Family History - a Letter for Katie
Family History - a Letter for Katie
In the 1840s there was a great famine that covered Ireland, and they say that nearly ˝ of Ireland either died or left the country during this period. The famine was actually a series of at least two crop failures that resulted in the “great famines” – the first appeared as blight on the potato crop but did not seem to affect the corn and other food products grown in Ireland at the time. What is interesting is that Ireland, during these famines, continued to export large quantities of food for English and European consumption (particularly corn). It was the greed of the English importers, including the inept policies of the English parliament to intervene on behalf of Ireland that caused nearly 1 million people to starve.
Catherine Smith – your great-great-great grandmother came to America leaving her children behind until she could save enough money to pay their fare. This was a fairly common practice for immigrants, and in some third world countries, this practice is still commonly employed. There has always been a question whether the name was McGowan, Smyth, or just plain Smith. It is quite likely that the name had already been anglicized centuries before arriving in America – as the English enacted legislation that all Irishmen within English-held territories had to anglicize their name. In the 14th and 15th centuries, England probably only controlled 25% of the land, and counties Monohan and Cavan were among of those areas.
Her husband, Thomas (later learned it was Peter - 12/06), died during the plague; and she left Ireland to find a better life in America. She left behind three children: Bridget, Eoin (Owen) and John. At the time, the family history suggests that John was only 3 or 4 (he was your great-great grandfather), but the immigration records show that he may have been at least 8 years old. While I am not certain, it is likely that they were either left with relatives in Monohan, but it is just as likely they were living in the poor houses (work house). After a few years, she saved enough money and brought her children to Brooklyn. No one knows for certain how long they remained in Brooklyn, but its believed that it was a short period of time. Uncle Frank told me that they moved to Wisconsin because other Smiths had also moved there, and his obituary mentioned other Smiths in the Milwaukee area. Frank also lived with the Wisconsin Smiths until he was two years old, at which time he was reunited with his South Dakota family.
Their lives were not easy, and by 1880 John Smith left for Dakota Territory with his children and wife, Susan. Susan was a "McPhillips", whose family arrived from Monohan after the great hunger. John Smith must have been a hard worker, as he was able to turn his 40 acres into 10 square miles of farmland. He also became a respected individual in his newly adopted state and became a state senator during its 10th Congress. There are a number of stories I heard about him, but one that your grandfather always was most proud of: surveyors came out to claim land for the railroads and your great grandfather told them that they were wrongfully claiming land. Unfortunately, these people wouldn’t listen. He came out of his house with his gun in hand, and told them that if they didn’t correct their mistake, he would use the shotgun on them. They left after this encounter, and your great-great grandfather, being a man of peace, took the shotgun and threw it into a ditch.... And it remained in that ditch for many years. He, just like other new immigrants were respectful people, but injustices (such as railroad surveyors whose only intent was to “steal” land from the homesteaders) were not tolerated. I think he had seen a lot of injustice as a young man, particularly in Ireland where the Irish were regarded as “animals”. When he died, the local paper proclaimed that he was “a credit to his race.” When you think of it, Irish Catholics were low-life scums to many Americans, and he was able to prove that his “race” could play a valuable role in building America.
One of John Smith’s children, William, eventually married and found employment with a small town bank. Within 20 years he was the President of the bank, and the depression came and forced him to close this bank down. Your grandfather, John, was a young man when this happened, and he remembered the lawyer coming over to the house to help your great grandfather through these times. It was these series of meetings, which convinced him that he was going to be an attorney. Your grandfather was a smart man and highly motivated individual. He set high goals for himself and did well in school, where he eventually received a scholarship to Harvard Law School. He was also a good athlete – especially in track and field. He received a college scholarship in track, but they found out he had a heart murmur and he was forced to drop out. So he focused on his schoolwork – he eventually became president of the student body. Later he joined the army and moved up the rank to Captain during WWII. One of the generals saw his talent and requested that he join into their family business (it was one of the East Coast railroads). The general also wanted him to attend Yale instead of Harvard (the general’s family had gone to Yale for generations). You might wonder why...well, because he was engaged to the general’s daughter. I don’t know why this marriage never materialized, but he eventually moved back to South Dakota and met and married your grandmother.
Your great-grandfather William married Mary Turgeon. Mary was of French Canadian descent, and she could trace her lineage to Charles Turgeon who came to the New World in 1660. Charles eventually settled in what is now Quebec, just south of Montreal. By the late 19th century, several of his progeny made their way to Dakota territory. This is where oral history is uncertain - some believe that they were farmers while others believe they owned a fur trading post along the Missouri River. What seems certain is that the Turgeons were relative newcomers to the territory, although future generations may be able to trace their lineage to the territory for longer timeframes. Especially lineage to the local native population.
