The DONOHUES who came to Wisconsin and then to Minnesota in the USA
Contributed by Mike Donohue (member 8) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ORIGIN
Florence O’Donoghue left Ireland around 1850, following the death of his wife, Ellen O’Connor. According to family lore they were residents of Cork, probably West Cork, of the Clan Glen Flesk. He came with his three sons, Peter, Timothy and Florence. Another son, John, stayed in Ireland, was purportedly a South Seas island trader. He did well, came back to Ireland, married a cousin, settled in Cork, and lived out his days there. Florence and Ellen’s daughter, Hannah went to Australia.
IN THE USA
The O’Donoghues were in Illinois, led from there to Wisconsin by John Roche, an Oregon Trail guide, in the company of families Coughlin, McCarty, Stephens, and Keefe, all settling in St Croix County, mostly in the New Richmond area, around 1850. Peter Donoghue (1831 – 1907) and his wife Johannah Coughlin (1840 – 1905), settled first in Hudson, in St Croix County, as noted in the 1860 census, by 1870 had moved on to the New Richmond area, where they farmed for many years in Stanton township, died and were buried in New Richmond’s Immaculate Conception Cemetery. Father Florence is first noted in Stanton Township in the 1880 census, then 90 years old, living with Peter. In that year he deeded real estate to his grandson William Florence Donohue. Timothy (1825 – 1904) lived with his wife Katharine Mackin (1829 – 1903) in New Richmond. They were childless. When he died he was in the home of his son Edward Donoghue in Decatur MI, after having spent the winter with his daughter Mrs. George Sperry, also of Decatur. The brother Florence died in the Civil War.
THEY FOUND THE LAW
William F. Donohue (1860 – 1932), who married Mary Anne Graham, (1875 – 1953), became a lawyer, moved to Stearns County, Minnesota, where he established a successful legal and political career, he ran for President in 1932, followed in the law by his son, Howard I. Donohue (1902 – 1987), who married Madelon Hills, (1909 – 2001), and grandsons, Michael H. (1936 – ) and Peter A. Donohue (1948 – ), in St Cloud, Minnesota.
FIRST USA GENERATION
Peter and Johannah left ten children: Mary, born 1859, married John Fitsimmons, died in Rockford IL; William Florence, Annie, born 1861, single, died 1941, in Hollywood, was a Minneapolis career school teacher, who was active and instrumental in obtaining state teachers retirement; Hannah, born 1865, who married Dennis James Burke, died in Amery WI; Katherine, born 1867, married a Grinella (?); Sarah, born 1872, died in Portland OR; George, born 1875, circulation editor of Seattle newspaper, died in WA. Margaret, born 1876, married Edward Cunnigham, lived and taught school near New Richmond; Frederick, born 1877, lore has it shanghaied from the west coast and never heard of again, and Arthur, born 1880, was an employee of the US Dept of Interior, in WA.
SECOND USA GENERATION
William F. and Mary Anne left seven children, Madeline, who married Paul Madigan, (Warden of Alcatraz in the 1950s) Ethel, who married Andrew Lerohl, Howard, Mary, single, Alice, who married Edward Dirkswager, Flora, who married Loey Hopper, Evelyn, who married Ray Wyant and died in a car accident shortly after marriage.
THIRD USA GENERATION
Howard and Madelon left five sons, all now living, William, Madison WI, Howard Jr. Stewartville, MN, Michael Minneapolis, MN, Patrick, St Cloud, MN, Peter, St Cloud, MN.