Martin Kain‌‌ Family‌‌ Letters‌

The following is information extracted from an email sent to Tony Finnis by Rosanne McInnes ([email protected]), Port Augusta , South Australia in October 2021 and reproduced with permission.  The documents included below were attachments to the above email.

Keane is the Anglicised spelling of a Gaelic surname and the spelling Martin Kain's family used in Ireland. They lived in the vicinity of the ruins of Kilmacduagh Abbey on the County Clare side of the boundary of Counties Clare and Galway.

Martin Kain senior is said to have been one of 4 brothers and 2 sisters who came to South Australia after their parents died during the potato famine of the 1840s. The Mr. Mullens he refers to in the letter could be a nephew from Native Valley. His brother in law Patrick Mullins, married to Martin's sister Margaret Kain, died at Native Valley in 1873. (My 2 greats- grandfather was another of Martin's brothers, Michael, who moved to Native Valley in 1860 and then to Millicent in south east at about the same time as Martin Kain settled in Bridgewater).

Another brother died during the famine. His widow took their children to a small town in Pennsylvania. Martin Kain's letter is to this brother's son, John Kane. In the letter Martin Kain refers to his sister Bridget returning to Ireland and living with her first cousin's family. By 1880 she was in the US, living with the widowed sister of John Kane, the recipient of Martin Kain's letter, probably to care for her niece's younger children.

Documents‌‌ Included:‌ ‌

  • 1876:‌ ‌Original‌‌ letter‌‌ from‌‌ Martin‌‌ Kain‌‌ to‌‌ John‌‌ Kane‌
  • 2014:‌ ‌Transcription‌‌ of‌‌ Martin‌‌ Kain’s‌‌ Letter‌‌ by‌‌ George‌‌ Kane‌‌
  • 1927:‌ ‌Letter‌‌ by‌‌ Thomas‌‌ Keane‌‌ to‌‌ Peter‌‌ J.‌‌ Keane‌‌
  • Date‌‌ Unknown:‌ ‌Comments‌‌ on‌‌ Thomas‌‌ Keane’s‌‌ Letter‌‌ by‌‌ Peter‌‌ J.‌‌ Keane‌
  • Date‌‌ unknown,‌‌ post-1982,‌‌ Keane‌‌ Family‌‌ Bible,‌‌ most‌‌ likely‌‌ from‌‌ a‌‌ Church‌‌ Newsletter‌‌

‌‌‌Letter‌‌ from‌‌ Martin‌‌ Kain,‌‌ Bridgewater,‌‌ South‌‌ Australia‌‌ to‌‌ John‌‌ Kain‌‌ (Kane),‌‌ Renovo,‌‌ Pennsylvania,‌‌ dated‌‌ Oct.‌‌ 26,‌‌ 1876.‌ ‌ ‌‌

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2014:‌ ‌Transcription‌‌ of‌‌ Martin‌‌ Kain’s‌‌ Letter‌‌ by‌‌ George‌‌ Kane‌‌

‌‌‌Thomas‌‌ Keane‌‌ Letter‌‌ to‌‌ P.‌‌ J.‌‌ Keane,‌‌ October‌‌ 1927‌ ‌

 

Date‌‌ Unknown:‌ ‌Comments‌‌ on‌‌ Thomas‌‌ Keane’s‌‌ Letter‌‌ by‌‌ Peter‌‌ J.‌‌ Keane‌

 

Date‌‌ unknown,‌‌ post-1982,‌‌ Keane‌‌ Family‌‌ Bible,‌‌ most‌‌ likely‌‌ from‌‌ a‌‌ Church‌‌ Newsletter‌‌

 

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