James W. Devine

Linda Lucille (Rappe)(Chrisman) Chambers has a picture which is believed to be him and a brother taken in Dublin, Ireland in 1860. Before I found the name of Nancy's father on her death certificate, family believed him to be named Patrick Devine and the brother in the picture named Will. I (Lonnie Chrisman) picked my grandpa Cliff Rappe's memories regarding this side of the family (before I had even learned his identity). This was circa 1992. He said he could remember once when he was a boy, about 4 years old (i.e., about 1920), when his great grandpa [James] Devine came to visit them in Oregon. At that time, he was an old man with a red beard. My grandpa Cliff remembers sitting on his leg during the visit, and listening to his grandpa tell him that he was returning home <to Ireland> [sic] and they would never see each other again. [I believe he was returning to Illinois, and that my grandpa remembered the <to Ireland> part incorrectly.] !Census (1870): Taylorville, Christian Co., IL, p. 169, dwelling 322 Fam 320: McDermot, ?Amasa, 61, WM, Farmer, $2400/00, b. Ireland, parents foreign born, eligible to vote. ----, Mary, 50, WF, house keep, b. Ireland, parents foreign born Fam 321: Devine, James, 28, WM, Farmer, b. Ireland, parents foreign born ----, Emaline, 20, WF, keep house, b. Illinois, father foreign born. ----, Nancy, 2, WF, b. IL, father for born ----, M. A. 6 mo (dec), W M, b. IL Beal, ?John or ?Jeff, 19, W M, works on farm, b. ILL (note: all these are in same household. Adjacent to this household is John Gore's household with John C. & Agnes Young) A search of all households in Taylorville in the 1880 census turned up no Devine families. He was also not found in the 1880 soundex for Illinois (there were 3 James Devines who were b. Ireland, none of which matched this James. First age 50 in Chicago, second age 33 in Chicago, and 3rd 26 in Harmon Twp, Lee Co.) Conclusion: He had probably not immigrated in time for the census of 1860, and had probably moved out of Illinois by 1880. Moved to Cass Co., Nebraska about 1879. !Census (1880): Elmwood, Cass Co., Nebraska, T9-0744 p.260B, transcribed by FamilySearch.com James Devine, head, age 39 b. Ireland, farmer, parents born IRE/IRE Lyddie Devine, wife, age 30 b. IL, keeping house, parents b. KY/IL Nancy J., dau., 12 IL, at school, par b. IRE/IL Wm. A., son, 10 IL, at school Mary E., dau., 8 IL, at school Robert, son, 2 IL James Abbott, rel=other, 25 IL, farm hand, parents b. IL/IL. I did not find them in the 1885 Nebraska State census. I went through the entire 1900 Census for Elmwood, Cass Co., Nebraska, and they are not there. --------------- Research Leads: A naturalization for a James Devine was filed in 1856 in Geneva, Kane Co. Illinois [Passenger & Immigration Lists Index, 1991-5, Cum. Suppl., Vol.1, 1988; Kane Co., Ill., Naturalization Records, originals from Clerk of Kane Co., Ill, Box 112, Geneva Ill., 60134. Also Kane Co., Genealogy Soc., P.O.Box 504, Geneva Ill, 60134]. This seems a little too far north for him, but it remains a possibility. Other immigrants (* in front means good match to age): 1. "Envoy" 1847, James Devine of Ballyconnell, Ireland to St. John. ["Irish Passenger Lists 1847-1871" by Brian Mitchell, 1988, Gen. Pub. Co., p. 33] 2. "Mary Ann" 1853, John Devine age 65 of Ballyartin, Ireland, to St. John, with Rose, 69, John, and James, 10. [Mitchell p.109] 3. "Envoy" 1853, James Devine of Strabane age 18 to Philadelphia with Martha, age 46, and Joseph, 9 months. [Mitchell p. 113] 4. Transported by William McCorkell & Co., Catherine Devine, "Drumahue, Ballindreat P.O., near Lifford 3/64. Mohongo 5/64" with James, Catherine, 11, and Mary, 9. [Mitchell p.177]. 5. William McCorkell & Co. James Devine "Strabane 4/67. Mohongo 9/67". *6. "Lydia", Liverpool to NY arr. 21 Apr 1851, James Devine age 11. Other Devines on that ship were Elizabeth, age 27, Patrick age 9, Bridge age 7, and Julia age 3. *7. James Devine, age 20 from Ireland, arrived 10 Jun 1861 on ship W.F. Schmidt from Tralee. *8. James Devine, age 20, plumber from Ireland, arrived 14 Aug 1860 on the Harvest Queen from Liverpool. *9. James Devine, age 22, laborer from Ireland, arrived 18 May 1863 on the New World from Liverpool. *10 James Devine, age 22, laborer from Ireland, arrived 22 Aug 1864 on the Kedar from Liverpool. [Records 7-10 from CastleGarden.org] *11 Jas Devine, age 25, male laborer from Ireland to US, arrived 23 Jan 1866 on the Nova Scotian from Liverpool. I ordered and searched microfilm #0986733 -- naturalizations of Christian Co., Illinois, and found no record of him. The only Devine found on that real was the intention of a Daniel Devine, dated 4 Sept 1871 (#153 on item 1 of that film). The second for final papers for that Daniel never appeared. Daniel Devine's homeland was under Queen Victoria, but otherwise unidentified.