Thomas Daly, son of Thomas O’Dell and Sarah Eliza (Westropp) O’Dell, was born in 1785 in Castleconnell, Limerick, Ireland. He was married to Mary Biau in 1806 in County Meath, Ireland.
Thomas and family emigrated to the United States in 1839, landing in Boston Harbor. They eventually settled on a farm that was one mile south and one mile west of Mount Morris, Michigan. They lived in a log cabin on their homestead. Mary died sometime between 1840 and 1841 and was buried in Flint, Michigan.
Swans in Castleconnell
Thomas’s granddaughter Mary Jane Hughes tells of the death of Thomas:
“One day Thomas was taken sick and wanted a priest. As there were no priests in Mt. Morris or Flint, they sent to Detroit for one. He came a distance of about one hundred miles on horseback. He prepared Thomas for death, and told the family that he might recover, but not to send the priest again as it was too far to come on horseback.
Thomas did recover from that illness; but later took sick again. He wanted them to bury him in his own yard, as there was no cemetery in Mt. Morris or Flint yet. After his death, his boys dug the grave. Then they went to their neighbor, Mr. Toogood, who had a yoke of oxen. They asked to borrow them to drive to Flint, seven miles away, to get the coffin. Mr. Toogood said ‘I can’t let you take them as I am afraid of Catholics.’ So the boys carried the coffin from Flint on their shoulders. They buried their father where he told them, but later, when Calvary Cemetery was established, his body was moved to Flint. His death occurred on December 14, 1854. His and Mary’s tombstones read ‘Natives of Miath (Meath) Co., Ireland.’”
Thomas and Mary Daly Grave – Old Calvalry Cemetery, Flint, Michigan
Thomas and Mary had nine children:
i. Jane was born in 1807 in Ireland. She married Patrick Coan in Ireland and died in 1882 in Michigan.
ii. Patrick was born in 1810 in Daugh Parrish, Kerry, Ireland. He married Ann in 1840 in Flint, Michigan. He died on October 2, 1896 in Mt. Morris, Michigan.
iii. Matthew was born in 1811 in Meath, Ireland.
Pond at Loughcrew, County Meath
iv. John C. was born on May 20, 1822 in Kilgeonque, County Meath, Ireland. He married Elizabeth Beahan on February 20, 1849 in Flint, Michigan. He died on October 20, 1906 in Nelson Farm, Columbia, Brown County, South Dakota.
v. Thomas Daly was born in 1823 in Meath, Ireland.
vi. Christopher Daly was born in 1824 in Ireland. He married Julia Gahan. They were married on April 24, 1854. He died in 1916 in Mt. Morris, Michigan.
vii. Lawrence was born in 1829 in Kilgeonque County, Meath, Ireland. He died in 1839 in Boston, Massachusetts.
viii. Mary was born on May 1, 1832 in Kilgeonque County, Meath, Ireland. She married Edward Hughes in Mt. Morris, Michigan. She died in Mt. Morris in 1884.
ix. Michael was born in 1833 in Kilgeonque County, Meath, Ireland. He died in 1903 in Billings, Montana.
BOSTON HARBOR, SUNSET by Fitz Henry Lane, 1850-1855
