The Dealy/Daly Siblings of Bantry, County Cork

My grandmother, Hannah (Dealy) O'Sullivan was one of at least 4, and perhaps as many as  7 or 8 siblings.  My research into Hannah, her husband, Jeremiah O'Sullivan and her children had reached a dead end at the 1880 census.  In the 1880 Census she was a widow living at 99 Pleasant Street in Charlestown, Massachusetts, with her son Jeremiah, daughter Hannah, and her niece and nephew, Sophia and William Haggerty.

Bantry, County Cork, Ireland

In an effort to find the Irish origins of this family, I've uncovered some connections and quite a number of Dealy's from Bantry, County Cork.  Sophia and William were the children of Hannah's sister Mary Anne (Dealy) Haggerty.  John Francis Dealy, boarding as a student with Hannah's married daughter, Mary McPike, was the son of Hannah's brother Richard.  Last year my cousin June was contacted by Patrick Bryan of Bath, England, the great-grandson of Rebecca (Daly) Bryan, another sibling. 

I will look at the Dealy's one generation at a time, starting with Hannah's definite, and then possible, siblings.  They are a wide ranging family.  Even with only the four siblings above, they lived in Bristol, England; Boston, Massachusetts; Stamford, Connecticut and San Francisco, California.  Their descendants are spread even further.

Next week, I'll look at the first generation of our Dealy immigrants, Richard and his wife Ann (McCormack) of Stamford, Connecticut, Hannah and her husband, Jeremiah O'Sullivan, Mary Anne and her husband William Haggerty of San Francisco, and Rebecca and her husband Timothy Hourihan Bryan of Bristol, England.

Copyright 2012 Kathleen Sullivan. All Rights Reserved

California Connections

Helena (O'Sullivan) (Councilman) Mueller (1852-1895)

A Short Life

Bantry, County Cork, Ireland

My great-great aunt, Helena O'Sullivan, was born around October 1852, in Bantry, County Cork, Ireland.  She was the second daughter of Jeremiah and Hannah (Dealy/Daly) O'Sullivan.  Sometime around the age of six, her family left Ireland and sailed for America, settling first in New York City, where her youngest sister, Hannah, was born around 1861.

Five Points, New York

I believe the family arrived in New York around 1858.  What happened there, or how long they stayed in New York is not clear.  At some point between 1861, when Hannah was born, and 1868, when Helena arrived in California, the family moved to Boston, living at Thacher Court in the North End and later at 180 Chelsea Street in Charlestown.



From Massachusetts, Helena traveled to San Francisco, California, probably with her older sister Mary and her aunt and uncle, William and Mary Anne (Dealy/Daly) Haggerty.  In 1870, she was working as a servant in the household of H. Newbauer, an immigrant from Bohemia and manufacturer of matches. 

San Francisco, California

In 1873, she married George Councilman, a German immigrant and Civil War veteran.  He served in Company B of the 5th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry.  By the spring of 1877, George and Helena had three young children, George Sullivan, age 3, Essie Helena, age 2, and infant Eva, born in February.  George was working as a glassblower.  By 1886, life had taken a turn for the worse.  Helena's eldest daughter, Essie, had died in July of 1877.  At some point after 1880, George had deserted his family and traveled back east to Newark City, Ohio, where he remarried in 1891.  In February of 1886 Helena divorced George for desertion, and by September she had married Louis Mueller and given birth to another child. 

According to newspaper reports, on August 31, 1886, the examination of Helena's case was completed before Judge Levy.  She was suffering from delusions, and believed that the clock talked to her and people were swearing at her.  In other respects she was found rational and it was decided that she was afflicted with monomania.  She was sent to the state hospital in Napa.   Nothing is known about her life between September 1886 and March 1890.

By March of 1890, Helena had left the state hospital at Napa and was living in San Francisco with her daughter Eva.  In March of 1890 Eva, who had run away from home, was committed to the custody of the Boys and Girls' Aid Society by Police Judge Rix, because she "insisted on associating with hoodlums." 

A place was found for Eva with a Mrs. Shaw on Noe Street.  Her mother attempted to see her at Mrs. Shaw's and wanted to take her home, but Eva refused to leave.  Eva said "she would kill herself rather than go back to her mother, who ... drinks to excess and is abusive."    Helena went to court in an attempt to bring her home. In court she said she objected to Eva remaining with Mrs. Shaw because "the latter is of Irish extraction, while she and her daughter are Americans."  Eva stated that "she did not wish to go back to her mother because she beat and abused her."  Mrs. Shaw said "the girl was doing very well and is perfectly contented to remain where she is".  Helena was "roused ... to a pitch of wild fury " and cried "that she refused to let her daughter live out with strangers, moreover because she was being taught to become a liar."  According to newspaper accounts, Helena used very violent language toward Mrs. Shaw.  The judge ordered Eva into the custody of the Aid Society with the understanding that she would stay with Mrs. Shaw.  When the decision had been made and Eva was leaving with Mrs. Shaw, Helena tried to take her but was prevented by an officer.

