Whelan Surname--Alternate Spellings

I have seen the surname Whelan spelled in many different ways. Occasionally, it is spelled 2 or more ways in a single document.

Here are 21 alternate spellings of the name Whelan that I have found in my research. I'll add more as I come across them. If you have found one that I've missed, let me know and I will add it to the list.

Wallen, Whalan, Whaland, Whalen, Whalin, Whaling, Whallan,
Whallin, Whallon, Whalon, Whealan, Whealin, Whealon, Wheelan,
Wheelin, Wheeling, Whehlen, Whelan, Whellen, Whelon, Whilan

Sources: Chicago city directories through 1864

Blog Tag

Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings started a game of tag. I was tagged by Sheri Fenley, The Educated Genealogist. So, here goes:

***10 Years Ago I........
Was working at a day job in Human Resources
Was going on vacation to Yellowstone
Was meeting some cousins from Lithuania for the first time
Was attending a family reunion with my mom


***5 Things on Today's To-Do List......

1. Write on my blog.
2. Finish a client report (not quite done yet.)
3. Scan some more photos.
4. Go to my daughter’s concert at school.
5. Pay some bills.


***5 Snacks I Enjoy........

1. Hershey’s chocolate kisses
2. Fannie May Mint Meltaways
3. Frangos- chocolate raspberry
4. homemade chocolate chip cookies
5. French Silk Pie

***5 Places I Have Lived......

1. Chicago, Illinois
2. San Diego, California
3. Greenwood, Indiana
4. Mundelein, Illinois
5. Libertyville, Illinois


***5 Jobs I Have Had.....

1. Sales Clerk in the Christmas Court at Marshall Fields
2. Compensation Analyst
3. Compensation and Benefits Manager
4. Library Page
5. Mommy

***5 Blogs I tag to play.....


1. Myrt at Dear Myrtle
2. Donna at Donna’s Genealogy Blog
3. Paula at Paula’s Genealogical Eclectica
4. Julie at GenBlog
5. Robert at The Baca/Douglas Genealogy and Family History Blog

Jennie Whelan Brady, 1876-1922

This is a photo of my grandmother, Jennie (Whelan) Brady. Her parents, Timothy Whelan and Catherine Markey, were survivors of the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s. Jennie, a widow with three children, died in Chicago on 14 March 1922 of bronchial pneumonia with malnutrition as a contributing factor.

The Whelan Families of Chicago

One of my family history projects is to sort out the various Whelan families of Chicago. I hope that by doing this, I’ll discover the Irish origins of my Whelans, and maybe help others find the origins of their Whelans also.

My great-grandfather, Timothy Whelan, came to Chicago from Ireland in about 1850. I’ve been told by a reliable source that he came from County Kilkenny, but I have no documentation that confirms or disproves that. The surname Whelan is common in County Kilkenny. The surname of Timothy’s first wife, Mary Sinnott, is also found throughout County Kilkenny.

When I began my family history research many, many years ago, no one knew of any relatives of Timothy’s, although it was said that he was somehow related to “the cigar store Whelans.” Since starting my research, I have found at least five possible siblings or other relatives of Timothy who lived in Chicago. (I still haven’t figured out the connection to the cigar store Whelans.)

Timothy’s possible relatives:
1. Patrick Whelan. In 1857, Patrick and Timothy both lived on Hinsdale between Franklin and North Market. Both had arrived from Ireland 7 years earlier. (city directory)
2. James Whelan. In 1860, Timothy and James lived on Hinsdale between N. Franklin and N. Market. (city directory)
3. Mary Whelan. In 1860, Mary (widow of Ross) and Timothy lived on Hinsdale between N. Franklin and N. Market. (city directory)
4. John Whelan. In 1860, John and Timothy lived on Hinsdale between N. Franklin and N. Market. (city directory)
5. William Whelan. In 1862, William and Timothy lived at 34 Hinsdale. (city directory)
6. James Whelan. In 1874, James was a baptism sponsor for Timothy’s daughter.

By putting together clues from obituaries, city directories and other sources, I have determined that the Whelan families of Chicago came from at least four different counties in Ireland: Kilkenny, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford. I’m continuing to gather information about the Whelans and to sort out the different family trees.

So, if you are related to a Whelan family of Chicago, please contact me. I’d be happy to exchange information.

Aggie Donahue

This picture is a tintype of Aggie Donahue. I received it from my aunt, in a photo envelope from the 1970s. The envelope is labeled "Aggie Donahue back pocket--Ma's friend." "Ma" was Jennie (Whelan) Brady of Chicago. I believe I have found Aggie Donahue in the 1880 census. She was most likely Agnes, age 4, daughter of Daniel Donnahue. Daniel, his wife Mary,and seven children lived at 161 Chestnut St. in Chicago, across the street from Tim Whelan's family, which included his 3 year old daughter Jane (aka Jennie.)

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871

This week is the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire.

This is a photo of my great-uncle, John Whelan, a survivor of the Chicago Fire. The family story is that as the fire was coming toward their house, they ran toward Lake Michigan for safety. But the father, Timothy Whelan, ran back to the house to lock the door against burglars, before joining the rest of the family. Their house was well within the burn district, on Chestnut near Franklin, so locking the door probably made little difference in the end.


This photo was labeled "John Whelann in his Johnny hat." As a young man, John (Jack) Whelan worked in a haberdashery as a model and then as a manager. Later he was with the steamfitters union, working off and on. He died in 1930, after being hit by an Illinois Central train at 27th street while shoveling the tracks.


Here are my favorite websites about the Chicago Fire:
The Great Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory
This is a great website containing images, eyewitness accounts and essays about the fire.

Progress of the Chicago Fire of 1871
The Encyclopedia of Chicago is a very useful reference. This link is to a map which shows which sections of the city burned in the great fire.

Upcoming Genealogy Workshop

The 16th annual workshop of the Lake County Illinois Genealogical Society is on Saturday, November 8th. This year, the workshop has two excellent, nationally-known speakers: Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL and David McDonald, CG. Both are Certified Genealogists, and Tom is also a Certified Genealogical Lecturer.

Tom Jones is recognized as an expert on genealogical research methodology. He will be speaking on a variety of topics, including “How to Avoid Being Duped by the Internet” and “Organizing Evidence to Overcome Record Shortages.”

Dave’s talks include “A Flatlander’s Genealogical Guide to the South” and practical guides to researching in Madison, WI and Springfield, IL. Dave is an Illinois native who now lives near Madison. He has more than 30 years’ research experience, focusing mainly on the Upper Midwest, New England and the United Kingdom.

I have heard both speakers many times, speaking on a variety of topics, and I highly recommend both of them.

For additional information about the speakers, the topics, the location and the lunches, see the genealogy society’s website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~illcgs/workshops.htm .

A registration brochure is available for download from the site. An early-registration discount applies to forms postmarked by October 15th. I hope you can attend!