Patrick Noonan (1852-1892)

Hi Ann Marie . . . 

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out . . . 

Your posting of the Noonan query . . is most interesting . . spanning . . as it does . . American Naval History . . 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(whaleship) . . . 

The above information makes for . . rather grim reading . . and was the basis of . . Author Herman Melville's novel . . Moby Dick.

 Of the 20 original crew of the Essex . . . your . . Patrick Noonan . . was one of only 8 survivors . . . after 3 months adrift at sea . . 

having sacrificed fellow crew members to cannibalism . . . 

It must have been a very angry Whale . . that was capable of sinking a large U.S. whaling ship . . off the coast of Uraquay . . . 

I searched " Roots Ireland " for Patrick Noonan . . and only one turned up . . born in Galway . . around that time .

( see attachment below )

Your curiosity . . in a graveyard in Uraquay . . has certainly opened up a grim tale of . dramatic.tragedy . . . 

Will there be added information to this story . . of the life and times . . of Partick Noonan . . ??      It remains to be seen . . .

Cheers from I.R.O. . . . . Eamonn 

Hello. I came accross this accont in the Log Book of the USS Essex, November 18 1891 - May 25 1892:

"Essex got underway out of Montevideo headed for Maldonado in order to deliver Rear Admiral Walker to USS Chicago; USS Atlanta and Bennington were also at anchor. Read Admiral Walker left Essex and hoisted his flag on USS Chicago. On February 28, during the Midnight to 4 am watch, Essex Fireman P. Newman, died of heart failure. An undertaker arrived from shore with a coffin for Newman. Visiting parties were sent to USS Chicago and USS Bennington, and exchanged signals with the flagship. The next day, USS Chicago, USS Atlanta, and USS Bennington left Maldonado Harbor. Essex held a funeral service on board for Fireman Newman under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church, and sent the body ashore at Isla Gorriti for internment. Military honors were rendered as per regulation. The crew rigged the steam launch for torpedo practice and expended two practice torpedoes and one secondary spar."

https://archive.org/details/mhm_maritimeheritagemn_30/page/n225

WOW!!!  I did not see your reply until today!  Imagine that you were able to find out the history of that ship!   I was surprised to find the headstone for Mr. Noonan (and three other sailors) in that Uruguayan cemetery- even more surprised to read the maritime history of that ship!!

My reason for photographing the headstones is that one never knows when someone else is looking for those relatives.  I have a "lost at sea" John Lynch...........not sure when or where.  And the Lynch surname is so common!

Thank you both for the interesting information!

Ann Marie Bridget Lynch

Doing more research due to the year of death. This Patrick Noonan (1852 - 1892) may belong to another American's family.

Hello, first I would like to thank you for taking the time to do this. It is a very considerate and kind deed that helps people piece together their family history. Patrick Noonan was my great-great grandfather that immigrated to New York, USA. 

I have been able to trace only a single daughter, that he had with Elizabeth Hicks. His daughter being Christina Josephine Noonan 1891 - 1968 born in Brooklyn, NY. She married Henry Augustus Schweikert (his grandfather coming from Germany to NY) having many children together, four of them (of my knowing thus far) being veterans in World War 2 against the axis. A corporal, two sergeants, and a 1st class lieutenant. Another corporal that served in the Korean war.

Unfortunately I have not spoken to my family in some time as large as it has become, for the time being. Along with new found shame that I am unable to serve and continue our military tradition since my aunt and three uncles only had daughter(s). I am the one that bares the guilt; considering the traitorous politicians of the United States.

On a further note I believe the circumstances of Patrick Noonan's death were strange. Around the time Britain and Spain were eliminating the indigenous populations of South America along with US’ help. The securing of property for José Menéndez and the genocide of the Selk’nam people being an example. “There was a large fire reported on shore”; with many going AWOL is questionable. Along with the mistranslations of ships and the misspelling of Noonan’s name, however I do not know enough, if these were intentional or not.

Once again I would like to thank you for your efforts and others alike. I was not able to find any information besides ancestry website saying he was born on Saint Patrick’s day 1852 - February 28, 1925 and died in Brooklyn. Displaying ‘unavailable’ or ‘private’ for his mother and father. I would be skeptical if both dates of death were not on the 28th of February. 

Hello from NY!

Do I understand correctly that Patrick Noonan is your g-g-grandfather?

Think I was confused by the entry from Ancestry that had him in Brooklyn- and passing in NY.

Yes, the history of mankind is not always the way we wish it could have been- which is why history repeating itself is so hard to comprehend!

Hope the photos I posted years ago are still on this site- just got a new scanner but would have to search for those Uruguay photos….

Best wishes for a fun researching hobby!!

Ann Marie

Actually, just rechecked and found I sent those picture to FIND A GRAVE site.  Hope it can become part of your family tree and they realize he did not die in Brooklyn!  He is buried in Maldonado Cemetery, Maldonado, Uruguay.

Ann Marie