THE KELLIHER FAMILY
In about 1898 William Fuller Kelliher came to the U.S. from Ireland as a young man of about 26. His father was a farmer but young William had been educated in a college in Dublin for two years. After he arrived in New York he became a policeman, serving from 8/1/1899 until retiring as a Captain on 12/8/1937. He had the Kelliher height and in later years the white hair. While a policeman in the early years he wore a handlebar moustache. He married Mamie (Mary Elizabeth) Cassidy and they had Marion, Helen, William and John. (See below for links to pictures.)
Our Kellihers are from Coolclieve (also spelled Coolcleave), in Molahiff Civil Parish near what is now called Castlemaine, in County Kerry. Our portion of family legend had their origin as Castlemaine and that William's brother inherited the family farm, which is still in the family. It is said to be located in Castlemaine on the River Maine, which flows into Dingle Bay.
Another brother, Timothy, became a priest and served in the parish of Ballybunion until his death.
An undocumented part of the story is that two brothers emigrated with their widowed mother to Australia but the fact that she was buried in Ireland makes this unlikely. There is some talk that they "had to leave Ireland under unusual circumstances" but no one knows what that might mean.
William's granddaughter (KBJ) remembers that during the 40s the two sons in Ireland visited their brother in New York. That was probably for William's funeral: a few days after March 15 1945. Kathleen would have been 6. They were very tall men, she remembers, like William, who was 6' 4", and were wearing heavy tweeds and fedoras.
ML reports that William's father was called "Big Mike" because of his great weight, supposedly 36 stone, which is 504.45 lbs.
(While some of the information on this page about the Kellihers in Ireland has come down to us through family tradition and first-hand memories, much of it has been supplied through Mary Leinenbach, who together with others, is engaged in an extensive cataloging project of Coolclieve families, including the Kellihers. In addition, some information has been gleaned from the 1911 Census of Ireland. ) Here also is a site which offers general historical and genealogical information about County Kerry.
There is a small hotel in County Kerry (the Dingle Hotel?) which, according to John Barbieri, was built by the husband of Mary Kelliher, a Mr. Conner. John stayed at the Hotel Europe when he visited in the 1980's. He reports that a cousin, Michael Fuller, is a doctor (GP) in Killarney. He is John's age. When John visited there, it was said of him (John) that he looked "just like a Fuller."
Another cousin of William, Jack (John Joseph) Kelliher and his wife, Helen, lived in Long Island and retired to Largo, Florida. Helen was killed in an automobile accident on I-95. Jack died a few years later and was waked at a funeral home in Deer Park. An SS-5 indicates that Jack's parents were John P. Kelliher and Margaret Sullivan. In 1936 Jack was living at 1654 East 38th Street in Brooklyn. We have a funeral card for John P. which gives his death as 10/5/1944.
William junior was a Lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department, working in Manhattan.
John T. was a maitre de ' and a merchant seaman who worked as a food handler and cook. He was living in San Francisco, out of touch with his family, at the time of his death in 1993.
Chart of Kelliher Descendents
*Some of this information comes from the 1911 Census of Ireland
Brother Kelliher (from "over Laune," i,e.: Beaufort; settled in Callanafercy)
Brother Kelliher (from "over Laune," i.e.: Beaufort; settled in Ardmelode)
John "Jack" Kelliher (from "over Laune," i.e.: Beaufort; settled in Coolclieve) m. Biddy Fleming
..*Honora "Nanno" Kelliher 1841- >1911 m Cornelius "Corney" Flynn 1838->1911 of Knockbrack
......*Michael Flynn 1881- >1911
......*Mary Ellen Flynn 1885- >1911
..Michael "Big Mike" Kelliher m. *Ellen Fuller 1843-1919, from Glenoe(widowed <1911)
....... Living in Coolclieve, Molahiffe, at least 1868-1896-1911 See below for this family.
..John
FAMILY OF MICHAEL KELLIHER AND ELLEN FULLER:
..Michael "Big Mike" Kelliher m. *Ellen Fuller 1843-1919, from Glenoe
.................(Living in Coolclieve, Molahiffe, at least 1868-1896-1911)
......Brigid 6/27/1868 -
......John P. 3/13/1870 (bpt 3/19/1870)- d 10/5/44 Bklyn, m Margaret Sullivan
................John Joseph "Jack" b 12/12/1896 - d 02/??/1980 m. Helen View SS-5 and Funeral card
......William Fuller 5/10?14?/1872-3/15/1945 m. Mary Eliz. "Mamie" Cassidy 11/9/1880-1954 See below.
......*Michael (2/26/1874- >1911)(farmer) m
................*Lena 1906- >1911
......*Stephen 6/22/1876 m Elizabeth 1981-
.................*Helena 1907-
.................*Mary 1909-
......Denis 3/1/1879
......Timothy b1881 Coolclieve - d1960 Ballybunion (Parish Priest)
......Thomas
......???Mary m. Conner
FAMILY OF WILLIAM KELLIHER AND MARY ELIZABETH "Mamie" CASSIDY:
......William Fuller 5/10?14?/1872-3/15/1945 >NY m. Mary Eliz. "Mamie" Cassidy 11/9/1880-1954
..........Marion E. 4/27/1908-4/17/1986 m. Bernard Cowles Gingrich
..............1 child
................1? grandchild
..........Helen Margaret 8/30/09-10/18/71 m.3/28/37 J.J. Barbieri 1/28/13-10/25/85
..............4 children
................9 grandchildren
..................9 great grandchildren
..........William 5/15/12-12/2/92 m. Evelyn Corvi
..............1 child
................1 grandchild
..........John 7/20/16-12/22/93 (did not marry)
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