2011 Christopher Anglim Compiler 318 Hillsboro Drive Silver Spring, md 20902

The Irish who had survived the deprivation in Ireland and disembarked steamboats at the St. Louis landing were a hardy, determined, but unprepared lot.  Because the Irish had already begun describing their Irish homes as a "patch" of land and because so many of the Irish in St. Louis came from Kerry, it was natural to call their first homes - "The Kerry Patch". St. Patrick's church was where the Kerry Patch began in the mid 1800's.  St. Patrick's was located at Sixth and Biddle from 1844 to 1975.  The original church was razed in 1973.  In 1981, the "new" St. Patrick's was built and is located at 1000 North 7th St.  In 1883, it was the largest parish in the city.    As the number of Irish immigrating into St. Louis grew, housing became scarce.  In 1850, 43 percent of the population of St. Louis was Irish.   Many were homeless.    In response, John Mullanphy, donated a large tract of land for the Irish to settle.  It was located north of Carr Square and extended from N. 9th Street, west between Morgan and Franklin Avenues. The heart of Kerry Patch was considered N. 18th and O'Fallon Streets, but as the Irish population spread north and west, all of it was called "Kerry Patch".  There, the Irish built "clapboard" houses - small, frame homes that often were home to more than one family.  The houses were built at or near the sidewalk line.  During floods, many of the homes filled with mud from the streets.  These were St. Louis' "Shanty Irish".  Life in the Patch was hard. Because the homes were built close together and because of the large number of people who lived there, the neighborhood deteriorated.  The residents had a reputation for drinking, fighting, and arguing over politics and religion. After the Civil War, the Patch degenerated quickly into an Irish slum, and a very violent and dangerous place. In the early 1900's, when the clay mines opened, many of the Irish left the Patch to settle in Cheltenham, around Hampton and Manchester, known as "Dogtown" today.

The heart of the Patch was always its Catholic Churches:  St. Patrick, St. Michael the Archangel, and St. Bridget of Erin on the near north-side, St. John the Apostle, St. Malachy and St. Kevin on the near south-side as well as St. Alphonsus Liguouri (the Rock church) were the foundation of the Catholic community in the Kerry Patch.  St. Lawrence O’Toole parish was founded by Father James Henry in 1855 as a mission from St. Patrick ‘s. The first church was dedicated in December 1855 and was replaced by a later structure across the street at the southwest corner of 14th and O’Fallon Streets in 1865. The neighborhood deteriorated and the church was sold in 1948.  Other Catholic churches that served the Irish  were:  St. Kevin's, St. Leo's, St. Liborius, St. Theresa, St. Malachy's, St. Matthew's, Most Holy Rosary, and St. Cronan's.
 

In the late 1800's  St. Louis withstood cholera epidemics that killed almost ten percent of the population, the tornado of 1896, smallpox epidemics and rampant political corruption.  The Patch was badly damaged by the tornado, mostly because of the poorly constructed housing.  The tornado struck hardest outside the Patch, but many Irish in the Patch died or were left homeless by it.

In the early 1900s, St. Louis was a thriving metropolis – the fourth largest city in the U.S.   In 1900, the population of St. Louis was 575,000. The population of St. Louis in 2000 had declined to 348,189.  Politics, poverty and prohibition combined to create a very lethal atmosphere in the Patch.  Many single shanties were replaced with tenement housing - boarding houses.  Irish families tended to live in compact single rooms located in boarding houses that carried the names of  famous battles in Ireland as well as in the US Civil War.  One tenement house was called "Vinegar Hill" after the famous Irish battle.  Families tended to move often to avoid paying rent when no rent money was available.  Since they had little in the way of possessions, moving was an easy option and was often done just to get a better "view" or because the food in a different boarding house was better. Tenement houses were crowded places that housed hundreds of people.  There were no sewers and public bath houses were patronized monthly.  Some tenements were not even built facing a street, but faced each other forming a square in the middle.   By the 1920's non-Irish were fearful of going into the Patch, but the residents were fiercely loyal to each other. In the Patch, a politician seeking political office could often find a group of men willing to act as "bodyguard" to anyone who would vote for him as well as some who hadn't planned to vote at all!  There were also ruffians who were paid to see that those who weren't going to vote for the paying candidate never made it to the polls.

 The Irish had learned to survive in Ireland by forming secret societies much like "gangs" of today.  Some of the early gangs that formed in the Patch to enforce the will of St. Louis political machines were called "Eagan's Rats" and the "Hogan Gang".  There were many who, despite the squalor, and desperation, climbed the employment ladder and worked in one of the approximately seventy breweries in St. Louis at the turn of the century.  When Prohibition (1920-1933) closed the breweries, the Irish, already skilled in making beer, began home breweries and gangs formed to sell home brew throughout the city.  Gangs with names like:  the Ashley Gang, the Red Hots, the Purple Gang and the Cukoos had hundreds of members from the Kerry Patch.  Some of the more notorious gang members were Dinty Colbeck, Tom and Willie Eagan, Ray Renard and Willie Heeney.  Gang wars were fought in the streets of the Patch between the Eagan and the Hogan gangs.  Over a two year period, twenty-three men were killed in  bloody gang wars.

