1979 . Michael Junior joined the US Army and later became a Staff Sergeant there from 1942-1945 during WWII.

As an aside , the grave that Michael & Nora are buried in in Calvary Cemetery was bought by Nora's sister in 1916 possibly following the death of one of her own other sisters.

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