What Was Happening in History During This Time?

1890 - 200 Sioux killed in Battle of Wounded Knee…. 1891 - Edison patents first motion picture camera… 1892 - Walt Whitman dies…
1896 - Klondike Gold Rush… 1898 - Spanish American War… 1901 - Oil discovered in Texas… 1908 - Ford Model T Introduced

    At the turn of the century, the descendants of James and Bridget and Patrick and Phoebe Grannan are now in 8 distinct and separate families in Reeve Township, Daviess County, Indiana.

James Grannan and Catherine Murphy Family

Owen Clark and Mary Ellen Grannan Family

Michael Cahill and Bridget Grannan Family

George Grannan and Mary Alice Buckley Family

John Fanning and Margaret Elizabeth Grannan Family

Patrick E. Grannan and Bridget Tucker Family

Peter J. Grannan and Helen McGinnis Family

James Murphy and Anna Grannan Family

    In 1890 - 1891, Patrick's health was failing and he transferred his lands to his children before he passed away in 1893.   According to the Index of Land Deeds compiled by Denise Grannon, and the actual land deeds of Patrick, Peter, and Phoebe that I possess, it appears the families all lived close by on the above lands by ~1891. 

   Interesting side note:  While my Dad and I were in Indiana researching, we found St. Patrick's church and were looking around, when a man pulled up in pickup and asked us if we needed anything.   When we told him what we were doing, he told us the church is closed now and they only open it for special occasions, but that all the records were kept at St Peter’s church in Montgomery. 

Then, I said that since we were all the way out here I wanted to drive down County Road 500.   He surprised me when he asked if we were “looking for the old Grannan Farm.”  I said "Yes!" and he told us how to get to it.  But then he told us there was also what used to be "The Grannan School" out there.   He gave us directions several times then said he would just show us.   We followed him about ten minutes down County Road 500, then North on County Road 1050 (just old gravel roads).   He then showed us a field and said that was where the old Grannan School used to be, and that it was called that because it sat on the Grannan Farm property.  There was nothing there now.  I walked through it looking for signs of any old buildings, foundation, etc. but there was nothing there.   We thanked him and he headed off.   I regret not getting his name. 

Another interesting note on The Grannan School.  This from John Clark who emailed me to say: 

"I was among some of the last students to attend the Grannan School.  I was a student there from the second through about two-thirds of the fifth grade.  We lived on a farm that had once been Grannan property.  We moved to a farm on US 50 while I was in the fifth grade which put me in the Cannelburg consolidated school.  I have fond memories of the Grannan School, especially of my two mile walk to and from school and my run-in with a buck sheep one morning on the way to school.  I also recall that I often rode a horse to school and when I got there I hooked the reins over the saddle horn and turned her loose.  She would go home.  Those were the days.  I'm not sure when the Grannan closed but it was not long after I left there"

"Those were certainly different times when I attended school at the Grannan.   My parents moved to the small farm in Reeve Township in 1934 just as I reached school age.   The farm we moved to was a small 80 acre farm with 40 acres in Reeve Township a d the other 50 in Reeve.  The acreage in Barr was in section 8.  I noticed that on the map in your web site that M. Cahill and Ann Grannan had 40 acres in that section.  It may have been the 40 acres of the farm that  was in Barr.   I recall that at the time we lived there it was known as the Old Hunter Place.  To give you a good indication of just where it was I will trace the route I took walking home from the Grannan. 

From school I walked north on CR 1050E to CR 400S.  Then I walked approximately a mile west.  Our house was on the south side of the road in Reeve Township. 

So I started school at the Grannan in the fall of 1935.  My first teacher there was Haskel---not sure of the spelling---Burris.  In the third grade I has Victor Miles.  Then in the fourth and fifth grades I had my first woman teacher, Jesse Jackson.  In the spring of 1938 we moved  to a 270 acre farm on US 50 less than a half mile from Cannelburg and I rode a bus to school!! 

I am very interested in anyone who may remember this school or can point me towards more information about it.  Please email me using the link at the bottom of these pages.

The James Grannan and Catherine Murphy Family. James Grannan (1848 - 1896) married Catherine Murphy (1849 - 1929) on April 11, 1877.  Catherine's gravestone shows her birthdate as 1850 but a book on cemeteries of Daviess County shows it as September 14, 1849.   This would make James 29 and Catherine 27 when they married.   James would die in 1896 at the age of 48 - 50 (headstone says born 1846 but 1870 census says he is 22 years old) leaving behind a wife, two teenage sons, and a 10-year old daughter. 