The Great Depression (1929-1941) took its toll on St. Louis and on the Patch.  Many of the Irish began to disperse into the surrounding neighborhoods and following World War I, the neighborhood had begun to diversify.  After World War II, the Irish were mostly gone from the Patch.  Government housing projects were built in the area that had been the Kerry Patch in the hope of revitalizing the neighborhood and reducing crime.  The opposite effect happened.  Crime in the area of the former Kerry Patch remains very high.  The Pruitt-Igoe housing complex was built in 1956 was razed in 1972. The present day Carr Square housing complex is in the heart of the old Kerry Patch.  

The Roman Catholic Parishes that served the Kerry Patch during its heyday:

St. Michael the Archangel (1849-1975), 11th and Clinton-Founded as a companion church of St. Patrick's

St. Bridget's (1852-present  ) 2401 Carr St.  When constructed in 1860, it was the largest church in the city.

Sacred Heart (Most Sacred Heart of Jesus)  1871-1978,  23rd & University.  It was located southeast of Fairgrounds Park.

In 1885, Michael Anglim lived at 2309 Cass Avenue in St. Louis. He worked as a laborer.⁸²⁸

In 1890, John Anglim lived on 2114 Jefferson, in Kansas City. He worked as a teamster.⁸³⁰

(see Chart A-16 )

In 1893, Miss Joe Anglim (1863-?) operated a restaurant at 122 W. Galena, in Butte, where she also lived.⁸³³ Josie Anglim married Thomas J. McDermott on May 7, 1893 in Butte.

From 1899-1901,Ellen M. Anglim, the widow of Michael Anglim), lived at 935 Utah Avenue. Living with her was Michael, who was a conductor for the Great Northern Railway.⁸³⁴
Ellen Anglim (1841-1909) was interred at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, in Butte.

Michael Anglim was born 1865 in Iowa to Irish born parents, Michael Anglim and Ellen Malone Anglim . Ca. 1902, the younger Michael Anglim lived in Butte and was working as a yard foreman for the Great Northern Railway. He lived with his mother Ealen Anglim, the widow of his father Michael. They boarded at 709 South Wyoming, in Butte. ⁸³⁵
The younger Michael Anglim married Anna Marion Gough (who was born on January 9, 1873 in Gold Creek, Montana) on April 22, 1903 in Butte, MT. Anna Gough’s father was James Gough, who was born in Ireland and Bridget Finnegan, who was born in Ireland. Michael and Annie had three children, all born in Montana: Geraldine (born ca. 1906), Irene (born ca. 1907), and James G. (born ca. 1909).⁸³⁶ Annie Anglim and her children later moved to San Francisco, CA.
In 1930, Mike Anglim lived in Joplin, Liberty County, Montana, and worked as a farmer. He was born in 1887 in Wisconsin. His father was born in Ireland and his mother was born in Wisconsin. Mike married Annie Marion Anglim, who moved to San Francisco, CA, by 1916. Mike and Annie were divorced by 1930⁸³⁷
----------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowstone County
About 17.2% of Custer’s inhabitants declare themselves of have Irish ancestry, as compared to 40% who declare themselves to have German ancestry.
John Michael Anglim (born July 17, 1895 in Iowa) lived in Custer, MT, ca. 1917-1918.⁸³⁸

Nebraska
Background
The Irish have been a major ethnic group throughout Omaha’s history, and continue to serve as important religious and political leaders. They compose a large percentage of the local population. In 2000 62,349 of the city's 390,112 residents claimed Irish roots on the U.S. Census. The Irish were the third largest ethnic group in South Omaha in 1900, with 1,073 out of 26,001 residents claiming Irish ancestry. By 1909 that area of the city claimed 2,250 out of their 30,000 residents were of Irish descent.

The first church in Nebraska was a Catholic church built in Omaha by Irish immigrants in 1856. Around this time, Irish settlers lived in “Gophertown”, which was north of the town of Saratoga and south of the town of Florence. The area was named for the dugout homes where immigrants lived in the plains of present-day North Omaha.

The Irish have been a major part of Omaha's immigrant community since the 1860s. Coming to the city in large numbers to build the Union Pacific Railroad beginning in 1864, many Irish immigrants remained to work in the railroads and worked as laborers in the wholesaling district. As many as 10,000 Irish laborers worked out of Omaha along the Union Pacific lines as they branched across the American West. Few had come directly from Ireland, instead arriving in Omaha via New York City, Boston, and other cities in the Eastern United States. During the twelfth and final meeting of the Nebraska Territory Legislature 31 Irish leaders in the community promoted George Francis Train as Senator for the new state because he had, "advocated so long the cause of Irish nationality." In 1863 Edward and Mary Creighton donated land to the local Catholic bishop, the Right Rev. James O'Gorman, to build a convent on the banks of the Missouri River. The Sisters of Mercy opened an academy and schools soon afterwards. The Creightons also donated land for a cathedral which was dedicated to St. Philomena. O'Gorman, also Irish, died and was buried in Omaha at the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in 1874.

