Hannah Kennedy : Short Biography

My great-grandmother, Hannah A. Kennedy Ryan, was born in Tipperary, Ireland, in June of 1844. She was likely baptized in the parish of Nenagh as her parents Jeremiah Kennedy and Sarah Cleary were married there 27 Sept 1843. Baptismal records for seven of Hannah’s siblings (James 11 Mar 1847; Thomas 24 Dec 1849; Bridget -later known as Mary - 17 Jan 1851; Michael 13 Oct 1854; Mary Teressa 16 Mar 1857; Judy - later known as Johanna - 11 Aug 1859; and Sara 3 Dec 1860) have been located. Unfortunately, the baptismal records for the period Dec 1842 through Jan 1845 are missing.

Hannah immigrated to America in 1865 and worked in the household of a banker in Chicago Illinois.

She married Patrick Francis Ryan on 30 Sept 1868 in Le Roy, Mower County, Minnesota. Patrick, born October 1834, was also from Tipperary. In a deposition given by his Father-in-law in Dec 1895 Jeremiah stated that Patrick was born and brought up in the neighborhood where he lived and he would see Patrick often as they always lived not more than two miles apart. Patrick immigrated to America in 1853 coming first to Canada and then to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

Hannah and Patrick had 11 children. In 1895 they moved their family to Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. Patrick died there 27 Aug 1906 and Hannah on 18 Jan 1911.

On 4 Sept 1877, Hannah’s mother, Sarah Cleary Kennedy, died in Nenagh, Tipperary in the Workhouse Infirmary. She had suffered from general disability for 4 years and was burned just 2 days before she died when she fell into a fire.

In 1879-81 Jeremiah immigrated to the United States with Johanna, Sarah and Mary Tressa. It is unclear if Bridget Mary accompanied them or came earlier as we know she was married 14 Nov 1881 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota to Dennis Brennan.

(Bridget) Mary and Dennis Brennan had 7 children. Dennis was born in Ireland 13 Oct 1855-56 to Daniel Brennan and Mary Riley. According to the 1900 US Census, he immigrated to America in 1874. Mary died in Seattle, King, Washington 4 Mar 1932. She had 3 daughters and a son living in the area and had been a patient at Northern State Mental Asylum in Sedro-Wooley, Washington. She was diagnosed with senile dementia and was admitted 22 Dec 1917. She died in the home of her daughter, Josie Denny.

By 1883 Johanna and Mary Tressa moved to Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. There Johanna married Edward G Toohey 7 Nov 1883. In the 1885 Minnesota Territorial and State census, Mary Tressa is living in the household of Edward and Johanna and their infant Margaret. Edward was born in Offaly, Ireland in Aug 1861 and immigrated to America in 1881.  Edward and Johanna had 8 children. In the 1895 Minnesota Territorial and State Census, Jeremiah Kennedy is living in the household with Edward and Johanna and it states he has been in this country for 14 years. Johanna died 27 Nov 1898. In the 1900 US Census Edward’s sister, Margaret Toohey, is living in the household having emigrated from Ireland in 1899, presumably to help raise his children.

 Mary Tressa married John Olinger in Minneapolis 30 May 1889. John was born in Iowa in Dec 1861. John and Tressa had 8 children. They lived on a farm outside of Minneapolis in Edina, Minnesota. Mary Tressa died 18 Sept 1911 having suffered from senile dementia for 3 years.

Sarah J. Kennedy lived and worked as a domestic servant in Minneapolis. She never married. She died 22 Jan 1924 in the Rochester State Hospital in Rochester, Olmsted, Minnesota. The cause of death was noted as chronic endocarditis however, the hospital was a hospital for the insane. Presumably Sarah, too, suffered from senile dementia. It should be noted that the 5th child of Edward and Johanna Toohey, Johanna Elizabeth “Lizzie” Toohey Lind also died at this state hospital 13 May 1937. She had suffered from cerebral arterial sclerosis for 2 years.

The Kennedy sisters remained close throughout the years. In Minneapolis, the Tooheys, Brennans and Ryans lived within a few miles of each other.

·         Tressa Kennedy (Olinger) was godmother to Johanna’s daughter Margaret 9 Sept 1884.

·         Johanna and Ed Toohey were godparents to Tressa’s third child.

·         Mary Brennan’s daughter Josie Brennan Denny was baptized Johanna 13 Jul 1886 and Johanna Toohey was her godmother.

·         Mary’s daughter Theresa Brennan Stockdale was baptized 20 Aug 1888 and Jeremiah Kennedy was her godfather.

Edward G Toohey, widower of Johanna Kennedy, married Sarah A. Kennedy 16 Sept 1918 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. Sarah A. Kennedy was the daughter of Johanna’s brother James Kennedy and his wife Margaret Hogan and the granddaughter of Jeremiah Kennedy and Sarah Cleary.  Sarah was baptized in Portroe, Tipperary, Ireland 15 Nov 1879. She and Edward had one son, Edward James born 14 Oct 1919. Sarah A Kennedy Toohey died 4 Apr 1935 of cerebral softening in the Anoka State Asylum, Anoka, Minnesota. It was a hospital for the insane.

Two of Tressa Kennedy Olinger’s children died of senile dementia while in their early 50’s.

Because of the frequent occurrence of early onset dementia in so many members of this Kennedy family, we have searched for descendants of Jeremiah and Sarah Kennedy who remained in Ireland.  We have found their son James in the 1901 census living in Castletown, Tipperary with his wife Margaret, 6 children, and mother-in-law Catherine Hogan. We have not yet tracked Jeremiah and Sarah’s sons Michael or Thomas. In our search, we have found recent deaths in Portroe of several members of a Kennedy family, one of whom it is certain suffered from early onset alzheimers.  We cannot help but wonder if they descended from Jeremiah and Sarah.