Person:John Kane (2)

!"Obituary in ICT" [Iroquois County Transcript(?)], 5 June 1886. Received in correspondence from Verna Drake, Iroquois County Genealogical Society, copy in possession of SMS.

                                                " JOHN KANE
   DIED-At his home in Concord Township on Tuesday, May 25th, 1886, John Kane, in the 72nd year of his age, of general debility.
   Mr. Kane was born in County Kerry, Ireland, April 1st, 1815. There he grew to manhood and was married to Mary Flynn. He came to America in 1847 with his wife and two children, Daniel who is now in Oregon, and Morris who resides on the farm where his father died. The widow survives her husband and will reside with her son Morris.
   The remains were interred in Prairie Dell Cemetery on Thursday, May 27th. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Father Quinn of Gilman. The funeral was very largely attended.
   Old Johnny Kane was recognized as an old settler, having come to Iroquois County in 1859. He was a man who was generally respected for his integrity. His career has not been a notable one but he faithfully served his time and sank into rest regretted by a large circle of friends and accquaintances."
   Comments: Although Honora is not named (she passed away in 1878), our Daniel in Oregon is mentioned.  It would apppear that the obituary is only naming the two surviving children, and that may be why Honora was not listed.
   The obituary provided an immigration date for the family, and indicates that there were 12 years in the U.S. before their arrival in Iroquois County, Illinois in 1859. The 1860 census indicated that Daniel and Morris (still at home) were born in Canada.  Although they were really born in Ireland, perhaps the family resided in Canada after their immigration and before their arrival in Illinois.
    From the immigration date listed in the obituary, it is clear that the Kanes were Irish Potato Famine immigrants.  

LAND: John Kane is in the area as early as 1859, as he is grantor in a chattel mortgage. (Bk. 18, p.328.) John, and his wife Mary, sell land in Watseka and Middleport (the very areas that Timothy and Hanora live in) in August 1864, (Bk. 31, p. 297.) and in Sept 1865. (Bk. 36, p. 68.)

                                                            1860 Census
    The John Kane family was located in the 1860 census with great difficulty.  When Ancestry.com put an online index on the internet, it was searched.  There were no matching entries for Kane (or soundex) and Cane (soundex) turned up one possible entry--John Chin.  He was in Concord--the right place, so we looked at the entry.  All the given names were perfect!  But there were other significant discrepancies--although the ages for Morris and Daniel were just right, the ages for John and Mary were off.  Then it indicated that Morris and Daniel were born in Canada, while in reality Daniel, at least, was born in Ireland.
   To help decide if this was indeed our family, we decided to compare the neighbors with those in the 1870 census, which had already been found.  We were able to conclusively match many of the neighbors, and feel confident that we found the right family.
    As we further examined the surname in the census, we may have an explaniation for its oddity.  The more we looked at it, the more it looked like a capital E and not a capital C.  Recall that John was called Johnny in his obituary, and that he would have had an Irish brogue.  So when his name was said "Johnny Kane" perhaps the enumerator heard John-E-kan. What ever the case, I am grateful that an enumerator saw a C and wrote something that soundex coded to match Cain.
    From this census we glean important information about the youngest child in the family--Johanna.  Anna, in her mother's obituary, is listed as 6 years old (born cal 1854) and born in Illinois. Besides her name in her mother's obituary, this is the only document we have of her so far.
    Is Johanna indeed born in Illinois? That would mean the family was in the state by 1854, and in Iriquois County by 1859, as per the obit.
                                          1860 Census: Concord, Iroquois, Illinois; p. 56.

390/382 John Ekan, 40 years, male, farmer, $580, Ireland. Mary, 48, female, [Canada kind of erased] ditto marks indicating Ireland. Daniel, 21, male, Canada. Morris, 18, male, Canada. Johanna, 6, female, Illinos.

   Timothy Sullivan, husband of Honora Kane, had some dealings with John Kane on Dec. 1, 1863 in the land records in Iroquois County, Illinois.  There is a chattel mortgage between the two of them.  (Bk 26, p. 308.)

See a complete listing of the animals, or chattel, listed under Timothy Sullivan's information.

   There appear to be two John Kanes in Iroquois County. The older of the two is Honora's father, and the younger's relationship, if any, is unknown at the present.

