Ancestor Report
generation I

1 (0)
manRussell John O'Brien‏
Born ‎27 Apr 1920 Miles City, Custer County, Montana, died ‎14 Jul 1992 Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California‎, age 72 years, buried Ellendale, Dickey County, North Dakota
Cremated; ashes scattered over mother's grave; both their names on stone put up by his children; but wrong date 1936 on it.
generation II (Parents)

2 (1)
manJohn Douglas O'Brien‏
Born ‎17 Sep 1898 Utica, Judith Basin County, Montana, died ‎7 May 1977 Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California‎, age 78 years, buried ‎9 May 1977 Cypress, Orange County, California
Apr 1916, joined army, Mex-Am War with Gen. Douglas McArthur
Abt age 18; divorced; mother didn't believe in divorce, so he was estranged from family; his first wife died in 1920s; he travelled around; finally settled down in 40s and remarried; but left family; separated; divorced
  Married ‎1918 Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana, age 19 or 20 years (married 16 or 17 years) to:
3 (1)
womanHarriett Fuller‏
Born ‎20 Aug 1896 Lake Crystal, Minnesota, died ‎1935 Jamestown, North Dakota‎, age 38 or 39 years
In Jamestown mental hosp during brain tumorsurgery Cem. stone, erected in 1994 by grandchildren, has date 1936(sic)


Sons: Walter F. O'Brien, Russell O'Brien, George Frank O'Brien (Frank Klinkhammer) Spouse: 1) John Douglas (Jack) O'Brien b 1898-d 1977 2) Francis Robert Stogdill 1869-1947
Parents: Fred WH Fuller 1858-1936 Rosabell Hendrick Fuller 1856-1898

Funeral Thursday for Mrs Frank Stogdill

Harriett Fuller was born on August 20, 1896 at Lake Crystal, Minnesota and passed away on Tuesday, Dec 2, 1930 at the age of 34 years. At the age of 10, her family moved onto a farm northeast of Forbes, ND. She has suffered for a number of years from epileptic spasms, being in poor health and other complications making it necessary to take her to the state hospital at Jamestown, where she spent the last two years of her life.

Harriett Fuller was united in marriage to John D O'Brien at Miles City, MT where they resided until 1920 when they moved back to Forbes. To this union three sons were born: Walter, Russell and George. In Aug 8, 1928, she was again united in marriage to Frank Stogdill, of Ellendale.

She leaves behind her husband and children, her father FW Fuller, four brothers and three sisters: Clara, Frank and Oscar of Forbes, Elmer and William of Ellendale, Mrs Adehllia Gustafson of Lake Crystal, MN, and Mrs Henrietta Sissans of Yakima, WA.

Funeral services were held at Ellendale on Thursday, Dec 4 in the Oddfellows Hall, Rev Hill conducting the services. Her remains were laid to rest beside those of her sister in the Ellendale Cemetery. Pall bearers were her nephews: Arthur, Ray, Dale, and Duane Fuller, Elmer Witte and Claude Nichols.

Dickey County Leader December 11, 1930
generation III (Grandparents)

4 (2)
manJohn Walter O'Brien‏
Born ‎12 Jan 1865 Calis, Maine, died ‎20 Dec 1950 Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon‎, age 85 years
His funeral notice; "late of Great Falls, MT"
  Married ‎12 Jul 1897 Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana, age 32 years (married 36 years) to:
5 (2)
womanMary Ann "Mamie" Rooney‏
Born ‎22 Jan 1877 Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minnesota, died ‎10 Aug 1933 Warm Springs, Deer Lodge County, Montana‎, age 56 years
Mary Ann's parents, John Rooney and Sarah Tracy, were double first cousins: Both their parents were siblings.


Mamie is the daughter of John J Rooney and Sarah Margaret Tracey. She is a sister to Johnny, Thomas, Mosie, Ella Elizabeth, Frances M, Catherine and Edmund A Rooney. Their father died in 1894 in Minnesota and brothers Johnny and Mosie died that year as well.

Mamie married John Walter O'Brien. They are the parents of John D, Helen F, George H, Irene, Ida, Charles, Julia, Raymond and Margaret. Mamie worked as a dressmaker.

Her mother was in care here in 1910 and died in 1911. Her brother, Edmund, was in care here from Dec 1924 until his death in 1931, so they were here at the same time. He, too, is buried here.

Mamie was admitted 6 yr 10 mo 14 days before her death of a strangulated ventral hernia.
generation IV (Great-Grandparents)

10 (5)
manJohn J Rooney‏
Born ‎11 Jul 1847 Wakefield Township, Outaouais, Quebec, Canada, died ‎Feb 1894 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana‎, age 46 years
John died of pneumonia, leaving his wife with some young children. His uncle, Michael J. Rooney, helped Sarah with "rearing up" the four youngest children.

