Timeline

Catherine Thomas

Catherine (Connor) Thomas was born in Ireland in August, 1833. In 1845 the potato famine hit Ireland and subsequently in 1848 she emigrated to America at the age of 15. In 1852 she married John Thomas Jr. in Joliet, Illinois at the age of 19. Together they had 8 children as follows:Francis (1853-1868) Andrew (1855-1908) Mary Ann (1857-1890) Ellen (1859) Sarah (1862-1911) George (1863-1911) Teresa (1868-1891) Katie (1871-1897)In August of 1858 they packed up there things and set out in a covered wagon to follow John's parents (John Thomas Sr. and Mary (Gillispie) Thomas) west to eventually settle in Forest City in Sarpy County near the Elkhorn River in the Nebraska Territory.