Arthur Burns and His First Marriage to Mary Logan and his Second to Bridget Kerrigan: An Analysis of this Irish Family's Origins in Ireland and Journey to South Bend Indiana in South Bend St. Joseph and Sacred Heart Church Records, Census and other Resources
Arthur Burns appears to have married Mary Logan, his first wife on September 14, 1856 with Father Sorin of Notre Dame officiating. This is the earliest record that I have found on them thus far. Arthur appears in the 1860 Portage Township, South Bend, Indiana Census living with Ellen Logan and Margarett Logan (most likely his mother in law and sister in law). Daughters Margarett (3) and Mary (1) appear with he and his wife Mary. I have identified Sacred Heart Baptismal Records for Margarita in 1858, Maria Anna in 1859, Joannis in 1860, Thomas in 1862 and Alexandar in 1864.
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: Arthur appears to marry his wife Mary Burns, and have at least 5 children from her before her death in February 16, 1866 at the age of 50. I believe the probability is great that he then proceeded to marry Birgitta Kerrigan on July 22, 1866 at Sacred Heart Church with A. Granger officiating. His daughter Mary and sons John and Ellick appear with him and second wife Bridget in the 1870 Portage Township, South Bend, Indiana Ward 4 census. I believe that son Thomas died in 1863 and daugher Maggie (Margarittam) in 1874. Arthur, wife Bridget appear again in the 1880 South Bend Ward Four census on Notre Dame Avenue with children Mary and Allison. I think that Ellick (5) in the 1870 census and Allison (14) in the 1880 Census are Alexander, son of Arthur and his first wife Mary. Arthur (48) appears with wife Bridget (50) and children Mary (16), Jno (15) and Alex (11) in the 1876 St Joseph Church, South Bend, Indiana Census. I am not sure at this point if Arthur and Bridget had any children; she appears to have died Jujne 12, 1886, with burial services performed at St Joseph Church by P H Fallize, Roman Catholic Priest. According to the 1866 marriage record for Arthur and Bridget, Arthur is the son of Patricii of this parish. I believe Arthur and Mary's son John married Margarita O' Donnell sometime before June 1889 when their son Arthur Joseph was born. There was a marriage record in Chicago, Cook County Illinois from May 4, 1887 for John Burns and Maggie OO'Donnell that may be them. He was 25 and she was 24. FHL Film 1030163. Ordering the marriage record may confirm their parents names.
Special Notes on other Burns family records that could be related: There is a list of lot owners in the Cedar Grove Cemetery Microfilm 1637531 item 3 that indicates that the "Burns family" owns lot number 155 in Section B and another lot listed as 18 in section B. I'm not certain that this lot is tied to this family but it would be worth pursuing to check it out! There was a confirmation record for an Alexis James Burns on September 11, 1911 at St Joseph Church. There is also a communion class record from St Joseph Church for an Alexis Burns on June 19, 1910 in microfilm 1617235 item 2 that could be connected to this family.