The 1900 Census shows the following info for this household:
- Catherine Grannan, head of household,
- Patrick, son, 22
- John, son, 18
- Mary, daughter, 14
- Lizzie, daughter-in-law, 23
- Rosa Clark, niece, 8

Four years after James' death, the daughter Mary would die in 1900 at the age of 14 of "lung problems."  The headstone pictured here is of James, Catherine, and Mary.

    Catherine Murphy was born 14 Sep 1849 (gravestone shows 1850) in Indiana.  Her parents were Patrick Murphy and Mary Egan; they were Irish immigrants.  She died 29 Apr 1929 at her son John's home where she lived since James had died in 1896. 

James and Catherine had three children.  Click on the links below to see the Patrick D and John A Grannan family lines:

- Patrick D. Grannan  January 4, 1880 - August 11, 1914

- John A. Grannan 23 June 1881 - 17 Jul 1947

- Mary Grannan 1886 - December 15, 1900 (14 years of age)

The Owen Clark and Mary Ellen Grannan Family:

    Mary Ellen Grannan was born 28 June 1849 and was baptized on 15 Jul 1849 in St. Peter's church where she is listed in Book 1, page 116-2.  She married Owen Clark 1 May 1877 in Daviess County.   Her baptism record from St. Peter's says she was baptized in St. Patrick's, recorded in St. Peter's. St. Peter's Bk 1, 116-2. Her parents were James and Feby Ann Mullin. (Patrick maybe??). Sponsors were Martin Fitzpatrick and Mary Grannan.

The Martin County, Indiana Index to Birth Records A-Z 1882-1920 , Page 36 shows a "Clark Owen J Mary E Grannon M W Dec 26 1886 COH- 1 182". This shows that in 1886 they lived in Martin County when one child was born.

   In 1898 Mary Ellen was listed in the History of The Catholic Church in Indiana on pages 653-654.  It states she is the "Widow of Owen Clarke, Resident of Logootee."  Therefore I know that Owen died sometime before 1898. Further, Bridget Grannan's obituary does not list her as a surviving sister in 1930, so I can assume that Mary Ellen passed away before 1930.

Additionally, the 1900 census of Reeve Township shows Phoeba Grannan as having 8 children with 6 still alive. But it also shows Clark children living in Peter's house (2) and Catherine's house (1). I know James was one child that died before 1900, so Mary Ellen must have been the other. If her husband Owen died sometime before 1898, and Mary Ellen died by 1900, it explains why the Clarke children were living with relatives.

    But I have no further information then this.  If anyone has anything to add to this line, please drop me a line and let me know.

The Michael Cahill and Bridget Grannan Family

Bridget was born in 1852.  I surmised this from the 1870 Indiana census which lists her as "18 f/w". 

She married Michael Cahill on 22 Oct 1873.  Michael Cahill was born approx 1852 and his father was an undertaker in Montgomery Indiana.  I know from the index of land deeds that he bought 40 acres of land in Section 8 of Township 2N, Range 5W (see above), but his obituary states that he was in the dry goods and grocery business in Montgomery until his store burned down in 1910.

    They had 4 children:

    Ann Theresa Cahill (8 Dec 1882 – 2 Jun 1971)

George William Cahill (19 Aug 1885 - 1961)

        Unknown Cahill (married Lewis Dant)

        Unknown Cahill (married John Zinkan) possible name is Mayme

I also beleive there may be a 5th child

Cleophus Cahill (9 Jul 1887 - ?)

However, Michael Cahill's obituary only lists 4 children.

    Michael Cahill died 16 Dec 1911 and Bridget died 7 Mar 1930.  This family is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetary in Barr Township.  I assume Ann never married as she is buried next to her parents and is listed as Cahill.

George W. Cahill married Mary E. Unknown.    They had at least one child.  Mildred Cahill (1912 – 27 Nov 1913) who is buried next to them in St. Peter's.   This is all the information I have on them.

The George Grannan and Mary Alice Buckley Family

George Grannan, son of Patrick Grannan and Phoebe Mullen, was born in 1853.  He married Mary E. Walsh in 1886. Mary Walsh was born May 21, 1866, making her 20 years old at the time of her marriage to George.   However, only two years into their marriage, Mary would die on December 8, 1888 at the age of 22.   I found her death listed on an index of Daviess County Death Records but I don't have the actual death certificate or their marriage certificate.   I would like to find out how she died.  

