Thomas Sheils was born about 1832 in County Roscommon and emigrated to New York with his parents and numerous siblings about 1851. His father John, a cooper (barrel maker) in Ireland, died enroute. The family's full tale has not yet been discovered, but it seems they settled in several different spots: NYC, Ulster County New York (about 90 miles up the Hudson River), and Ohio.
Thomas was the most flamboyant -- the one who was frequently written up in the New York Times. He was a liquor dealer, perhaps a tobacco dealer during the Civil War, a friend to Tammany Hall, a race horse owner, a doting uncle to several of his nieces and nephews. He and wife Mary Glennon had no known children of their own, but he frequently had nieces living in his household at 55 Pike Street, not far from City Hall.
His older brother John ran a hotel in Ulster County, called the Lackawack House. Tommy often brought his political cronies up there for some raucous weekends with lots of champagne. He kept a horse farm nearby in Montela. He was also documented having horses in Manhattan.
His sister Ann's great grand-daughter Dorothy was the one who began telling me tales about Tommy which, at first, sounded a bit exaggerated and could not be substantiated by the local historical society in Ulster County ... but, bit by bit, the tales seem to have been proved true. Numerous family relationships which had eluded verification became confirmed in Thomas' will when he died in 1916. Luckily I had made contact with Sheils descendant Bill VanRiper who provided a copy of the revealing will --- thanks Bill !
Stay tuned for the unveiling.
1/25/12
Alderman Thomas Sheils lived at 55 Pike Street
Irish immigrant Thomas Sheils was an uneducated, highly successful wheeler-dealer who served as New York City Alderman for 7 terms. He was a liquor dealer, a school board supervisor, a race horse owner who also had a horse farm in Ulster County where his brother ran a successful hotel. Tom used to bring his political buddies up to The Lackwack House for reported champagne-drenched weekends.
Tom and his wife Mary Glennon had no known children, but seemed quite involved with many of their nieces and nephews. After Mary's death in 1881, Tom moved further north in NYC and the house at 55 Pike Street no longer stands.
Luckily I connected with the right cousin who had a copy of Tom's will which named many family members and provided long-sought proof of some parent-child relationships.
Tom died in 1916 and is buried with Mary at Calvary Cemetery in NYC. He lived a vibrant life, often documented in the New York newspapers and Harper's Magazine -- the good and the bad. The tales uncovered of Tom, his siblings, nieces, nephews and Ulster County connections will be retold in this blog as time allows.
Tom and his wife Mary Glennon had no known children, but seemed quite involved with many of their nieces and nephews. After Mary's death in 1881, Tom moved further north in NYC and the house at 55 Pike Street no longer stands.
Luckily I connected with the right cousin who had a copy of Tom's will which named many family members and provided long-sought proof of some parent-child relationships.
Tom died in 1916 and is buried with Mary at Calvary Cemetery in NYC. He lived a vibrant life, often documented in the New York newspapers and Harper's Magazine -- the good and the bad. The tales uncovered of Tom, his siblings, nieces, nephews and Ulster County connections will be retold in this blog as time allows.
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