John Rooney's wife, Sarah Tracy, was a "double" first-cousin to him: Both his parents were siblings to her parents.

John was buried in an unmarked grave, Utica, Judith Basin, Montana
  Married ‎Feb 1877 Raymond Township, Stearns County, Minnesota, age 29 years (married 16 or 17 years) to:
11 (5)
womanSarah Margaret "Marge" Tracey‏
Born ‎31 Dec 1857 Wakefield Township, Outaouais, Quebec, Canada, died ‎13 Sep 1910 Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana Event Description: Moore Cemetery, Fergus County, Montana‎, age 52 years, buried Moore, Fergus County, Montana
Sarah Tracy's husband, John Rooney, was a "double" first-cousin to her: Both her parents were siblings to his parents. She died in a TB asylum.

Sarah's Find-a-Grave says 1858 - September 13, 1910 - so a year off on both birth and death based on the gravestone. But the actual gravestone only gives her age, so the birth year is an estimate (and if born one day later it would have been 1858). The Montana death index gives her year of death as 1911. Her son Thomas S. Rooney, who died in 1916, is buried with the same grave marker.
generation V (Great Great-Grandparents)

20 (10)
manPatrick Rooney‏
Born ‎2 Feb 1808 Ireland, died ‎9 Apr 1889 Bangor Township, Pope County, Minnesota Event Description: St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery, Stearns, Minnesota‎, age 81 years, buried Padua, Stearns County, Minnesota
Cause of death: Old age
  Married ‎± 1834 Ireland or Canada, age approximately 26 years (married approximately 35 years) to:
21 (10)
womanElenor "Ellen" Tracy‏
Born ‎1816 Ireland, died ‎25 Apr 1869 Padua, Stearns County, Minnesota Event Description: St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery, Padua, Stearns, MN‎, age 52 or 53 years
Ellen died of a stroke.

The "Tracy" name seems to disappear in the Gatineau valley after the 1861 census.
22 (11)
manMichael "Tracey on gravestone" Tracey‏
Born ‎± 1812 Ireland, died ‎1 Jun 1874 Raymond Township, Stearns County, Minnesota Event Description: St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery, Padua, Stearns, MN‎, age approximately 62 years
The "Tracy" name seems to disappear in the Gatineau valley after the 1861 census. Michael arrived in Canada from Ireland about 1832.
  Married/ Related to:
23 (11)
womanAnn "Anne" Rooney‏
Born ‎1818 Ireland, died ‎1897 Stearns County, Minnesota Event Description: St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery, Padua, Stearns, MN‎, age 78 or 79 years
Her husband, Michael “Tracey,” has a gravestone, but it’s not clear th at Ann is buried there.
generation VI (3rd Great-Grandparents)

40 (20)
manMichael ""Daddy Mick"" Rooney‏
Born ‎1782 Ireland, died ‎12 Jan 1857 Wakefield Township, Outaouais, Quebec, Canada Event Description: St. Camillus Catholic Cemetery, Farrellton, Quebec, Canada, age 74‎, age 74 or 75 years, buried ‎Jan 1857 Farrellton, Outaouais, Quebec, Canada
Michael Rooney and Catherine Caulfield emigrated to Canada around 1845 (although there are land records showing Rooney's in the Canada farm census of 1841). In their 60's, they followed several of their grown children, the earliest who was in Canada by 1829. They settled in the Gatineau River region of Quebec, north of Ottawa, near the town of Farrelton (present day La Pêche).
The two oldest boys - Patrick (b. 1808) and Michael (b. 1809) - had their own farms in Canada. They also probably did some contract lumbering as this region was rich in lumber and this was the heyday of lumber being shipped by boat to Great Britain.

Michael and Catherine's grandson Thomas T. Rooney, son of John R. Rooney (1854-1925), was possibly a second cousin to his wife Ellen E Rooney (1872-1902). Her grandfather, John Rooney, would have been born at an age to be a brother to Daddy Mick. John's descendants coincidentally fit into the Michael and Catherine Rooney line when a granddaughter married married a Daddy Mick Rooney grandson.

As of 2017, it has been proven by finding DNA matches on Ancestry between the Padua Rooney branch and descendants of the Avon Rooney branch. However, the exact connection is still to be determined.

