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We have two O’Loughlin families in our family tree, both hail from County Clare, Ireland, as you would expect.  Both have had the name spelled several ways, including O’Laughlin and O’Loughlin.  Both branches are also found in Iowa and Missouri in the U.S.A.  ( with noted lines in California and Colorado ).

Rome Iowa O’Laughlins/ O’Loughlins

Michael O'Laughlin and Bridgett Kilmartin=original immigrant.

(We show Bridgett in Iowa with the family.)

They had three sons born in Ireland, Peter, Terrence and John.

John O’Laughlin,( of the three brothers)

I descend from John b.1827 : John m. Bridgett Smith, and one son was named Mike who m. Kate O’Laughlin of the Burlington O’L’s.. My grandfather was born to them. We also have record of Johns children marrying into the Alex Burke family.

Peter O’Laughlin (of the 3 brothers) To the U.S. in 1857.

Obit. shows Peter going first to New Jersey, then to Iowa, joining

up with his brothers in business there.  He went back to Kilfenora Ireland and m. Margaret Quinn in 1865.  I found the hand written register with this event scribbled upside down in the last blank

pages of the marriage book in the Kilfenora church, courtesy Fr. Vaughan on my first visit there.

We find Patrick Henry, son of Peter going to California, and another son, John going to Colorado, both sons of Peter (above).

Terrence (from  the name Turlough?) (of the 3 brothers)

Terrence worked on the Railroad and was said to be at the driving of the golden spike, and in a picture of the same, thus told to me by living descendants in Cameron, Missouri, who had an old

newspaper clipping with the photo. .

Kilfenora, Ireland

Peter (above) is the one I found in the marriage register in the Kilfenora church. His obituary talked of going back to Ireland and bringing back a bride (Margaret Quinn) (1865).  This Peter is also noted as running the O’Loughlin store in Rome, Iowa.  We also have note of going back to Pittsburgh(?) to learn the hatters trade which would be a natural prelude to opening a store.....

Burlington, Iowa O’Laughlins/ O’Loughlins

Mike O'Laughlin and Bridgett Rabbitt ( Bridget To USA 1854)

This 2nd O’Loughlin line may come from the north of Co. Clare, simply because the wifes name was ‘Rabbit’ which was more common in Co. Galway.  That is pure speculation, but a working theory.  At one point we were researching two O’Laughlin men (Terry and Mike) from the Rome, Iowa line, married to two O’Laughlin women (Mary and Kate) from the Burlington, Iowa line.  Quite a trick, indeed ! 

We also find daughter Lizzy (b.1869) m. to Wm. Byrne

Cameron, MO., Kansas City, and more

Later my branch (Charles b. 1897, my grandfather) moved to Cameron, Missouri, well, actually members from both of the two Iowa branches above are found in Cameron together.  We find my line later moving to Kansas City, KS. and KCMO. 

Other connections are found early in Pittsburgh, PA., learning the ‘hatters trade’, before opening up a store in Iowa.  Some branches are settled in St. Louis ( as Laughlin) tied to the shoe trade, and a Patrick Henry O’L. went to California was in farming and lost all in the depression....  we are recently in contact with Mary Anne O’Laughlin of that line. *(see her submitted info below)

Somewhere along the line there is also mention of a MO. State Trooper, ‘Bernard’ from Johns line; and ‘Vincent’ who was a Wyoming State Trooper from Terrences line. 

Other surnames in this family tree include: (Marie) McDonald, Smeaton, Donahue, Grabmiller, Ray, Farnan, Presko, Raney, Mixon, Sword, Tofflemeier, Clasby, Crouch, Fladung, Shipley, Boehmer, Loschke, Franzen, Krump, Williams and Kelly, among others....

California Branch

*Here is the California branch of our Rome, Iowa O’Laughlins.

Descended from the line of Peter, an original immigrant.

Patrick Henry b.1871 married Mary Boyle, they had 2 sons:

Patrick O'Laughlin & Denoyer Francis O'Laughlin

(Uncle Pat  had no children)

My father Denoyer (deceased 3/2009) married Nancy O'Neill (deceased 6/2003)and had 8 children

1. 1.Patrick Francis (deceased 11/2008) married Maggie Kilkenney     had 3 children:    Matt, Kevin & Kate
   

*2. Kevin married Donica Ostini 3 children

     Zane, Megan & Shannon

*3. Mary Anne married Ron Vasquez ( divorced )1 child

     Shauna Vasquez married Marc Hadley (divorced) 2 children

      Carter & Camille Hadley

*4. Therese  married Bryan Engle 3 children living in Colorado

     Nancy Engle - 1 child Joseph

     Katie Engle - 1 child Devon

     Sheila Engle

*5. Peggy O'Laughlin

*6.  Tim O'Laughlin married Paula Vargus 2 children

      Danny & Brad

*7. Neill O'Laughlin married Denise Duddy 2 children

     Morgan & Kellen

*8.  Sheila married Ian Warren (divorced) 2 children

      Chace & Hailey

Three Books on O’Laughlin/ O’Loughlin Family

( This genealogy page under construction - more to follow - I have not yet proofed this copy against the written facts from many years ago ! Please credit this page as a source if used.

Three books come to mind on the family name O’Loughlin, two which we published,”Here Lies O’Loughlin, Lord of the Burren” and the “Charles O’Laughlin and Margaret Grabmiller” book plus one compiled in Ireland... more to come...).-Mike

Cornelius Donahue and Mary Keliher oldest generation

( see page for Donahue on this web site).

My Donahue family hails from Coomacullen Mountain, Glenflesk, Co. Kerry, Ireland.  Some Family arrived via New Orleans in the 1850’s.  One family legend says that the parents of Mary (Kelliher) Donahue drowned in the (Shannon) River around the time that the family was leaving for America. She decided not to come as a result of the tragedy.  Her husband, Cornelius Donahue did depart and settle in America however.   ( My mothers side of the family tree)

There are other versions, of course.   (more to follow)

Interesting that I found two sets of Cornelius Donahues and Mary Kellihers that were married to each other in the same era, from the same area.  As I recall, one pair was a fair amount younger than the other, which helped in solving that puzzle !

My gr-grandfather spoke the Irish language. My mother distinctly remembers that he told visitors to ‘speak the English language now that we are in America !’ .

Sketch of  ‘The O’Laughlin’ in 1865 Magazine, I think he was at the races. A bit satirical ....

Here Lies O’Laughlin / O’Loughlin , (Lord of the Burren), Co. Clare, Ireland

O’Loughlin Coat of Arms

The O’Loughlins lost their holdings to a nearby O’Brien who was loyal to the Queen, I do believe.....

O’Laughlin Family Tree

Mike O’L     Bridgett          

                      Kilmartin

married in Kilfenora , Ireland

1. Member Dick O’Connell is searching for his gr-grandmother, Susan O’Laughlin from Ennis, Ireland. dob 1844 to U.S. on ship

Bridgewater in 1863, age 20 with Katie O’Laughlin, age 17 and Bridget O’Laughlin age 16.  Shortly after arriving in U.S. she married Thomas O’Connell from Charleville, Ire.

probably in Chicago.  Susan died March 7, 1915.

(comment: may be related to a Minnesota branch, I believe I was sent a picture many years ago of a Susan.)