My ancestors - O'Rahilly - Contents

Brown

"Papa" [Robert Brown].
Date written on it is Apr 1889, Chicago.
But he died 1880.
See full size.

John Brown,
John A. Brown, born 1805, Ireland.
[Bourke, 1967] says Brown were from Belfast.
Listed as "John" at his son Robert's mar. NOT William. NOT Browne.
He emigrated to America.
He mar Sarah ----.
Owned a prominent wool and linen business, "John Brown and Sons", in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a branch in New York.
He is listed as worth $500,000 in late 19th century [Brown family tree]. This is $10-50 m in today's money.
He died Philadelphia, 19th Nov 1890, age 85 yrs [Brown family tree], think NOT 11th Nov.
He was bur 22nd Nov 1890.
He did NOT die c.1850.
John and Sarah had issue:

1. John Brown,
   died Philadelphia, c.1876.

   
   

2. Robert Brown,
   Robert Alexander Brown, born 1840, born England [according to birth certs of his children],
   death cert says born Ireland but think this is wrong.
   
   He mar 1870 to Margaret Hickey [Maggie, listed as "Margaret Mary" at dau's birth 1871, death cert says "Maggie A."].
   She was born 1850, Ireland, dau of John Hickey by his wife Margaret or Mary Dineen. NOT Hicky.
   [Bourke, 1967] says she was O'Kennedy-Hickey but think this is wrong.
   Hickey were from Emly, Co.Tipperary [O'Rahilly, 1991], across border from Hospital, Co.Limerick.
   Her death cert says she came to US 1865.
   
   Robert ran the New York part of the Brown woollen mills business.
   He returned to Philadelphia 1880.
   He died Philadelphia, 8th Nov 1880, age 40 yrs [death cert], NOT 11th Nov, leaving her with 5 small daughters.
   He was bur 11th Nov 1880 [death cert].
   After his death his brother James helped the family.
   Margaret returned to New York at some point.
   She took ill on journey home from France, and died New York, 2 Oct 1895, age 45 yrs.
   She was bur 4 Oct 1895.
   Daughters now entirely in care of James.
   Robert and Margaret had issue:

   
   

   1. Mary Brown,
      Mollie, Mary Theresa Sebastian, "Mamie", born 1871,
      mar Jim Cremins [James] and had issue.

      
      

   2. Sadie Brown,
      Sarah, Sarah Josephine Marie, born 1873, NOT 1877.
      She mar 14 Sept 1899 to Malte Stierngranat [Malte Gustaf Claës Bernhard, "Gösta", born Sweden, 22 Sept 1874, NOT 1875].
      Mar cert has him as "Gösta Liewen Stierngranat". Liewen is a Stierngranat family name. NOT Lierven. NOT Steingranat.
      He was a member of the Swedish nobility.
      Sadie's uncle James sent The O'Rahilly to Sweden during his honeymoon, summer 1899, to investigate his background before he would consent to the marriage. It turned out he was genuine. See [P102] 66 and 470.
      They had issue.
      See STIERNGRANAT in 1923 edn of "Sveriges ridderskaps och adels kalender" (Swedish Chivalry and Peerage).

      
      

   3. Nancy Brown,
      born New York, NOT Philadelphia,
      born 4 Sept 1875 [birth cert], apparently NOT 30 Aug 1875,
      born "Annie Hickey Brown", Annie, NOT Anne.
      She was generally called "Nannie" or "Nancy" (see both forms on The O'Rahilly's note).
      "Neans" in Irish [grave].
      She was wife of "The O'Rahilly", the 1916 Rising leader.
      She became "Madame O'Rahilly", a prominent Irish revolutionary activist.

      
      

   4. Margaret Brown,
      twin with Madeleine, born 1878,
      died a few hours after birth.

      
      

   5. Madeleine Brown,
      Madeleine Margaret, NOT Madeline,
      twin with Margaret, born 1878.
      She mar George Blake [George Clarence Blake] and had issue:
      1. Sheila Margaret Blake.
         She mar Richard Gustav Wasserbauer and had issue:
         1. Sheila Wasserbauer.
            She mar Ross Schneider.
            She is researching [Brown family tree].

      
      

   6. Celie Brown,
      Ceci, Cecilia, Cecelia Celeste Brown, born 25th June 1880 [birth cert], NOT 1881, NOT 1884,
      never married,
      Aodogán said she was once engaged to a Russian Prince.

   
   

3. James Brown, born c.1846.
   "Uncle James" took care of his brother's family after he died.
   [O'Rahilly, 1991] says James never took care of the family mills. He was always looking for some big investment that would pay off.
   Family story that he was one of those who turned down a man called Bell, looking for a backer for his new invention, the telephone.
   The mills declined.
   The O'Rahilly came over to America in 1905 to help bail them out, but this was unsuccessful.
   James died Philadelphia, 1936, age c.90 yrs.

STIERNGRANAT genealogy, showing marriage to Sadie Brown.
From here.

Brown sisters, maybe in Pennsylvania.
See larger and full size. Image 4394 in Humphrys glass negatives. Light-adjusted. See original.
See other copy.
See almost identical shot. Image 7001 in Humphrys glass negatives. Light-adjusted. See original.
See other copy.

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References

• Brown family tree by Sheila Schneider.