Black Peter McCauley

[Jeff McCauley Norton]

Looking for info on Black Peter McCauley. He was my Great, Great Grandfather on my fathers, mothers, mothers side. (If that makes any sense) He came from the island of Arranmore off the coast of Ireland sometime after 1850 and lived on Beaver Island, MI. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jeff

[Joyce]

You need to contact Rod Nackerman. He is the expert on "Black Pete" McCauley.

Send me a personal message for the address.

[Jeff McCauley Norton]

Thanks Joyce

[ColinNackerman]

Jeff, did you ever get in touch with my grandfather Rod Nackerman? "Black Pete" McCauley was my great, great, great grandfather.

[Bob Sramek]

Peter Edward "Black Pete" McCauley - Husband
1835-1920
BIRTH: 7 JULY 1835 • Arranamore, County Donegal, Ireland
DEATH: 19 JULY 1920 • Escanaba, Delta County, Michigan, USA
He is Buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Manistique, Schoolcraft, Michigan

Supposely, while still in Ireland Peter had saved money & hid it under a rock. He was living with his grandmother at the time & left without telling anyone. Many left Ireland from Rutland - the passage to Canada took 6 weeks. Peter arrived in the US in 1856/58 (census) without any education. He came through Canada & settled in Pennsylvania where he worked in the steel mills. Peter came to Beaver Island with friend Hugh Connaghan (Hugh Conehan). It is believed that he arrived in Toronto - joining an Uncle Dan - who also was to have paid for his passage Peter then went to join his mother & step-father in Johnstown, Penn He worked there in the rolling mills for a couple years & then learned of Beaver Island. It seems the family must have gone back to Toronto before going to the island as he & Ellen were married in Canada.

His father was Edward "Eddie" McCauley who died in Ireland while collecting seabird eggs from the high cliffs . Eddie was a brother of Dan McCauley (see family tree), so Dan was Peter's uncle. Peter married Ellen Malloy, daughter of Patrick Malloy. Ellen is the woman who had the row with Father Gallagher.

Peter came over in 1854, with Hugh Conehan (Hugh was the father of Mrs. Vesty and Mrs. Cull). Pete could not read or write.
They lived at Nomad at the Cole property, house #38 (Cole bought the property from them).

Peter and Dan Boyle (Maria's grandfather) were 1 st cousins and were raised together by a grandmother because they were orphaned. Peter first came to Canada. Many Irish came this way because the British Government paid their passage, in an effort to solve the "Irish Problem" & colonize Canada at the same time. The Irish had no intention of staying; they wanted to get to " America." When Peter got here he worked for Wagely, cutting wood. Peter got together enough to buy some second hand nets & set them off shore at what is now McCauley's Bay. In the morning they were full to overflowing. From then on he fished. - Nackerman (his grandson).

They were living on Aranmore at the time of the famine. Dan, age 13 in 1845 & Pete, age 11. When it was over Dan was 18 & Pete 16.

Why did Peter have to be raised by a grandmother? His mother was married here to an O'Donnell & later to Fitzsimmons. Perhaps when his widowed mother married O'Donnell she left him with the paternal grandmother - she must have been only 16 when she had him - it is reasonable that with so young a mother (widowed) that the grandmother took him.

There is a stone for P. D. McCauley, 1862-1906 - is this a son? The date's right and the grave is right next to Dan G. & Bridget à no - Dan McC son.
Dec. 1979 he got, by T at deed, the W1/2 & NE1/4 of SW1/4 & Lot 3 of S11 T37 R10 (Land Office says SW 4 & Lot 3, Sec 11).

Peter & Mary Ellen were married in 1861 in Toronto, Montreal, Canada. They are the parents of 15 children, all born on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan: Edward Peter, Mary Ann "Molly", Helen Elizabeth, Patrick John, Johanna "Hannah", Margaret Susan, Grace, Catherine Theresa "Kate", Agnes May, Alphonse, Rose Marie, Theresa Marie, Peter Edward, John Ralph & Elizabeth.

Peter died from injuries, a Cerebral Hemorrhage, when he fell from a streetcar on Ludington & 14th Streets, Escanaba, Delta, Michigan. He was 85 & a widower.

His parents are Edward & Mary [O'Donnell] McCauely, both from Aran Mor Island, Ireland.



