Thomas Shea
(1850-1935)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
1. Elizabeth Brown

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
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bullet  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.


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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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