THE GREENANS OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK

 

Greenan Name:

US Census: 816

1880 Census: 147

UK Census: 820

Most common occurrence of Greenan surname: New York - 114; Illinois - 96; California - 78; New Jersey - 51; Florida - 50

Greenan Origin

This Irish surname should be prefaced with the patronymic preposition "O" signifying "descendant of." The derivation is from the Gaelic O' Grianain, which itself derives from the word for sun - grian, plus the suffix "ain" a diminutive meaning "son of." However all is not so simple, because only some of the Irish Grennan's are pure Gaelic, many are of Norman-French extraction and descend from planters of the 12th century. In this case the derivation is from the Old French nickname "Gernon" meaning "The one with the moustache," dialectal transposition having turned it to Grennan. So which is which? In effect Grennans born in Co Mayo are believed to be Gaelic, whilst those born in Co Offally and further south are probably Norman French. There are in Co Limerick no less than five places called Ballygrennan, the place of the Grennans, and 4 Grenanstown's in Co Kerry, so it can be said that the clan whether Norman or Gaelic have left their mark. Amongst the records are those of Patrick and his wife Catherine, aged 24 and 19yrs, who left Ireland to escape the Great Famine, on the ship John R Skiddy of Liverpool on July 1st 1846 bound for New York, whilst earlier on May 3rd 1803 Andrew Greenan married Catherine Gun, at Clones, Co Monaghan. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Grenan, which was dated 1205, A land charter witness at Kildare, Co. Kildare, during the reign of King John of England, known as "Lackland" 1199 - 1216 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.

Greenan Family of New York

It is getting near the end of the year and time to clear the clutter off my laptop.   Consequently, this write-up includes a hodgepodge of interesting items about the Greenan family.  ‘Irish’ John Smith’s mother was born Catharine Greenan, and the Greenan kin were well known to John and his family.

Alice Greenan Burns

Below are two pictures showing Alice Burns’ gravestone.  Alice Burns was Catharine Greenan’s sister and ‘Irish’ John’s aunt.  Alice is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Cloud County, Kansas.  Remarkably, Alice’s tombstone looks exactly like Catharine’s tombstone which is found in St. Mary’s Cemetery located in Keyesville, Richland County, Wisconsin.

Alice Burns, 1903

Broader View. Similar to Wisconsin Monuments.

 

Early Greenan Records in Buffalo, NY

In 1908 ‘Irish’ John Smith visited his cousin, Thomas Greenan, in Buffalo, New York.  The Greenan family appears to have been living in or near Buffalo, New York, from an early time.  The following church records prove this point:

Edward Greenan, son of Thomas Greenan and Mary Donahoe married Mary Ann Moran, daughter of Patrick and Bridget Moran, on November 24, 1881, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Buffalo, Erie County, New York.

Frederick Bates, son of Henry Bates and Emily Bense, married Julia Greenan, daughter of John Greenan and Mary Hickey, on October 30, 1862, at St. Joseph Catholic Church. (In 1848 John Greenan was a waiter at the Buffalo Hotel.  Last time we see that name in Buffalo.)

John Shields, son of John Shields and Catharine McGahey, married Julia Greenan, daughter of Edward Greenan and Bridget Smith, on November 14, 1872 at St. Joseph Catholic Church.  (This may be Thomas Greenan’s sister.  Thomas Greenan’s parents were also Edward Greenan and Bridget Smith.)

Another Greenan Mystery Solved

In 1902 James (Greenan) Greening married Augusta Stelter in Buffalo, New York.  James’s parents were Thomas and Catherine Greenan.  In the 1905 New York Census we see Augusta Greenan and her son, Charles, listed but could not find James’s name on the census.  James’s direct descendant thought James may have been living in Cleveland, Ohio, during this time period but was not sure.  It was thought James died sometime around 1907 or so.  Actually, James died in 1911 and is buried in Corry, Pennsylvania, with his brother and sister.  Many ‘Greenan’ siblings adopted the surname, ‘Greening’.

Edward Greenan of Buffalo, New York

Edward Greenan was the oldest child of Thomas Greenan and Mary Donahoe.  Mary Donahoe was Thomas Greenan’s first wife who apparently died sometime before 1880.

We do not have Edward’s picture but do have pictures of his two sons, Edward Jr. and Frank.  Both boys played for the 1906 basketball team at Central High School in Buffalo, New York.

Finally….a missing fob

In the mid-nineteen thirties the following article appeared in a New Orleans newspaper.  Peter Greening (Greenan) lost a medal given to him by President Theodore Roosevelt for his service at the Panama Canal.  He lost it somewhere between his home and the Catholic Church.  Fortunately for him, someone found it.  Peter lived with his sister, Lillian Konawell, and their brother, Joseph Greenan.  These three ‘Greenan’ siblings are all buried in New Orleans.

 

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