Julia Kelly

How I Introduce Myself to the Current Residents of an Ancestral Home

How I Introduce Myself to the Current Residents of an Ancestral Home

I finally stood in front of the Hanley homestead in Atlantic Mine, a house I’d heard about all my life. Instead of knocking, I left a letter — though not before giving in to the temptation of the doorbell. This is the story of that visit, the family lore tied to the house, and what it meant to leave something behind.

The Pipe and Rosary of My Hanley 2nd Great Grandparents - Family Artifact Challenge (Day 8)

 The Pipe and Rosary of My Hanley 2nd Great Grandparents - Family Artifact Challenge (Day 8)

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 to Atlantic Mine, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Here is their story.

"Fatally Mangled By Train" - James Hanley (1888-1908)

"Fatally Mangled By Train" - James Hanley (1888-1908)

Though likely not THE train that killed my 2nd great uncle, James Hanley (1888-1909), one like it from the same railroad company probably did. This is his story.

 

The Tragic Death of Julia Kelly (1869-1941) by Fire in Atlantic Mine, Michigan

The Tragic Death of Julia Kelly (1869-1941) by Fire in Atlantic Mine, Michigan

This is the surprising story about my 2nd great aunt, Julia Kelly (1869-1941), and her tragic death by fire in Atlantic Mine, MI. {with audio}