Soraghan Farm 2011

Soraghan Farm 2011
Patrick Soraghan/Sullivan Farm, Dennbane, Co. Cavan, 2011

About Patrick Sullivan and Rose Leddy

About Patrick Sullivan and Rose Corcoran

Not much is known about Patrick Sullivan except that he lived in Dennbane/Denbawn, Denn Parish, County Cavan, Ireland. Records have been located which express the Sullivan last name with the Soraghan/Soroghan/Sorohan spelling. His wife, Rose (c1804-1874), is identified in various documents as having the maiden name of Leddy, McCabe and/or Corcoran. However, it is believed her maiden name was Corcoran. She also is from Ireland, most likely Drumbarry, Co. Cavan. They had at least 11 children, many which immigrated to the US. The children include: Mary (died before 1915 probably in Ireland); Rose Sullivan (died before 1915 probably in Ireland); Michael (c1829-1915); Ellen (c1830-1900); Thomas (c1831-a1901&b1911 in Ireland); James (c1931-1898); Patrick (c1831-1881); Andrew (c1833-1881); Peter F. (c1838-1896); Philip J. (1840-1915) [See also the Sullivan/Connor Genelaogy Blog]; and Matthew (1841-a1916). It is believed that neither Patrick nor Rose immigrated but lived and died in Ireland.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Peter J. Mulvaney - St. Gertrude Church

Peter J. Mulvaney (1868-1912), the son of  Ellen Sullivan (1830-1900 - daughter of Patrick Sullivan and Rose Corcoran) and Thomas Mulvaney (1830-1904), was influential in the creation of St. Gertrude's Parish in Chicago.  In a recent book entitled Woven Lives: One Hundred years in the Story of the St. Gertrude Faith Family, author Patrick Reardon writes:

"By 1910, Catholics living in the northern portion of St. Ita parish were chafing at the inconvenience of traveling a mile or more each Sunday for mass.  A year later, three men from the neighborhood --- Peter J. Mulvaney, P. Frank Combiths and Frank Kelley --- met with Archbishop James Quigley and made their case for a new parish.

"He agreed. And the new parish was established on January 3, 1912, with Father Peter F. Shewbridge as pastor. It was named for St. Gertrude the Great, a German mystic and theologian from the 13th century and the only female saint know as "the Great."  According to Peter M. Brost, one of the intitial group of parishioners, that name was chosen to honor Father Shewbridge's mother.

"Five days later, the parish faced its first sorrow.  Perter Mulvaney, one of the men who had met with Archbishop Quigley, died.  His funeral was at St. Ita."


The Mulvaneys lived at 1519 W. Glenlake, only a few blocks from the location of the current Church now located at 1420 W. Granville.  Peter's wife, Elizabeth, lived at the Glenlake address until 1961 when she moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, two months before she died.

Source: Patrick J. Reardon, Woven Lives: One Hundred Years in the Story of the St. Gertrude Faith Family, May, 2012, pages 15-16.