April 25, 2014

Illinois farmers had enough good weather over the last week to make progress on planting. As of the date of this meeting, 30 % of the corn crop has been planted and the rhubarb is bountiful in our gardens!

Those attending the meeting were in order going around table: head Jack Haas, Pat Heller Kelley, Tom Stack, Tom’s granddaughter, Tammy Stack, Karen Brown Saleh, Jim Brown, Anne Cunningham Rosenthal, Robert Dehm, Mary Ann Hayes Dehm, Charlene Kimpler, Roseann Cleary Clifford, Pat Jennes, Mary Stack. Photos were taken by Anne Cunningham Rosenthal.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sharon Smith Pfister died recently.  She was the daughter of Veronica Hayes Smith who together with Joan Cleary started the Roots group over 30 years ago.  Sharon would be a descendant of Cornelius Hayes and Mary Evans (daughter of Mary Murphy). Emails were read from those unable to come.  The most interesting one came from from Gene and Joyce Kennedy our Wyoming cousin:

“We wish we could join you all, but this is the middle of calving season.  Those little critters occupy all of  our waking (and woken up) moments every spring.  It is a lovely spring so hopefully all the little ones will have a good start in life.  Additionally, we have been working on a history of the Kennedy (Vale) Ranch for a family website.  When it is finished, I will let you know so all the eastern family members can take a remote tour of the western Kennedy homestead.”

The wife of the late Bob Cleary (1938-1987), son of Michael J. and Clarys Fulton Cleary, has written and published the remarkable story of Bob — who showed courage, faith, and imagination in overcoming obstacles after an accident left him a quadriplegic at age 18, eventually becoming a nationally honored teacher and principal at Bergan High School in Peoria.  See details under THOMAS CLEARY tab.

When Rose Hayes wrote “Joe’s Story” a few years ago, she kicked off a wonderful idea for Roots members (YOU!) to write up their stories.  Your own, your parents, grandparents.  Submit them to our website for others to enjoy.  The website continues to grow with tabs being added as needed for different family lines.

Mary Stack has been corresponding with Tom Lee whose wife is the great granddaughter of Michael J. and Julia Hanifan Cleary.  Tom is submitting 30 pages of Cleary info written by Isabelle Cleary Ryan, (1898-1968) daughter of Michael J. and Julia Cleary.  It is Isabelle’s recollections of growing up with all her brothers and sisters in rural El Paso/Gridley IL.   Tom is also writing up the Nethercott/Cleary story.  He will submit both to our family website.  Tom also sent a photo of Julia Hanifan Cleary as an elderly woman with her granddaughter Mary Julia Nethercott.

From Pat Cain Kruetzer, descendant of John and Margaret Cleary Kennedy, is a photo of the John E. Kennedy farmhouse near Loda, IL.

Jim Dearey, descendant of Philip Murphy, is working on the story of Philip for our website.

Larry Wallace, descendant of Michael Cleary (Mary Cleary Corbett line) is hard at work researching his Quinlan side.  He is nearly done and will submit a copy for our website.

Mary Stack has submitted the Catherine Cleary Stack story to our website.

CLEARY IMMIGRATION POEM

Anne Cleary Lyons (daughter of Michael J. and Clarys Fulton Cleary) sent us a poem she recently wrote about the Cleary immigration.  The poem was read to the group by Anne Cleary Rosenthal.

Leaving Ireland in the 1840’s and 50’s
Great, great grandparents, Michael and Mary Quigley Cleary,
Suffering the Irish famine, cruel Catholic persecutions,
Confiscation of their land, and forced labor in Tipperary,
Encouraged their sons to move to prosperous locations.

Loyola and Byron left for far away Australia
All that was heard of them was that they became sick.
Their sad attempt to arrive was a failure.
On a slow “casket” ship went Michael and Patrick,

Hoping to get to the Midwest by way of New York
To find jobs with compensation of cash or land code.
They knew the experience would be very hard work,
But found their payment choice building the railroad.

After many months of labor, with their payment in hand,
They sought out in central Illinois one place or another.
And found in McLean County, the very best land
For raising crops that earned money to send to their mother.

Their dear father sadly had died of starvation,
Leaving five younger children and his poor wife.
But with joy and some fear they’d go to the new nation,
Praying that God would give them each a happy life.

Of the five children who came, the eldest, Thomas Cleary
Tamed and trained wild horses sent from the west.
He, too, saved and bought farmland on the Illinois prairie
And helped build a house for his mother and the rest.

Thomas had met Johanna on the Ireland to US ship.
After buying land and building a house,
He wrote Johanna asking her to make the short trip
To rural El Paso, and become his spouse.

Happily married, they had children, three.
He helped build and supported the church of St, Mary.
If you visit the church, you’ll easily see
One of the stained-glass windows says, “Thomas Cleary”.

While living in Ireland Catholics could not be educated
Children with teachers hid in the hedges to learn how to read,
And priests who said Mass were beheaded,
So once here and free, they built Churches and schools with great speed.

Note from Anne:  The poem above is one I wrote as a poetry assignment for a class I am taking.  Since I regrettably cannot attend the Cleary reunion I thought I would send it to you. I am not certain about Byron and Loyola, but they were not heard of after leaving Ireland.  I used the term land code to mean the government’s regulation that permitted immigrants building the railroad to take their compensation in cash and/or land.  I used “code” instead of law, regulation, or ruling.  God bless you and all who attend the reunion.
-Anne Cleary Lyons, (Daughter of Michael and Clarys Cleary, great granddaughter of Thomas and Johanna Green Cleary)