Rooney Family Tree

Mary Ann Martin was baptized at St. Anthony of Padua Church in northeast Minneapolis on Christmas day, 1869, the day after her birthday. She is 5/12 years old in the July 1, 1870 census of St. Anthony, Minnesota.

"Johnny Martin married Mary Brown and Mary Martin married Johnny Brown."

John Brown was born in Derryheagh, County Mayo, Ireland in 1868 and was 11 years old when the family came to the U.S. [Today û 2015 - Derryheagh is perhaps a small area near the town of Newport, County Mayo. There's a Killeen Cemetery 6 miles west of town overlooking Clew Bay in which one couple's gravestone says they're from Derryheagh.]

Mary Ann Martin and John Brown met in Sedan and were married in Villard (or in a double-wedding ceremony with their siblings, John F. Martin and Mary Brown, on November 16, 1892 in Padua). Afterwards they made their home in Hammer, South Dakota for a while, then Massachusetts. Two of the "Canada" letters included letters from Mary Martin Brown to her sister Katie Martin in Brooten, Minnesota. In the first in 1894, from South Bridge, Massachusetts she talks of dancing with her son "Petie." In the second in April 1898 from Clinton, Massachusetts, Mary talks of her baby (Maggie) having two teeth now. "Petie is now going to school(!), and the house is quiet since he has gone."

Maggie and Frankie were born in Massachusetts. In 1898, the family and their three children were returning to Minnesota by train, and on that journey they were exposed to typhoid fever. Soon after their arrival in Minnesota, Mary and her young son Frankie died of the disease. After Mary died, Maggie was raised by her grandmother, Catherine Rooney, at their home in Sedan. Julia Rooney was about the same age. Ambrose Gaffaney knew Maggie because he and his brother Harold hitched a ride on a freight train up to Standish, North Dakota to see the Wirtzfelds, and the Wirtzfelds used to come down and visit.

I believe Mary's gravestone says her day of death was the 18th, though a number of family trees have the 12th and another sources says the 17th. Rena Martin Jensen says, "Ann [daughter of John Francis Martin] died in 1898 same time as Mary [Ann Martin] Brown and Franklin Brown of typhoid fever." I don't know who Franklin Brown is.

[Catherine E. Martin ( Jr.) from sister Mary Martin Brown]
South Bridge [Massachusetts]
Jan 15, 1894
Miss Katie Martin
Dear Sister
I received your letter, was very glad to here from you. I am told you are going to school at Uncle Hughes this winter. How long a term is it? How do you like the teacher? Did "Dulie Egan" get a school last fall?
I suppose I will soon here that you will be looking for a school.
Is Maggie home this winter? Was aunt Ellie's folks up to see her this winter? Was Aunt Mary Ann in Bangor [Township] this winter? How is Aunt Eliza & the little ones? Tell Lillie she is the best little girl in Bangor, she wrote me two letters. You said you would like to see Petie now. Well I wish I could show him to you he is a great big boy now. I do play with him mostly all the time. I do dance with him and I used [to] with Lill. He does laugh very hearty sometimes. I have the piece of lace you started for him nearly made. I made a piece of narrow lace for shirt for him. I got a calico and a gingham dress for myself this winter.
We have very nice weather down here. there was only two or three cold days.
Write soon and often. No more this time from Your sis
Mary A. Brown

[Catherine E. Martin (Jr.) from sister Mary Martin]
Clinton, Massachusetts
April 3, 1898
Miss Katie Martin
Dear Katie:
I received your letter some time ago, and was glad to here [sic] from you. We have had a siege of the grip since I got your letter, are better now. When I saw the grip coming I thought I would be ready for it, so these are a few of the medicines I had, two qts. Flaxseed &c., one bottle of cough syrup, one bottle whiskey, bot pills, bottle Hoods sarsaparilla, bottle of borax and Honey, sugar and butter, white of egg and vinegar and I don't know what I didn't have. Oh it was the goose oil! I did not have that, but I guess I drank so much of the goose oil when I had the grip at home that I did not need any this time.
The baby has two teeth. The grip went hard with him. You wish I would tell you all about the kids, well if I told you the half about them when they were sick you would not want to here [sic] it twice. They are as bold as pet pigs and that is putting it mild. Petie is going to school! We have a quiet house since he started. They are out on vacation now until after Easter.
You wanted to know who they looked like, and the color of their eyes and hair. Well, Petie looks like Charley when Charley was his age and Maggie looks like Tommy. John O'Malley always calls Maggie Tommy Martin. I will send you a wisp of their hair. As for the baby he looks like Maggie only he is bald headed. Petie's eyes are about as big as Charley's only they seem darker. Maggie's are [?]. Petie's curl is the long one. They used to be yellow but they will soon be black.
I suppose your home now anyway. I will send this letter to Brooten and you will get it some time. How are Pa and Ma and all the rest of the folks. Write as soon as you get around and I will answer some time. Give my love to all. No more this time from Your sister,
Mary, address as before