Notes for Richard Colbert

Notes for Richard Colbert

Minnesota Naturalization Records Index from Ramsey County list a Richard Colbert on Reel 7, Code 17, Volume O, Page 349.

Richard Colbert (See photos 3 and 5 in Colbert family photographs) was born in County Limerick, Ireland, probably somewhere near the town of Athea. He came to the U.S. via Ellis Island in 1878 because of the pototo famine. He was 18 at that time. Richard worked as a motorman for the Twin City Streetcar Company. He met Johanna Wolfe in the U.S. and had not known her in Ireland. Richard and Johanna were separately sponsored to come to the U.S. by the O'Connor family. The sponsor was reponsible to help immigrants find a place to live and get started when they came over. The O'Connor family was a very prominent family at the time in St. Paul, and helped sponsor many Irish immigrants. One of the O'Connor's was a politician, and one was the chief of police. Dick O'Connor left Richard Colbert $2000 in his will. The O'Connor's were first cousins to Richard Colbert. Special Note: In 1978 Ken Persons made a trip to Ireland and stopped by the town of Athea in County Limerick. It is a very small town in Southwestern Ireland. The town has a small graveyard, and the name Colbert appeared on many of the stones.

Gertrude Lorraine Colbert writes about her Grandma and Grandpa Colbert:
"Grandma and Grandpa Colbert came to America because there was not too much food in Ireland. The land was very harsh. -poor- They raised potatoes. No work for the children -no future- At 18, they had to go into the army. That is why they came to America. They never saw their families, parents anymore."

[Broderbund Family Archive #188, Ed. 1, Index to Griffith's Valuation of Ireland, 1848-1864, Date of Import: Jan 24, 2000, Internal Ref. #1.188.1.2279.35]
Individual: Colbert, Richard
County: Cork
Parish: Mogeely
Location: Grange Middleton Road

1900 Census Record from Ramsey County, Minnesota for family of Richard Colbert:
Colbert, Richard (Volume 48, ED 133, Sheet 3, Line 6)
Color: White
Month: May
Year: 1861
Age: 39
Birthplace: Ireland
City: St. Paul
Street: Woodbridge
House No.: 925
Can read, write, speak English
Renting a home
Other Members of Family:
Johanna, wife, born 1865, age 35, birthplace Ireland
Mary, daughter, born Dec. 1885, age 14, born in MN
Bridget, daughter, born Oct. 1886, age 13, born in MN
Johanna, daughter, born Jan. 1890, age 10, born in MN
John, son, born June 1895, age 4, born in MN
Catherine, daughter, March 1899, age 1, born in MN

St. Paul Pioneer Press, Tues. March 19th, 1940 p. 17
COLBERT, RICHARD March 18, residence 1514 Albany St. Survived by three
daughters, Mrs. N. J. O'Toole, Mrs. W. E. Hinderer, Mrs. B. R. Persons, two
sons, William R. and John J. Also two brothers, Edward of Mpls, and Patrick
of St. Paul, eighteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren. From the
O'Brien Funeral Home. University and Lexington. Wednesday 8:30 a.m.
Services St. Andrew's, 9 o'clock Interment Calvary.