Olwell - Scraps of Family History

OLWELL



The first of this name we have any knowledge of  is Owen Olwell. He was born, lived and died in Ireland. He married a woman by the name of Ann Gilligan. Owen and Ann had one child we know of, a son Thomas.

 

THOMAS P. OLWELL was born June 1865 in Ireland. He came to America from Ireland on September 30, 1892. He married a 26 year old widow with two children, ALICE CONNOLLY in about 1896. Alice was daughter of MICHAEL CONNOLLY and MARGARET MARRON. She was born September 08, 1870 in NYC. Alice's first husband was William John Barnes, who died on September 2, 1893.

Alice and Thomas had two children die young. Anna Kathlyn Olwell died in May of 1907 at seven years old. Their son Robert Olwell died in 1926 at 15 years of age.

The 1900 Census of Jersey City has the family living at an apartment building located at 265 Baldwin Avenue. Thomas P. Olwell is listed as the head of the family age 34 years and having been born June 1865. It also lists him as a native of Ireland, having been in the U.S. for 10 years, arriving in 1890. His occupation is listed as a grocery clerk , currently employed. His both parents were from Ireland. Alice was listed as his wife, born September 1870 - age 29. It also lists both her parents as being born in Ireland. The next question box is of great interest to us. It asks how many years married and the first number written in was 12 but it was changed to 4. So assuming this is correct, she was married to Thomas Olwell for 4 years and married William Barnes 12 years prior - 1888. This would seem possible as Alice and William Barnes’ first child was born 1889. Lillian is listed next as a daughter born May 1897. Next listed were Marion Barnes and Adele Barnes, listed as step-daughters. They were both listed as students. The birth locations of all children, even three year old Lillian was New York. Alice was pregnant at the time of this census, giving birth to Anna Kathlyn in September, so this census was taken before this as she is not listed.

On July 12, 1916, Thomas P. Olwell died. His address at that time was 439 E. 142 Street. So the family, at moved from Jersey City to the Bronx sometime between June of 1900 and his date of death. At the time of her marriage (1914) , Marion Barnes was living at 1138 Bryant Avenue.

 

Children of THOMAS OLWELL and ALICE CONNOLLY are:

LILLIAN M.OLWELL, b. May 16, 1897, New York; d. September 1982, Bronx, NY.
ANNA KATHLYN OLWELL, b. September 1900; d. May 28, 1907.
FRANCIS X. OLWELL, b. April 24, 1904, New York; d. June 1972, Bronx, NY; m. SARAH THOMPSON; b. September 15, 1907; d. January 1985.
VIVIAN A. OLWELL, b. June 28, 1903, New York; d. November 19, 1965, NY.
ROBERT OLWELL, b. 1911; d. August 22, 1926.

 

homebut.gif (3721 bytes)