ince
my own story began in the United States, I thought it
fitting to begin this website in loving memory of my great-grandparents,
Daniel Thomas EGAN and Lizzie FAHY, who
are our family's bridge between the United States and
The Emerald Isle.
Daniel
Thomas EGAN was one of 15 children born to Thomas
EGAN and Mary LYNCH, Woodford,
Co. Galway, Ireland. He was born on New Year's Day,
1857, and led an exciting life.
At
age 19, in 1876, he came to America and made his way to
Chicago, Illinois to meet up with relatives, and from
there he made his way to Lincoln, Nebraska where he worked
on the railroad for a time, faithfully sending money home
to his family to help ease their burdens back in Ireland.
After leaving the railroad, he partnered up with his uncle,
Tommy
LYNCH. Dan and Tommy ranged cattle together through
the late 1870s and early 1880s.
A
big day for Daniel was when his citizenship papers were
issued. This is the same year that he arrived in Grant
County, Nebraska, with Tommy LYNCH. His pride in being
a United States citizen ran deep. According to the Grant
County Tribune (1893):
One
of our imported citizens remarked in the presence of
Dan Egan that "America and American citizens are
nothing but humbug." Dan's coat came off the quickest
it ever did, and thus prepared, Dan made an emphatic
declaration of war, accompanied by a notice that the
hostilities would begin at once. The imputation was
immediately retracted and peace resumed her pedestal.
After
living the life of a bachelor for nearly 17 years after
his arrival in America, Dan traveled to Chicago in 1893
for the World's
Fair. It was there that he met, fell in love with,
and married Lizzie FAHY (a/k/a Elizabeth Agnes Fahey).
izzie
was the daughter of Lawrence
and Catherine (nee MURRAY) FAHY. She was born
12 DEC 1870 at Coolfin, Abbey,
Loughrea, Co.
Galway, Ireland.
One
of 15 children, and never one to be left behind, Lizzie
set off on 23 JUNE 1891, for Chicago, Illinois, USA to
join several
of her sisters who resided there.
Dan and Lizzie were married in the Holy
Angels Church at Chicago, Illinois on 18 JULY
1894.
Dan took his lovely, and much younger bride to begin their
lives together as early pioneers in Grant County, Nebraska
where they began their marriage in a soddie, or sod
house about 16 miles south of Hyannis,
Nebraska. Together they faced the trials and tribulations
of settler life and held true to the Egan motto of "Fortitude
and Prudence."
In
1909, Dan's younger brother, Thomas
Francis Egan, came to Hyannis from Woodford, Ireland
to work the ranch with Dan and Lizzie.
Life
in the Egan household was never dull, as evidenced by
these excerpts from Grant County It's Neighbors and
Friends, (1980):
Their
home was always open with food and shelter for any and
all, and there were always others there to share. The
early day priests found the hospitality generous
and unfailing, as did the parishioners who came to stay
overnight with the Egans.
.
. .There was always music at the Egan home . . .In about
1905 the Egans had the "first request broadcast
station" in Hyannis. Dan had [traded a cow and
calf for a Victor
phonograph] and . . .people would call on the
phone, a record would be put on, the machine wound,
the telephone receiver set down on the table, and they
had their music!
.
. .Dan liked a spirited horse, and he had a race horse,
"Lady," a pretty, dark bay and fast. . . Dan's
spirited horses weren't limited to race horses. There
are stories of run-a-ways with the team and wagon, groceries
spilled on the prairie, and Lizzie refusing to go to
town with him. So he bought a gentle team - Old Jim
and Dandy, and they had them a long time.
Christmases
were special. Long, black stockings were hung, and endless
letters written to Santa. One year there was the first
tree, a complete surprise, which was lighted briefly
by candles in little holders that snapped onto the branches,
a wondrous sight in the dark of early morning. Always
at Christmas there were great sacks of oranges, a real
treat and a welcome addition to the dried fruits, barrels
of apples and the big bin of potatoes stored in the
cellar.
Dan
and Lizzie had eight
children the eldest of whom is my paternal grandmother:
Mary
Philomenia b. 9 May 1895 d. 1981
Winifred
Theresa b. 2 Nov 1896 d. Christmas Eve 1923
Daniel Frances b. 13 Aug 1898 d. scarlet fever 10 May
1900
Elizabeth
Ann b. 21 June 1900 d. 1986
Thomas Joseph
b. 18 April 1902 d. 18 July 1967
Kathryn
b. 23 March 1904 d. 1988
Leo Patrick
b 12 April 1906 d. 15 Nov 1976
Margaret b. 17 July 1913 d. 17 July 1913
Sources
Used In Composing This Website:
Personal
Communication with and family records of Anne G. Rock, daughter
of Mary P. Egan
Family records and recollections of Martin and Bridget Egan,
Woodford, Galway, IRE
Recollections of Thomas Geraghty of Coolfin,
Step-grandson of Catherine Murray Egan
Recollections of James Murray, Adrahan, Nephew of Catherine
Murray Egan
Family records of Madeline Rock, daughter of Mary Philomenia
Egan
Family records of Betty Jane Bunner, daughter of Kathryn
A. Egan
Superintendent Resgistrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages,
Ireland
Woodford/Looscaune Parish, Co. Galway, IRE, Register of
Births and Baptisms
Materials from the East
Galway Family History Society at Woodford
State of Nebraska Dept. Of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics
State of Illinois, Cook County, Records of Clerk Of Court
Grant County It's Neighbors and Friends, (1980, out of print)
Grant County Tribune (1893, 1923, 1955)
Special
thanks to Liz Lee of the Grant
County, Nebraska GenWeb project
Special thanks to the Torrington, Wyoming, USA, LDS Family
History Center
Special
thanks to Rachael Conroy Chiaramida for sharing resources
A
most heartfelt thanks to my Aunt Anne G. Rock who has for
years carefully tended family records and memorabilia; who
has kept the link between the Egans of Woodford and the
Egans of the US alive and strong; who spent countless years
and hours compiling lineages and family stories; whose love
of family and enthusiasm for family history have been imparted
to me; and without whom this site would not be possible.
And to Betty Jane Bunner, my 1st cousin once removed, for
contributing her research and assistance in ensuring the
accuracy of the information provided here.
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