Connection to a Half-Brother

 

Chicago Daily News, 11 Feb 1914.

I've previously posted about the link between the Dooner family and the O'Briens in La Salle, Illinois (see this post from August 2019). In looking closely, there may be another link between Michael Dooner, half-brother of Agnes, Annie and Belle O'Brien. In the death notice above, in 1914, Annie O'Brien passed away at the home of Michael Dooner, at 927 W. 35th Street in Chicago. Belle (not Dell in the clipping above) died at 931 35th Street in 1893, which likely the very close to Michael's address.

Michael Dooner was the surviving son of Bridget and Patrick Dooner, born on 16 March 1850 in La Salle, Illinois. After the untimely death of his father and two young brothers, John and Hugh Dooner, due to cholera in the summer of 1849, infant Michael and his mother Bridget appear together in the 1850 US Census in Salisbury, La Salle, Illinois. Shortly afterward, Bridget remarried, or moved in with John O'Brien, and had four children between 1852 and 1858:

- Anna Maria O'Brien

- Isabella (Belle) O'Brien

- John J. O'Brien

- Agnes O'Brien

After the death of Bridget sometime in 1859, John O'Brien Sr placed the girls in the care of the Sisters of Charity, and moved to Shelby County, Illinois. It appears Michael Dooner went to live with his uncle Owen Dooner and family in La Salle, as he appears in the 1860 US Census living in their home.

1860 US Census. La Salle, Illinois.

Owen died a year later, on 6 October 1861. It is not clear when Michael made the move from La Salle to Chicago, but he reappears in the records from 1886, when he married Annie Byrnes on 19 January 1886.

Daily Inter Ocean. 20 Jan 1886.

They appear together in the 1900 US Census, living at 931 35th Street in Chicago (same address as Belle O'Brien in 1893). Michael's profession is listed as "ironworker", and they had no children.

1900 US Census. Chicago.

In the 1910 US Census, Michael and Annie were at 927 W. 35th. His profession was listed as ironworker, in a packing house. They had no children.

Michael died on 18 February 1918, his profession was listed as rail man.