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Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. Margaret Louise Knowles: Birth: 25 Feb 1865 in Luggacurren, Tullomoy, County Queens (now County Laois) Ireland. Death: 30 Jun 1933 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois


Notes
a. Note:   Notes for Thomas Knowles: Thomas Knowles married Catherine Tyndall on April 19, 1864, in a Catholic church in the Parish of Muckalee, in the Diocese of Ossory, in County Kilkenny, Ireland. A photo of the simple marriage record shows that even educated priests sometimes misspelled names: <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/jf44x63tPzbA7pkx9">Photo</a>
  The church seems to have been St. Brigid's, in the townland of Coan East. That general area was previously known as Coon, which is written in the above image. Coan East is immediately east of Coan West, where Catherine Tyndall, known as "Kate", was apparently born and lived until her marriage.
  Soon after the marriage, Thomas and Kate traveled 17 miles north to the place where Thomas was born; the townland of Luggacurren, in the Tullomoy civil parish, in County Queens, Ireland. In 1922 the name of County Queens was changed to County Laois (also spelled Laoighis or Leix). Laois is pronounced "leash".
  The couple's 10 known children were all born in Luggacurren, and they were all baptized in a Catholic church (almost certainly the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, in Luggacurren) in the Catholic Parish of Ballyadams, in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, in County Queens:
  <b>1)</b> Margaret Knowles, born February 25, 1865, and baptized February 26th. More about her is in this chart.
  <b>2)</b> Catherine Knowles, like her mother of the same name, also known as "Kate", born September 26, 1866, and baptized September 30th. Kate Knowles married Thomas Phelan on May 29, 1908, in Luggacurren. By that time, it would seem that the 41-year-old Kate was too old to have given birth to any children. Kate was named as a witness to her mother's death on the mother's 1919 death record.
  <b>3)</b> Mary Knowles, born and baptized in early February of 1869. Differing exact dates for both events have been found online. The 1901 Census of Ireland shows Mary living with her parents in the Townland of Crissard, in the civil parish of Rathaspick, in County Queens (now County Laois) Ireland. Mary immigrated to the U.S. about 1906. Mary later became Sister Mary Elvira Knowles, R. S. M. (Religious Sisters of Mercy). Regardless of the fact that her first name at birth was Mary, as a Sister, "Mary" was an honorary first name given to all Sisters. She was known in daily life as Sister Elvira, and as Sister Elvira Knowles for more formal uses. The 1920 U.S. census shows that Sister Elvira Knowles worked, appropriately, (as a Religious Sister of Mercy) at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, in some unstated capacity. The 1940 U.S. census shows 71 year old "Mary Knowles", apparently retired, living in Chicago with her brother Martin and his family. Mary lived to the age of 97. Sister M. Elvira Knowles died June 21, 1966, in Chicago. She had a death notice in the June 22nd <i>Chicago Tribune:</i> <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/WSttkkAsdGjtUA7G7">Photo</a>
  Sister's death certificate: <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/W8q8QQZTsOYEeWLJ3">Photo</a>
  Sister's FindAGrave memorial includes a photo of her grave marker, which shows a year of birth that is 18 years (!) too late: <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=70626117">Photo</a>
  <b>4)</b> Bridget Knowles, born December 27, 1870, and baptized December 29th.
  <b>5)</b> Anne Knowles, apparently born in 1871 or 1872. No birth or baptismal record has been found for her.
  <b>6)</b> Julia Knowles, born in March of 1873 and baptized March 24th.
  <b>7)</b> Elizabeth Knowles, known as Lisa, born March 13, 1875, and baptized March 17th. She emigrated to Chicago about 1892. There, her nickname seems to have changed from Lisa to Eliza. Elizabeth's older sisters Margaret and Mary were already living in Chicago when Elizabeth arrived. Their brother Martin also lived in Chicago for a while. Elizabeth Knowles married Martin Shortall of Ireland on April 11, 1894, in Chicago. They had 10 children. The couple lived in Chicago for the rest of their lives. Martin died May 25, 1917. Elizabeth Shortall died August 15, 1938. A photo of Elizabeth's death certificate: <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/ApuHLxNqRMpL1onEA">Photo</a>
  <b>8)</b> John Knowles, born January 26, 1877, and baptized February 3rd.
  <b>9)</b> Martin Thomas Knowles, born April 2, 1878, and baptized April 6th. He immigrated May 10, 1897. His stated destination was Chicago. He did go there, and was the godfather for his sister Margaret Knowles Parker's daughter Catherine, who was baptized February 13, 1898.
  I would guess that Martin chose a middle name by himself. People in Ireland when he lived there did not have middle names. He, like his brother Michael, chose the first name of their same-sex parent as their middle name. I have other distant relatives from Ireland who did the same thing.
  Martin later moved to Iowa, where he married Catherine Therese McDonald in Melrose on October 21, 1903. They had children Edmund Thomas Knowles, Gerald James Knowles, Catherine Elise Knowles, Martin Aloysius Knowles, Rose Angela Knowles, Mary Elvira Knowles, Margaret Eleanor Knowles, known as "Maggie", Carmelita Ann Knowles, and Therese M. Knowles, known as "Tess".
  The family moved from Iowa to Nebraska in the early 1920s and lived there for a few years. They then moved to Chicago, where the family was listed in the 1930 and 1940 U.S. censuses. About 1951, the parents and most of the daughters moved to Sonoma County, California. Catherine McDonald Knowles died December 9, 1960, in Santa Rosa, Sonoma, California. Martin Thomas Knowles lived to the age of 97. He died April 15, 1975, also in Santa Rosa.
  Martin's FindAGrave memorial includes photos of his grave marker: <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=129155002">Memorial</a>
  <b>10)</b> Michael Thomas Knowles, born August 3, 1880, and baptized August 8th. He was at least the fourth child of Thomas and Catherine Knowles to leave Ireland. He moved from Ireland to Alaska in 1899 to prospect for gold. I would guess that Michael chose a middle name by himself. People in Ireland when he lived there did not have middle names. He, like his brother Martin, chose the first name of their same-sex parent as their middle name.
  The 1920 U.S. census shows the misspelled name of "Michel" Knowles. He was a 39-year-old unmarried prospector, living in Kennicott, Alaska. Michael was not very successful prospecting, but he stayed in Alaska most of his life working at various jobs. He married a woman named Veronica, who was born in Poland. The couple apparently did not have any children. They are listed in the 1940 U.S. census living in Valdez, Alaska. Michael Knowles retired in Seattle, Washington. He died there November 3, 1965.
  A photo of Michael in Alaska: <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/2jdZUoA9dihS7fNZ9">Photo</a>
  Michael's FindAGrave memorial includes a photo of his grave marker, although that marker shows his middle initial as J, and his date of birth as August 2nd: <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=53645702">Memorial</a> - The 1901 Census of Ireland shows Thomas, listed as 62, an unemployed carpenter; his wife Catherine, listed as 55; their daughter Mary, 30; and an apparent granddaughter. They lived in the Townland of Crissard, in the civil parish of Rathaspick, in County Queens (now County Laois) Ireland. The family were Catholics. <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/ctzKjWntMzTjjPYy6">Photo</a>
  Thomas Knowles' 1907 death record states that his occupation was a farmer, which was different from what the 1901 census had stated: <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/xwHqdqFazJgR7f6x5">Photo</a>


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