This is perhaps my most treasured family heirloom. It is a wooden rosary and pipe that belonged to my 2nd great grandparents, Patrick Hanley (1857-1923) and Ellen Sullivan Kelly Hanley (1850-1938). They were both immigrants from the Beara Peninsula in County Cork, Ireland. Patrick was Ellen’s 2nd husband.
The original display was made by my great aunt Beverly Hanley Mansour (1929-2009). The rosary was placed so as to resemble the coastline of Ireland. I am not sure when Aunt Bev made the original display but it had fallen into some disrepair when it came into my possession. A couple of years ago my wife surprised me with having it professional restored and framed behind protective glass. It now hangs in the entryway of our home.
Aunt Bev, along with my grandfather Michael John Hanley Jr. (1924-2015), were two of Patrick and Ellen’s grandchildren. The others include: Helen Hanley Toups (1922-1989), Mary Ellen Hanley Topolinski (1927-2015), and Joyce Hanley Schnelker (1932-1982).
Patrick died, unfortunately by suicide, before all but one of his grandchildren were born. The oldest grandchild, Helen, was only an infant when he died. Here is the only photo I have ever seen of Ellen.
I believe she is the woman in the front row, 2nd from the right, in the checkered dress. I recognize the man on the far left as her son from her first marriage, Cornelius Kelly (1872-1950), and I think the man in the back row right is her son from her 2nd marriage, John Jack Hanley (1885-1946). I am not sure who the others are.
I have never seen a photograph of Patrick. Over the years I remember one, maybe two, faint whispers about his suicide. His is a story that I would like to find and tell some day.
Though she didn’t know him, Aunt Bev did share some thoughts about him in this interview she gave to my dad a few years before she died. My father interviewed her, her sister, Mary Ellen Hanley Topolinski (1927-2015), and my grandfather, Michael John Hanley Jr. (1924-2015) in the car on the long drive to go visit the old homestead in Atlantic Mine, Michigan. An approximate transcription follows.
Beverly Hanley Mansour (Bev): She had these 4 children, Grandma Hanley did. By this time she not only had a little parlor/shebeen, but she also had a lets see, she would take in people all the time.
Interviewer (Int): Renters?
Bev: Yes, boarders, especially people who just arrived from Ireland. And they would stay with her until they got stabilized and a lot of them went to Chicago. And I think that is where the McCarthys or someone, and I can’t really remember that. But, I know that was the place to go to when you arrived from Ireland. And probably a lot of them couldn’t even speak English. Anyhow, one her her boarders turned out to be Hanley [Patrick Hanley, her 2nd husband, and owner of the pipe]. And, Harrington [See note 1] died, and I don’t know how. And she was left a widow with 4 children.
Int: Hanley? What Hanley
Bev: That would be my grandfather, my dad’s father. That would be grandpa Hanley’s father. So she ended up marrying the boarder and I believe that someone mentioned that he was younger than her.
Int: ??
Bev: No, lets back up. Grandma came over. My grandmother came over. Not your grandma, my grandma. So, anyhow, she was left a widow with the Harrington [See note 1] children. And so Hanley was a boarder in the house and she married him. Now, my understanding is that he was somewhat younger than her. He was very good looking, always dressed. I don’t think he was a very hard worker and I think grandma hanley always ran the show. Let’s see with Hanley then, She had, she was almost pregnant every 9 months. She had Jack who was the oldest, then Mayme was next, and then Pat, my dad Mike, Aunt Margaret and then Tim. So what is that, 7?
Int: More than a handful
Bev: Yeah, right, so anyhow…
Note 1: While there were Harringtons in our family (a couple of different branches, in fact), I believe my Aunt Bev misspoke here. Ellen’s first husband was Michael Kelly (1842-1879). Ellen had four children with him (all half-siblings of my great grandfather). One of those daughters, Annie Kelly (1868-1951), married a Daniel John Harrington (1862-1951). They had several children and I believe that is where Aunt Bev was mixing up the Harrington name.
I have written previously about several of Ellen’s other children. You can read about them here:
Ellen’s children with her first husband, Michael Kelly (1852-1879):
The Tragic Death of Julia Kelly (1869-1941) by Fire in Atlantic Mine, Michigan
Blind Cornelius Kelly and the Beauty of Gaelic Prayer
Ellen’s children with her second husband, Patrick Hanley (1857-1923):
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In May of 2020 I challenged myself and others to write every day for a month about a family heirloom or artifact. Here are 10 lessons I learned from this genealogy writing experience.