The Sullivan's who emigrated from Cork, Ireland to Saratoga Springs, NY in the mid 1800's married the Harrington's, Sweeney's, Moran's, and Shea's.  Their history is the story of the American dream.  Their children prospered and became successful personally and otherwise.  Some of the very successful family members include:

Their contributions have enriched the lives of others.  Frank Sullivan embodies the depth of character of the Irish descendants in our family.  His words demonstrate his knowledge of the human spirit.  I believe Frank's soul was built with the help of the collective experiences of the Sullivan family and descendants and written through his heart.  One of my favorite of his sayings is "I have just enough enemies to keep my self respect". 

This web site is dedicated to disseminating information on the lives and accomplishments of our family so each member may know the details of their family history.  The research included has been a collaborative effort between myself, Kathleen Sullivan Kerwin, and my cousin Bob, Robert Emmet Sullivan.  I owe considerable thanks to the generosity of Beatrice Sweeney in allowing me to review and copy her family records which are very thorough and complete in documenting our family history.  The majority of the correspondence came from Judge Michael Emmet Sweeney, Helen Sullivan Culyer (Ed Sullivan's sister) and Margaret Harrington.  Helen and Margaret were determined to trace down the family heritage and their letters reflect countless hours of effort in putting together the threads that make the story we have collectively woven.

"This family history website is dedicated to Helen Sullivan Culyer, Margaret Harrington, Judge Michael Sweeney and Bob Sullivan who were the keepers of our family history.  Without their dedication to committing our family history into documentation and ensuring this documentation was passed to the next generation, we would have not the knowledge and understanding of our extraordinary family story." Kathleen Sullivan Kerwin

In January 2009, my cousin Mary Sullivan Fitch, grand-daughter of Daniel P. Sullivan, sent me numerous photographs of Daniel P. Sullivan's family.  I added a page in her father's honor; see Theodore Roosevelt Thomas Sullivan.

A summary of the first family members who arrived from Ireland.  The O'Sullivan family immigrated to Saratoga Springs NY from 1848-1860.  Document from Bob Sullivan that lists siblings.

Michael (the elder aka Florence) O’Sullivan at age 40 left Cork, Ireland with his wife Julia (O'Connell) O'Sullivan, age 28, arriving in NY June 1, 1848 on the Fidelia. 

Children:

Michael Sullivan, the youngest son see above, born 5/18/1842 in Cork Ireland.  He left County Cork, Ireland at age 6, arriving in NY on Aug. 10, 1849 on the Marmion.   He would join his parents in New York City and later went to Saratoga Springs, NY, where his first stayed with his sister Mary (Sullivan Sweeney) then went to live with sister Margaret (Sullivan Moran) in 1855.  The family oral history says his parents, Michael and Julia, returned to Ireland.

Mary Sullivan Sweeney (born Ireland 1829) was said to have been the first grown Sullivan sibling to arrive in Saratoga Springs.  Mary arrived on a passenger ship from Cork, Ireland in 1852. She married Daniel Sweeney at St. Peters Church.  Their first child Dennis was born July 7, 1861.  Mary and Daniel Sweeney lived at 92 Oak Street, Saratoga Springs, NY (first picture).  Their son John J. Sweeney lived at 209 Grand after his wife Josephine died in 1921 (second picture).  Both Oak Street and Grand are in the area of Saratoga Springs known as little Dublin (close to downtown) because of the high proportion of Irish immigrants that lived there.

           

Florence Sullivan (1828-1882) was born in Glengarriffe, Co. Cork.    Picture may also be Michael (the elder aka Florence) Sullivan.

Pictures of Glengarriffe:

At age 24 he arrived on the Fidelia, January 8, 1851 (with brother John age 26 yrs and possible relative Daniel Sullivan whom he would later be a witness for Naturalization in 10/28/1854).  Florence settled in Saratoga Springs and first lived with his sister Mary Sullivan Sweeney.  He set up a shoe making shop in her home at 92 Oak Street, Saratoga Springs.  When he couldn't make a living as a shoe maker he went to work for the Erie Canal (as would many of the Sullivan's).  He married  Margaret McNulty on Nov 6, 1853 at St. Peters Church.   On 9/15/1857 Florence became a Naturalized citizen in Saratoga Springs, NY.  Florence died in Dec 1, 1882 in Saratoga Springs and is buried in St. Peters.  His probate record is on file in the Surrogate Court of Saratoga County records.

  The Sullivan's played a role in the building of St. Peters.  At that time, mid 1800's, there was a great deal of anti-Irish, anti-Catholic and anti-immigration sentiment that threatened to burn the church down as it was being built.  To help, the Sullivan men would work on the Erie Canal by day and guard the church at night "with other Saratogians defending the building of St. Peters Church up there with shotguns, the night long, against the old A.P.A.'s upstate who were bent on preventing the church building to rise one way or another"^.  As a return for their effort, their children were said to have "standing" which meant that they were automatically enrolled in the school at St. Peters. (Helen Culyer to Emmet, Oct 19, 19xx)

Joanna Sullivan Harrington born 1820 Ireland – husband Dennis Harrington.  She immigrated with husband Dennis and their 3 children after 1863.  Children Dennis (1845), Abbie (1860), Timothy (1863).  Descendent Margaret Harrington's home at 21 Whitney Place, Saratoga Springs:

 

 

 

 

John Sullivan born in Ireland in 1826.  Arrived in NY in 1/8/1851 with brother Florence and relative Daniel.  Married Mary Hannihan in Dec 25, 1852, at St. Peters Church in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.  John and Mary lived in Schuylerville, near Saratoga Springs.  Daniel P. was baptised in Schuylerville in the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary where John and Mary are buried.

 

Margaret Sullivan Moran born 1832 in Ireland. Passenger ship left before Nov 20, 1853.  Married John Moran Nov 20, 1853, at St. Peters Church in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.  John was a lumber dealer.   Margaret's youngest brother Michael would live with them according to the 1855 Saratoga Springs census.  Later they lived in Rock City Falls 10 miles from Saratoga Springs.  They brought up a really big family.  The men worked in the paper mills and they were very properous. (Margaret Harrington, Oct 12 1956)

 

Peter Sullivan born 1832 in Ireland.  Was a farmer and lived nearby  (Saratoga).  He had 1 son who has since died and left no other survivors (Margaret Harrington, Oct 12 1956)

Daniel Sullivan, most likely born in 1833 in Ireland, came with John and Florence in 1951.  Daniel lived next door to Florence in Saratoga Springs and died in the same year as Florence, 1882.  Florence signed Daniel's naturalization papers in 1854.  This document has Florence's signature.

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