Patrick T. Burns and Hannah Murphy's Family

     Our ancestor coming out of the Eliza Barry and Timothy Burns family is Patrick T. Burns.  In the newspaper he is often referred to as P. T. Burns. He was born in Stoughton, Massachusetts on 7 March 1854 and if the marriage certificate is correct, was named for his paternal grandfather.
     He married Hannah Murphy, daughter of Mary Shea and Moses Murphy on 12 October 1880 at the Church of St. Thomas. There were 13 children born to this marriage: Patrick Leo, Mary Elizabeth, Ellen "Nellie", Ambrose Timothy, Mary Ellen "Mae" (Foldesi), Cecelia (Olstad), Moses, Baby Boy, Thomas, Frances, John Joseph, Agnes and George F.
     Patrick T. farmed most of his life on a farm in Tyrone Township.  A few bits reveal little details of his life:  in 1886 a news item said he was "experienced in surgery" and had dressed the foot of his brother Jerry who had injured his foot while chopping wood.  In 1905, Patrick himself lost the end of one of his fingers in a harvester. In 1906, he had a phone!  The number was: 186 J-4.  I'm not sure what these little news bits tell us. It certainly isn't a full measure of a man!!
    When he died, the news bit got it wrong!  In his obituary headline, he was referred to as Herbert. Where that came from I have no idea!!!!

Died at his home on the 9th, after a short illness, Patrick T. Burns, aged about fifty-two years. He leaves a wife and eleven children, three brothers and a sister to mourn his untimely death, beside a hot of friends and neighbors who respected and admired his high character and manly life. The funeral was held on Saturday and was very largely attended. He was a member of the A. O. H., which attended in a body. Le Sueur and Belle Plaine and the Center were all well represented at the funeral. We extend our deepest sympathy to the wife and the children in their great loss.

Belle Plaine Herald, 16 Jul 1908

 On July 23rd, the Le Sueur News reported that Mrs. P. T. Burns received $1,000 from the AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians. 
     Truth be told, I don't know a lot about George's siblings.  His brother Thomas was killed in October 1918 

Hannah Murphy Burns &
grandson, Dick Burns

 while a soldier during WWI in France.  I recently came across a record on Ancestry that gave his burial place.  His grave is in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romagne, France.  Newspapers at the time implied that his death date was not really known but this record gave his death date as 25 October 1918.  According to the newspaper, his sister Cecelia served as an Army nurse briefly from October 1918-May 1919.  Moses may have enlisted in the army as well according to the newspaper, though no record surfaces on Ancestry. 
     Patrick Leo--more often referred to as Leo--may have played the violin.  According to a newspaper bit, his aunt Katie Cullen gave it to him. 
     No pictures of Patrick T. exist that I know of.  We do have a photo of Hannah Murphy Burns. 

     There is a better picture of her, but this is one with Dad.