Catherine "Kate" McDonnell was born in County Galway, Ireland, the eighth of Michael McDonnell and Mary Needham's nine children. The family emigrated to the United States about 1849. They settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, where several of Kate's siblings remained. Kate married Michael J. Mullen, of Ballynakill Parish, County Galway, around 1860. Michael was the son of Peter and Catherine Mullen. Nothing else is known about his family.

Kate and Michael had eight children, only one of which, son John M., married and had children. John was also the only one of the children to outlive Kate, most of the others died of tuberculosis. Kate and Michael moved to Omaha, Nebraska about 1867 and then back to Cincinnati about 1870, where Michael died of tuberculosis in 1875. After her husband's death Kate and her children moved back to Omaha. Kate and her family, except for son John, are buried in St. Joseph New Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio.

The dating of the photos is based on guesswork on my part, and should be regarded as estimates.

Related Items:
Picture of the 1129 S. 28th St. in Omaha. Kate and her children lived at this address from about 1889 to 1891. If this is the actual house where they lived it would have been newly built when they moved in, as it was built about 1890.
Picture of the house on 3808 South 26th St. in Omaha where Kate lived with her son John and his family in the 1910s to 1920s.
Obituaries for their sons Charles, Peter and John M..
Obituaries for Kate's siblings Mary Scanlon and John N. McDonnell and niece Bess (McDonnell) McDonald.
Kate's obituary.
Death records for Kate and her sister Hannah Connelly.
Michael and Kate's family plot in St. Joseph New Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Catherine "Kate" (McDonnell) Mullen
ca 1875-1885

This photograph was probably taken after the death of her husband in January 1875. The comb in her hair may be a Victorian jet mourning comb. Based on fashion, it was most likely taken around 1880. Widows of that time wore mourning clothes for up to four years after a husband's death. If this is mourning dress it is at least a year after Michael's death as Kate is not wearing a veil and is wearing jewelry. Kate did lose several close family members between 1874 and 1880, so she could be in mourning for any one of them.

Michael Mullen (?)
ca 1868 (?)
Photographer: Henry Strasburg, Omaha, Nebraska.

This is thought to be Michael J. Mullen, husband of Kate McDonnell, perhaps based on the fact that it was taken in Omaha. I have been sceptical that this is him, although he does bear a resmblance to Kate's children. Michael Mullen dies in Cincinnati in January 1875. If it is him, it would probably have been taken about 1868, as this is the only known time the Mullens were in Omaha prior to Michael's death. (Although there is always the possibility that Michael made other shorter trips to Omaha.)

The photographer, Henry Strasburg, was born about 1845 in Prussia. He is listed in the 1869 Council Bluffs, IA directory, working for another photographer. In the 1870 census he is living in Council Bluffs, working as a photographer. He marries in Omaha in 1873. He is listed in the 1872 to 1883 Omaha directories, having a studio on a couple different locations on 13th St. He appears to have died or moved abt 1883, for he is not listed thereafter. Henry Strasburg does not seem to have had a studio in Omaha during the time the Mullens lived there, although Michael could have made other trips to Omaha.

Children of Michael and Kate Mullen

Michael and Kate had 8 children, 5 of which reached adulthood. They were (names in bold have pictures): John (died young), Peter J. (abt 1863-1900), John M. (1866-1955, m. Cecelia Hughes), Julia A. (1868-1918), Mary C. (1869-1875), Ellen (1871-1871), Lillian E. (1874-1907) and Charles E. (abt 1875-1899).

Julia A. Mullen (1868 - 1918)
Lillian Mullen (abt 1874 - 1907)
ca 1880

Based on ages. Julia b abt 1868 = 12 yo, Lillian b abt 1873 = 7 yo.

Julia Mullen, Omaha, Nebraska
ca 1883

Photographer: Bee Hive Photograph Studio, 213 N 16th Street, Omaha, Nebraska

Based on age. Julia b abt 1868 = 15 yo. According to city directories, the Bee Hive Gallery was in business from about 1880 to 1886. It is listed as the Bee Hive Studio only in 1886.

Charles Mullen of Omaha, Nebraska
ca 1879

Photographer: A.T. Thomas, 166 W 5th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio

This photograph was probably taken shortly before Kate moved her family to Omaha in late 1879 or early 1880 which fits with his age, as he looks about 4 years old. Kate and her children were living in Omaha in June 1880, it is not known why they moved. She and her family had lived there for a short time while her husband was alive, their daughter Julia was born there in July 1868. At the time when Kate and her children left Cincinnati for Omaha, her father, two brothers and two sisters were living in the Cincinnati area. Kate's father and brother Patrick both died shortly thereafter in July 1880. Kate had no known relatives in Omaha.

Photographer A. S. Thomas is found at 146 W. 5th St in the 1876 Cincinnati directory, and at 166 W. 5th from 1878 on. (1877 not available.)

Charles E. Mullen, 1137 S 28th Street, Omaha, Nebraska
ca 1893

Photographer: Hughes and Sandberg, 205 N 16th Street, Omaha, Nebraska

The Mullens lived at 1137 S 28th St. from about 1892 to 1899. Year based on age, he looks about 18 years old. Hughes & Sandberg appears in the Omaha city directories for the first time in 1893, and is listed every year to 1899 (later directories not available online).

This photo has been labeled Charles Mullen, but based on the shape of his ear, as well as other features, I believe this is wrong. This person does bear a striking resemblence to Julia and Charles though, so it is most likely a sibling and therefore either Peter J. (1863-1900) or John M. (1866-1955).

John, the only child of Kate and Michael Mullen to reach old age, married Cecelia A. Hughes, daughter of Martin D. Hughes and Mary A. Wickham. They had 7 children: Gladys F. (1895-1989, m. Charles J. Connelly), Raymond J. (1896-1972), Jeanne C. (1897-1972, m. Albertis H. Schulze), Clifford J. (1898-1986, m. Catherine M. Galvin), John M. Jr. (1900-1982, m1. Florence Mullaly, m2. Roberta), Mary L. (1907-2004, m. Edwin M. DeCoursey), Thomas H. (1908-1999, m. Mary E. Bernard).

The following photos were all taken on the same day; year, place and occasion unknown. My best guess is it was about 1930, as John and Cecelia had two grandchildren then: Elizabeth Jeanne Mullen, born April 1928, daughter of John M. Jr and Florence Mullaly, and Joan Connelly, born July 1929, daughter of Gladys Mullen and Charles Connelly. John and Cecelia Mullen and their unmarried sons (Raymond, Clifford and Thomas H.), moved to Kansas City, MO about 1929. They are living in Kansas City in April 1930. Perhaps these pictures were taken in Omaha shortly before the move? The women's dresses look about 1930, with their long hemlines and low waists. The car in the driveway opposite looks about 1920's.

John and Celia (Hughes) Mullen & Family
ca 1930

Back row: Raymond?, Ida (Hughes) Fox?, Cecelia, Elizabeth J.?, John M. Jr.?, John M. Sr., Joan Connelly?, Gladys
Front row: Jeanne, Clifford, Mary Louise

Son Thomas is not in this picture.

Cecelia (Hughes) Mullen & Daughters
ca 1930

Elizabeth J.?, Mary Louise, Cecelia, Joan Connelly?, Gladys, Jeanne

At the time this photo was taken Gladys was living in Philadelphia, Jeanne in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Celia and John Mullen & Two Grandchildren
ca 1930

Cecelia, Joan Connelly?, Elizabeth J.?, John