The Thomas Hoban and Mary Manning Family of South Bend, Indiana: An Analysis of Their Migration from Ireland to South Bend, Indiana in St Joseph Church Records, Census and Other Resources
The earliest evidence I have of Thomas Hoban and Mary Manning in South Bend was in the 1860 US Census for Portage Township, South Bend, St Joseph County, Indiana. It appears that they were in Indiana at least as early as 1857 based on the 1860 census notation of the birth of daughter Elenora age 3. I didn't find any baptismal, death or other evidence of this family in the Sacred Heart Church Parish records. Thomas was present however, in the St Joseph Church Church, City of Lowell Heads of Household Census in 1874, and was noted with his family in subsequent St Joseph Church Census compilations from 1876 and 1880.
The objective of this compilation is to try to establish the earliest possible evidence of this family in the United States through all available resources. This will most definitely be a work in progress and all findings I speculate on would have to be proven for accuracy with Ireland and U.S. marriage records, church baptismal records and death records among other genealogical resources. Please use this information with that caveat in mind so that nothing is assumed and no stones are left unturned to assure it's your family and the connection is accurate. Please contact me if you feel that you are descended from this family or another South Bend, Indiana Irish Family so that we can share information, see if there were common migration trails followed and delve further back into their origins in Ireland!
Research Observations and Analysis: Thomas Hoban appears to die in April 1881 and I have yet to find he and his family in the 1880 South Bend Census. There is clear evidence that daughter Elenora married Ernest Peach on April 22, 1891 and they had children Clara Angela, Herbert Manning baptized in St Joseph Church; and Martin Hoban (who I believe is Thomas and Mary's son) married Julia Downey on February 24, 1873 and had children Agnetem, Mariszium? Josephum, Martinum and Mariam Agnetum and Thomam Morrarium, baptized in St Joseph Church. There was a St Joseph Church Burial record for a Michael Hoban (spouse of Joanna Lee) who died at the age of 31 yrs on November 14, 1884. They had a child Henricum Edwardum baptized at St Joseph Church on April 13, 1884. Martin Hoban appears to die at the age of 55 on February 20, 1904. These records could all be 100% confirmed by ordering the marriage, birth and death records on these individuals.
A publication entitled "Hagerty Family History" created by local priest Cornelius J in 1972 indicated that the Hoban family was one of the earliest Irish families to settle in South Bend, Indiana arriving in the 1850's when the Railroads finally made their way west. According to him, Martin Hoban was a contractor and Hoban family heaDED A Construction company "Hoban and Roach" who were responsible for the construction of many of the buildings constructed in the early years at Notre Dame. He identified Maurice Hoban as being a Pharmacist and President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. (Hagerty; 1972). I believe that Martin may have been the son of Thomas, and Maurice was the son of Martin who was born in 1881 (see below). The Roach family clearly arrived in the early 1850's as well and were noted as sponsors of some of the Hoban children as well as the children of my great grandparents Martin Brennan and Catherine Corcoran. Martin was a laborer who like many of the South Bend Irish helped build the University of Notre Dame in the 1860's-1870's; perhaps he was employed by the Construction company of Hoban and Roach in this task.
The following records will be presented in Chronological order.
| Census, Church or other Record | Date Born, Baptized, Married | Father/ Husband | Mother/ Wife | Child | Occupation; Misc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 US Census for Portage Twp, South Bend, St Joseph County, IN | June 16, 1860 | Hoben, Thos, age 54 born in Ireland | Hoben, Mary, age 43 born in Ireland | Hoben, Martin, age 12 born in Maine | Thos is a Laborer with $150 in Real Estate |
| " | " | Hoben, Ellen, age 9 born in Maine | |||
| " | " | Hoben, Michael, age 6 born in Ohio | |||
| " | " | Hoben, Elenora age 3 born in Indiana | |||
| 1870 US Census for Portage Twp, South Bend, St Joseph County, Indiana | July 9, 1870 | Hoben, Thomas, ate 64 born in Ireland | Hoben, Mary age 50 born in Ireland | Hoben, Ellen, age 19 born in Maine (at home) | Thomas is a Laborer with $800 in Real Estate and $100 in Personal Estate; Mary - Keeping Home |
| " | " | Hoben, Elnora, age 13 born in Indiana | at school | ||
| Indiana Marriage Collection 1800-1941 Ancestry.com Database | February 24, 1873 Marriage | Hoban, Martin (probable son of Thomas and Mary) | Downey, Julia | Book 6, Page 567 | |