1870_CENSUS:Concord, Iroquois, Illinois, p. 21. (FHL# 545,730)

   John Kane, 56 years, male, farmer, $500 in personal property, born in Ireland, father and mother foreign born, eligible to vote [i.e. naturalized.]
   Mary Kane, 56 years, female, keeping house, born in Ireland, father and mother foreign born.

And in Chebanese Township, p. 30. [The following two are probably brothers to one another.]

   Patrick Kane, 35 years, male, white, farm laborer, $175 in personal property, born in Ireland, father and mother foreign born, not eligible to vote.
   John Kane, 22 years, male, white, farm laborer, $200 in personal property, born in Ireland, father and mother foreign born, not eligible to vote.

 It appears that John (the younger) and Patrick are still in the county in the 1880 census, and still in Chebanse.
p. 51, #502, Patrick Kane, 30, laboror, widowed, born in Ireland, father and  mother born in Ireland.
p. 43, #392, John Kane, 38 years, boarder, laboror, born in Ireland, father  and mother born in Ireland.
   There was a marriage of a Patrick Kane and an Abbie Mahoney that were married 2 Nov 1873 in Iroquois County, Illinois.

  In the 1880 census, both John Kane (the elder) and Mary are still alive and in Concord. They are living 5 houses away from their son, Morris Kane.
    Concord, Iroquois, Illinois, ED# 126, sheet 30, p. 132B.
   #229/236 John Kane, white, male, 67 years, married, born in Ireland, father and mother born in Ireland.
   Mary Kane, white, female, 67 years, married, born in Ireland, father and mother born in Ireland.

 In the Naturalization Records of Iroquois County, (FHL# 1321,550, item 1, p. 98), there is a John Keen, an exparte of Great Britain, resident of Sheldon, Iroquois County, that had his naturalization denied because of insufficient witnesses on the 21st of October, 1888.
   This wouldn't seem to be John Sr., because he was eligible to vote in 1870 census. Perhaps it is John Kane the younger.

  In the Catholic Church records, where Honora and Timothy had 2 of their sons christened,  John Kane appears as a godparent 3 times.

L'erable Records, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, BIRTH MARRIAGE AND DEATH RECORDS, 1856-1879. (FHL 977.364/K2m.)

    "#756, 12 Feb 1867, Baptism of John Buckley Kane by Fr. Pernin. 25 Nov 1866, born to Peter Kane and Marie Kelly. Godparents: John Kane and Marie Kane."
    [Note: godparents often are not husband and wife but rather related to the father and mother--often a brother or sister.  This record keeper seems to use the women's MAIDEN names consistently when referring to the mothers of the infants. Does he use maiden names on the witnesses as well, or is this a reference to Mary Kane, the mother of Honora?
   The record keeper speaks french natively, and translates many of the names into French in these church records--hence Morris is Maurice, Mary is Marie, etc. You will notice how much difficulty he has with Honora's name under her entries. (See the information under Honora Kane.)

L'erable Records, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, BIRTH MARRIAGE AND DEATH RECORDS, 1856-1879. (FHL 977.364/K2m.)

    "# 804, 11 Aug 1867, baptism at Clifton of Michael Hennery O'Hea by Fr. Pernin. 1 Aug 1867 born to Michael O'Hea and Mary Gouton. Godparents: John Kean and Mary Ann Kean."
    "#785, 1 July 1867, baptism at Watseka of John Kane by Fr. Pernin. 6 April 1867 born to Maurice Kane and Marie Ann Hudson. Godparents: John Kane and Katy Roash (Roache?)"
     [Please recall that we know our Daniel Sullivan married Julia Roach.]

1890 IROQUOIS COUNTY TAX LIST - PAGE1; CONCORD TOWNSHIP (taken from USGENWEB site.)

    KANE, Cassa 12,6,13,14
    KANE, John 46
    KANE, Morris 46,6,12,13,14

Lots of Eastburns too.

! John died, and his probate records indicate his heirs and assetts.

