Keane of Kilnamona

                                             United States

Seven of Johnnie (Matthew) Keane's family emigrated to the United States in the early part of the 20th century.  One, Andrew, returned to Ireland in March 1922 after one year in the U.S. to take over the home farm. These were:-

         One of the ships in which many emigrants travelled, i.e. the Cedric on the North Atlantic route 

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 Matt:-      Matt was born 3 May 1891 to John's first wife - Susan McMahon from Dysert.  She died at the birth of Matt. In the 1911 census Matt is to be found as a servant labourer with John Cullinan, Derroolagh, Dysert aged 20 years.  Matt emigrated to the US in 1914 at the age of 23 years. Matt's surname on the Ellis Island  record is given as Keane, whereas his adopted name in the US was Kane. Also note the home address is given as Ennis. Matt served in France with the US Army Medical Corps during WW 1.  He married Mary Kennndy and they lived in Laval St, Waterbury. Matt was easy going, a gentleman and had many friends. His wife was the disciplinarian for the children. They had minimum income to household earned from his profession - piano restoring.  Matt died in 1961. See separate profile on Matt and his children.:
Over: old newspaper clip of Matt with his piano work
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 Delia:-      Born 6 December 1892, Delia emigrated to USA in 1915 at the age of 22y (Ennis address. She married Bill Carey who had emigrated from Kilmurray-McMahon, Co Clare - 'a nice gentleman' who became Batt. Chief, Fire Dept., NY.  Delia was a timid person - like her sister Mary Brody in personality and appearance (see below) - and dedicated to her family.  Delia died in her eighties in the 1970's. They had 4 in family, Tommy (St Louis, Texas), William (long Island), Margaret and Dorothy (deceased, married to Jim Courtney, Long Island) and Billy Carey (Long Island).  Bridget Morgan, a first cousin of Delia's married John Carey a brother of Bill, resulting in a close lifelong relationship between the families.  Also see below on Carey family and relations. 

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Micko:-    Born 2 October 1896, Micko emigrated to the US in 1915 on same boat as Delia (see Ellis Island records). He may have stayed in NY for a time but later became a conductor (No. 5392) in The Connecticut (street car) Company.  In 1930 he had an extended stay in hospital after contracting Tuberculosis (TB).  Later still he moved to mid-west US, Detroit, Michican an took on insurance sales - as an insurance person, 'he did pretty good'.  He was known to Frank Kane as uncle Mike, and similar to Matt adopted the name Kane.  Mike died in the 1970's.  

Above: Micko in street car Conductor uniform with his older sister Gretta. Also Micko later in life.

Micko's wife Loretto Carey (second generation American) was from Waterbury, Conn. and they had 4 in family, two sons and two daughters. One daughter has  married name Krass (husband in automobile industry, Arizona). Son, Frank, tragic death late 1970's, had two children, a boy and a girl.  Tom Los Angela's / Arizona was a bright student (paid his way through college) graduating with 1st from College in 1965. -
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Gretta:-  Born 31 March 1898, Gretta emigrated to USA in June 1920 (the year of her mother's death), aged 22y, (see Ellis Island records, Ennis address); she married Bill Hegarty (b. 1900) also of Kilnamona. Greta (using her US spelling) and Bill had 3 (surviving) in family, Fred, Bill and Jackie. She had control, was organised and had a business mind. She was a great cook.  She lived in East Orange, Dover, New Jersey.  Greta died in 1976 (see more on Greta).

Martin:-   Born 28 October 1902, Martin emigrated to the US perhaps in the middle 1920's (Ellis Island records currently end with 1924). Indeed we may speculate that he may have worked on the home farm for some years in the absence of Andrew (1922) and Pat (to 1924).  He was a big man, 5'11'' to 6 feet tall.  Although Fr Fred Hegarty thought he was a carpenter by trade, Fr Fred's sister-in-law Alice Hegarty (and also nephew Frank Kane, Waterbury) recalls him as working at Johnny Hogan's Irish House (Manhattan, New York!) where he was a bar tender.  Martin returned to Ireland on a visit (only such visit) with his half brother Matt in 1927 to see his aging father.

