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Croak, Ryan, Cassleman: NY>Chicago

Croak, Ryan, Cassleman: NY>Chicago

Posted: 18 Feb 2002 3:01AM GMT
Classification: Query
I am researching a Timothy Ryan and his parents Dennis Ryan and Bridget (Croak) Ryan. Timothy and a brother Patrick came to Chicago and lived with Christian Cassleman and family. They are listed in the 1860 Illinois (Cook County, Chicago Ward 6) census. All were in the tanning business. I know Christian Casselman's wife was Ellen Croak who accompanied Dennis and Bridget when they came from Ireland. Ellen and Christian were married in Utica New York in 1851. I assume Bridget and Ellen were sisters or possibly cousins. I am trying to trace this Ryan and Croak family back to Ireland. Any help is appreciated.


The following is from the publication: Politics and Politicians of Chicago, Cook County and Illinois, published in 1886.

Timothy Ryan was an alderman for the 14th ward, was born in Co. Tipperary March 20, 1842. He arrived in the U.S. with his parents in 1848, settling in Utica, NY. In 1856 the family moved to Detroit, and after one year's residence there settled in Chicago. At the age of 16 he engaged in the tanning and wool business with Christian Cassellman; remaining eight years. He then went to San Francisco and engaged in the same business there for himself, remaining nearly six years when he returned to Chicago. In 1868 he became foreman for Reed & Sherwin in the packinghouse and wool business, after acting in this capacity for 16 mos. he established a glove and mitten manufactory, and conducted it for nine years.


Re: Croak, Ryan, Cassleman: NY>Chicago

Jill (View posts)
Posted: 30 May 2003 2:01AM GMT

Re: Croak, Ryan, Cassleman: NY>Chicago

Posted: 8 Mar 2006 4:48PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 5 Dec 2006 11:19PM GMT
Dear Mr. Horvath,

I don't have info directly related to your research, but I think maybe interesting sidenotes for you. I am a descendent of Christian Cassleman, who was my great great grandfather. John Christian Cassleman (his son) was great grandfather and John Cassleman was grandfather.
The spelling of CASSLEMAN is correct for this family, not Casselman or Cassellman. Christian was descended from one of the Palatine families who arrived in the Hudson Valley region in 1717 and who eventually settled the Mohawk Valley around Utica; moving west to Chicago where he started another tanning business. Your research has given me a valuable clue in my own attempts to trace the Cassleman family history. That is, the name Ellen Croak. Also, we believed until now that Christian moved west in 1832. Apparently not if he married Ellen in Utica in 1851.

Irish Catholic women have apparently spellbound and converted the German protestant men on both my mother's and father's side of the family for generations. I can now add Ellen Croak's name to the list that includes Murphy and Powers. I didn't know my great great grandmother's name before this, nor the detail about Christians tanning business in Chicago and his association with Timothy Ryan.

Oddly my grandfather John left his Chicago home early (16) and moved to Battle Creek, MI. My grandmother (Powers) married a Milliman (from Chicago) and they also settled in Michigan in the 1920s.

It's gotta be the Irish stuff that has produced an interesting fabric of coincidences in our history.

I see your message was dated 2002. Did you ever get any response to it that was helpful?

Best regards
John Cassleman

Re: Croak, Ryan, Cassleman: NY>Chicago

Posted: 13 Apr 2008 4:53AM GMT
Classification: Query
I was just going through some old posts and found your reply in 2006. Thanks for the information. As near as I can tell Timothy's parents died when he was still young and Christian took him under his wing. Must have been a good man.

I am pleased to report that I tracked down Timothy in Killenaule, Tipperary County, Ireland. His father Denis married Bridget Croak in Moycarky, Tipperary County, Ireland in 1840.

Thanks for the reply.

Re: Croak, Ryan, Cassleman: NY>Chicago

Posted: 16 Apr 2008 2:16PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Cassleman, Croak, Ryan
Gareth. Thanks very much for your belated reply. Yes, Christian sounds like a relative I would have loved to have known. FYI here's how the connection between Christian's family and the Ryan's and the Croaks probably occurred.

6 year old Tim Ryan emigrated in 1848 with his parents who beelined for Utica, NY. Christian at the time was 20 and learning the tannery trade from one of his uncles in Utica. Ellen Croak and some others of her family emigrated Ireland 1849 and headed right for Utica. Soon after, Christian and Ellen caught sight of the other and the Palatine German Lutheran Christian married the Irish Catholic Ellen in 1851 and soon moved to Chicago where Christian started his tannery. All my grandmothers from that point were Irish and the Casslemans became Catholic. Ellen no doubt set a wonderful Irish blessing for her descendents.

Tim Ryan lived in Utica until 1856. Ellen and Tim's mother Bridget were probably cousins, but could have been sisters. I don't know because I cannot for the life of me trace Ellen's ancestors.(Ancestry.com not withstanding). A John Croak (maybe Ellen's brother) and his wife Bridget and children lived in Utica until after 1860 and may have maintained a correspondance between the Croaks, the Casslemans and the Ryans.

The Ryans moved to Detroit in 1856 and Chicago a year later.
Tim was 16, in school, but also began to work for Christian in his tannery. He worked for him for 8 years before striking out on his own, moving west to San Fran. to start a business and returning later to Chicago to establish a mitten and woolen mill maybe seeded by Christian who also owned a woolen and mitten business (coincidence or partnership?)

It seems to me that Tim and Christian had a very close, maybe father/son like relationship, considering that Tim lost his father early, as you stated. Tim was apparently inspired not only to go into the same business that Christian was in, but to START a business like Christian did. Christian was also very involved in Chicago politics. Tim followed suit, right down to the same party affiliation and positions.

Finally, Tim was a pall-bearer at this magnanimous gentleman's funeral in 1913 and likely at Ellen's in 1908.

Have you read the small bio. on Timothy Ryan in Fremont O. Bennett's, "The Politics and Politicians of Chicago"? See page 523. You can Google it. Don't have to go the library.

A nice Irish coincidence that you replied at this time, as I've planned to visit for the first time, Christian and Ellen's grave in Calvary Cemetery, Evanston THIS Saturday. My wife and I will be returning from a business trip in Sheboygan, WI and will detour to Evanston on the way back to our home in Grand Rapids, MI.

Gorath, what is your relationship to the Ryans?

Best regards
John R. Cassleman III








Re: Croak, Ryan, Cassleman: NY>Chicago

Posted: 16 Apr 2008 2:45PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Croak, Ryan, Cassleman: Chicago
A correction to my last post: Ellen (Croak) Cassleman died in 1906 (not 1908) and Christian Cassleman died 1908 (not 1913).
John Cassleman
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