John Hennessy (1784-1833) and Mary Hayes (1781-1831) had fifteen children (he had one child, Michael, with a previous wife Catherine). Of these fifteen children, nine remained in Ireland and six emigrated to America because of the famine.
Winifred, who was married to Michael Browne, emigrated with her family to New Orleans in 1823. (last post)
Mary (1812-1852) stayed in Ireland – she died in Clonmult, County Cork.
Patrick (1815-1897) married Anne Godfrey and from the census records it looks like they were in Cornwall England in 1851, then Leon Texas in 1860, Pennsylvania in 1880, and either died in Ontario, Canada, or Pennsylvania. They had one daughter, Catherine Sophia who travelled to Australia at the age of 23, apparently alone. It’s not clear why she travelled to Australia from her home in Ireland, but it may be that she was already betrothed and meeting her future husband, George Atkins Whitaker there. They married and later he had an unfortunate mishap ending in his death – there is an account by a young man who saw him walking, asked if he would like a ride in his horse cart, to which George agreed. Apparently they then had a bit or more to drink, later the cart capsized and they both fell out – George said he wanted to stay where he was so his friend propped him against a fence and he apparently died during the night. He and Catherine had several children whose descendants are still in Australia and New Zealand.
Alice (1820-1905) married a Timothy Hennessy, and and they had ten children. They first emigrated to Wisconsin, where they lived in 1860, and then she later moved to Georgia, and died in Savannah.
Timothy (1820-1890) remained in Ireland – County Tipperary.
Michael (1821-1911) remained in Ireland. He died in Clonmult, County Cork.
Arthur (1822-unknown). It’s not known where he lived, but it was most likely in Ireland.
Dennis (1824-1903) first landed in New Brunswick in 1849 with his wife Catherine and daughter, Mary, age 3. They then went on the steamship Commodore to Portland and Falmouth, Maine, and then on to New York in 1853. They first settled in Pennsylvania, and then in the 1880s moved to Wisconsin. They had ten children in all.
Dennis and Catherine Haley Hennessy
John (1825-1895) stayed in Ireland.
Eliza (1826-unknown). It’s unknown but likely she stayed in Ireland.
Mary Anne (1826-1890) She stayed in Ireland and married Thomas Fleming. They had ten children, and of them two ended up in Chicago, two in Wisconsin, two in Michigan, one in Texas and one in Indiana. (Two died as children in Ireland). Some of their children were John (Big Jack), a sheriff and an undertaker in Wisconsin, Father Michael Fleming in Michigan, Hannah, who was with the Sisters of Providence in Terre Haute, IN, and James (see below).
James (at right) with his family
Father Michael Fleming
Bridget (1828-1898) stayed in Ireland. She died in Clogheen.
Margaret (1828-1915) married John Evans and they had four children. They emigrated to Savannah, Georgia.
James (1830-1867) stayed in Ireland. He died in Shillelagh.
Catherine (1831-1913) married Denis Connelly in 1855. They had nine children and emigrated to Le Sueur, Minnesota.
Catherine Hennessy Connelly seated in the middle with her family.
John and Mary Hayes Hennessy were our 4th, 5th, and 6th grandparents.
The other Hennessys were our 4th, 5th, and 6th great aunts and uncles, except for Winifred who was our 3rd, 4th and 5th great grandmother.
The Flemings and other children of the Hennessys were our first cousins 4, 5, and 6 times removed.
Duke City Roots 