Martin was outgoing and had a magnetic personality that made people want to come back to see him.  Although noted for liking the girls, he never married. He died of TB (Tuberculosis) in late 1948 or early 1949.  He saved his money, and based on simple calculations his estate seems to have amounted to about $3,500 nett after duties and legal costs, which was divided mid-1949 equally among his seven siblings.

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Historical note in the Irish context: Martin's will was administered prior to the great devaluation of the pound sterling (and thus the Irish pound then tied to sterling) against the dollar on September 19, 1949 (change from $4 = £1 sterling to $2.5 = £1). Though well flagged in the papers, I (Webmaster) seem to recall that it was said that Pat uncharacteristically misread the impending currency change, and his advise to realise their bank drafts prior to upcoming devaluation resulted in financial loss to the four Irish sibling beneficiaries.

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 Andrew:-    Born 1900; emigrated to US in 1921, aged 21 (see Ellis Island records, Kilnamona address).  He returned permanently to home farm in Ireland only after one year. He may have first contracted Tuberculosis (TB) while in the US from which which left him somewhat delicate and from which he subsequently died at the age of 51 years.  (see more on Andrew).

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Photos: Andrew (left) and Johno (right)

John (Johno):-     Born 10 May 1905, Johno emigrated to USA with his returning brother Matt in 1927.  On they boat and to Matt's horror and annoyance, he was nearly thrown over railing in a high jinks escapade by an ignorant fellow traveller. In his single years he lived with Delia. He married Mae Coughlin who hailed from Athenry, Galway.  It was her second marriage following the death of her first husband, Pat Maguire.  They met in the cemetery and they lived in Valentine Ave, Bronks, NY. They lived near aunt Delia's. They had no children. Mae could be a difficult person who did not like Delia.  Johno did manual work and died in the 1970's.

The Keane sisters: Gretta (Hegarty, US), Delia (Carey, US) and Mary (Brody) (Ireland) with Br Thomas about 1957

Delia Carey (nee Keane): Delia Keane married Pat Carey, from Benvoran (Binvoran) in Kilmurry-McMahon parish, County Clare. They had four in family, Thomas, Margaret, Willie and Dorothy (deceased mid-1960's). The family lived in upper Manhattan, where Fr Fred Hegarty remembers as a young lad spending his annual summer holidays. Delia visited Ireland for first time in 1960's at which time the early stages of Dementia were setting in. The following has been extracted from Brother Thomas Keane's visiting address book (1960's -80's), Fr Fred and other feedback.

American Wedding October 8, 1949
of Al Stasonis and Kay Kane,
Daughter of Matt and Mary Kane, Waterbury
 Left of Bride and Groom Al Stasonis (Lithuanian extraction) and Kay Kane are Kay's parents. Behind and slightly left back of the parents is Johno; back right of newly weds is John Kane (with glasses); next to him is Tom Carey (Delia); right is Delia and husband Pat Carey; to Pat's front is their daughter Dorothy Carey Courtney (who died in 1966, see below); and to her left is Donald Kane.

Thus we have the following Carey Families:-

Delia Carey later in life lived at 113th St., again at 100 Cooper St, New York 34 and later still at 539 West, 54 St (Fr Fred is doubtful about the latter address).   

Bridget Carey (nee Morgan, a first cousin of Gretta/Delia, sister-in-law to Delia; return to Clare Branch) was resident at 526 West, 211 St, New York City 10034 and later in Montifiore Hospital, E 210th St + Gunhill Rd, NYY.    

More on Delia's family:- 

Thomas (also known as Tommy or William) and Flow Carey,  318 West Fair Harbor Lane, Huston,Texas - Thomas was the eldest of Delia's family.

Margaret Carey, daughter of Delia in poor health.

Bill Carey, son of Delia; 118 Fonda Rd, Rockville Centre, N.Y. State.

Dorothy Courtney (nee Carey), died about 1966.

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Lasted updated April 17, 2009; again reformatted March, 2014

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