Success Stories

My name is Mary Jeanne Bray-Monhardt and I want to tell you why I am so interested in all sides of the family. When my Dad passed away in 1989, I started to look at all of the old photographs to see who I looked like. I found one of my paternal grandmother Sarah O'Reilly-Bray and another of my maternal grandmother Jeannette Tracy-O'Connor. Mom told us lots about Jeannette and Maurice O'Connor and I've known forever that he came from Castlegregory Ireland. But, Sarah was an enigma to me. Her photo had Omro, Wisconsin stamped on it, so I persuaded my cousin Kath to drive three hours to walk in Grandma's footsteps. We arrived in Omro and it was cloudy and we were armed only with Grandma's photo and dim memories. We almost had two cases of whiplash when we braked suddenly so we wouldn't miss O'Reilly Road. We traveled on to the O'Reilly Homestead but Mrs. O'Reilly could tell us nothing. It was only with several more trips that we found she was an aunt. But Vi O'Reilly did direct us to St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Cemetery. The grave digger was there and we asked if he knew of an Alexander or maybe Dennis O'Reilly. John Giddings said, "Come and meet your family." They were all there great grandpa Alexander with both of his wives and several of his children. Kath and I found that great grandpa Alexander served in the Civil War. It was right there inscribed on his tombstone. In back of great grandpa's grave were two tombstones sunk so deep they could not be read. They were my great great grandparents. By this time it had started to mist and get darker and my goose bumps were the size of walnuts. John said, "Don't worry darlin''. Then he got into his truck , started the winch and proceeded to pull the tombstones from the ground before our eyes. We looked at the stones of Dennis O'Reilly and Margaret Halloran from County Mayo. They were in several pieces but by the next time I visited Omro, John Giddings had fixed them. In fact he sent a photo before I was able to get back again. John said, "there are more surprises inside the church." We found the hidden key and entered a small white Chaple of a church in a rural setting . The inside was simple with rows of pews, beautiful hand carved stations of the cross and faded but discernable stained glass windows. John led us to the front pew, left hand side and had us sit. He told us to look to the left and there was a stained glass window with the O'Reilly name on it the family had donated just after the Civil War. Kath and I were amazed and she has also been so great tramping through graveyard cairns replete with actual skeletons in Ireland, climbing slag heaps behind barbed wire fences that proclaim, "This is Condemned Property" in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and lending us her cartographic skills. Next time, Cornwall!! There is a huge iron plaque in the front of the Church erected by the Mongan Family. Hugh Mongan is the first person buried at St. Thomas. He died during the Civil War and was buried in the Indian Burial Ground. After the War, soldiers came home and the Church was finished and Hugh was exhumed and buried in consecrated ground. I thought why couldn't he be my relative, this is all documented? I have made five or six trips to Omro and the little Church that means so much to me. The Mongans have a re-union every other year and it is always a wonderful day. I did find out eventually that Hugh Mongan is my fourth great grandfather. For several years the Friends of St. Thomas have been restoring the "Little Church in the Cornfield". Our O'Reilly stained glass window was one of the first to be refurbished. St. Mary's in Winneconne, Wisconsin has a group that is spearheading donations and "sweat equity" type help. This was my first adventure in finding family and every time I find something new, it is always exciting, just like the first time. Now it is time for me to tell you about our Irish Ancestors and hope that it gives you the insignt you may be seeking. My hope is that someday 100 years from now, someone will be happy to find my contribution