The Farrell Family, Dane County, Wisconsin
Click to enlarge: Coyle and Farrell 1932 picture
Click to enlarge: James Farrell house about 1855
Click to enlarge: Coyle and Farrell kids
Click to enlarge: Mick Browns cousins - Sam and Mary Farrell girls. Samuel Farrell married Mary Brown, and Mick was one of their nephews.
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The Farrell Family
Several years ago we noticed a list of names in “Irish” John Smith’s
obituary. We have written about this list before. It reads as follows:
“There were so many out of town people attending the services that it is
impossible to mention names. Those from out of the state were Frank
McCarville, Arthur McClusky and John G. Sullivan of Lone Rock, Wisc.,
Genevieve McPhillips and Miss Rose Love of Spring Green, James Smith,
Sam Farrell, P. J. Smith, Mrs. Mary Benton and Mrs. Will Coyle of
Madison, all of Wisconsin.”
One name listed has never been discussed before. That name is
Sam Farrell. The other names listed are related to
"Irish" John or Susan (McPhillips) Smith.
Samuel Farrell was born to James and Ellen
(Wheatby) Farrell of Pine Bluff, Wisconsin. Pine Bluff is located in
Cross Plains Township, Dane County, Wisconsin. Pine Bluff is where
"Irish" John lived before enlisting in the Wisconsin Regiment. Other
Farrell siblings included William, James, John, Timothy, Mary E.,
Richard, Julia and Joseph. Next door lived the Edward and Sarah Coyle
family with their children Frank, Thomas, John and Catharine. More about
the Coyle family later. James Farrell was born in southern Ireland.
James Farrell's wife, Ellen Wheatby, may have been born in either County
Monaghan or Fermanagh. However, Wheatby is definitely an Ulster surname.
Samuel Farrell married Mary Brown. Mary's dad was from King's County,
Ireland. Her mother was born near St. Lawrence, New York. Amazing how
many of these Cross Plains families had connections to families who
lived in New York at one time.
The Coyle and Farrell families were
related, or at least old newspaper articles say it was so.
In 1922 "Irish" John Smith attended Jane
Hopkins Coyle's funeral in Pine Bluff. His name was listed first in her
obituary, but his home address showed "Aberdeen, SD". Was this "John
Smith" our ancestor? Yes. The obituary identified this John Smith as an
ex-Senator. The second clue came from another Wisconsin news article
found printed a few days later. "Irish" John was visiting his cousin,
Peter Smyth, in Madison and the article said he attended Mrs. Patrick
Coyle's funeral. This article also said John lived in "Kendall, South
Dakota" and spelled his last name "Smyth". Smyth is our ancestral
spelling.
I always found it odd that "Irish" John would travel alone to Dakota
territory. Our Irish ancestors on both sides had always travelled in
family groups, or travelled to locations where relatives lived. So it
did not surprise us to find other Cross Plains families homesteading in
Highland Township, Brule County, South Dakota.
Other Cross Plains transplants included a Timothy S. Farrell family. This Timothy Farrell was Samuel Farrell's first cousin, and Timothy lived next door to "Irish" John and his family. We included a picture of this family with this write-up. Two Coyle families lived in Highland Township too, but appear to have left after homesteading only a few years. These families were headed by Frank Coyle and Edward Coyle. Frank Coyle's parents may have been Edward and Sarah Coyle of Pine Bluff, and Edward's parents may have been Patrick and Margaret Coyle of Pine Bluff. A news article in 1901 said Timothy Farrell moved to Dakota Territory about 1886.
Click to enlarge: Samuel Farrell grave marker.
Click to enlarge: John and Millie Farrell wed
Click to enlarge: Timothy S. Farrell
Click to enlarge: James Farrell & Ellen Wheatby Farrell.
Click to enlarge: Ellen Farrell Madison
See 24 News Articles associated with family. Click on 24 News Articles.
Click to enlarge: Mary Brown, wife of Samuel Farrell. Her daughters appear above.