PROBATE: Iroquois County, Illinois; recieved in correspondance from Verna Drake, copy in possession of SMWS.
   "Mary Kane respectfully represents that John Kane, late of Iroquois County, departed this life at Concord in the said County on or about the 27th day of May, 1886, leaving no last will and testament as far as the petitioner knows....  John Kane died seized and possessed of Personal estate consisting chiefly of cattle, horses, hogs, and mules.. estimated to be worth $2,000. That the said deceased left him surviving him Mary Kane, his widow, and Morris Kane and Daniel Kane...." Signed on the 11th of Apr, 1887, Mary made an "X" as a mark for her name.
    And on May 21st, 1887 to May 4th 1898, the administrator determined the following.    "No property or assetts of any kind have been recieved by me....There being no assetts found or known to exist, administrator respectfully askes to be discharged."

! John Kane and Mary, his wife, are buried next to each other in the Prarie Dell Cemetery. Morris, their son, and his two wives, and their daughter, Honora Kane Sullivan, are buried next to each other. Here is the whole family:

    Iroquois County Historical Society; Prairie Dell Cemetery Transcription; received through correspondance from the society.   It appears that the stones are recorded in the order that they lie in the cemetery.
24S1 [Row 24, stone 1???]  Cassie Riley Kane; Oct. 17, 1858-June 6, 1933.
24S2 Morris Kane; Father; Died Apr. 23, 1890: Aged 48 years, 1 month, 23 days;    "At Rest"
24S3 Mary Kane; wife of Morris Kane; Died Mar 1873.
24S4 Wilehelmina Kane; Dau. of Morris and Nell Kane; Died May 18, 1873; Age 4    years, 7 months, and 22 days.
24S5 [Row 24, stone 5?] John D. Kane; Died May 29, 1886; Aged 71 years, 1 month, 25 days; "All is well"
 Mary Flynn Kane; Died May 19, 1899; 84 years, 6 months, 4 days; "Asleep in  Jesus" 24S6.
 Honora Sullivan; Wife of Timothy Sullivan; Died 11 Dec 1878; Aged 28  years [sic]; "______ have a world of care and everlasting bliss to share"
 24S7. Small stone with no markings  [Might this be a child of Honora or of Rosa A. Kane Wright Travis?]
24S8. Rosa A. Kane Wright Travis; May 30, 1876- Mar 10, 1937
24S9. Charles J. Wright; Feb 17, 1870-June 30, 1903"

NOTE: There is a discrepancy in the death date for John Kane in the Cemetery record date and date in the newspaper obituary recorded below. Perhaps the stone was very worn and the 24 looked like 29. The 24th must be correct because the 29th is a Saturday, and the funeral took place on a Thursdsay. The timing for the funeral, and the date of the newspaper on Wednesday work only for the 24th. The birth date is calculated from the May 24th death date.

! Watseka Republican Newspaper, recieved in correspondence from the Iroquois County Genealogical Society in Watseka, Illinois, 1996.; copy in possession of SMW. Wednesday, June 2, 1886. Iroquois.

   "Mr John Kane died at his residence near Iroquois on the 24th, aged 71 years. The funeral services took place Thursday, attended by a large number of friends who followed his remains to their last resting place at Prairie Dell Cemetery."

Iroquois Co., Illinois; quote from probate packet; Box 100; Recieved in correspondance from the Iroquois County Genealogical Society in Watseka, Illinois; April 1996.; research done by Verna Drake, research chairman; copy in possession of SMS.

   "There is a John Kane, probate file in Box 100, who died 27 May 1886, leaving a widow, Mary, and sons Morris and Daniel. No one else is mentioned... Nothing is said about Daniel in particular. Nothing about Honora's children."

                                               PATRICK KANE
   From clues in Daniel Kane's military packet, we are led to some more Kanes. Please see the information under Daniel Kane to learn more about a Patrick and Ann Kane in Stark Co., Illinois, the area that Daniel enlisted from in Illinois.

MILITARY: Pension Packet from the National Archives for Daniel Kane.

