Johanna “Judith” (Maher) Peters By Cynthia Booth Maher Johanna (Maher) Peters was born about 1803. Johanna was also known as “Judith/Judy”. During her life time, she used both first names and also used both Maher and Meagher surnames. For example, she used the name Judith/Judy Maher for some of her children’s baptism records and she used Judith Meagher for others. It seems she was consistent in using “Johanna” during her time in the United States. As a result of the variation, you will see I, too, varied her name in this life story. According to her tombstone in St. Bridget’s Cemetery, Nolan Settlement, Johnson County, Iowa, Johanna’s origin was the Parish of Castleiny in County Tipperary, Ireland. For my research purposes it was important to fully understand the geographic area where she resided. Since her tombstone states she was from Castleiny, that is where I began. Records of her children’s baptism showed a residence in the townland of Strogue. Strogue is in the Civil Parish of Templeree, the Catholic Parish of Loughmore-Castleiny and the diocese of Cashel & Emly. The Registrars District is located in Moyne. The townland of Strogue has an area of just 1.11 square miles or 710 ½ acres. Bordering townlands are: Lahagh to the east Clonmore to the north Ballinlass to the south Cobbs to the west Ballyphillips to the east Castleiny to the south Kylemore to the west In 1850, the majority of Ireland’s Peters families resided in County Tipperary. In fact, the majority of them lived in the civil parish of Templeree, where Judith and her family resided. Family researchers discovered a baptism record for a Judith Maher in the Loughmore Roman Catholic parish baptism dated December 3, 1802. This record shows parents are John & Bridget (Maher) Maher. Philip NesbOt (spelled just like it was recorded) and Elizabeth Lahey were baptism sponsors. Though it has not been proved or disproved the record belongs to “our” “Judith”, that date has become associated with her birth. Johanna married John Peters in Ireland. It is assumed they married 1819 or 1820 in the Roman Catholic Parish of Loughmore - Castleiny, County Tipperary, Ireland. I have searched marriage record images in all available County Tipperary Roman Catholic Parishes and am unable to find a marriage record for them Baptism records exist for eight children born to John and Johanna. The children were born between 1820 and 1839. All were born in the townland of Strogue, Civil Parish Templeree, in County Tipperary, Ireland. The children were baptized in the Catholic parish of Loughmore – Castleiny. As I researched Johanna, I felt a great deal of admiration for her. In my opinion, she was an amazing and inspirational Irish woman. The Thurles Poor Law Union Census taken in1842 shows Judith as a widow and head of household in Strogue. I could not find records to explain John’s disappearance. She was just 40 years old and left to raise eight children, ranging in age from 3 to 21 years old, by herself. Imagine how worried she must have been, being thrown into the unknown and realizing the burden of raising all the children fell squarely on her shoulders. Fortunately, in those days, widows were often supported by an extensive and intricate network of neighboring families and friends. Her network included Johanna’s husband’s family, along with other Maher/Meagher families residing in Strogue and/or nearby townlands. In 1845, the potato crops would begin to fail in Ireland. Life would become much tougher for everyone…especially a widow with so many children. Like millions of Irish during that time, she probably laid awake at night trying to figure out how to feed her children, pay the rent and simply get through the next day. The Griffiths Valuation taken in January 1853 shows “Judith” leasing a house in the townland of Strogue, Barony of Ikerrin, Parish of Templeree, in County Tipperary. Also living in Strogue at that time were James Peters, Dennis Peters, Daniel Peters and Mary Peters families. Other neighboring families included Quinn, Connell, Ryan, Laffans, Stapleton, Keane and Shelley. The fact Judith was still in Ireland in January of 1853 is remarkable. It shows she and her family were able to survive the most deadly years of the Great Famine. By 1851 one million Irish—nearly one-eighth of the population—were dead from starvation or disease. For many women, emigration was not an option during the Famine. Johanna, however, pulled from deep within herself to find the patience and stamina to start planning her and her families escape from their perilous and impoverished homeland. She would have had to maneuver the intricacies of bureaucratic regulations, complicated forms, and collect the required references from householders, local priests, magistrates or doctors. And… she did it. I believe that in the summer of 1853, Judith, (who is shown as “Julia”) along with her brother in law, Daniel Peters, and other family members, boarded the ship, Fidelia, in Liverpool, England and set sail for America. Wm Peters, age 30, Stone Cutter Dan'l Peters, age 54 Dan'l Peters, age 22 James Peters, age 20 Julia Peters, age 48 Denis Peters, Infant – 6 (months) Julia Peters, age 48 Mary Peters, age 22 Jane Peters, age 24 Ellen Peters, age 20 Mary Peters, age 13 Cathr'n Peters, age 22 Ellen Peters, age 13 John Peters, Infant – 11 (months) (Source Citation: Year: 1853; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 129; Line: 10; List Number: 731 Source Information: Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.) I can only imagine the trepidation they must have felt as they walked toward their emigration ship. Feeling fear of the unknown yet yearning to cross the ocean and dreaming of reaching the land of opportunity. One wonders if Johanna realized the risk she was taking by boarding what was called in those days, a “Coffin Ship”. Sailing the Atlantic would not be easy. In those days, it took between one and three months to get to America. Conditions on the ships were horrible. There was bad food and water along with a lack of space and hygiene. As a result, there would be numerous deaths during the voyage. The Peters family, however, survived the poor conditions.  