John C. Cahill : Short Biography

John C. Cahill listed his date of birth as 15 Jun 1833, but no definite place in Ireland has been found yet.

He listed his year of immigration as 1852 on the 1900 U.S. census, and said he was a naturalized citizen.

A newspaper advertisement placed in the Boston Pilot may refer to him, seeking information:

“OF JOHN CAHILL, of Parsonstown, Kings co [now Birr, Offaly] who was in Livingston co, N.Y., when last heard from.--Information received by his brother Wm, Louisville, Ky.”

Family lore says that he worked for seven years at a furniture company in Louisville, Kentucky.

Just after the beginning of the American Civil War, John enlisted in the Union Army at Jeffersonville, Indiana on 1 Jul 1861 in the 3rd Regiment, Kentucky Foot Volunteers (Louisville Legion), later called the 5th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry. He was promoted from corporal to sergeant. He was honorably discharged on 14 Sep 1864.

John married in January 1865 in Louisville, Jefferson county, Kentucky to Mary McCoy, also born in Ireland. They would have nine children.

On the 1870 U.S. census in Warrensburg, Missouri, he was a male citizen born in Ireland, with a wife named Mary, and two sons, the oldest William, age 3, was born in Kentucky, the younger, age 1, born in Missouri.

In 1880, he was still in Warrensburg, now age 51, occupation Farmer, with wife Mary and six children.

His wife Mary died on 16 Jan 1902, and some years later he applied for a homestead in Oswego, Valley county, Montana.

According to his Montana death certificate, he died on 3 May 1920 in Wolf Point, Roosevelt county, Montana, a white male widower age 86 years, 10 months and 12 [sic] days. Birth date listed was 15 Jun 1833 in Ireland, son of John Cahill (maiden name of mother left blank).