The Ancestors of Julia Cecelia Doran

Ancestors of Julia Cecelia Doran

My Grandmother

First Generation

1.       Julia Cecelia Doran, daughter of Thomas F. Doran and Mary Ann Kelly, was born on 1 Mar 1891 in New Boston, Lee County, Iowa, died on 10 May 1968 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa at age 77, and was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

Julia was one of thirteen children born to Thomas Doran and Mary Ann Kelly. She was one of six that survived all the serious childhood epidemics of the time. They moved from New Boston to Fort Madison, Iowa and lived at 1543 Division Street (now Avenue L). She attended Sacred Heart Catholic School and later found a job as a telephone operator. She worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company advancing to supervisor and was made chief operator in 1923. During WWII the "new" Bell Telephone Company called Julia back to work part-time until the war was over, which she did feeling rather proud and patriotic. She was a member of the Daughters of Isabella, past president of the Catholic Ladies Auxiliary of St. Mary's and a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers Auxiliary. Of their home life, their daughter Cecelia wrote:

"Our lives at home were mostly happy times, always busy with school work, music lessons and playing neighborhood ball. Dad was always busy going to work at the Santa Fe. Our train rides, though not excessive, were fun when we were growing up, as that was a Santa Fe privilege to travel with a pass."

 

Leo Miller and Julia Doran on their Wedding Day

SSDI:

Name:    Julia Miller

SSN:       485-26-3234

Last Residence:   52627  Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa, United States of America

Born:      1 Mar 1891

Died:      May 1968

State (Year) SSN issued:    Iowa (Before 1951)

Julia married Leo Henry Miller, son of Charles E. Miller and Philomena Bixenman, on 17 Jun 1925 at Sacred Heart Church  in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa. Leo was born on 3 Oct 1895 in Wien, Chariton, Missouri, died on 26 Aug 1975 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa at age 79, and was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

Children from this marriage were:

       i.       Patrick Anthony Miller was born in 1926. He drowned in a pond on the family property in 1928 at age 2, and was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

      ii.       Leo Henry II Miller was born on 18 Nov 1927 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa and died on 17 Nov 2003 in Kansas City, Wyandotte, Kansas at age 75.

     iii.       John Anthony Miller was born on 16 Jun 1929 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa, died on 21 Jan 2000 in Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska at age 70, and was buried on 25 Jan 2000 in Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska. John was also known as Jack.

     iv.       Cecelia Mary Miller was born on 18 Dec 1930 and died in 2001 at age 71.

      v.       Norman Eugene Miller was born on 19 Oct 1932 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa, died on 7 Mar 2001 at age 68, and was buried in Mar 2001 in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

In the center is Mary Ann Kelly Doran, on her right is her daughter

Julia Doran Miller and on her left is her sister, Ellen Kelly

Second Generation (Parents)

2.  Thomas F. Doran, son of Thomas Doran and Catherine, last name unknown, was born in 1853, died on 1 Dec 1936 at age 83, and was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

His headstone and the various censuses show his birth date anywhere from 1853-1859.

The Hancock County Illinois Marriage Record Index does not list Thomas Doran. It does list:

Doran, Edward J. , Fletcher, Anna, 08-16-1866, Lic #2279, Volume 4, Page 29, Access 0362240

Doran, Margaret, Cull, Michael, 01-25-1865, Lic # 1789, Volume 4, Page 16, Access 0433133

The Hancock County Illinois Birth Index lists:

# 2886, Name of Child: Thomas K. Doran, Male, 2nd Child, Date of Birth: Sept 9, 1882, Place of birth: Warsaw, Hancock Co., Illinois, Nationality of Father: American, Place of birth of father: Illinois, Age of father: 28, Nationality of Mother: American, Place of birth of mother: Illinois, Name of Mother: Mary Ann Doran, Maiden Name of Mother: Mary Ann Kelley, Residence of Mother: Onida, Missouri, Full name of father: Thomas Doran, Occupation of father: Rail Road Boss, Name and Address of Medical Attendant: L. K. Wilcox, Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois. Returned by L. K. Wilcox, M. D.

One problem with this entry is the person's writing makes the abbreviations of Missouri and Illinois look very similar.

Thomas married Mary Ann Kelly before 1880. Mary was born on 20 Oct 1859 in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois, died on 2 Mar 1922 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa at age 62, and was buried on 4 Mar 1922 in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

Thomas Doran is second from left, Mary Ann Kelly is second from right, Julia Doran is on the far right

Children from this marriage were:

       i.       Kathryn Doran was born on 13 Nov 1882 in Hancock County, Illinois.

      ii.       Maurice Michael Doran was born on 10 Sep 1883 in Bloomfield, Davis, Iowa and died in Mar 1966 at age 82. Maurice was also known as Morris.

     iii.       Doran was born in 1884 in Bloomfield, Davis, Iowa.

     iv.       Hubert Kelly Doran was born on 25 Jan 1887 in Missouri and died on 10 Jun 1959 in Merrillville, Lake, Indiana at age 72.

      v.       Mamie E. Doran was born on 24 Mar 1889 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa, died on 6 Jul 1972 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa at age 83, and was buried in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

1  vi.       Julia Cecelia Doran (born on 1 Mar 1891 in New Boston, Lee County, Iowa - died on 10 May 1968 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa)

    vii.       Nellie Margaret Doran was born on 29 Jan 1897 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa and died on 31 Jul 1976 in East Gary, Lake, Indiana at age 79.

   viii.       Leo Doran was born in Apr 1899 and died on 15 Aug 1900 in Lee County, Iowa at age 1.

     ix.       Cecelia Doran was born on 23 Jul 1901 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa and died on 24 Dec 1967 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa at age 66.