In the 1870s and 1880s a major neighborhood for the local Irish community was the Near North Side. They also lived in an "uninviting floodplain" south of downtown which was later known as Little Italy.

James E. Boyd was an Irish-born politician in Omaha who served two terms as mayor in the 1880s, and was Nebraska Governor in the 1890s. In 1885 James O'Connor became the first Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Diocese of Omaha. Born in Queenstown, Ireland, he died in Omaha in 1890. When the Omaha Stockyards were established in 1887, the first employees were foreign-born Irish who moved directly to South Omaha. That year at the Nebraska Republican Party's annual convention in Lincoln, the delegates drafted a resolution showing "the usual approval of the struggle for Irish home rule". The Nebraska Democratic Party presented a similar statement in its platform, too. Emmet Street in the Kountze Place neighborhood was probably named for Robert Emmet during this period.

During the 1890s the American Protective Association targeted Omaha's Irish and attempted to force immigrants out of the American Midwest and the Irish out of public office. By then Irish Americans lived throughout the city, and had largely assimilated. They held an annual St. Patrick's Day celebration, and they were in all levels of Omaha society, including politics and city government. The social acceptance of the Irish also greatly benefited the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1906 Irish language scholar Douglas Hyde visited Omaha on a fund raising trip for Gaelic League. While there he met the Rev. Dr. Richard Scannell, the bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha, a native of County Cork who spoke perfect Irish, as did many more residents of the city. After learning that more than one-sixth of the city's residents claimed Irish heritage, Hyde urged them to take steps to preserve their language and history.

En route to an assignment in rural Nebraska in 1912, Irish-born Father Edward J. Flanagan became concerned about the welfare of orphans in the Omaha. In 1917 he founded the renown Boys Town. He became a symbol of great pride for the Irish community in Omaha.

In the 1920s the Irish Self-Determination Club of Omaha supported Ireland and its right to independence from Britain. The Club made a loan to the Elected Government of the Republic of Ireland in 1919, and made requests to the United States federal government to provide financial support to Ireland.

Today there is a strong ethnic Irish presence in Omaha. Several social organizations, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Omaha Area Emerald Society, and the Irish American Cultural Institute have chapters in the city. There are also several organizations promoting Irish culture, including the St. Brighid Theatre, the Omaha Irish Dancers, and Craoi na Tire Studio of Irish Dance, as well as an annual St. Patrick's Day parade.

In 1892, J. Anglim, worked as a laborer for Cudahy & Co., in South Omaha.⁸³⁹

James was married on October 1,1899 to Theresa G. Hughes, in South Omaha NE. At the time of the marriage, James was 27 and Theresa was 24. The witnesses to the marriage were Theresa's brother John (Jack) Hughes & James sister Mary E. Anglim.

James and Theresa separated several different times. Finally on October, 1929

Theresa filed and received “separate maintenance” for the support of herself and her children on March 11, 1930 by Judge Herbert Rhoades. Anglim vs Anglim (Doc 201-No 2 District Court of Douglas County, NE.)set a precedent. They went to court 27 times.
In 1930, Therese and the children still lived at the house on 4324 S. 19^th Street. Mary A. worked as a filing clerk, William G. worked as a locomotive fireman for the railroad, Thomas T. worked as a grocery clerk, and Cecilia worked as an elevator operator for an office building.⁸⁴⁰ In 1937, Therese lived at the home on 19^th Street with her children: Cecilia, Francis, James T., Mary A., Robert D., Theresa R., and Thomas J.⁸⁴¹
In 1937, Cecilia worked as an operator, James T. worked as a farmer, Theresa worked as a public stenographer at 1000 First National Bank Building, Theresa R also worked as a stenographer.⁸⁴²

James moved to 5109 South 42nd Street, Omaha, NE. He later moved to Reno, Nevada on August 7,1937. He lived at 557 West Sixth Street until May 7, 1938: then he lived at 42912 South Center Street, in Reno. He belonged to the Thomas H. Barry Camp No.7 of the United Spanish War Veterans of Reno, Nevada. He had transferred in October, 1938, from Lee Forby Camp, of Omaha, NE.

James, then aged 67, died on July 12, 1939 of a fractured skull, multiple contusions and abrasions. Thomas Anglim, his son, brought James back to Omaha, NE. James’ funeral was held at St. Agnes Church in Omaha on July 18, 1939. He was interred at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery. A burial flag was issued. Theresa received a widow's pension.