Old King John's Castle

Old King John's Castle
A view of King John's Castle from the River Shannon. Behind the castle turret is the end of Convent Street where Bridget and John's daughter, Mary, was born in 1865, just before Bridget left for America to join her husband John. Photo July 2011.

About John Thompson (Thomas) and Bridget Reidy

About John Thompson/Thomas and Bridget Reidy

John Thompson/Thomas was born in Ireland c 1831 and married Bridget Reidy (Riedy/Ready) c1851 in Ireland. Bridget was born in Ireland c1831. They used the Thompson and Thomas surnames interchangeably, but settled on Thomas prior to coming to America. In 1866 the family immigrated from County Limerick, Ireland, to Chicago, Illinois. They had eight known children, six born in Ireland and two born in Illinois. Bridget [Madigan/Thompson Genealogy] the oldest was born 1852 in or near Limerick City, County Limerick and died in Chicago in 1935. The other children born in Limerick include: Mary Ellen (c1855-1906); Patrick (1857-b1866); James (1860-1932); Martin (1862-1898); and Marian/Mary (1865-b1866). The two youngest children John (c1867-1879) and Lillian Marie (1869-1928) were born in Illinois, most likely, Chicago. The mother, Bridget, died of heart failure and pneumonia on May 3, 1900. Father, John, died of pneumonia three years later on May 21, 1904. They are both buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

John J. Madigan Letter, 1972

John J. Madigan, son of Patrick Madigan and Bridget Thompson, wrote a letter to his nephew, Thomas A. Sullivan, on December 18, 1972.  In the letter, John responds to a request from Thomas' grandson, John Sullivan, who had requested some genealogical information on John Madigan's parents.

I have reproduced the letter, from a copy received from John Sullivan, in its entirety. I received the copy sometime in the early 1990s.  Twenty years later, John Madigan's memories have all been verified!





Note that two children of John Thomas and Bridget Reidy, Patrick and Marian/Mary Thomas, are not identified in the letter as they died as children, most likely in Ireland.  This letter also is posted on the Madigan/Thompson Genealogy Blog.

Image courtesy: Elaine M. Beaudoin

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