My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Barry County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  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.

* * * *

Thomas O’Dwyer, an enterprising and prosperous farmer of Barry County, Mo., was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1825. He is a son of John and Ann (Commons) O’Dwyer, also natives of Limerick, Ireland. John O’Dwyer was the son of a farmer, and was in the employ of Lord Hawarden. He was married in his native country, and immigrated to America when his son, Thomas was six years of age. He located in Canada, where he and wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of eight children, four of whom are living. Thomas O’Dwyer is their fourth child. He was reared in Canada, in which country he was also married. His wife, nee Mary Crowley, was born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1828, and came to Canada with her parents in 1847. There Mr. and Mrs. O’Dwyer resided until 1877, when they immigrated to the United States, locating in Barry County, Mo. Here he has since lived, engaged in agricultural pursuits. He now owns 320 acres of land, and is considered one of the thriftiest farmers of the county. He and his boys have a steam threshing machine, and they thresh a large amount of grain in Barry and surrounding counties each season. Our subject and wife have seven children: John, William, Thomas, Mary A., Catherine, Edward and Patrick. All are members of the Roman Catholic Church. The sons are all unmarried and at home and they, as well as their father, are stanch Democrats.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 103 biographies included in The History of Barry County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Barry County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Barry County, Missouri family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.