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