I'm in the process of trying to document my direct line as well as
unearth siblings of my forbears.

What I have (derived from a paper by Mary Brennan Reid cited in a report by Mary
Theresa Taylor, wife of a Brennan kinsman)

Michael BRENNAN b. 1825 Kilkenny IRL emigrated 1846 - Liverpool/NY "Venice"
married (I'm guessing late 1846/early 1847)
Mary KELLY b. 1830 (place?) IRL emigrated 1846 Liverpool/NY "Greenock"

//Michael & Mary are assumed to be in South Ward, Pottsville 1847-1860, as all
their children were born there// no date of death for either spouse, no parish
affiliation as of yet. Assuming Michael was a collier, as were his sons at least
in the early parts of their lives.

CHILDREN:
Michael BRENNAN b. 1847 South Ward Pottsville PA
John BRENNAN b/d same day 1849 South Ward Pottsville PA
Luke BRENNAN b 1851 South Ward Pottsville PA
*
Francis BRENNAN b/d same day 1853
*Thomas BRENNAN b 1855 South Ward Pottsville PA. 1855 is the date Mary Reid has.
I have Thomas's death certificate which has his year of birth as 1852. Still
waiting query to Diocese of Allentown for birth/baptismal info to clarify. //I'm
descended from Thomas on my father's side//
Mary BRENNAN b. 1857 South Ward, Pottsville PA
Martin BRENNAN b. 1858 South Ward, Pottsville PA
William BRENNAN b. 1860 South Ward Pottsville PA

THOMAS BRENNAN b. 1852 or 1855 Pottsville PA d. 1923 Phila PA
married (assuming before 1883)
Julia McGRATH, assumed Schuykill Co, very little concrete info on her
//Thomas & Julia were in Schuykill Co at least 1883 until around 1899/1900, when
they moved to Phila. My father remembers his mother (Thomas's daughter) stating
the reason for the move was that Thomas managed to survive a mine cave in and
didn't want to press his luck further, so went to find a job in Phila. His death
certificate states he was a "stationary engineer", which my father says is
boiler maintainance/operations//
CHILDREN OF THOMAS AND JULIA
Mary b. 1883 Schuykill Co - d, 1916 Phila, died in childbirth
Katherine b. 1885 Schuykill Co
Alice b. 1887 Schuykill Co
William b. 1889 Schuykill Co
(Michael?) b, 1891 Schuykill Co //it is not certain if Michael was a twin of
Nicholas below, or if Michael was Nick's 1st or middle name//
Nicholas b. 1891 Schuykill Co
James b. 1893
Helen (aka Nellie, listed as Ellen on her baptismal from St. Kieran's
Heckscherville) b. 1895 Heckscherville d. 1958 NJ//my grandmother//
TWINS: Francis and Joseph - b. 1900 Phila PA

Sifting through the coal-mining Brennans is quite a challenge! Whatever info you
can spare would be greatly appreciated! Hope to hear from you soon - Peg

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