Michael Joseph Tully b. 1873

Although I don’t know too much about the Tully family, I actually know more about them than I do the Daleys. In addition, Michael Joseph Tully, the brother of my great-great grandmother, is one of the family members that continually pops up in records time and again.

Like most of the Tullys, Michael was born in Clonbrock co. Galway, Ireland to Thomas Tully and Mary McCormack. I was able to find his birth date in the Ancestry list of Irish births and baptisms. According to this index, he was born 20 January, 1873, making him the younger brother of my great-grandmother Ellen.

In addition to this information, I know for a fact he came to the US by at least 1896, as he appears as the best man at the wedding of my great-great grandparents, John Daley and Ellen Tully. I had hoped to see a Daley relative in this church record when I ordered it, but those relatives remain a mystery. 

Michael Joseph Tully best man for John J Daley at his mariage

Michael Tully also appears as one of the God parents to the couple’s first born child, William Joseph Daley in that same year.

Michael Joseph Tully- God Parent to William Daley

After 1896, I lose track of Michael Tully. There are a couple Michael Tullys who lived in Massachusetts that look promising. One couple, Michael and Bridget Tully, stayed in Boston. Their first child was even named John J. Tully. Probably not a coicidence. However, I don't want to guess. I will soon be able to access his naturalization records, so I might know more pretty soon. Until then, Michael Tully is an interesting lead to follow.

Ellen Tully 1870 - 1934

Ellen Tully

Sometimes (very rarely) research comes together and I find sets of records which reveal tons of information about many generations in a single family. Though it never seems to happen when I’m researching the Daley family, this did happen when I researched the family of Ellen Tully.

Ellen is my great great grandmother, the wife of John Joseph Daley, and the women who raised my grandfather until he was about 15. From other family members and personal records, I’ve found out a lot about Ellen.

Ellen was born on Sept. 2, 1870, in County Galway, Ireland. Her parents were Thomas Tully (b. 1834) and Mary McCormack. Thomas and Mary seemed to have quite a large Irish Catholic family, because Ellen Tully had 11 siblings that I’ve found records for, all born in County Galway. In order including Ellen:

- Honoria A. Tully b. 1866

- Mary Agnes Tully b. 1868

- Ellen Tully b. 1870

- Michael Joseph Tully b. 1873

- Bridget Tully b. 1875

- Catherine W. Tully b. 1877

- Bernard Tully b. 1879

- Margret Tully b. 1882

- Anne M. Tully b. 1884

- Elisabeth Tully b. 1886

- Cecelia Tully b. 1888

This information came from Familysearch.org and Ancestry.com Irish Births and Baptism 1620 – 1911. In addition, a couple other researchers added information to my research.

Although I have not yet found immigration records for Ellen, she reported on her 1900 census record that she came to the US in 1890. Ellen married John Joseph Daley in Boston in 1896. Many of her sisters and brothers also immigrated to Boston, where they appear in several Daley related documents.

Together, Ellen and John J. Daley had five children and also fostered my grandfather Peter Frances (Statuto) Daley from at least the age of three. For a complete list of these children, see my post on John J. Daley.

Although, I never knew Ellen and I had never heard my grandfather speak of her, I did hear a second hand story. According to my grandmother, when my grandfather found out who his father really was, she asked him if he ever wanted to track down his biological mother. Apparently, my grandfather responded, “No, I had a mother.” As my grandfather was always a man of few words, to me, this demonstrated just how important Ellen was to him, though she died when he was quite young.

For many reasons, including the origins of the Tullys, when I eventually take my trip to Ireland, Galway will be one of the places I spend a good deal of my time at. I look forward to experiencing the sights and sounds my ancestors may have experienced over a hundred years ago. Its one of the reasons I love family research.