The Egan's and Rooney's intermarried eight times (all of the couples dying in Pope or Stearns County):

James Rooney (1848-1926)
Ann Egan (1846-1914)

Mary Ann Rooney (1865-1937)
Dennis Egan (1849->1910)

William Edward Rooney (1897-1980)
Mary Emily Egan (1897-1990). Mary was an orphan train adoptee, so not genetically an Egan or a Rooney, even though her "grandfather" was John R. Rooney. Also, her husband William Edward Rooney was one of the "Avon Rooney's." Though not genetically an Egan or a Rooney, even though her "great grandfather" was Michael Rooney on the Padua side, she married William Edward Rooney whose great grandfather was John Rooney the Avon side. Thus by prior relationship they were 3rd cousins, but unrelated by consanguinity.

Mary Rooney (1837-1905)
James Egan (1826-1912)

Eleanor Rooney (1842-1902)
Patrick Egan (1833-1892)

Elizabeth A Rooney (1866-1904) (first-cousin once-removed to her husband)
Thomas Edward Egan (1862-1928)

Martin Gannon (1848-1911) (son of Mary Egan and grandson of Thomas B Egan)
Catherine Kilroe (1859->1940) (granddaughter of Bridget Rooney and great granddaughter of Daddy Mick/Mammy Kitty Rooney)

Daniel Michael Rooney (1955-2014) was related to his wife, Karen Ann Majerus (1957-living): His great great grandparents were Michael and Catherine Rooney, while Karen's 4x great grandparents were Michael and Catherine. Thus, they were third cousins twice-removed. Also, Karen is an Egan descendent as well.

Including the three cousin marriages listed just above, there are these additional three:

In 1877, Sarah Margaret Tracy, daughter of Ann Rooney, married her first cousin, John J. Rooney, son of Patrick Rooney.

In 1888, Hugh M. Rooney married his first cousin, Winifred Sophia Rooney.

In about 1889, Thomas T. Rooney of the Padua Rooney branch married his second cousin, Ellen E. Rooney, of the Avon Rooney branch.


Randy Rooney says (May 2016):

"I have been in contact with my closest Y-DNA result match who has a genetic distance of 1 out of the 37 markers I had tested. His great grandfather, Patrick [Rooney] b. ~1845, was from Dundalk, County Louth , just south of County Down. Is it possible that we aren't finding Rooney's in the area of Parish Moore since Michael wasn't from that part of Ireland, but just started his family there because Catherine was from there? And if Michael didn't have strong family ties to the area, did that prompt their emigration from Ireland. It seems reasonable they lived near Parish Moore at one time if Thomas married Ellen Ward there, and Michael/Catherine are listed as being from Co. Galway on the Canadian marriage record of John Rooney/Mary McCool. However, what else is known about where they had lived prior to Canada? The more we learn, the more questions there seem to be…"

Earlier in his email Randy said: "Clonburren and Moore South graveyards, [the two others besides the Kilbegley Cemetery associated with the Parish of Moore in Roscommon], have been completed already [cleaning, reading and photographing old monuments], so you can see what Kilbegley eventually will include. I found the Moore South graveyard interesting since there were many Caulfield's, but no Rooney's."
Ten Caulfield's, to be exact.


July, 2017:

Looking at Geraldine Felling Walsh's Ancestry DNA pages. She and her siblings and several of her living first cousins are closer to the Rooney ancestors genetically than are any of the rest of us. There are a number of people related to her that have a Rooney in their family tree, but those Rooney's have no known connection to us. The furtherest ancestor any of them listed could be as close as a first cousin or a nephew or niece to "Daddy Mick." They appear so far to come from either Leitrim or Mayo in Ireland. Maybe they are from a "Leitrim" branch?
  Married/ Related to:
41 (20)
womanCatherine ""Mammy Kitty"; Catharine on gravestone" Caulfield‏
Born ‎1783 Ireland, died ‎17 Feb 1875 Raymond Township, Stearns County, Minnesota Event Description: Padua Cemetery, Stearns, Minnesota, age 91‎, age 91 or 92 years, buried Padua, Stearns County, Minnesota
After "Daddy Mick" died in 1857 and was buried in the Catholic cemetery in Farrelton, Mammie Kitty emigrated to the U.S.A. with eight of her nine grown children and their families. They came first to St. Anthony Falls, site the present-day Minneapolis, which was so small it could be covered in a half hour by horse and buggy. Later they moved to Stearns County, Raymond Township - a place at first called "Rooneys' Settlement, later called Padua, between 1865 and 1870.

Ambrose Rooney said that his father used to talk about "Grandma Kitty " and thought that there was something funny about her. Ambrose Gaffaney said his mother used to talk about a lady who smoked a pipe (Mary McCool, wife of John Rooney, smoked a pipe; Marilyn Rooney Lysen is now in possession of the pipe).
46 (23)
manMichael ""Daddy Mick"" Rooney‏ (Already listed above as number 40)
  Married/ Related to:
47 (23)
womanCatherine ""Mammy Kitty"; Catharine on gravestone" Caulfield‏ (Already listed above as number 41)