Smith Family Genealogy
This finishes our Wisconsin search for death notices. You will read about three different people – Alice McClusky, Patrick Smyth, and Barney McClusky. Irish John’s brother, Owen, is buried next to his mother, Catharine (Greenan-Smyth) Rooney. They are buried in a family plot. Buried next to Catharine is Patrick Smyth. Alice McClusky is buried in this same family plot.
Alice McClusky
Richland Center, WI: Richland Rustic, 21 Feb 1891, p.3, C 3 & 4
n Mrs. Barney McCloskey, an old resident of Bear Creek, met with an accident recently, from the effects of which she died soon after. She was descending the stairs at her home, when in some manner she slipped and fell to the bottom of the same, breaking her neck in the fall.
Alice McCloskey was born Alice Greenau (Greenan). According to her death certificate, Alice’s parents were Terence Greenau (Greenan) and Mary Smyth. (See ‘Madison Smyths’ in this website to view her death certificate.)
From what I have been told, death certificates were normally not issued in Sauk County unless there was an accident or death was suspicious. That is why you will not find a death certificate for our ancestor, Catharine (Greenan-Smyth) Rooney. Alice is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery - Keyesville. (See ‘Added St Mary’s Cemetery Photos’ in this website.) She is buried beside her brother James Greenau (Greenan) and her son, James McClusky, and his wife.
Where is her husband, Bernard, buried you ask? I am not 100% positive; however, he is not buried in St. Mary’s cemetery. He may be buried in nearby St. Patrick’s cemetery, which is located in Bear Creek Township (Sauk County). There is an index listing for Bernard McClusky who died in 1898. This Bernard McClusky was born in 1846.
It makes you wonder why Alice and Barney are not buried together.
Patrick Smyth
Richland Center; WI: Richland Rustic, 20 June 1896, p. 2, C. 4 & 5
KEYESVILLE
Keyesville, June 16. – The funeral of Patrick Smith, Bear Valley, took place from St. Mary’s church on June 10, at 10 o’clock a.m. where a requiem was solemnized by Rev. J.G. Laurer, after which the remains were interred at St. Mary’s cemetery.
Our ancestor, Catharine (Greenan-Smyth) Rooney is buried beside Patrick Smyth. The following obituary was found in another Wisconsin newspaper.
Spring Green Home News, June 11, 1896 "Sudden Death of a Bear Valley Citizen" –
Relatives and neighbors of Mr. Patrick Smyth of Bear Valley were shocked by his sudden death on Monday morning, June 6th. Mr. Smyth had just walked over from his home to talk with some men at work on the road nearby. He had not spoken more than a couple of words when he fell to the ground and was dead in an instant. He was subject to heart trouble, which was undoubtedly the cause of his death. He was born in County Monaghan, Ireland, and was 64 years of age. He came to this county when quite young, and located at Bear Valley, being one of the first settlers of his town. Mr. Smyth was in good circumstances, and leaves a family of six children well provided for. These are Mrs. Benton, Mrs. John Sullivan, James, John, Alice and Peter Smyth...."
Barney (Bernard) McClusky
Home News; Spring Green, Wisconsin; July 7, 1898.
- Barney McClusky, of Bear Creek, died on the 4th of July, of heart failure.
This is the only death announcement I could find for Barney McClusky.
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January 2008