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The Sheridans in Red Hook


Sheridan, Thomas (Tommy) J. (c1843-1894), and his parents, John Sheridan and Honora (Anna) Letty 233 Van Brunt, North East Corner of Van Brunt at Delavan

North east corner of Van Brunt and Delevan. Thomas Sheridan 1870 to 1872.

Thomas J Sheridan, the son of John and Honora Sheridan, was listed as receiving a liquor licence in 1870. However he does not seemed to have actually operated a liquor store or saloon. He was a cooper by trade and a politician by avocation. He may have retained the liquor license and had his establishment run by a "bartender". In 1892 he invited some political "friends" to his "place of business" an invitation that was "readily accepted".

1870 Brooklyn Eagle liquor dealers list, Sheridan, T., corner of Delevan at VAN BRUNT

Sheridan, Thomas, liquors, Van Brunt c Delevan h Dikeman n Van Brunt, 1870 directory.

Thomas J Sheridan (Tommy) was a ward 12 constable in 1866, a Ward 12 supervisor from 1870 to 1874, and later a Ward 12 state assemblyman.

3d District. (Wards 6 and 12 of Brookiyn: population, in 1865, 39,492.) THOMAS J. SHERIDAN (Ind. Dem.), of Brookivn. Mr. S. was born in Brooklyn, October 31, 1844, and educated in the public schools; was formerly a cooper, is now engaged in mercantile pursuits; was Constable in 1866; Supervisor, 1870-73, and was elected to the Assembly by a plurality of 137, his opponents being John Shanley (Regular Dem.), Philip O'Hanlon (Ind. Dem. and Lawrente Garrahan (Gr.) The Democratic majority in 1877 was 4,195.

Evening Journal Almanac, 1879.

Thomas J Sheridan was the son of John Sheridan and Honora Letty

Birth of John Sheridan:

Birth of Honora Letty: circa 1810 Ireland.

Marriage of John Sheridan and Honora Letty:

Children:

  1. Mary circa 1847 per 1870 census

  2. Thomas J. Sheridan (1843 - 1894)

    Birth Date: 1 Nov 1843, Baptism Date: 26 Nov 1843, Father: John Sheridan, Mother: Honor Leddy, God Parent: Mary Rainey

    See more on Thomas J Sheridan below.

  3. James Sheridan, Birth Date: 7 Oct 1845, Baptism Date: 26 Oct 1845, Father: John Sheridan, Mother: Honor Leddy, God Parent: Pat Leddy, God Parent: Eliza Rielly

    Not listed in the Censuses by ancestry.com

  4. Rose Sheridan, Birth Date: 18 Aug 1848, Baptism Date: 20 Aug 1848, Father: John Sheridan, Mother: Ann Leddy, God Parent: Patrick Leddy, God Parent: Mary Reily

    Another Rose born in 1851

  5. Elizabeth Sheridan, Birth Date: 18 Aug 1848, Baptism Date: 20 Aug 1848, Father: John Sheridan, Mother: Anna Leddy, God Parent: John Reily, God Parent: Jane Mcclosky

    Lizzie in the 1870 census.

  6. Rosa Sheridan, Birth Date: 19 Sep, Baptism Date: 12 Jan 1851, Father: John Sheridan, Mother: Ann Leddie, God Parent: John Sheridan, God Parent: Margt Kenrik

    Listed in the 1870 Census with her family.

    Marriage: Peter W. Cahill

    Death of Peter W Cahill: October 18, 1883 age 36, employee of the Union Ferry company, and Long Island council Railroad, 674 (?) Dekalb

    Death of Rose Anne Cahill: 1891 Cahill, Rose Anna, age 40, relict of the late Peter W. Cahill and sister of Ex-Assemblyman Thomas J Sullivan.

Denis J. Clare:
Denis J Clare was a brother in law of Thomas J, Sheridan. Denis J. Clare, died in 1889. He would have been either the husband of Thomas Sheridan's sisters, either Elizabeth or Mary, or the brother of T. Sheridan's wife Mary. Denis Clare was 38 when he died and lived a 18 Partition st. He had been for 12 years an office of the city Courts. He left a widow and seven children "in needy circumstances".

