Mooney

I am seeking to determine if my ancestor Thomas J Mooney ( Sept. 1832 Co. Galway, Ireland - 30 Dec. 1907 Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, USA) is one in the same individual baptized 16 Dec. 1832. No parish recorded. district listed as Tuam. Parents listed as John Mooney and Mary Mullen. Sponsor: Mary Costelloe. This was a Roman Catholic baptism.

I am hoping that other records of John Mooney and Mary Mullen might exist. It is possible that John Mooney and son Thomas immigared to New York City aboard the Fidelia in the winter of 1849 and arriveed at Ellis Island on 17  Jan 1850.

What I can prove is that "my" Thomas J Mooney settled in Cincinatti by 1850.  There he married a good Irish woman by the name of Bridget Tierney. Prior to thee US Civil War, at the time of the 1860 Census, Thomas was working as a Finisher.  He served as a Farrier ( one who shes horses) for the Union Army during the  US Civil War.Thomas Mooney is listed as a Civil War veteran in the newspaper article, “Highland Men in the Civil War” (Highland Park News, August 26, 1943) by Mrs. Evva Truax. Thomas Mooney was 23 years old at the time of the 1860 census.  He enlisted in Company F, 22nd Infantry Regiment Ohio on 27 April 1861. and mustered out Company F, 22nd Infantry Regiment Ohio on 19 August 1861 in Athens, OH. Thus, he appears to have answered Pres. Lincoln's call for "90 Day Men." After his 90 days he once more enlisted as a Private on 22 August 1861 at the age of 32 ( how did he manage to age 10 years... war does things to a man.. but really!) in Company A, 1st Cavalry Regiment Ohio on 22 August 1861. He was promoted to Full Farrier on 14 June 1865 and mustered out  of Company A, 1st Cavalry Regiment Ohio on 13 September 1865 in Hilton Head, SC. Ironically, he chased my materal GGF when John Hunt Morgan's Raiders invaded Ohio!

After the War, he worked briefly at a lightening rod factory then took a postion as a railroad engineer. Although he had a large family of nine children, Thomas managed to save enough money to open a saloon (pub) in the Deer park (Irish Section) of Cincinnatti by 1900. Thomas died in 1907 but the family ran the saloon until Prohibition. It was a favorite of the newpaper men  and it is not surprising that two of his sons became printers and early members of the Typographical Union.

My ulimate goal is to "return" to ireland and stand upon the land the family was forced to leave. I love America but i was also raised to fiercely love Ireland.