So far, I have found no record of any children from this marriage.  Below is a picture of Mary Ellen Walsh's headstone and her obituary from 1888.  The obituary is not a very good copy, so it is posted here as a thumbnail picture.   Click on the thumbnail picture to bring up the actual obituary.

(Click on the obit picture to bring it up full size)

    After the death of his first wife (Mary Walsh), George Grannan married Mary Alice Buckley on 3 May 1892 and had 8 children, one of which died at birth.  I have a record of an unmarked grave in St. Patricks’ Cemetary of an "infant son of George Grannan" that died at birth on November 6, 1904.  George Grannan died on January 21, 1913 in Corning.  His death is also one of the few that were recorded.  His death is recorded in Book H-20, page 84.

    While in Indiana recently I managed to find the estate record of George Grannan.  It lists his property as $377 of farm equipment (lists each item), and shows the inventory and appraisal was performed by Peter J. Grannan (his brother) and John Hagerty.  It states that all property was turned over to the widow, Mary Alice Grannan.

    Click here to see the more info on the George Grannan line   

The John Fanning and Margaret Elizabeth Grannan Family

    Margaret Grannan was born 2 Oct 1855 and was baptized 15 Oct 1855 in St. Patrick's church (recorded in St. Peter's).   She married John Fanning 15 Nov 1887. 

    Her baptism record has her names as "Margaret Elizabeth Padget" but shows parents as Patrick Grannan and Phoebe Ann Mullen.  Also Peter's obituary lists her as a surviving sister living in Indianapolis in 1929.

    John Fanning was a hardware merchant in Barr/Reeve township.  He is also listed in the Daviess County Democrat Vol. 17, No. 8. Saturday, January 12, 1884 as "Fanning J. H. J. P., of Barr twp."

    I have no information on any children from them.  If anyone has any further information on this please let me know.

The Patrick E. Grannan and Bridget Tucker Family

Patrick was a farmer and a member of the Fanning Hardware Company (see the 1860 page for more interesting information on Patrick and Bridget).  

Click here to see the Patrick E. Grannan line.

The Peter J. Grannan and Helen McGinnis Family. (my great-grandfather) was born in 1859 (see previous section on 1860s). 

Click here to read about Peter Grannan and Helen McGinnis (my great-grandparents). 

The James Murphy and Anna Grannan Family.  Anna was also known as Annie and is listed as Annie Grannon in her marriage record.   Her Baptism record at St. Patrick's on 20 Oct 1867 shows Patrick and Phoebe as parents.  However, she could be the mysterious "Agnes Fitzpatrick" noted on the 1870 census. 

She married James Murphy on 11 Apr 1893.   They had two children:  One born 9 Apr 1900, and one born 22 Mar 1907.  I show in the index of land deeds that James Murphy owned 80 acres in Reeve township. See map above of family locations.

Also, during my research in Indiana, in the 22 Dec 1900 Washington Democrat newspaper I found the following Death Notice listed under "Corning":  "Helen, four year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs James Murphy died Thursday, Dec 18, from injuries received by a fall."  So they could have had another child.  The dates, names, and place fits.  The actual newspaper article is pictured above, in the same article as Mary Grannan's death notice.

The only other information I have on Anna Grannan is that she moved to Indianapolis by 1929, since she is listed as a surviving sister living in Indianapolis in 1929 in Peter's obituary.  If anyone has any further info, please let me know.....

Home The Original Grannan Settlers

1840s to 1850s 1860s to 1880s 1890s to Early 1900s

Chart of Grannan Descendants Grannans in the Military 

Unidentified Photos Cranes

Or view by family info:

James Grannan

 I. Patrick Grannan

   A. James Grannan

        1. Patrick D. Grannan (Individual Family page)

        2. John A. Grannan (Individual Family page)

   B. Mary Ellen Grannan

   C. Bridget Grannan

   D. George Grannan (Individual Family page)

1. Blanche Grannan (Individual Family page)

   E. Margaret E. Grannan

   F. Patrick E. Grannan (Individual Family page)

1. Leo J. Grannan (Individual Family page)

2. Rose Catherine Grannan (Individual Family page)

   G. Peter J. Grannan (Individual Family page)

        1. Walter Grannan (Individual Family page)

   H. Anna Grannan

 II. Mary Grannan

III. James Grinnon

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