Irish Families Identified in the Penn Township, St Joseph County, Indiana 1860 Census
Penn Township is located east of the City of South Bend. When the 1860 St Joseph County Census for Penn Township was conducted, there were 21 families with Irish-born individuals. Several of the Irish-born were listed as "insane" and appear to be living in a "poor house." The 1860 Census does not give street names or addresses that would have been helpful to differentiate the areas covered.
I am going to document these families alphabetically in one section as there don't appear to be too many Irish immigrants. Many of the Surnames appeared to have been spelled phonetically and some look like a wild guess; this would make them a challenge to find in a census search. My Great Grandparents are listed as Martin and Catherine Bowman (Brennan) and their neighbors and close friends the McNultys are spelled McAnulta. I am transcribing them exactly as I see them without correction. I will include the entire family if one individual was born in Ireland (many times the spouse and children were born elsewhere). The 1860 Census does not document how individuals listed at the same location are related to the head of the house unlike later census years, so it is impossible to ascertain if they are borders, related or even working for them.
One caveat: I think it is important to keep in mind that the 1860 census does not give the origins of their parents; or if or how those listed in the same residences are related. If a family happens to have arrived in the US earlier than the bulk of the Irish famine immigrants (such as Scotch Irish) then the descendents we see in this census may have been born in the U.S. but still have Irish roots. They will not be reflected in this compilation even if they have an Irish surname.
| Father/ Male Adult | Mother/Other Female adult | Child/ Other | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Becker, Jacob 40 born in Pennsylvania | Becker, Ann 30 born in Ireland | Becker, James 3 born in Indiana | Jacob is a Farmer with $500 real estate; $300 personal |
| " | " | Becker, Mary 1/12 born in Indiana | |
| Beers, Wilson 48 born in Ohio | Beers, Isabel 45 born in Ireland | Beers, Mary I 17 born in Indiana | Wilson is a Farmer with $1500 real estate; $50 personal |
| " | " | Beers, William 15 born in Indiana | (Thomas Sweetners 7 born in Indiana also lives with them) |
| " | " | Beers, Strong?, 13 born in Indiana | |
| " | " | Beers, John 11 born in Indiana | |
| Cassidy, Barnard 35 born in Ireland | Cassidy, Meary 2 born in Canada lle? | Cassidy, William 5 born in Indiana | Barnard was a Day Laborer with $10 personal estate |
| " | " | Cassidy, Catherine 2 born in Indiana | |
| Curtis, Alexander 25 born in Indiana | Curtis, Catherine 24 born in Ireland | Curtis, Flora 1 born in Indiana | Alexander was a Farmer with $1800 real estate and $100 personal estate |
| Dougherty, George 26 born in Pennsylvania | Dougherty, Elizabeth 66? born in Ireland (is this his mother?) | ||
| Dougherty, John 52 born in Ireland | He was a pauper who lives with Andrew Long - keeper of the Poor? house? | ||
| Higerson, Thomas 20 born in Ireland | a Farm Laborer who lives with the Eulsler Family from PA | ||
| McLarnard, Thomas 65 born in Ireland | McLarnard, Mary 64 born in PA | McLarnard, Felix 4 born in IN | Thomas was a farmer with $50 Real Estate and $100 Personal Estate |
| Malgneer, Kate 40 born in Ireland | Kate is listed as Insane and a Pauper living in the Poor House | ||
| Maxville, Thomas 71 born in Ireland | Maxville, Margaret 70 born in Pennsylvania | Maxville, Richard 24 born in PA | Thomas was a Farmer with $250 Real Estate and $35 personal; Richard was a Farm Laborer |
| " | " | Maxville, James 21 born in PA | |
| " | " | Maxville, William 17 born in PA | |
| " | " | Maxville, Catherine 25 born in PA | |
| " | " | Carroll, Margaret 5 born in IN | Could this be a daughter of Catherine if she is married? |
| Meagara, John 60 born in Ireland | Meagara, Agnes 58 born in New York | Meagara, Meary 20 born in NY | John was a Farmer with $2000; $20 personal (two children Amasa Howell 11 adn Alice Dodge 9 from IN live with them too) |
| Morre?, Patrick 22 born in Ireland | Morre?, Catherine 42 born in Ireland | Morre?, Harriet 16 born in IN | Patrick was a Farm Laborer with $250 Personal estate |
| " | " | Morre?, James, 14 born in IN | |
| " | " | Morre?, Mary 12 born in IN | |
| " | " | Morre?, Martha 9 born in IN | |
| " | " | Morre?, John 6 born in IN | |
| Munsill, Patrick 26 born in Ireland | Munsill, Sarah 24 born in Ireland | Munsill, Hannah 3 born in Indiana | Patrick was a Day Laborer with $135 Real Estate and $125 Personal |
| Mulligan, Phillip 57 born in Ireland | Mulligan, Mary 55 born in Ireland | Mulligan, John 29 born in Ireland | Phillip had $2000 Real Estate; $300 Personal; unsure of Philip's occupation looks like Im--ran-? |
| " | " | Mulligan, Theresa 20 born in IN | |
| " | " | Mulligan, Daniel 18 born in NY | |
| " | " | Mulligan, Philip 16 born in NY | |
| Parrot, Catherine 40 born in Ireland | Parrot, Isabella 14 born in IN | Catherine had $500 Real Estate and $100 Personal | |
| " | Parrot, John A 12 born in IN | ||
| " | Parrot, Eliza Jane 8 born in IN | ||
| " | Parrot, Charles 3 born in IN | ||
| Rogers, Aaron, 52 born in Ireland | Rogers, Caroline 41 born in Denmark | Rogers, John 11 born in IN | Aaron was a Farmer |
| " | " | Rogers, William 9 born in IN | |
| " | " | Rogers, David, 2 born in IN | |
| " | " | Rogers, Oliver 3/12 born in IN | |
| Ryan, Patrick 57 born in Ireland | Patrick was listed as Insane and lived with Andrew Long the Keeper of the Poor? House | ||
| Shield, Frederick 52 born in Ireland | Frederick was a Day Laborer who lived with the Beard Family from Hesse | ||
| Sword?, Edward 61 born in Ireland | Sword?, Elizabeth 65 born in Ireland | Edward was a Farmer with $1200 Real Estate and $35 Personal | |
| Varia, Joseph 36 born in OH | Varia, Meary 30 born in Ireland | Varia, George 8 born in IN | (Stephen Varia Family from New York live next door) |
| " | " | Varia, James 7 born in IN | |
| " | " | Varia, Edmond 4 born in IN | |
| " | " | Varia, Anne E 3 born in IN | |
| White, Nathan, 50 born in Ireland | Nathan was listed as Insane and lives with Andrew Long the Keeper of the Poor? House |