Henry & Mary Margaret Calhoun

Henry Calhoun Mary O'Connor Calhoun


Children:

                       | George Edward           b. 10 Jul 1853   d. 29 Feb 1908, Randall, MN
                       | Catherine Cecilia       b. 25 Oct 1855   d. 13 Feb 1932, Sioux Falls, SD
Henry Calhoun     \    | Thomas R.               b. 15 May 1856   d.  8 Nov 1927, Staples, MN
      &            }---| Daniel                  b.    May 1859   d. 28 Nov 1932, Rice Co. MN
Mary O'Connor     /    | Mary Elizabeth          b. 04 Nov 1860   d. 
                       | Hannah Jane             b. 17 Dec 1865   d. 28 Feb 1933, Sioux Falls, SD

Piecing together the history of Henry Calhoun and family has not been easy. Calhoun family researchers Ann (Millie Calhoun) Hansen, Tom O'Connor and Rita Clements have been very helpful in providing information.

Henry Calhoun's death record shows his parents as George Calhoun and Mary Gilmer, both born in Ireland. It is pretty certain that Henry was born in New York state, probably on 1 July 1824 (the exact year is uncertain as ages given in various census records indicate a birth year of 1821 to 1826).

According to O'Connor family researcher, Rita Clements, Mary Margaret O'Connor's parents were John Connor and Mary Mathews, married in Wilkes County, Georgia, on 13 Jan 1825. They moved from the Atlanta, Georgia, area to Tecumseth Township, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada in the 1820s. It is not known for certain if Mary Margaret was born in Canada or in Ireland, as the Canadian Census of 1871 and of 1881 shows her as born in Ireland. There is a daughter Mary born to the Connors in September, 1830, according to Catholic church records in Simcoe County. The Connor family moved to Sydenham, Grey County, Ontario, in about 1846.

Henry "Cahoon" is listed on the 18711 and 18812 Canadian Census roles as living in Grey County, Sydenham Township, Ontario. On the 1871 census his age is given as 49 (year of birth: 1822); on the 1881 census it is 56 (year of birth: 1825). On both of those records his birthplace is listed only as USA. His birthplace is given variously as New York, Pennsylvania and Maine on the U.S. census records of his daughters, Catherine, Mary and Hannah. Wife Mary is age 40 on the 1871 census; in 1881 she is shown as age 51 and born in Ireland. Ethic origin of both is Irish, and their religion was Catholic. Henry's occupation was farmer.

The obituary of Catherine Calhoun Winker says she arrived in South Dakota "in 1884 with her parents from her birthplace in Ontario, Canada." From that we can assume Henry and Mary Calhoun also lived in the De Smet area for awhile.

Henry and Mary Calhoun moved to Minnesota in December 1897. They are found enumerated in Parker Township, Morrison County, Minnesota, on the Federal census of 19003. They are listed as living with their son, Thomas, whose occupation is Farmer. That record also indicates that Thomas, born in Canada, immigrated to the U.S. in 1882. Henry's age was 75, born July 1824 in New York. Mary is shown as born in Feb 1829 in Ireland, age 71. They had been married for 48 years.

The 1905 Minnesota census4 shows Henry and Mary Calhoun living in Randall Township, Morrison County, alongside son George and his family. Henry's age is listed as 84 (approx. year of birth: 1821), Mary's 82 (approx. year of birth: 1823). Henry's birthplace is "N.Y.", while Mary was born in Ireland. Thomas Calhoun is listed with them, presumably at the same residence. Thomas was born in Canada, is age 48, occupation was "Farmer". Also living at the same residence is Henry Winker, age 12, grandson of Henry and Mary Calhoun. The 1905 census shows that Henry, Mary and Thomas have lived in Minnesota for 7 years and 6 months, or beginning about December, 1897.

Mary died in Randall, Minnesota, presumably at the home of son George, in 1906. Henry died in Claremont, Minnesota, presumably at the home of son Daniel, in 1908. Henry and Mary are buried in the Calhoun family plot in St. James Cemetery, Randall, Minnesota.