Charlestown, Massachusetts

Helena and Louis Mueller had two daughters, Caroline Louise in December, 1891 and Hella Richie in July, 1893 in San Francisco.  She was pregnant when she died on April 13, 1895 in Sacramento of placenta previa.  Her two younger daughters were raised by her mother Hannah in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

So far, I've identified 22 descendants of Helena, listed below.  I hope this blog will help me to locate and correspond with any who are interested in our shared family history.

George Sullivan Councilman, son, born San Francisco, California, 1874

Essie Helena Councilman, daughter, born San Francisco, California, 1875

Eva Councilman (Staugh) (Holm), daughter, born San Francisco, California, 1877

(unknown) Mueller, child, born San Francisco, California, 1886

Caroline Louise Mueller (Mann), daughter, born San Francisco, California, 1891

Hella Richie Mueller, daughter, born San Francisco, California, 1893

Frances Regina Councilman, granddaughter, born Boston, Massachusetts, 1895

Louis Councilman, grandson, born Almeda, California, 1906

Marjorie Holm, granddaughter, born New York, 1909

George V. Councilman, grandson, born California, 1911,

Caroline Louise Mann (Jenkins), granddaughter, born Boston, Massachusetts, 1917

Elfreida Marie Mann (Campello), granddaughter, born Boston, Massachusetts, 1918

Bernice Councilman (Vaurs), granddaughter, born San Francisco, California, 1919

Marilyn Ann Councilman, great granddaughter, born San Francisco, California, 1937

James Richard Councilman, great grandson, born Almeda, California, 1943

William Douglas Councilman, great grandson, born Almeda, California, 1944

Kathleen Jean Councilman (Dacunha), great granddaughter, born San Francisco, California, 1946

Albert Campello Jr, great grandson, born Revere, Massachusetts, 1947

Janet Campello (Meaney), great granddaughter, born Revere, Massachusetts,

Alfred Pierre Vaurs, born San Francisco, California, 1955

Copyright 2012 Kathleen Sullivan. All Rights Reserved

California Connections

Helena (O'Sullivan) (Councilman) Mueller (1852-1895)

San Francisco Call, December 17, 1891

Fact 15: Helena gave birth to a daughter, Caroline Louise, 1891

Helena's daughter Caroline Louise Mueller was born Decmber 16, 1891 in San Francisco.    Caroline was raised by her grandmother, Hannah (Dealy) O'Sullivan at 180 Chelsea Street in Charlestown, Massachusetts.    I had figured out her date of birth from her age at the time of her death.  I had figured it to be December 15, 1891, so I'm sure this is her.

Boston Daily Globe, February 1897

Fact 16: Helena gave birth to a daughter, Hella Richie, 1893

Helena's daugher Hella Richie died in Charlestown, Massachusetts at her grandmother's home.  By her age at the time of death she would have been born around July 21, 1893. 

Fact 17: Helena died in Sacramento, 1895

San Francisco Call, April 15, 1895

When I started my search for Helena in 2008 the only definite fact that I had was Helena's death certificate stating that she died on April 13, 1895 in Sacramento, California, from placenta previa.   This death certificate was one of two items I was able to find on my trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.  That death certificate was the starting point of this story.  I really feel like I've built a sketch of Helena's life that helps me understand her.  Next week, I'll sum up what I've learned.

Copyright 2012 Kathleen Sullivan. All Rights Reserved

California Connections

Helena (O'Sullivan) (Councilman) Mueller 1852-1895

 Fact 14: Helena has trouble with her daughter, Eva, 1890

Daily Alta California 30 March 1890

In March of 1890, Helena's daughter Eva Councilman, age thirteen, ran away from home.  She was put in the care of the Boys and Girls' Aid Society by Police Judge Rix, because she insisted on "associating with hoodlums."  The title of the article to the left, which appeared on March 30, 1890 in the Daily Alta California, reads Three Naughty Girls.

Daily Alta California 29 May 1890

Eva appeared before Judge Rix in Police Court again the following July 16.    After being placed in custody of the Boys and Girls' Aid Society, they found a place for her with a Mrs. Shaw who lived on Noe Street.    Helena recently had tried to visit her daughter there,  but was refused permission.  She tried to take Eva away from Mrs. Shaw, but Eva refused to leave, saying that her mother drank to excess, beat her and was abusive.  She said that she would kill herself, rather than return to her mother.

Helena brought this case before the Police Court.  She said that her main objection was that Mrs. Shaw was Irish, while she and her daugther were American.  This is strange, since Helena was born in Ireland.

San Francisco Call 29 May 1890

Unfortunately, Helena was "roused to a pitch of wild fury", and the case was not decided in her favor.  Judge Rix decided that Eva would remain in the custody of Superintendent Heap of the Boys and Girls' Aid Society.  She would stay with Mrs. Shaw until letters of guardianship were obtained.  When they were leaving the court, Helena tried to take Eva, but was prevented.

This was reported in both the Daily Alta California and the San Francisco Call on May 29, 1890.

Superintendent Heap made application to the Probate Judge for guardianship for a list of orphans or "friendless" children on July 17, 1890.  Eva was included in this list.

Daily Alta California 17 July 1890

San Francisco Call 17 July 1890

Copyright 2012 Kathleen Sullivan. All Rights Reserved