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Below is a family biography included in the Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania published in 1904 by T. S. Benham & Company and The Lewis Publishing Company; Elwood Roberts, Editor.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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WILLIAM CASEY was born in 1848 in county Wexford, Ireland. He is the son of Thomas and Margaret (Kelly) Casey. Thomas Casey (father) was born in Wexford, and was a tanner and a farmer. His wife was Margaret Kelly, daughter of John and Catharine Kelly. In religious faith they and their family were Catholics. Thomas Casey died at the age of seventy- five years, and his wife at the age of fifty. Their children: Matthew (deceased); James (deceased); Robert (deceased); Bridget, died in Roxboro; Kitty (deceased); William; John, lives in West Philadelphia.

William Casey attended school at Wexford and Ballecarret until he was fifteen years old. For five years he farmed and dealt in cattle in Ireland, and on April 23, 1869, he set sail for America, landing at New York on May 13, 1869. For a time he lived at Easton, on the Hudson river, working for William T. Christy, and later went to Brooklyn and was employed in Lockett’s pork packing establishment. He spent some time in Philadelphia and Downingtown before settling in Plymouth, where he farmed the Lukens farm for William O’Neil. He engaged in the milk business, which he followed successfully until 1893, when he bought the Daniel Foley farm, where he has since resided. He attends the Manayunuk market with the produce of his farm. In politics he is a Democrat, and is a member of St. Matthew’s Catholic church of Conshohocken.

He married Margaret O’Neil, daughter of John and Margaret (Smith) O’Neil, of Conshohocken. Their children are as follows: Margaret, born January 18, 1880; Thomas, born June 21, 1882; Sallie, born October 29, 1884; John, born July 1, 1887; William, born June 1, 1889; Mary, born August 26, 1891; Kitty, born December 16, 1893, died in 1894; Helen, born March 4, 1895; Bessie, born December 18, 1897.

John O’Neil (father of Mrs. Casey) was the son of Edward and Sarah (Sinnott) O’Neil, and was a native of county Wexford, Ireland. He was a successful quarryman and stone mason. He was a prominent Democrat in Conshohocken, and a member of the council in that place. He was a member of St. Matthew’s Catholic church. John O’Neil died at the age of seventy years in West Conshohocken.

John O’Neil married Margaret Smith, daughter of James and Margaret (Lacey) Smith, of county Wexford, Ireland. Their children are: Mary, married Michael McGinnis, and lives in West Conshohocken, her husband being deceased; Edward, married Mary Ann McGettigen (deceased), they having two children, Margaret and Bella, and residing in Philadelphia; Margaret; Sarah residing in West Conshohocken; Katie, residing in West Conshohocken.

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This family biography is one of more than 1,000 biographies included in the Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania published in 1904 by T. S. Benham & Company and The Lewis Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

View additional Montgomery County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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