  1. National Archives of Canada, Federal Census of 1871, archives.ca.
  2. 1881 Canadian Census, FamilySearch.org
  3. Twelfth Census of the United States, (June 1, 1900).
  4. Fifth Decennial Census of Minnesota (June 1, 1905), on microfilm, Duluth (Minnesota) Public Library


Children:

George Edward - Married Margaret Theresa "Maggie" Duggan on 28 January 1884 in Owen Sound, Grey County, Ontario. It appears that George already owned land in Kingsbury County, South Dakota, and they moved there shortly after marriage. After living in South Dakota and Iowa, they moved to Randall, Minnesota, in 1897 where George ran a butcher shop. They had nine children: Henry William (1884-1899), Mary Catherine (known as "Marie") (1886-1918), George Edward (1888-1951), Thomas (1890-1890), Daniel (1891-1891), Sarah (1892-1970), Raymond Louis (1894-1979), Rosalie (1896-1961), and Pauline (1899-1968). George died on 29 Feb 1908, Maggie died on 23 Aug 1911. Both are buried in the Calhoun family plot in Randall, MN.

According to Ann Calhoun Hansen (granddaughter of George and Margaret):

"Calhoun is not the original spelling according to information found in the Library of Congress. It was Colquhoun. The family was Scotch-Irish and Presbyterian. It is thought that religion had something to do with the fact that Grama Calhoun was disowned by Grandpa Duggan. If it was that she converted to Catholicism, she certainly embraced her faith with great vigor. The annals of St. James Church in Randall are full of stories about her ministry to the parish. At one time, a nun at St. Benedict's stopped me and told me that Grandma had prepared her for her first Holy Communion. She told me how Grandma would have rosary on the Sundays when the priest did not come to offer Mass (it was a mission and the priest came about once a month.) She had breakfasts for the whole parish whether it was after Mass or after rosary. The cemetery in Randall is on property that was donated by the Calhoun family to the church."

Catherine Cecilia - married George F. Winker in De Smet, South Dakota on 06 Feb 1888. MORE

Thomas - Little is known about Thomas other than census records. He is listed in Parker Township, Morrison County, Minnesota, on the 1900 Federal census, age 40 (b. May 1860). Thomas is listed as Head of the household in 1900, with his father and mother living in the same house. The 1905 Minnesota census shows him living with his parents, Henry and Mary Calhoun, in Randall Township, Morrison County. His age is given as 48, and occupation was "Farmer". He is listed on the 1910 U.S. Federal Census as living with Patrick and Mary Kildee (his sister and brother-in-law) in De Smet, SD. His age on that record was 55. On the 1920 Federal census he was living with his nephew, George E. Calhoun, in Parker Township, near Randall, Minnesota. Thomas never married. He died in Staples, MN, in 1927, and is buried in the family plot in Randall, MN.

Daniel - Shown on the 1881 Canadian census as age 20. For the 1900 U.S. census he was living in Randall, MN, and it indicates he was born in May 1859. Married to Mary Jane Parker in about 1894. They may have lived for a time near Claremont, MN, west of Rochester. Mary died in Rice County, MN, on 23 Mar 1921. Daniel died in Rice County, MN, in 1932.

Mary Elizabeth - Married Patrick Kildee on 25 Feb 1884 in Owen Sound, Grey County, Ontario. Moved to De Smet, SD, in 1888. They had six (or 7?) children, four of them recorded on U.S. census records. At least two of their children were born in Canada. They are: Mary E. (b. June 1886, Canada), Catherine Loretta (b. July 1888, Canada), Margaret Mary (b. July 1892, So. Dak.), and Henry Ambrose (b. 17 Dec. 1896, So. Dak. / d. 15 July 1978, Virginia). Patrick Kildee died at age 76 on 11 Dec 1935 in Sioux Falls; Mary was 77 when she died on 6 Jan 1938 in Sioux Falls. Both are buried in St. Michael's Cemetery in Sioux Falls.

Hannah Jane - Married Charles O'Connor about 1889 in South Dakota. They lived in Kingsbury County, South Dakota, and in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, SD. They were parents of six children: Honora Balbina (b. 1890), Mary Loretta (b. 1892), Helen Bernadetta (b. 1894), Margaret Elizabeth (b. 1897), Francis Joseph (b. 1900), and Gertrude C. (b. ~1906).

Calhoun family plot at St. James Cemetery, Randall, Minnesota.


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