Solomon John Quinlivan : Short Biography

On 25 April 1831, Solomon John Quinlivan was born in Cutteen More, Tulla Parish, County Clare.  His parents were John Quinlivan and Anne Ryan whose other children were Johanna b. 23 March 1826, Robert b. 6 April 1833, Mary b. 15 August 1835, and Margaret b. 25 March 1839.

Solomon, along with his father and sister Mary, emigrated from the port of Limerick aboard the ship Edward arriving in New York City on 7 May 1849.  From there, they migrated to St. Louis, Missouri.  Solomon owned and operated the very successful S.J. Quinlivan Feed Company; he was a member of the Merchants’ Exchange of St. Louis.

On 29 October 1854, Solomon married Ann Finn – also from Ireland – b. 15 August 1834.  They had ten children, the oldest born in 1856 and the youngest born in 1871.  Solomon died in St. Louis on 3 March 1905.  His fourth child, James Finn, continued the company, incorporating it as the J.F. Quinlivan and Brother Feed Company in July 1925.  (As a side note:  James Finn’s grandson married the granddaughter of James J. Dowling, who is also noted here in the XO Chronicles for County Roscommon.)

Family lore contends that John, the father, returned to County Clare; however, no documentary evidence of this has been found.

Sister Mary married Michael E. O’Loughlin in St. Louis on 28 May 1854.  She died on 23 December 1870, three months after the birth of their fourth daughter.  Michael re-married to Johanna Terry King, with whom he fathered six more children.