   In the various documents in the pension packets we learn the following. Bradford F. Thompson [a resident of Toulon, Stark Co., Illinois, and who was to become the captain of the company] knew Daniel Kane at the time of Daniel's enlistment [in Aug. 1862.]  He said that Daniel was working on a farm in the neighboring town of Elmira. He said Daniel had been there in Elmira for 1-2 years previous to the time of enlistment. [Captain Bradford said in the regimental history, that he wrote years later, that Daniel never returned home--implying that there were other family members in the area to return HOME to??] On the 26th of September in 1863 at Calhoun, Tenn., Daniel was captured by the enemy while the troops were falling back. Daniel never returned to the regiment, and for many years was assumed to be dead, until he was finally heard of out in Oregon.
    [Captain Thompson probably became aware of him as a result of Daniel applying for his pension while residing in Oregon. When writing the regimental history, Captain Bradford indicated that Daniel was dead.  Does this also imply that Daniel's family was gone from the area at the time that Captain  Bradford Thompson was writing the history, so that Capt. Thompson couldn't verify this information?]

1865_CENSUS: Stark Co., West Jersey Twsp, Illinois.

  Knowing that Daniel enlisted from Elmira, Stark Co., Illinois, a search in census records right around the time of the civil war, revealed these Kanes in that area. Are they related?
  James Cain, 2 males and 1 female under 10 years. 1 female over 20 but not over 30 years.  1 male over 30, but not over 40 years.
 Patrick Cane, 3 females over 10, but not over 20 years. 1 male and 1 female over 50, but not over 60 years.

  A search of the same location in the 1860 and in the 1870 census reveals only Patrick.

[Note: Perhaps a search of land records would be helpful, and tell us where James went, and when James and Patrick came into the area, and where they came from. Notice that Patick has land indicated in the 1860 & 1870 census.]

1860 CENSUS: Goshen Twsp., LayFayette P.O., Stark, Illinois, p. 812.

   Patrick Kane, 40 years, laborer, $100 in    property, $75 in property, born in Ireland, can't read or write.
   Ann F. Keene, 35 years, female, born in Ireland, can't read or write.
   Hannah Flanty, 10 years, female, born in Ohio, can't read or write.
   Catharine Flanty, 7 years, female, born in Ohio.
   Mary A. Flanty, 5 years, female, born in Ohio.
   Wm. Flanty, 30 years, male, laborer, born in Ireland.
[SMS isn't sure what is happening--possibly Wm. Flanty has lost his wife and is staying with Patrick and Ann. William may be Ann's brother. Notice that 5 years later, in the 1865 census above, the 3 girls appear to still be with Patrick and Ann, but William is not there.)

1870_CENSUS: Toulon Post Office, West Jersey Township, Stark Co., Illinois. p. 31. (FHL 977.3513/x2b. p. 210.)

 224/ Patrick Kane, 60 years, male, white, Farmer, value of real estate--$200, value of personal property--$200, born in Ireland.
   Ann Kane, 50 years, female, white, Keeping House, born in Ireland.

 Might this be the "home" that Daniel never returned to after the Civil War?  Patrick and Ann, are possibly related to Daniel and Honora and we want to find out more about them.

                                                FRANCIS KANE
  In a land document, as Timothy sells land, he has the payment going to Francis K(eenen?).  In the L'erable catholic church records, there is a marriage of a Francis Carr, Carey or CANE.

!L'erable Records, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, BIRTH MARRIAGE AND DEATH RECORDS, 1856-1879. (FHL 977.364/K2m.)

    #386, 3 Sept 1863, marriage of Francis Carr, CANE or Carey and Catharina Magher (Mayher?) of Chebanese (Township) by Fr. Cote. Witnesses: David Pyne, friend, and Edward Magher (Mayher?), brother.

                                                        MISC.
   There are a couple more Kanes that we know very little about, and yet are interconnected with our family somehow.  For example, at the time of the christening of Honora and Timothy Sullivan's 1st child, Daniel Sullivan, his godparents were Daniel Kane and Maria Kane. This Daniel is quite probably her brother. Maria KANE, possibly her maiden name if the french record keeper of this parish is consistent, hasn't been identified yet.  Perhaps Maria is a sister. If this is not a maiden name, this may be Honora's mother, Mary (Flynn) Kane.   Another probable connection exists with a Peter Kane and his wife Marie Kelley that have a son christened, in the same parish, with JOHN KANE as a witness.

TO DO: Search for the John D. Kane family, in Canada, in the 1851 census.

1. ↑ Cemetery.

   Buried at Prairie Dell Cemetery.