Here is the rest of the list!
KENNEDY- We all recognize this name as playing a big part in recent politics, but the lady profiled here is no part of that clan, as will become clear. Kate Kennedy was born in Gaskinstown, County Meath, on May 31, 1827. She could trace her family back to King Brian Boru. Kate was qualified to go to "Advanced School" (roughly equivalent to our high school, but attendance was not mandatory.) but the death of her father in 1840 prevented her attendance. In 1849 she, her sister Alice, and her younger brother, immigrated to New York.
Books have been written about all of the things that Kate Kennedy did for public education, and teachers, but a few of them merit mention. She taught in Susin (a small town up on the delta) in 1856, and then was transferred to Happy Valley School in San Francisco the next year. In 1859 she was transferred to Greenwich School. She took the examination for principal, and passed it at the very top of the list. This won her appointment as principal of the North Cosmopolitan Grammar School, which had been set up to teach young people in several languages. In her new assignment Kate was paid the same salary as the principal of a lesser primary school. (This while she was winning awards as being the best teacher in the city.) She joined the battle, and won. In 1847 a law was passed which said "Females employed as teachers in the public schools of this state shall in all cases receive the same compensation as allowed male teachers for like services, when holding the same grade of certificate."
In 1875 the Department of Education attempted to have the law repealed, but failed. As a measure of how much Kate did consider this: When Susan B. Anthony visited San Francisco her primary goal was to call on Miss Kennedy to congratulate her in person. She and Philip Augustine Roach (profiled below) were instrumental in ensuring that teachers were not removed without a formal hearing. (Yes, every teacher in every state in the union owes this woman a lot, yet she is seldom if ever mentioned.) Kate Kennedy Elementary School ,in San Francisco's Mission District, is named for her.
MANOGUE- Patrick Manogue was born in Dysart in County Kilkenny on March 15, 1831, and was known as "The Apostle of the Comstock". His parents died when he was young. When he was 17, he joined other family members in Chicago. He enrolled in Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary in Chicago to study for the priesthood. When the cholera epidemic hit he got sick, but lived. He decided to join his brother in Nevada City and regain his health before continuing his studies.
There are many stories about this time, but it is clear that Patrick was well liked. He was frequently called on by other miners to settle disputes because of his knowledge and skill. He also planted roses around his cabin. While living with the miners he always promiised to return and "say mass among the miners". In 1857 he went to study at Saint Sulpice in Paris. He completed his studies in four years and returned to California.
Archbishop Alemany assigned the new priest to the Marysville vicarate. He made good on his promise to return to the miners to say mass. His parish was vast. Headquarterd in Virginia City no one was sure how many people lived in the territory. Father Manogue attacked his assingment with vigor. He visited the faithful, made converts built churches, and did "the Lord's work". Among other things, he built "St. Mary's in the Mountains Church (the third one of which is still in use today.) was Coadjutor Bishop of Garss Valley, and was the first Bishop of Sacramento.
McCLATCHY- James McClatchy was another immigrant who tried the gold fields and decided against it. He settled on a career in journalism. He founded the Sacramento Bee in 1857. The list of papers that he owned at his death is impressive.
McCOPPIN- Frank McCoppin was born in County Longford. He migrated to San Francisco and was involved in a host of civic projects. When he was elected Mayor of San Francisco in 1867 the Irish were still trying to crack in to politics in most other cities. (Hugh O'Brien was not elected Mayor of Boston until 1884.)
MURPHY- Martin Murphy Sr. came to the Santa Clara Valley from Sutter's Fort and purchased The Rancho Ojo De Agua De Coche, two square leagues or 8,927 acres on The Montery Road near the "Twenty One Mile House". Here he lived, to be loved and respected by all who passed his way. His liberal hospitality, integrity and disposition won the friendship of all who knew him. Before he died in 1865, he built a beautiful chapel on his rancho and named it for his patron saint, San Martin, a familiar and enduring place name.
MURPHY- Martin Murphy Jr. arrived in this area with his father, but located in The Sacramento Valley. Desiring to be near his relatives, he purchased Rancho Pastoria De Las Borregas near Mountain View containing 4,800 acres. He inherited all of the fine traits of his father. The same integrity and gentle but firm disposition all combined to earn him a respect seldom attained by any valley
resident.
NICHOL- John Nichol was one of the founding fathers of the city of Richmond, the hub of oil refining on the San Francisco Bay. He was a native of County Antrim, born in 1822.
O'BRIEN- William O'Brien was another of the "Bonanza Silver Kings".
O'CONNELL- Dan O'Connel (1849-1899)had was an interesting character. Along with being a co-founder of The Bohemian Club and a teacher at Santa Clara University he was an accomplished poet.
