The Tracy Clan

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Martin Tracy was the patriarch of our American branch of the Tracy clan.  He came from County Tipperary around the time of the infamous Potato Famine in Ireland--about 1852.

It is likely that the lure of land available in the young state of Wisconsin encouraged great-great-grandfather Martin to move from New York sometime after 1854.  Prior to leaving New York state, daughter Mary was born.  (Census records show her born in New York and age 16 in 1870.)

Martin and his wife, Elizabeth "Louisa" O'Brien Tracy--who was also born in Ireland--made their homestead a farm in the town of Franklin in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.

Franklin, Kewaunee County Wisconsin Plat Map of 1876
See M. Treasay below and to the left of the letter F in Franklin in quad 19. 
Note the Dewane properties adjacent in quad 30.

The births of their sons soon followed:  Jacob James about 1858; Patrick in 1861 or 1862; John about 1864; Terrence Ambrose, July 25, 1866; and Martin about 1871.

Martin Sr. was "of a kind, forbearing and charitible disposition, had a good word for everyone and spoke ill of no one; hense he was without an enemy.  The many truly Christian traits of character which he possessed are worthy of emulation" according to his obituary.  Being an exemplary Catholic, he was fervently religious.  The family worshipped at the St. James Catholic Church in nearby Cooperstown, Wisconsin.

Martin was one of the pioneer settlers of the locality described as "one of that sturdy band who made their entrance at this place when it was an inhospitable wilderness, who opened up the dreariness of its primeval forest to the light of day, and by much endurance and industry implanted therein hospitable homes, and laid the foundations for improvement and prosperity, exemplifying the fruitfulness of honest labor, and the blessings of Christian fortitude, thus installing in the hearts of their offspring a sense of the duty which they owe to themselves and to posterity and of their obligation to their country and to God."

Just a few years after the birth of their youngest son, Louisa died (about 1873).  In the 1880 census, only Martin and his sons appear on the family homestead. 

Nothing more is known about the daughter Mary but it could be presumed that she married and moved away.  I don't have any information about what became of their son John either.  Jacob died February 11, 1880 at age 21.

Father Martin died on Friday, November 29, 1889 after a six week illness.  His obituary, published in the Kewaunee Enterprise  on December 6, 1889 poetically described his passing. "One by one the members of that philanthropic band of pioneers are called from the scene of their labors.  They are satisfied; their work is done:  they have lived the full quota; their hair is silver; their sight has grown dim; their voice, feeble; their step inelastic; they are ready to go; and silently, as leaves of autumn fall, the flickering ray is extinguished, and they are gone; laden with the merits of benefactors, they are ushered in to the heavenly atmosphere, where all is peace and love." 

His sons were left alone to make their way in the world.  Patrick married Miss Johanna Finnell, the daughter of James and Sarah Hall Finnell, on May 3, 1892 at St. James Church.

Terrence went to Wausaukee in the northwoods to take up logging.  Martin followed him and lost his life in 1895 when he was killed by a log. 

The Enterprise announced that Mr. Terrence Tracy of Wausaukee married the well-known school teacher Miss Mary DeWane of Franklin on Tuesday, September 10, 1895. 

Go here for my blog about Terrence and Mary Ellen (De Wane) Tracy.