All the McCann work has been leading up to this. John McCann was my 2nd Great Grandfather. His life has been a bit of a puzzle and this biography is what I have been able to pull together. There are some things that are confusing still and I have done the best I can with it.
John McCann(1831-1910)-S6
Birth: 1831 in Clonoe, Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Father: George McCann(UNKN-UNKN)-S12
Mother: Mary Hughes(1805-1884)-S13
Marriage: Married Mary Clasby(1834-UNKN)-S7 on January 27th, 1856 in Lee, MA
Children:
Marriage: Mary Delan on February 26th, 1876 in Lee, MA
Death: March 6th, 1910 in Togus, ME
John McCann was born to George McCann and Mary Hughes in about 1831 the third of six children. He was baptized Roman Catholic on July 10th, 1834 in Clonoe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The family appeared to moved in 1836 to Aghagallon, Antrim, Northern Ireland and then Armagh, Armagh, Northern Ireland.
At some point after 1836 John's father George passed away and the family migrated to the United States. according to various records, John came over around 1853. The 1855 Massachusetts State census has him living in Lee, MA as a lodger with the Griswald family. His profession is listed as Other. He is listed as be 24 years old, which is a little off of his estimated birth year.
He married Mary Clasby(1834-UNKN) on January 27th, 1856 in Lee, MA. It was a Roman Catholic ceremony by Rev. Theodore Northise. John is listed as being a laborer. Their first child, George McCann(1856-UNKN), was born on November 30th, 1856 in Lee, MA. Their second child, Mary Jane McCann(1859-UNKN) was born on January 1st, 1859 in Lee, MA.
The 1860 U.S. Census shows John living with his wife and two children in Lee, MA. He is lsited as being a Livery Laborer and couldn't read or write. The couple's third child, Catehrine Ellen McCann was born on January 3rd, 1861 in Lee, MA. Their may have been a forth child, Lizzie Anne McCann born in 1862, but I have not been able to find a record of her birth.
On July 17th, 1862, John joined the Union army. He was listed as being Hostler. He became a member of Company B of the
37th Massachusetts Infantry as a wagoner. John served from August 30th, 1862 to June 21st, 1865. As a wagoner, it is unlikely he saw combat but was likely associated with most of the 37th's movements. Company B was one of the
Zouave units which meant they utilized light infantry tactics that emphasized open-order formations. He is listed as dislocating his right knee on November 15th, 1863 in Falmouth, VA and was discharged on June 21st, 1865 in Halls, Hill, VA.
The following information is expanded from the
Civil War in the East website.
Date
|
Activity
|
| August 30th, 1862 | Organized at Pittsfield under Colonel Oliver Edwards |
| September 7th, 1862 | Left State for Washington, D.C. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac and duty at Downsville, Md. |
| October 20th-November 19th, 1862 | Movement to Stafford C. H., Va. |
| December 5th, 1862 | To Belle Plains |
| December 12th-15th, 1862 | Battle of Fredericksburg, Va. |
| January 20th-24th, 1863 | “Mud March” |
| March 1863 | Attached to 4th Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| April 27th-May 6th, 1863 | Chancellorsville Campaign |
| April 29th-May 2nd, 1863 | Operations at Franklin’s Crossing |
| May 3rd, 1863 | Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg |
| May 3rd-4th, 1863 | Salem Heights |
| May 4th, 1863 | Banks’ Ford |
| July 1st-July 3rd, 1863 | Battle of Gettysburg |
| June 30th-October 17th, 1863 | Detached for duty at New York and duty at Fort Hamilton, N.Y. Harbor |
| October 17th, 1863 | Rejoined army at Chantilly, Va. |
| November 7th &8th, 1863 | Advance to line of the Rappahannock |
| November 7th, 1863 | Rappahannock Station |
| November 26th-Decimeter 2nd, 1863 | Mine Run Campaign, then at At Brandy Station |
| May-June 1864 | Rapidan Campaign |
| May 5th-7th, 1864 | Battle of the Wilderness |
| May 8th-21st, 1864 | Battle of Spotsylvania Court House |
| May 12th, 1864 | Assault on the Salient |
| May 23rd-26th, 1864 | North Anna River |
| May 26th-28th, 1864 | Line of the Pamunkey |
| May 28th-31st, 1864 | Totopotomoy |
| June 1st-12th, 1864 | Cold Harbor |
| June 16th-18th, 1864 | Before Petersburg, attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps |
| July 9th, 1864 | Jerusalem Plank Road |
| July 9th-11th, 1864 | Moved to Washington, D.C. |
| July 11th-12th, 1864 | Repulse of Early’s attack on Fort Stevens and the Northern Defenses of Washington |
| August, 1864 | Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign |
| August 21st-22nd, 1864 | Near Charlestown |
| September 19th, 1864 | Battle of Winchester (Opequan) |
| September 20th, 1864 | Provost duty at Winchester |
| December 13-16th, 1864 | Moved to Petersburg, Va. |
| March 28th, 1865 | Appomattox Campaign |
| April 2nd, 1865 | Assault on and fall of Petersburg |
| April 3rd-9th, 1865 | Pursuit of Lee |
| April 9th, 1865 | Appomattox Court House |
| April 23rd-27th, 1865 | Moved to Danville, Va. |
| May 3rd, 1865 | Moved to Wilson’s Station |
| May 18th-June 2nd, 1865 | march to Washington, D.C. |
| June 8th, 1865 | Corps Review |
| June 22nd-23rd, 1865 | Moved to Readville, Mass. |
| June 30th, 1865 | Mustered out |
Something happened to the family during the war. John is listed as being married in 1863, by the family has broken up and the children spread all over the place by 1865. Family legend has it that the Roman Catholic church was involved in the split up and that Catherine, my Great Grandmother was sent to become a cook in a lumber camp. This is a bit odd, because she would have been 4 years old at the time. There is a possibility that the George McCann shown as living with with John's older brother George in the 1870 U.S. Census is John's son. Whatever the case< I have not been able to find any other trace of George or Mary Jane.