Dennis Clare Residence Year: 1872 Street Address: Van Brant Ewen Residence Place: Brooklyn, New York Occupation: Depy Sheriff Publication Title: Brooklyn, New York, City Directory, 1872. Dennis Clare

Residence Year: 1873 Street Address: 179 Conover Residence Place: Brooklyn, New York Occupation: Court Officer Publication Title: Brooklyn, New York, City Directory, 1873

The Argus Almanac: A Political and Financial Annual, 1880
Thomas J Sheridan

Of the fifth District of Kings county, was born in Brooklyn in 1844, of parents of Irish decent. He was educated at the public schools of that city, and was formerly engaged in the cooper business, but is now a merchant. In politics Mr. Sheridan has always been a Democrat, and was a Constable in 1866 and Supervisor of his ward in 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, and 1874. He was a member of the previous Assembly, and served on the committees on Commerce and Navigation, and Public Health and was elected to the present House as an Independent Democrat by a vote of 1,381 to 1,161 for John Curran the Regular Democratic nominee and 366 for O'Brien an Independent. Mr Sheirdan is married and resides in Brooklyn."

1860: Ward 12, John Sheridan 45, laborer, $1,000 $300, Ireland Anne Sheridan 43, Ireland Mary Sheridan 16, seamstress, Thomas Sheridan 15, appr to cooper, Elizabeth Sheridan 11 Rosanna Sheridan 9

1864 New York Emigrant Savings Bank Test Books: 1864 Thomas Sheridan Cor Dykeman and Van Brunt, cooper, born 1844, Brooklyn, relations, Fr. --- John, Mo.Anna, 3 sisters: Mary ann, Elizabeth and Roseanna.

1870: Ward, 12, Hannah Sheridan 60, $2,000, keeping house, born Ireland, Mary Sheridan 23, s.m. operator, Thomas Sheridan 21, cooper, Lizzie Sheridan 19, s.m. operator, Rose Sheridan 17, s.m. operator

1871, Thomas Sheridan 12th Ward Supervisor, liquors, Delavan c Van Brunt, h Dikeman bet Richards and Van Brunt. Brooklyn, New York, City Directory, 1871

1872, 1873, Sheridan, Thomas, 12th ward supervisor, liquors "386" Van Brunt, directory (this is between Wolcott and Dikeman closer to Dikeman) home 92 Dikeman. Note: See 386 Van Brunt, Madigan.

1879 Mr. Thomas Sheridan, Member of the Assembly, from the 6th and 12th wards, was slated as a candidate for Alderman, but he wished to be reelected to the assembly.

1880 Census: 478 Smith Street, Thomas Sheridan "34", member of the Assembly, born New York, parents born Ireland, Mary Sheridan 24, wife, born NY, parents born Ireland, Mary Kelley 13, servant.

1880, A meeting of the Democrats of the 12th ward was held at the corner of Van Brunt and Delavan streets. Assemblyman Thomas Sheridan called the meeting to order.

Michael Coffey and Thomas Sheidan had once formed a political alliance. In 1877 this cooperation began to fall apart. By 1882 they were running opposed to each other. In 1882 there was a discrepancy in the election between "Tommy" Sheridan and Michael J. Coffey: Michael J. Coffey, contested the right of Thomas J. Sheridan to the seat in the Assembly he held as a representative from the Fifth District of Kings. Sheridan won the right wone the right to be seated. Michael J Coffey became a state senater and Coffey Street in Red Hook is named for him.

5th District. (12th ward of Brooklyn.) MICHAEL J. COFFEY (Dem. ), of Brooklyn (97 William street). Mr. C. was born in Ireland in 1842, educated in the public schools, and is a ship caulker. He was in the U. S. Navy from 1861-'64, and was engaged in the battles of Fort Hatteras, Duval's Point and Fort Fisher. He was a member of Assembly in 1875, '76, '77, serving on the committees on Railroads, Indian Affairs and Trade and Manufactures, and was elected to the present Assembly by a plurality of 802, his op- ponents being Lewis H. Weaver (Rep.), James Mc- Mahon (Ind. Dem. ) and Edward Hayden (Ind. Dem.) Mr. C. was a candidate for Assembly in 1882, but was defeated by Thomas J. Sheridan (Ind. Dem.), by a majority of 78.

Another political opponent was fellow liquor licensee John Curran.

In 1879 a politcal argument between Patrick McGovern, pro Sheridan, and Thomas Thornton, pro Curran, ended the stabbing death of Thomas Thornton at Henry Reicher's saloon at 206 Van Brunt.

1883: The Brooklyn Eagle reported that Thomas J Sullivan attended all the picnics, "makes himself agreeable to all the mothers and kisses all the babies". It tells a story of Thomas J Sheridan in Albany. He was in the company of some fellow statesmen when one of them quoted a passage from Longfellow: "Though the mills of God grind slowly, Yet they grind exceedingly small." When they asked Sheridan what grinds so exceedingly small he replied it was the hurdy gurdy. I believe that the correct answer is JUSTICE

1884 Thomas J Sheridan, h 478 Smith Street

In 1886 it was reported by the Brooklyn Eagle that assemblyman Thomas Sheridan looked "after the interests of the poor laboring man of Brooklyn". He was said to be asture and his rally cry was "Are ye wid us."