I recall reading a letter that dad had written to mom regarding his dark complexion, and the discrimination he encountered while in college. His writings indicated that the young co-eds didn't want anything to do with him, as he exhibited these noticeably strong Indian features. He reflected how being labeled in this manner, still bothered him all those years later. Years later, Mary Cecile made a comment regarding her lineage, "Mom told me we have some Indian blood...don't know...maybe its Sioux." Even in my generation, many of us have, to one degree or another, Indian characteristics such as dark complexion, high cheek bones, large brown eyes, and even dark hair coloration. Dad would never admit publicly that we could trace our ancestry to the native population, but I think he always sensed it. Even today, many native Americans bear French surnames, reflecting a time when intermarriage with the local native population and the transient French roamed the rivers for furs and minerals.
The Ryans came over after the famine, also. They initially came to Boston, and after several years decided to move further west. They moved to Ohio, however, the Ku Klux Klan forced them out. The KKK did not like Catholics, particularly Irish Catholics, and after a series of burning crosses and other acts of intimidation, they left for Iowa. They lived in eastern Iowa for a short period of time, and when land opened up in Dakota Territory; Bartholomew (your great-great grandfather) moved his family to a farmstead southwest of Kimball, South Dakota. Just like your great-great grandfather John Smith, Bartholomew (or Batty as he was called) also built a successful farming empire. He had many children including Frank (your great grandfather). Not much I remember hearing about him, other than he planted turnips his first year (and never again), and he selected his homestead because it was not as wet as the land around him. Unfortunately, the year he moved to Dakota territory was an unusually wet year.
Frank, your grandfather, loved learning about new things – he particularly loved mathematics, reading and other educational pursuits. His father didn’t see the value of “book learning”, so he told Frank that he could not attend school after 8th grade. He pleaded with his father to remain in school, and started 9th grade. But his father kept giving him more chores to complete; and he eventually had to leave school. But his pursuit of learning never stopped; and eventually your great-grandfather became a teacher and later started his own farm implement business. Interestingly, many of their children attended college. Not many families can say that, particularly 50 years ago
Your grandmother Ruth was the youngest child of Frank and Adelaide Ryan. She was one of the smartest students to ever graduate from her high school. She also had the distinction of having the highest IQ – at that time the IQ tests did not go beyond 180... and she topped that. No one really knew what her real IQ was, but she was a very intelligent lady regardless. She went to college at 16, but probably felt out of place, as everyone else was several years older than she was. As a side note, your grandfather had an IQ of 135 and his teachers wanted him to go to college earlier but he declined). Your grandmother was a free spirit – she did things just to be different. Her college, the University of South Dakota, communicated that women could not wear jeans, they could not smoke, could not drink alcohol, etc. So she began to wear nothing but jeans, picked up smoking, drank a few beers and so on. She had a rebellious soul about her, and did things just to buck the establishment. In those days, women were only to take classes in nursing or teaching. Your grandmother decided that she wanted to be an artist, and decided to pursue a liberal arts degree in art and the humanities. She was also very perceptive of people, and like her parents was a very gentle and kind person. She was too kind, if ever this can be said about anyone. Even though her life was hard after my father died, she never complained. She always thought that someone else was worse off than she was, and it is this compassion for others is what I remember most about her.
Your great grandmother Adelaide also had an interesting background. She had a quick Irish wit and a twinkle in her eye. She loved her family and her grandchildren. She always seemed to have a smile on her face, and was one of the nicest people I ever knew. As a young woman in the early 20th century, she became a saleswoman selling products door-to-door. Because it was considered that a woman's place was in the home in those days, it might have been regarded as unusual. Yet, it wasn't unusual as she came from a family of sales people. Her father, a McGonigle, traveled the American South after the Civil War selling dry goods door to door. Years later your grandmother read a book that said that all “traveling salesmen roaming the South during Reconstruction were Jewish”. She just laughed, and said that everyone knew that if you didn’t want the salt port, you just claimed you were Jewish". I guess everyone did the same thing. Eventually he moved his family to Leadville, Colorado during the silver and gold rush to open a trading post (later proven untrue - 1206). He would trade dry goods for shares in the mines. After a while, he made quite a bit of money and returned to Illinois. Today Mary Rita lives in this same community, and interestingly enough, the McGonigle home is still there.
Story by Terry Smith