                 

2.       Mary Ann Kelly, daughter of Hugh Kelly and Katherine Murphy, was born on 20 Oct 1859 in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois, died on 2 Mar 1922 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa at age 62, and was buried on 4 Mar 1922 in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

  Hancock County Clerk in Carthage, Illinois says they have a record showing that Catherine Kelly, whose parents were Thomas Doran and Mary Kelly was adopted by the grandmother.

Mary Ann married Thomas F. Doran before 1880. Thomas was born in 1853, died on 1 Dec 1936 at age 83, and was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.

 

Mary Ann Kelly Doran’s death certificate lists her mother’s maiden name as Katherine Murphy

 

Third Generation (Grandparents)

4.  Thomas Doran was born about 1825 in Ireland. We don’t know who his father was. We believe his mother’s first name was Catherine because we found Thomas at the age of 45 in the 1870 US Census, living in Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois. Living with him was a woman named Catherine Doran, age 72. The census does not specify the relation between the two but I am assuming she is his mother. Thomas Doran died before 1870.

Thomas married Catherine. This does make it a bit confusing in that we have Thomas Doran with a mother and a wife whose first names are Catherine and their maiden names are unknown, and his son is Thomas Doran and his mother’s first name is Catherine and we don’t know her maiden name.

Only one child is known from this marriage:

2     i.       Thomas F. Doran (born in 1853  - died on 1 Dec 1936, buried in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa)

5.  Catherine.

Catherine married Thomas Doran. Thomas was born about 1825 in Ireland and died before 1870.

6.  Hugh Kelly was born in Jun 1822 in Ireland, died on 1 Nov 1887 in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois at age 65, and was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois. 

Marriage record of Hugh Kelly and Katherine Murphy

Hugh Kelly's headstone in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois.
You see Michael Dee and Julia Kelly’s inscriptions on the side.

Portrait of Hugh Kelly at approximately 30 years of age.

Here are two naturalization records for a Hugh Kelly. They are dated 1863 and 1866. If the one dated 1863 is for our Hugh Kelly, it notes that he is from County Fermanagh, Ireland.

 

Hancock County Naturalization Records Index lists two Hugh Kellys

1. Kelly, Hugh, Great Britain, 08 Mar 1866, E-260

2. Kelly, Hugh, Great Britain, 07 Oct 1863, D-224

Hugh married Katherine Murphy. Katherine was born on 1 Jun 1830 near Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland and died on 19 Mar 1912 in Joliet, , Illinois at age 81.

 

Hugh Kelly's obituary

Children from this marriage were:

       i.       Michael Dee Kelly was born in 1851 in Ireland, died on 28 Mar 1887 in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois at age 36, and was buried in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois.

      ii.       Honora Kelly was born in 1856 in Missouri.

     iii.       Morris M. Kelly was born in Dec 1858 in Illinois. Another name for Morris was Maurice.

3  iv.       Mary Ann Kelly (born on 20 Oct 1859 in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois - died on 2 Mar 1922 in Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa)

      v.       Catherine Kelly was born in 1861 in Illinois and died in 1940 at age 79. Another name for Catherine was Kate.

     vi.       John Kelly was born about 1864 in Illinois.

    vii.       Ellen Kelly was born in Jan 1865 in Missouri.

   viii.       Julia Kelly died in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois and was buried in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois.

7.  Katherine Murphy was born on 1 Jun 1830 near Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland and died on 19 Mar 1912 in Joliet, Illinois at age 81.

Mary Ann Kelly's death record lists her mother's maiden name as Murphy. There is a marriage record for Hugh Kelly and Katherine Murphy in Lee County, Iowa on September 22, 1858.

Above is a picture postcard sent from Katherine Murphy Kelly to her daughter, my great-grandmother, Mary Ann Kelly. The photo was taken on Easter, 1911. Catherine Murphy Kelly’s funeral card. Katherine married Hugh Kelly. Hugh was born in Jun 1822 in Ireland, died on 1 Nov 1887 in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois at age 65, and was buried in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois.

I’ve been told about a John Murphy that died July 18, 1911 at the age of about 86 years. in West Knoxville, Iowa. His obituary states that he left behind a sister, Katherine Kelly, of Joliet, Illinois. He was born in 1825. Our Katherine Murphy Kelly was born in 1830 and she was alive and living in Joliet at the time of John’s death in 1911. There was one other Katherine Kelly living in Joliet at the time that was at an age that she could have been John’s sister. We do not know her maiden name.

 

The obituary for one John Murphy of Knoxville, Iowa. It states
he leaves behind a sister, Katherine Kelly, of Joliet, Illinois.

If our Katherine Murphy Kelly is indeed the sister of John, that links us to his family, which is connected to his parents in Ahabeg, Lixnaw Parish, County Kerry, Ireland. Lixnaw isn’t too far from Kilarney, which is where Katherin’s funeral card said she was born near. Also, it is said that from 1910 until 1917, Kilarney was mentioned in many popular songs and that many people claimed to be from near Kilarney at the time.

This Katherine Murphy is the daughter of Michael Murphy and Katherine Healy of Ahabeg, Lixnaw Parish, County Kerry, Ireland. Katherine Healy is the sister of a Johanna Healy.

The person that educated me about this John Murphy has another bit of info that seems quite likely to be correct for our Katherine Murphy. This is that she was married twice before marrying Hugh Kelly. Her first husband was James Dee. Given we know that Michael Dee Kelly is buried beside Hugh and Katherine Murphy Kelly and we know that he was not the child of Hugh, I believe this could very well be correct. Her second husband was John Hoare. This marriage did not produce any children.

Fourth Generation (Great-Grandparents)

9.  Catherine was born about 1798 in Ireland.

This is all we know about Catherine.

Her child was:

4     i.       Thomas Doran (born about 1825 in Ireland - died before 1870)