Mary J.

Martin Carroll was born in Ireland in about 1810 and had a daughter by the name of Mary J. Carroll. Mary J. was born in that country in 1840.
Mago William Sheehan, my most distant know paternal ancestor, married Mary J. Carroll in Des Moines county Iowa of the US in 1860. They liked round numbers in those days.

What was going on in the world in that half century between 1810 and 1860? 'Everything' you might say. Let's look at some samples:

On a day in 1840 Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria agreed to limit Egyptian expansion.

In 1846 the "Potato Famine" was reaching its height. About a million Irish men, women, and children would die in that famine by 1851. A million was a lot in those days.
In 1848 'Insurrection" in Tipperary, Ireland was put down. Can you sing "Its a long way to Tipperary?" In that same year the US gained much of California and New Mexico in the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

During this same period Ralph Waldo Emerson, the America philosopher, wrote; Abraham Lincoln was getting his pre-civil War experience; Charles Darwin was getting his education: Henry David Thoreau also wrote; the fine great human being William James lived; and Robert Louis Stevenson began his education.

1811 & 1812 was the time of the tremendous New Madrid earthquakes in Missouri, Tennessee, and beyond. In 1812 earthquakes and after shocks were felt in California that were strong enough for the priests at Buenaventura and Capistrano to call it dreadful. The earth was hotter than usual during this Period. In 1815 and enormous hurricane crossed New England.

In 1824 Missoin Rancho San Gorgonio was established as an extension of Mission San Gabriel Archangle. Romo K. was a decedent of "Mission Indians" of that extension.

In 1825-26 Kit Carson traveled California and Arizona. Someone usually suffer around kits travels, others benefited.

In 1827 organized carpenters in Philadelphia won a ten hour work day. In 1826 Ebenezer Frod, a NY carpenter was the first trade unionist elected to public office. On February 5th of 1830 the first daily labor paper in the US was published.

In 1831 desert Indians attack San Bernardina, California and do so again in1843.
Also in 1831, stars fell in Alabama and on the Great Plains where "night became like day."
Do you remember the song "Stars Fell on Alabama?"

In 1837 Michigan became a state. In 1847 Lancing became Capital of Michigan, succeeding Detroit.

January 27th 1850 Samuel Gompers was born.

!853 the Gadsden Purchase treaty between USA and Mexico.

In November of 1855 Eugene Debs was born.
1857 large earthquake in the Fort Tejon area of California.

1858 Irish emigrants in the US found the Fenian society.

Introduction to 1823 -1826 in California

I'm beginning to post a series of notes I've made while reading The Romero Expeditions 1823-1826 by Bean and Mason. This somewhat rare work was published for the Palm Springs Desert Museum by the Ward and Fitchie Press pf Los Angeles in 1962. Double quotations marks show my use of the authors words.


The wealth of the early Californios was in their cattle and horses. The Yuma 'rebellion' had closed California to large scale importation of livestock. Before the Yuma uprisings a few cattle and horses had bee brought up for the tiny military force mostly on the coast.

The opening of the Anza rout made 'the days of the Don's' possible. The rout made immigration and large scale importation of cattle possible. Cattle were used to pay to pay off military veterans. After 1781 there were large herds and abundant cattle in the California province.

By the end of Spanish rule in 1822 the total population of California, exclusive of Indians, was only about 3500. California, at that time, was more isolated from Europe the east coast of North America, and Mexico City than was Manila and had been accessible only by sea for forty years.

"As a result of the war of independence in Mexico, no money or supplies were sent to California after 1811 and a series of rebellions in Mexico from 1810 through 1821 prevented the Government for sending help to California. " From 1817 until 1821, .....Trade with Russian, Americans, Englishmen and others was practiced." It was during this period raw hides became know as California dollars.

Governors of California suggested that trade and colonization between California and New Mexico would benefit both provinces. Pedro Fages who governed between 1783 and 1791 and Diego do Borica who governed between 1791 and 1793 are examples. Their recommendations included mention of routs laid out by Fages, Anza, Rivera and others.

After 1815 Spain's control of trade with California was strongly challenged and even her sea rout from San Blas to California was threatened. From 1780 to 1820 Russia, the United States, and Great Britain firmly established trading posts all along the Pacific Coast of North America. Illegal prate-like attacks were mad on Spanish settlements. Raids by Bouchard and Cochraine are examples of such attacks.