| Census, Church or other Record | Date Born, Baptized, Married | Father/ Husband | Mother/ Wife | Child/ Other | Occupation; Misc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage Records St Joseph County, South Bend, Indiana Volume Four on Ancestry.com | September 14, 1856 | Burns, Arthur | Logan, Mary | E Sorin, Priest Volume 4 page 12 of the compilation | |
| Sacred Heart Church Notre Dame Baptismal Records | August 1857 Birth and April 11, 1858 Baptism | Burns, Arthur of Hibernia | Burns, Maria of Hibernia | Margarita | Jacobus Higgins and Margarita Logan Sp |
| Sacred Heart Church Notre Dame Baptismal Records | January 3, 1859 Birth and January 20, 1859 Baptism | Burns, Arthur of Hibernia | Logan, Maria of Hibernia | Maria Anna | Patricius Foy and Birgitta Logan of Hibernia |
| 1860 US Census for South Bend, Portage Township, St Joseph County, Indiana | June 21, 1860 census conducted | Logan, Ellen, age 42 ($300 real estate) born in Ireland. I think this is likely Arthur's mother in law | Logan, Margarett, age 19, Domestic born in Ireland | ||
| " | " | Burns, Arthur, age 30 born in Ireland | Burns, Mary, age 23 born in Ireland | Burns, Margarett, age 3 born in Indiana | Arthur is a Laborer; $300 Real Estate |
| " | " | Burns, Mary, age 1 born in Indiana | |||
| Sacred Heart Church Notre Dame Baptismal Records | July 13, 1860 Birth and July 15, 1860 Baptism | Burns, Arthur of Hibernia | Logan, Maria of Hibernia | Joannis | Joannes Stoney and Anna Garvey Sp of Notre Dame, No Lowell |
| Sacred Heart Church Notre Dame Baptismal Records | November 25, 1862 Birth and December 24, 1862 Baptism | Burns, Arthur of Hibernia | Logan, Maria of Hibernia | Thomas | Lucas Duffy and Helena Gavan, Notre Dame; microfilm 1617239 |
| Sacred Heart Church Notre Dame Burial Records, South Bend, Indiana | January 19, 1863 Burial | Burns, Arthuro | Thomas | infant Burns- blurry, hard to read record | |
| NARA US Civil War Draft Registration Records Indiana, 9th Congressional District, Vol 1 & 1, Class 1 1863-1865 | June 3, 1863 | Burns, Arthur, age 32 | Laborer who is married; page 59 of 768 | ||
| Sacred Heart Church Notre Dame Baptismal Records, | July 10, 1864 Birth and July 18, 1864 Baptism | Burns, Arthur of Hibernia | Logans, Maria of Hibernia | Alexandar | Joannes Morin? and Birgitta Doogan? of Hibernia |
| Sacred Heart Church, Notre Dame, Burial Records | February 16, 1866 death and February 18, 1866 Burial - Cemetery in this parish | Maria was the spouse of Arthur Burns | Maria Logan died at the age of 50 | This cemetery is most probably Cedar Grove Cemetery | |
| Sacred Heart Church Notre Dame, Marriage Records | July 22, 1866 | Burns, Arthur son of Patricii of this parish | Kerrigan, Birgittam of N Lowell | Witness Birgitta Gavin? and Spouse; A Granger officiated | |
| Marriage Records St Joseph County, South Bend, Indiana database on Ancestry.com | July 22, 1866 Marriage | Burns, Arthur | Kearigan, Brigdet | A Granger Priest; Volume 5, page 91 | |
| Indiana Marriage Collection 1800-1941, St Joseph County, Indiana | July 22, 1866 | Burns, Arthur | Kearigan, Bridget | ||
| 1870 US Census for South Bend, Ward 4, St Joseph County, Indiana | July 9, 1870 | Burns, Arthur, age 42 born in Ireland; parents of foreign birth | Burns, Bridget, 40 born in Ireland; parents of foreign birth | Burns, Mary, age 11 born in Indiana | Arthur is a Laborer with $600 Real Estate |
| " | " | Burns, John, age 9 born | |||
| " | " | Burns, Ellick, age 5 born in Ireland | |||
| St Joseph Church, East South Bend, Lowell Census (Heads of Household) | 1874 | Burns, Arthur | |||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, Indiana Burials | May 24, 1874 Burial | Burns, Arthur | Loggan, Maria | Burns, Maggie (Margarittam) age 1-? | P Lauth officiated |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, Indiana 1876 Census | 1876 | Burns, Arthur, age 48 | Burns, Bridget, age 50 | Burns, Mary age 16 | |
| " | " | Burns, Jno, age 15 | |||
| " | " | Burns, Alex age 11 | |||
| 1880 US Census for South Bend, Ward 4, St Joseph County Indiana; Residence on Notre Dame Avenue | June 3, 1880 Census conducted | Burns, Arthur, age 45 born in Ireland; parents born in Ireland | Burns, Bridget, 46? wife born in Ireland; parents born in Ireland | Burns, Mary, Daughter, age 20 born in Indiana; parents born in Ireland | Arthur works at Singer Mfg, Mary is home |
