Michael Relihan, Personal and Family Papers of a Greenbrier County Resident
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 3699
The collection consists of eight series: 1. Biographical Information, 2. Land Records, 3. Financial Records, 4. Family Correspondence, 5. Miscellaneous, 6. Photographs, 7. Print, and 8. Publications.
Series 1, Biographical Information, includes: Photocopies of three death certificates, Michael and Mary Relihan and Devin Twohig (1923 and 1926); a photocopy of the 1870 census record for the Relihan family; hand-written notes regarding Michael Relihan from 2009; photocopies of genealogies and cemetery records pertaining to families in the Irish mountain settlement (ca. 1988 and 1997); photocopies of newspaper clippings regarding Relihans and other Irish families in Greenbrier County (ca.1975 and 2003); and a copy of Michael Relihan's admittance as a United States citizen (1860).
Series 2, Land Records, includes: Four survey reports, 1859-1923, related to property in Greenbrier and Fayette Counties, owed by Michael Relihan and his heirs; several deeds (1856-1946) regarding the Relihan family and property in Greenbrier and Fayette Counties, including two deeds assigning property owned by Michael Relihan to his father, Morris Relihan Sr. before the Civil War, and reassigning the property back to Michael, after the war for one dollar.
Series 3, Financial Records, includes: Three loan payment agreements between John and Anna Relihan and Tom Relihan (1927/10/1), and a contract between Michael Relihan and S.H. Nickell General Merchandise for building materials (1895/5/31).
Series 4, Family Correspondence, includes three items: 1. from "M. Maloney" in Norfolk, Virginia to her brother, regarding family illness and a "cyclone" that had just "demolished the city" 1879/8/20; 2. from Mary Relihan in Meadow Bluff, WV, to her sister Julia, reporting family news, 1886/5/18; and 3. a picture post card of the New Bridge over Guyandott River at Huntington, with a message from Julia to Mary Relihan regarding their father, 1911/2/2.
Series 5, Miscellaneous, includes: An itemized bill of Relihan property lost to the Union Army during the Civil War, 1863-1864; an 1853 "Workman's Account Book" belonging to Michael Relihan; an "Abstract of Road Laws", ca. 1882, regarding supervision and maintenance of Greenbrier County roads; a list of the road crew involved in the building of the railroad from Norfolk, Virginia to West Virginia, undated; an 1898 "Souvenir" card from School District No. 25, Pleasant Hill, Greenbrier County, including a list of the pupils; a Certificate of Baptism for Thomas Relihan, 1928/10/26; an empty envelope addressed to Thomas Relihan of Smoot, West Virginia with a return address of J.W. McClung, Cornstalk, West Virginia, 1906/3/31; and three pamphlets regarding the West Virginia state capitol and seal (ca.1970-1973), and the history of Lewisburg cemeteries (ca.1983).
Series 6, Photographs, includes: Two copies of a photograph of Michael Relihan and his wife, Mary, ca. 1910-1920; and one picture post card of the Greenbrier Court House and blank on the back, (undated).
Series 7, Print: An 1873 Currier and Ives print of Generals Grant and Lee signing the terms of surrender at Appomattox Court House in Wilmer McLean's parlor.
Series 8, Publications, includes: A 1997 booklet titled, "Foresight, Fortitude, Fullfillment: A History of the Tri-County Irish Mountain Settlement" by Bernard Twohig and Basil Hurley, documenting the Irish emigrants journey from famine ravaged Ireland to their settlement in Fayette, Greenbrier and Summers Counties. There are three books belonging to Michael Relihan regarding the Catholic faith, including 1. "The Path to Paradise or the Way to Salvation" by "A Clergyman" (1846), 2. "The Following of Christ" by Thomas A. Kempis (1857), and 3. "The Devout Communicant, or Pious Meditations & Aspirations for Three Days Before & Three Days After Receiving the Holy Eucharist" by the Rev. P. Baker, OSF (ca.1832). The names and birth dates of Michael and Mary Relihan's children are recorded on blank pages in the books. There are also five items found between the pages of the books including: 1. a 1923 newspaper clipping of the obituary for Michael and Mary Relihan; 2. a newspaper article entitled "Curing Sheep Skins"; 3. a sign language card displaying the hand and finger formation of the letters of the alphabet; and 5. a four leaf clover.
English
No special access restriction applies.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
0.7 Linear Feet (8 in. (1 document case, 5 in.); (1 flat storage box, 3 in.))
The papers of Michael Relihan of Greenbrier County, West Virginia, an Irish immigrant, farmer and Confederate veteran of the Stonewall Brigade. Includes: biographical information such as death certificates, cemetery and census records, and clippings (1870-2003); several land records, including deeds and surveys, (1856-1946); financial records (1895-1927); family correspondence (1879-1911); and miscellaneous items, including an itemized bill of Relihan property lost to the Union Army during the Civil War (1863-1864), a "Workman's Account Book" (1853), and "An Abstract of Road Laws" pertaining to Greenbrier County (ca. 1882). There is also a photograph of Michael and Mary Relihan (ca. 1920).
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository