Thomas Shea
- Born: Apr 1850, Clare, Ireland
- Marriage (1): Elizabeth Brown on 7 Jan 1890 in North Dakota, United States
- Died: 1935, Williston, Williams, North Dakota at age 85
Research Notes:
Name: Thomas Shea Event Type: Census Event Year: 1900 Event Place: Townships 153-155-Ranges 95-101, T.156-Ranges 95-103, T.161-Ranges 95-103, T.162-Ranges95-103, Williams, North Dakota, United States Gender: Male Age: 50 Marital Status: Married Race: White Race (Original): W Relationship to Head of Household: Head Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Head Years Married: 10 Birth Date: Apr 1850 Birthplace: Ireland Marriage Year (Estimated): 1890 Immigration Year: 1879 Father's Birthplace: Ireland Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Thomas Shea Head M 50 Ireland Lizzie Shea Wife F 29 Ireland Bridget A Shea Daughter F 10 North Dakota Mary E Shea Daughter F 9 North Dakota Kathriana L Shea Daughter F 6 North Dakota Maggie E Shea Daughter F 4 North Dakota Thomas W Shea Son M 0 North Dakota Nellie Crohn Sister-in-law F 30 Ireland Francis I Crohn Niece F 1 Montana
Name: Thomas Shea Event Type: Census Event Date: 1910 Event Place: Williston, Williams, North Dakota, United States Gender: Male Age: 49 Marital Status: Married Race: White Race (Original): White Relationship to Head of Household: Head Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Head Birth Year (Estimated): 1861 Birthplace: Ireland Father's Birthplace: Ireland Mother's Birthplace: Ireland Sheet Letter: A Sheet Number: 41
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Thomas Shea Head M 49 Ireland Lizza Shea Wife F 38 Ireland Bidget A Shea Daughter F 19 North Dakota Maniris H Shea Daughter F 18 North Dakota Katherin Shea Daughter F 16 North Dakota Maggie E Shea Daughter F 13 North Dakota William T Shea Son M 10 North Dakota
Thomas Shea came to America from County Clare, Ireland at the age of 16. From the time he landed, he pioneered in the west. Helived with his two sisters at Shell doc, Iowa and hired out with the Rock Island railroad, in the maintenance department. Later he went further west and worked for the Great Northern railroad in Grand Forks, N. D. about 1881. In the spring of 1887, TomShea and his construction gang laid the rails into Williston, N.D., and on June 9 of that year the first Great Northern train steamed into Williston from Minot. He made his home in and around Williston for the rest of his life. He met Elizabeth Brownat Wolf Point. They were married Jan. 7, 1890 at the section house of the Great Northern. The ceremony was performed by Bishop Wehrle, who was a missionary priest at that time. Their first homewas a log cabin, the present site of Heggen Motors. Later they built a tar-paper covered home where the Greengard clothing company now stands. Years later they built a home on E. 4th St. where they lived at the time of his death. At one time the Shea family operated a cattle ranch southeast of Williston at Yuill's Point. They lived there for seven years, but he continued working with the Great Northern where he followed the construction work west to Havre, Great Falls, Helena and Butte, Mont. when he returned to Williston, he worked in the maintenance of way department until he retired on pension four years before his death. They celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary a week before his death. Tom Shea was a member of the Knights of Columbus for 30 years and was the oldest memberof the Williston K.C. He was also a member of Great Northern veterans and A.O.U.W.
Above information reprinted from January 19, 1955 Williston newspaper.
Thomas married Elizabeth Brown, daughter of Thomas Brown and Honora Flaherty, on 7 Jan 1890 in North Dakota, United States. (Elizabeth Brown was born on 6 Apr 1872 in Raheen, Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland, died on 25 Aug 1952 in Williston, Williams, North Dakota and was buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery, Williston, Williams County, North Dakota.)
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