| " | " | Burns, Allison, 14 yr old son born in Indiana; Parents born in Ireland | Works Singer Manufacturing | ||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend Indiana Census | 1880 | Burns, Arthur age 53 | Carigan, Bridget, age 50 | Burns, Mary Ann, age 21 | |
| " | " | Burns, John, age 20 | |||
| " | " | Burns, Alex, age 15 | |||
| South Bend Indiana City Directory | 1882 | Burns, Arthur res. Notre Dame Avenue 2 N Sorin | Arthur is a laborer at Olivers, (Alex Burns is also listed as this residence). | ||
| South Bend Indiana City Directory | 1883 | Burns, Arthur, resides at 719 N Notre Dame | Arthur is a Laborer; John Burns, Laborer is at 719 N Sorin (his son?) | ||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, Indiana Burials | February 24, 1883 death and February 26, 1883 Burial | Burns, maria (Mariam) age 24 (I think this is Maria daughter of Arthur and Mary Logan) | cant read this well. | ||
| South Bend Indiana City Directory | 1885 | Burns, Arthur, res 719 N Notre Dame, South Bend | Arthur is a Laborer; John and Alexander Laborers also live here (his 2 sons?) | ||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, Indiana Burials | June 12, 1886 Death and June 14, 1886 Burial | Burns, Arthur is her spouse | Burns, Brigdettam died at age 60 yrs | P Fallize Priest officiated | |
| Illinois Cook County Marriages Index 1871-1920 (Possible marriage record for John, son of Arthur) | May 4, 1887 | Burns, John, age 25 | O'Donnell, Maggie age 24 | FHL Film 1030163 | |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend, Indiana Baptismal Records | June 15, 1889 Birth and June 30, 1889 Baptism | Burns, Joanne (I believe this is the son of Arthur) | O'Donnell, Margarita | Arthur Joseph | Michael O' Donnell and Annam? O'Malley Sp; microfilm 1617235 item 4 |
| South Bend, Indiana City Directory 1894 | 1894 | Burns, Arthur beds at 721 N Notre Dame | Burns, John, Brick Mason, is also at this address (I believe this is his son John) | ||
| 1900 US Census for Portage Township City of South Bend, Indiana (this is likely the son of Arthur) Residence 721 Notre Dame Avenue | June 6, 1900 | Burns, John, Head, age 38 born July 1860 Indiana; parents born in Ireland | Burns, Margarurite, age 38 born October 1861 in Ireland; parents born in Ireland; She immigrated to the US in 1880, here 20 yrs | Burns, John, son age 12 born January 1888? Indiana; dad born in Indiana, mom in Ireland | John is a Brick Mason, owns home free of mortgage; 14 yrs his marriage; 7 children, 7 living; |
| " | " | Burns, Arthur, Son age 11, born June 1888 Indiana, dad born in Indiana, mom in Ireland | School | ||
| " | " | Burns, Harry, 9 yr old son born February 1891 in Indiana; dad born in Indiana; mom in Ireland | School | ||
| " | " | Burns, George, 6 yr old son born February 1891 in Indiana; dad born in Indiana, mom in Ireland | |||
| " | " | Burns, Georgiana, 6 yr old daughter born October 1893 in Indiana; dad in Indiana, mom in Ireland | |||
| " | " | Burns, Nellie, Daughter born April 1895 in Indiana; dad born Indiana, mom in Ireland | |||
| " | " | Burns, Margurita, 3 yr old daughter born Octobore 1896 in Indiana; dad in Indiana and mom in Ireland | |||
| 1920 US Census for Portage Township, South Bend, Indiana District 128 | January 18, 19, 1920 census conducted | Burns, John, Head age 59 born in Indiana; parents born in Ireland | Burns, Margaret, wife age 68 born in Ireland, parents born in Ireland, arrival in US 1880, naturalized in 1889 | Burns, John, 31 yr old single son born in Indiana, dad in Indiana, mom in Ireland | John (Sr) is a Mason's Contractor and his son John is a Steam Fitter at Notre Dame U. John Sr owns his home free of mortgage |
| " | " | Burns, Georgina, 24 yr old single daughter born in Indiana, dad in Indiana, mom in Ireland | Telephone Co Operator | ||
| " | " | Burns, George, 24 yr old single son born in Indiana, dad in Indiana, mom in Ireland | Construction Frame? Wagoneer | ||
| " | " | Burns, Margaret, 21 yr old single daughter born in Indiana, dad in Indiana, mom in Ireland | operator telephone company | ||