The next time John shows in the record, he is working as a Hostler at Morgan House in Lee, MA in 1874. There is no sign of his family. on February 26th, 1876, he marries Mary Delan in Lee, MA. This is listed as being both of their second marriages and it was conducted by a Justice of the Peace. This makes me think that whatever happened with the first marriage was not condoned by the Roman Catholic Church. The 1880 U.S. Census shows them living together in Lee, MA with a daughter named Lizzie. John is listed as being a stableman who can't read or write. It also lists his birthplace as England, but I am wondering if this is a lie to cover his Irish heritage. Lizzie is shown as being born around 1862. I can see one or two possibilities with Lizzie.
- She is the daughter of John's first marriage
- She is the Daughter of Mary Delan's first marriage and John adopted her.
By 1890, he has moved to Pittsfield, MA and is a boarder. There is no sign of his family. On August 13th, 1894, he is admitted to the Veterans Home in Togas, ME. He is listed as being 5' 5 3/4" with a medium complexion, blue eyes and gray hair. He can't read or write and his profession was that of a Hostler. He is listed as having a series of ailments including:
- Old dislocation of right knee
- Insufficiency of mitral valve of heart
- hemorrhoids
Sources:
- Massachusetts, State Census, 1855; Name John M McCann, Gender Male, Birth Year abt 1831, Birth Place Ireland, Residence Lee, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA, Enumeration Year 1855, Age 24, Household Number 159, Reel Number 2, Volume Number 3
- 1860 United States Federal Census: Year: 1860; Census Place: Lee, Berkshire, Massachusetts; Roll: M653_487; Page: 683; Image: 684; Family History Library Film: 803487
- 1880 United States Federal Census: Year: 1880; Census Place: Lee, Berkshire, Massachusetts; Roll: 521; Family History Film: 1254521; Page: 208B; Enumeration District: 051; Image: 0418
- 1900 United States Federal Census: Year: 1900; Census Place: Chelsea, Kennebec, Maine; Roll: 593; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0267; FHL microfilm: 1240593
- Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915: Catholic Parish Registers, The National Library of Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Microfilm Number: Microfilm 05579 / 02; Name John McCann, Baptism Age 0, Event Type Baptism, Birth Date 1834, Baptism Date 10 Jul 1834, Baptism Place Clonoe, Tyrone, Ireland, Diocese Armagh, Father George McCann, Mother Mary Hughes
- Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915: Name John McCann, Age 25, Birth Year abt 1831, Birth Place Ireland, Marriage Date 27 Jan 1856, Marriage Place Lee, Massachusetts, USA, Father Geo McCann, Spouse Mary Clasby
- Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915; Name John Mc Cann, Age 42, Birth Year abt 1834, Birth Place Ireland, Marriage Date 26 Feb 1876, Marriage Place Lee, Massachusetts, USA, Father George Mc Cann, Mother Mary M Mc Cann, Spouse Mary Delan
- U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989; Name John McCann, Residence Year 1890, Street Address Clough c Seymour, Residence Place Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA, Occupation Laborer, Publication Title Pittsfield, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1890
- U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989; Name John McCann, Residence Year 1874, Residence Place Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA, Occupation Hostler, Publication Title The Berkshire County Directory, 1874
- 1890 Veterans Schedules; Year: 1890; Census Place: Pittsburgh, Berkshire, Massachusetts; Roll: 13; Enumeration District: 54
- U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles; Name John McCann, Residence Massachusetts, Occupation Hostler, Age at enlistment 29, Enlistment Date 17 Jul 1862, Rank at enlistment Wagoner, State Served Massachusetts, Survived the War? Yes, Service Record Enlisted in Company B, Massachusetts 37th Infantry Regiment on 30 Aug 1862.Mustered out on 21 Jun 1865 at Washington, DC., Birth Date abt 1833, Sources Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War
- U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938; Name John Mccann, Birth Year abt 1832, Keyed Birth Location Ireland, Birth Country Ireland, Admitted Year 1894,Age at Admission 62, State Maine, County Kennebec, City Togus, Branch Eastern Branch
- U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006; Name John Mc Cann, Service Info. US Army, Death Date 6 Mar 1910, Service Start Date 17 Jul 1862, Interment Date 6 Mar 1910, Cemetery Togus National Cemetery, Cemetery Address VA Medical Center, VA Regional Office Center Togus, ME 04330, Buried At Section A Site 2677
- U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865; Name John McCann, Birth Year abt 1833, Place of Birth Ireland, Age on 1 July 1863 30, Race White, Marital Status Married, Residence Lee, Massachusetts, Congressional District 10th, Class 1
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current; Name John McCann, Death Date 6 Mar 1910, Cemetery Togus National Cemetery, Burial or Cremation Place Togus, Kennebec County, Maine, United States of America, Has Bio? Y, URL https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115978188