They arrived safely, in New York, New York on 20 Jul 1853. From there, they traveled to Ohio and then Iowa. Judith was settled in Newport Township, Johnson County, Iowa by 1856. She was living with her sons James, Daniel, and Daniel’s wife Margaret. Part of my rationale for my theory Johanna and part of her family arrived in the U.S. in early 1850’s, and that the above passenger record is theirs, is because in 1856, the family reported to census takers they had been in Iowa for just one year. Additional support comes in the way of her daughter, Mary’s obituary. It states she came to the U.S. about 1852. 1856 Newport, Johnson, IA Census Mrs. Peters, 40, widow, b: Ireland; resided in Iowa for 1 year Daniel Peters, 24, Farmer, married, b: Ireland; resided in Iowa for 1 year Margaret Peters, 20, married, James Peters, 21, single, b: Ireland; resided in Iowa for 1 year It’s interesting to note who other Irish born residents of Newport Township were at that time. They included: Dennis & Johanna Ryan John Beecher family Matthew Cochran John Carroll family O’Connor family McGuire families Patrick, Morris & Catherine Donovan Michael Riley family John O’Connell Michael & Ellen Donovan Morris & Mary Fitzgerald John & Mary McBride William & Peter Fahey Patrick, Mary & Margaret Smith Daniel, Ellen, Morris Noonan During the 1860 U.S. census, Johanna was living, as a dependent, with her daughter and son-in-law, Ellen & Michael Donohue. 1860 Graham, Johnson, IA Census Michael Donahoe, 25, b: IRE Ellen Donahoe, 24, b: IRE James Donahoe, 3, b: IA Mary Donahoe, 1, b: IA Johanna Peters, dependent, 60, b: IRE In 1870, Johanna resided with her son, James, and his family in Cedar Township, Johnson County. Iowa. 1870 Cedar Johnson, IA Census James Peters, 40, b: Ire, occ: Farmer Mary Peters, 30, b: Ire John Peters, 7, b: IA Mary Peters, 5, b: IA Michael Peters, 4, b: IA Johanna Peters, 2, b: IA William Peters, 7/12, b: IA Johanna Peters, 70, b: Ire, occ: retired house keeper Three years later, Johanna passed away on November 16, 1873 in rural Johnson County, Iowa. She was laid to rest in St Bridget’s Cemetery at Nolan Settlement, Johnson County, Iowa. Tombstone Inscription: JOHANNA PETERS BORN IN PARISH CASTLEINY COUNTY TIPPERARY IRELAND DIED NOV 16, 1873 AGED 73 YEARS Her grandson, Michael, died one month after Johanna passed. He was just 7 years, 10 months and 5 days old. He and his father, James Peters, who died March 8, 1899 are both buried alongside Johanna. John Peters and Johanna "Judith" Maher had the following children: 1. William Peters was born on 30 Aug 1821 in Strogue, Tipperary, Ireland. He married Marry Fannen on 11 Feb 1850 in the Catholic parish of Loughmore and Castleiny, Tipperary, Ireland. 2. John Peters was born on 10 Jun 1826 in Strogue, Tipperary, Ireland. He married Catherine "Kate" Butler on 23 Jan 1854 in Clark County, Ohio. He died on 30 Apr 1912. 3. Catherine Peters was born on 21 Feb 1828 in Strogue, Tipperary, Ireland. She married Patrick Donohoe on 01 Aug 1855 in Johnson County, Iowa. She died on 02 Mar 1889 in Johnson County, Iowa. 4. Daniel Peters was born on 26 Nov 1830 in Strogue, Tipperary, Ireland. He married Margaret Nolan on 05 Aug 1855 in Johnson County, Iowa. The last record of Daniel and his family was the 1856 Iowa State Census. I was unable to find Daniel and his family after that date. 5. James S Peters was born in Jul 1832 in Strogue, Tipperary, Ireland. He married Mary Ryan on 02 Mar 1862 in Johnson County, Iowa. He died on 08 Mar 1889 in Johnson County, Iowa. 6. Ellen M Peters was born on 20 Jun 1835 in Castleiny, Tipperary, Ireland. She married Michael Donohoe on 20 Apr 1856 in Johnson County, Iowa. She died on 28 Nov 1914 in Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa. 7. Margaret Peters was born on 09 Nov 1837 in Castleiny, Tipperary, Ireland. It’s uncertain if Margaret remained in Ireland, or passed away. I could not find any further records for her. 8. Mary Ann Peters was born on 25 Dec 1839 in Strogue, Tipperary, Ireland. She married Michael Dwyer on 15 Feb 1858 at St. Bridget’s Church in Johnson County, Iowa. She died on 18 Apr 1923 in Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa at the age of 84. Note: The spacing between sons, William (b: 1821) and John (b: 1826), births suggest another child was born within that time period. If so, it may have been still born or died in infancy. Baptism sponsors for the Peters children included the following: Dennis Carroll, Ellen Shelby (or Shelley), J Connell, Judy Carroll, Laurence Maher, Bridget Cain, Michael Quinn, Judy Dunn, Rich Connell, Judy Connell, Daniel Coan, Bridget Maher, Dennis Connell, Catherine Peters. As I concluded my research about Johanna, her children and their descendants, I realized that despite the perils of being left to raise her children during one of the darkest chapters of Ireland’s history; despite her tireless efforts and sacrifices to bring her children to a foreign place they wanted to call their home; despite the tough and laborious hours she had to spend to set up a new household and source of income in Johnson County, Iowa, she was completely successful in raising children of sterling worth. For generations to come, Johanna’s legacy of strong values, religion, discipline, responsibility and work ethic would live on. Updated 1/7/2020 |