| St Joseph Church, City of Lowell Census for the Heads of Household in the Parish | 1874 | Hoben, Thomas | Hoben, Martin is also listed (likely his son) | ||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Baptismal Record | June 10, 1875 Birth and June 27, 1875 Baptism | Hoban, Martino (son of Thomas?) | Downey, Julia | Mariam Agnetum | Michael Hoban and Honora Hoban Sp |
| St Joseph Church Census | 1876 | Hoban, Thomas age 70 | Hoban, Mary age 60 | Hoban, Michel age 22 | |
| " | " | Hoban, Honora age 18 | |||
| St Joseph Chuch Census | 1876 | Hoban, Martin age 28 (this is son of Thomas) | Hoban, Julia age 29 | Hoban, Mary Agnes 7 months | |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Baptismal Record | July 25, 1878 Birth and August 5, 1878 Baptism | Hoban, Martini (son of Thomas?) | Donsay?, Julianae | Thomam Morriarum | Joannes Craine adn Liza Cavanagh sp |
| St Joseph Church Census | 1880 | Hoban, Thomas age 75 | Manning, Mary age 60 | Hoban, Honora age 24 | I believe son Martin is listed twice; once with his parents and once with his own family age 32- see below. |
| " | " | Hoban, Michael age 27 | |||
| " | " | Hoban, Martin, age 32 | |||
| US Census 1880 for the City of South Bend, 4th Ward, ennum District 162; Notre Dame Avenue | 1880 | Hoben, Thomas, 76 married born in Ireland, parents born in Ireland | Hoben, Mary, 65 wife born in Ireland, parents born in Ireland | Hoben, Nora 23, single daughter born in IN, parents born in Ireland | Thomas is not employed; Nora is home |
| " | " | " | " | Hoben, Mike, 27 single son born in OH, parents born in Ireland | Teamster |
| St Joseph Church Census | 1880 | Hoban, Martin age 32 (son of Thomas) | Downey, Julia age 33 | Hoban, Mary age 5 | |
| Hoban, Thomas age 2 | |||||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, Indiana Burial Records | April 7, 1881death and April 9, 1881 Burial | Hoban, Thomas died at the age of 76 yrs | Thomas was the spouse of Maria Manning; Fallize CSC | ||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Baptismal Record | May 25, 1881 Birth and June 5, 1881 Baptism | Hoban, Martino (son of Thomas?) | Downey, Julia | Hoban, Mariszium Josephum | Joseph Nelson and Kate Burns? sp |
| South Bend City Directory Ancestry.com Database | 1882 | Hoban, Mrs Thomas Widow res. Sw Cor. South Bend Avenue and St Louis | Martin Hoban (works at St Mary's, res. s.e. cor. Moreau and Notre Dame Avenue), Michael Hoban (Downs and Hoban) on 78 Main, res sw cor South Bend Avenue and Notre Dame Avenue | ||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Baptismal Record | July 6, 1883 Birth and July 22, 1883 Baptism | Hoban, Martinus (son of Thomas?) | Downey, Julia | Martinum | Thomas Hoban and his wife sp?? (if Thomas died in 1881 who is this?) |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Baptismal Record | March 23, 1884 birth and April 13, 1884 Baptism | Hoban, Michaelis (I believe he is probably son of Thomas and Mary) | Lee, Johannae | Henricum Edwardum | Sp Martinus Hoban and Brigitta Roach |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Burials | November 14, 1884 death and November 16, 1884 Burial | Hoban, Michaelem age 31 (probable son of Thomas) | Lee, Joanna | ||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Baptismal Record | January 24, 1880 Birth and February 21, 1885 Baptism | Hoban, Martino (son of Thomas? ) | Hoban, Julia | Agnetem Hoban | can't read the latin in this record looks like inval anerinem- could she be ill - see 1891 death record below |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Burials | Janauary 24, 1885 Birth and April 14, 1891 Burial | Hoban, Martini (son of Thomas?) | Agnetum | a.k.a. Aggie | |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend Indiana Marriage Record | April 22, 1891 | Peach, Ernest A (son Guilielmo G Peach and Elizabetha Page?) born November 17, 1861 | Hoban, Nora (Daughter of Thomas Hoban and Maria Hoban) | Nora was born February 4, 1850?; | |
| Indiana Marriage Collection 1800-1904 Ancestry.com Database | April 22, 1891 Marriage | Peach, Ernest A | Hoban, Nora | Book 12, Page 309 | |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Baptismal Record | August 23, 1892 Birth and September 18, 1892 Baptism | Peach, Ernest | Hoban, Eleonora (daughter of Thomas) | Herbert Manning Peach | Martin Hoban and wife Maria? Sp |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, IN Baptismal Record | August 31, 1899 Birth and September 24, 1899 Baptismal Record | Peach, Ernest | Hoban, Honora (daughter of Thomas) | Claram Angelam | Martin Roach and spouse Bridget Roach sp |
| Indiana Deaths 1882-1920 Ancestry.com Database | February 20, 1904 | Hoban, Martin died at age 55 (this appears to be the son of Thomas and Mary) | Chapter 44, page 378 |