Mary Ellen Malloy - Wife
1842-1920
BIRTH 21 OCTOBER 1842 • Arranmore Island, Donegal, Ireland
DEATH 13 JULY 1914 • Manistique, Schoolcraft, Michigan, USA
She is Buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Manistique, Schoolcraft, Michigan

Pete & Mary Ellen were married in 1861 in Toronto, Montreal, Canada. They are the parents of 15 children, all born on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan: Edward Peter, Mary Ann "Molly", Helen Elizabeth, Patrick John, Johanna "Hannah", Margaret Susan, Grace, Catherine Theresa "Kate", Agnes May, Alphonse, Rose Marie, Theresa Marie, Peter Edward, John Ralph & Elizabeth.

Mary Ellen died from a stroke & complications with a Decayed Tooth. She was living on Lake Street in Manistique with Peter.

Ellen Malloy, daughter of Patrick Malloy. She married Peter McCauley. She is the one that had the row with father Gallagher over St. Ignatius church.

She told her grandson, Frank Nackerman, about the "fairy stone" many times. She said she had seen fairies many times in Ireland, particularly in the corners of the stone fences. The fairy stone is the big one just above Boyle's Beach. (Her brother Buffalo lived here when he married Mike Boyle's daughter). Once she saw one very clearly, she was 2 ft. to 3 ft. high and was standing right on top of the stone, "as pretty as a picture." It was always at dusk when they were seen.

Catherine Malloy Kelly, born July 1, 1859 in Toronto, 10 months later came to U.S. & settled on Beaver Island (May 1860). She died, age 76 (1935). She went to Manistique when she was 20 (1879) & married Oliver Kelly in July of 1888 at Marinette, Wisconsin. He died in 1925. Mrs. Kelly was survived by brothers John Malloy of Pontiac (this is Buffalo - what was he doing there?), Hugh Malloy of Marquette, & a sister, Mrs. Wesley Brown of Chicago. [This information is from an obituary Nonie had.]

Nonie has an undated clipping telling that Hugh Malloy, 68 [he was born in 1868 so the clipping must be 1936]4 & another fisherman were lost when they went out in an 18"5 skiff to raise herring nets. The overturned boat had been "battered by icebergs" & its outboard motor lost. The bodies had not been found; the Coast Guard said they "were probably washed under the ice." This clipping was datelined Marquette, Mich.. A later clipping, Ap. 29 th, says the body was found.

= = = = = = = = = = = =
1870 Census Galilee Township
Age Born Occ.
McCauley, Peter 32 Ire. Laborer Can't R
McCauley, Ellen 27 Ire. H. Keeper Can't R or W
(Pat Malloy's daughter)
McCauley, Edward 8 Mich.
McCauley, Mary Ann 6 Mich.
McCauley, Ellen 4 Mich.
McCauley, Patrick 2 Mich.
McCauley, Hannah 3/12 Mich.
= = = = = = = = = = = =
1880 Census Galilee Township
Age B FB MB Occ.
McCauley, Peter Head 46 Ire. Ire. Ire. Farmer Can't R or W
McCauley, Ellen Wife 37 Ire. Ire. Ire. H. Keeper
McCauley, Edward S 18 Mich. Ire. Ire. Fisherman
(Drowned at dock next to meat market, he was fishing with Sisco)
McCauley, Mary D 14 Mich. Ire. Ire. School (Married Nackerman Fred)
McCauley, Patrick S 12 Mich. Ire. Ire. School (Married Patsy)
McCauley, Hannah D 10 Mich. Ire. Ire. School
(Married Phil Malloy, Ralph Pan's son)
McCauley, Susan D 8 Mich. Ire. Ire. (Went to Arizona)
McCauley, Grace D 6 Mich. Ire. Ire.
(Birth record September 29, '74, Policeman Chicago Curtain)
McCauley, Teresa D 4 Mich. Ire. Ire. (Marie)
McCauley, Agnes D 2 Mich. Ire. Ire.
(Birth record June 23, '78, Boyle, Lumberman)
McCauley, Alphonso S 2/12 Mich. Ire. Ire.
= = = = = = = = = =

I've attached 1 picture of Black Pete and 2 pictures of Mary Ellen Malloy