O'FARRELL- Jasper O'Farrell was born in Dublin in 1817. At 24 years of age he was a member of an English survey party in South America. When that assingment was completed he ventured North to the sleepy village of San Francisco. He found work with the Mexican government and surveyed much of Marin and Sonoma counties.
In 1845, the first Mayor of San Francisco, Washington Bartlett commissioned a land survey of the town. Shortly after that survey he designed Market Street. He laid it out as a broad avenue from which all other streets radiate. (Of course, not everyone was pleased with the arrangement, but it was a good plan, and is a large part of why the city still thrives today.)
PHELAN- James Phelan, Sr. (1821-1892)was born in Middlemont, Parish of Aghaboe, Queens County (Laois or Leix). In 1827 he came to America and settled in New York. The family fared well at first, but later the family business failed. At this point the son (James, Jr. profiled below) took a job as a grocery clerk. The father regained his lost fortune and lived to a ripe old age.
PHELAN- James Phelan, Jr. was a man of humble beginnings, but by the age of 25 he had become the leading retailer in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. When he moved to San Francisco consumer goods were very much in demand. He sensed the need and managed to provide all of the required items.
He also saw what a great city San Francisco was to become. He founded the First National Gold Bank of California. He also built "The Phelan Building" which stands to this day. At 61 years of age, he became involved in constructing The Panama Canal. He left one son, James Duval Phelan (profiled below) who was later Mayor of San Francisco.
PHELAN- James Duval Phelan inherited his fathers public spirit and his foresight. He was elected as Mayor of San Francisco, and later as a State Senator. He worked hard to make California a better place to live. In 1912 he built a mansion in Saratoga called Villa Montalvo. It is preserved today as a county park.
QUIGLEY- Father Hugh Quigley was responsible for documenting much of the Irish contribution to California. In 1878 he write "The Irish Race in California and on the Pacific Coast". I have used much of his information in this collection.
REED- James Frazier Reed was born in Ireland in 1800, but was brought to this country early in his life. In 1832 he enlisted in the army and had as a companion Abraham Lincoln. Reed became one of San Jose's leading citizens and was instrumental in promoting San Jose as the first Capitol in 1849. His famliy's names are preserved by the present street names of Reed, Margaret, Virginia, Martha and Keyes.
REED- John Reed (Read) was the first land grantee and the first Irishman to set roots in Marin County. He was born in Dublin in 1802 and came to Californai via Acapulco, Mexico. In 1834 he acquired Corte Madera del Presido Rancho, consisting of 7,845 acres in the present Corte Maders-Larkspur area. He later built the sawmill that gave Mill Valley its name.
RIELY- General Bennet Riely (1787-1853) was the civilian and military governor of California from April 12, 1849 to December 20, 1849. While he was Kearney's successor, and as good a leader, he faced opposition to many of his ideas about civil government. His major accomplishment was to call a convention to draft a constitution for California. The gathering was held on October 13, 1849.
RIORDAN- Archbishop Patrick Riordan was a man of many talents. In addition to being remembered with a high school in San Francisco, he created the infrastructure of the Catholic Church in California.
ROACH- Of all of the Irish people who are profiled on this site, none left as large a mark as Philip A. Roach. (I am sure that I would have opposed much of what he did, if I were alive during that time, but there can be no doubt that he got things done.) He was born in County Cork Ireland on November 1, 1820. Some accounts claim that it was in Fermoy, but I have not been able to verify that claim. I was blessed to exchange correspondence with a distant relative of Roach, who actually answers messages, and as a result have made a few changes.
Some sources claim that his father died shortly after he was born, but records clearly show that he died on September 28, 1828, having already become a naturalized citizen of this country. In any case, the family moved to New York. Some reports claim that times were tough for the Roach family, but again, I can not verify this claim. It is clear that all of the boys did well in life. All of the girls but one married, and made good marriages.
At 24 years of age he travelled to Vicksburg Mississippi to visit his elder brother James, who was a banker there. (Some reports say that he was mayor, but again, I have been unable to verify this.) Philiph, never a man to miss an opportunity, managed to have himself appointed as editor of the local paper, "The Sentinel". He then moved on to Europe where he worked as a salesman for "American Cotton". In 1845, he was appointed by President John Tyler as American Vice Consul in Le Harve. In 1846 he returned to The United States and was soon appointed Consul General in Lisbon, Portugal by the new President, James K. Polk.