1888: Ex-assemblyman, the Hon. and Mrs. Thomas Sheridan attended the Moloney-Mullen wedding October 1888 in Carroll Gardens.

1892: Did not find them.

1894 New York Times, Sept 6, Ex-assemblyman Thomas Sheridan of Brooklyn died at his home at 217 17th street. He was 51 years old. He was an "old fashioned politician and enjoyed the unbounded confidence of the residence of Red Hook." He was first elected in 1878 and served four consecutive terms. He also served as supervisor. He once conducted the Pope's Park in South Brooklyn and owned a saloon in Williamsburg and was later a contractor.

While in the state assembly "Tommy" Sheridan intoduced an Excise Bill which did not pass. Which way did this bill lean?

DEATH OF THOMAS SHERIDAN: Picturesque Brooklyn Political Character Passes Away "one of the most picturesque characters of the old times in local politics" Tommy Sheridan died at his residence 217 17th street of a complication of ailments. "His name was dear to the most humble of his constituents". When running for office he canvased door to door. He had been supervisor for the 12th ward and state assemblyman. He gave up politics having become weary of "the machine" and in 1892 joined the "anti snap" movement. He "conducted Pope's Park in south Brooklyn. He owned a "place" at the corner of Sumner ave and Broadway. At the time of his death he was a contractor with various lines of work. He was "well off in the world's goods". His saying had become some of the "bywords" in the neighborhood. His funeral was well attended. No mention of a wife or children.

FUNERAL OF THOMAS J SHERIDAN

NY Times: From his residence 217 Seventeenth street, Sept 7, 1894 Interred at Holy Cross. Funeral attended by a large number of South Brooklyn Businessmanen and politicians. No mention of a wife or children.

Sheridan, Thomas J. - of Kings County, N.Y. Republican. Member of New York state assembly, 1879-83 (Kings County 3rd District 1879, Kings County 5th District 1880-83); candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 2nd District, 1884. Burial location unknown.

1892 "Tommy" Sheridan had words with James G Brown at a meeting on the corner of Broadway and Lawton streets. Friends intervered "and "a bloody war" was averted. To show that there were no hard feelings, the ex-assemblyman invited all hands to his place of business across the street, and invitation that was readily accepted."

"Tommy" Sheridan was apparently a very dapper dresser. In 1884 "He was attired in gorgeous raiment. His suit of clothes could be heard humming two blocks away." He was sporting a diamond pin in his shirt.

In 1884 he was also called "the redoubtable Warwick of the Twelfth Ward, by which the people of their receptive districts will be enlightened upon the vital questions of the day. While the rotund and clean shaven orator of Red Hook is developing his views of jurisprudence and statesmanship......" The 16the Earl of Warwick was skilled at appealing to popular sentiments for political support. Is this the reverence? He must have had an Irish accent: he is quoted as using the expresion "tro tick an tro tin". In 1884 the New York Times called "Tommy" Sheridan "the Young Napoleon of the Twelfth Ward" and "a sort of Democratic "Plumed Knight"

"The regulars laugh at Tommy and irritatingly say that he couldn't organize a bolt big enough to be discovered with a microscope on election day"

In 1872 one or both of the stores at the corner of Delevan and Van Brunt has a stove.


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Liquor Stores Red Hood 1870 and later
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Red Hook Liquor Dealers

A Survey of Liquor Dealers in Red Hook mid to Late 1800s

Red Hook Liquor Dealers - The Families

Balfe - Ball - Baumann - Behnken - Bell - Black - Boysen - Bray - Brickwedel - Callaghan - Carberry - Cassin - Cavanagh - Collimore - Collins - Coogan - Cordes - Curran - Daly - Dawson - Dempsey - Depperman - Devan - Dixon - Dockery - Donovan - Doran - Ehrichs - Fay - Finkeldey - Fitzgerald - Garahan - Gillen - Graef - Haack - Henry - Higgins, Hugh - Higgins, George - Hoehn - - Hoffman - Hughs - Hunold - Hussey - Judge - Kassenbrock - Keleher - Knoop - Krohler - Kuhn - Lamont - Lever - Little - Looney - Madigan - Mahnken - McAvanny - McGee - McGrath - McKenna - McQuade - Meyers - Molloy - Mooney - Moran - Mullady - Munsinger - Murray - Noble - O'Brien - O'Hara - Oberdieck - Powere - Ropke - Schmadeke - Schwanemann - Shea - Siebe - Simmons - Struve - Sullivan - Weinphal - Winkelman


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© Maggie Land Blanck - Page created January 2013 - update June 2016