In 1849, Philiph received a letter from his brother Thomas, who lived in California, informing him of the gold discovery, and advising him to "come West". Philiph took the advice, resigned his Counslship and returned to America. He went home to New York for a rest. He left for California on June 30, 1849 and arrived here during the first week of August. He wandered down to Montery about the time that another Irishman, Bennett Riely was calling the State's first Constitutional Convention. (Roach was fluent in several languages so he could address delegates in Spanish, English, or a host of other tongues.) Roach did an excellent job and was offered just about any job that he wanted in the new government. He was not interested in any of them. He did accept the position as Alcalde of Montery. As it was soon to become an American city he had the distinction of being both the last Alcade and the first Mayor.
Shortly after being reelected as Mayor, Roach was elected as State Senator representing Montery and Santa Cruz counties. He took up his new duties on January 5, 1852. On Saint Patrick's Day (March 17) he introduced his 'sole traders bill'. This measure allowed married women to engage in business under their own names. (A very radical idea for those times.) The law went even further, it allowed women to sell goods, collect profits, and even sell businesses without the consent of their husbands. Roach's measure remains mainly intact to this day.
Roach was also aware of the need for infastructure, although I am sure that he never heard the word. Through his efforts, the block of land in San Francisco bounded by Washington, Jackson, Battery and Sansome Streets was set aside for a Customs House and other government buildings. On March 4, 1853, President Franklin Pierce appointed Roach U.S. Appraiser for the San Francisco district. Roach then moved to San Francisco, where he served in this capacity for eight years.
Roach was known as a man of action. Among other things, he wrote the laws that, regulated public utilities, established San Francisco's own water system, controlled the pharmacy practice, developed a system of weights and measures, recognized vocational education, and set up a training ship for apprentice seamen in San Francisco Bay. He also wrote the state's first spousal abuse law in 1875. Unfortunately, the law was declared "cruel and unusual punishment", but clearly he had the right idea. It said "A battery is punishable not exceeding one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in the county goal not exceeding six months, or if committed upon a wife of the assailant, it shall be in the discretion of the Court to punish the offender by the infliction of not less than twenty-one lashes on the bare back, to be administered by the Sheriff of the County or any Constable of the Township." (Yes, even back in 1875 wife beating was a problem, but Roach had a solution!)
As I have said, Roach was years ahead of his contemporaries. Another area where he worked was workers rights. In 1874, he followed up on his 'sole trader' bill with a law that allowed women to hold educational office (see Kate Kennedy above). He also opposed the use of "slave labor" and worked to see to it that California workers were protected. He wrote the bill that established the eight hour work day, and the overtime rates. Both have been in effect since the 1870's, and have even been repealed for a while, but thankfully are still with us. Not a bad record for a young, uneducated man from Ireland.
Mary Sapp provided several additions and corrections to this article. She also provided this link, which is an account of Mahala (Eggleston) Roach, wife/widow of James Roach.
SEMPLE- (1806-1854)Captain Robert Semple was elected as the chairman of the first Constitutional Convention held in Montery in 1849.
SHANNON- Born in Ballina, County Mayo in 1821, William Shannon's family immigrated to Bath, New York. Clearly William must have been bright, he was admitted to the New York State Bar at the age of 24, which was unheard of at that time. At the outbreak of the Mexican War in 1846, he enlisted. When he finished his training he was sent to Claifornia. He was stationed in Montery. When the war was over the government mustered him out at Montery, and informed him that he was on his own.
He worked his way up to Coloma, in the Gold Country and made many friends. In 1849 he was elected Alcalde (Mayor). When the need for a delegate for the Constitutional Convention was discussed, her was the unanimous choice. Because of his popularity, and reputation as a "fair man" he was elected as chairman of the Rules Committee. (He was 28 years old at the time.)
The biggest issue of the day was would California be a "free" or "slave" state. It was hotly debated by the convention. (At the time there were 30 states, 15 free and 15 slave.) During the rather lengthy debates, Shannon offered no opinion. When the debated drew to a close he strode to the front of the hall and said, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, unless for the punishment of a crime, shall ever be tolerated in this state." (Sounds just a little like Patrick Henry.) He died of cholera later that year.
TORMEY- The Tormey brother (John and Patrick)came to California both migrated to the area on Sonoma and Napa counties. they worked hard and amassed large holdings of land and cattle.
TULLY- Tully Road in San Jose was named for John Tully, a native of Ireland who came here with his wife, Rose in 1850. At one time Tully owned several thousand acres scattered throughout the Evergreen Valley.
YOUNG- Born in County Cork, William Young made his way to California in 1879. He worked hard on the docks and studied law at night. He served as a judge of Port Costa for eight years.
Some of the resources used to put this page together
© 1997 to 2004 by John D. Casey Jr.