Timothy and Matilda (Haglund) Donovan

Nationality - Irish and Swedish family photo, 1911

Timothy Donovan came to the United States from Cornwall, in southwestern England. Many Cornishmen worked the lead mines in that area, and came for a promise of a better life working the mines on the iron ranges of Upper Michigan. The Donovans had moved to Cornwall from the area of Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, during the potato famine. Tim's father's name was Cornelius, and his mother's name was Susan. I'd like verification on these names, and would like to know whether they came to America. I don't think they came, but several other Donovans did. I need help with the relationship of Uncle Will, Roy, "Handkerchief Bill" and a few others. Tim had a sister, Julia, who remained in St Agnes, Cornwall, and was married to Joe Benney. They had a daughter, Enid, who never married. She corresponded with Alice all her life. She died around 1980(?). Tim met and married Matilda (Tillie) Haglund, the daughter of Swedish immigrants, John and Sarah Haglund. Sarah died in 1935, and John lived until 1942. I remember being told that Sarah was a widow with little daughter Tillie when they married ... can anyone verify this? click photo to enlarge Tim became a captain in the Loretto iron mine. He and Tillie lived along the Sturgeon River in Loretto. They had a large family. I'm not sure I have the order of age correct, but Bill was the oldest (born 1893) and Alice the youngest of the children who survived (born 1908). Susan, Raymond, Chester, Clarence (Corky), Irene, Milton, and Irving were the other children who survived. Mildred, Gordon, and Ora died as infants; the latter two were born after Alice. View family photo that appears to have been taken around 1912. Tim died in 1916, when Alice was only 8 years old. Widowed, with a large family, Tillie moved back to Norway, into the home of her parents, which was later "Aunt Susie's house" on Iron Street. I'll have to find out more about which kids were still at home, but a large and boisterous brood descended on Grandpa (John) and Grandma (Sarah) Haglund. click photo to enlarge I've heard many delightful Grandpa Haglund stories. He played a big role in the lives of Alice and her brothers and sisters; I've heard many stories about him, and he must have been both a character and a saint. From what I’ve heard, the boys loved to tease him, and he enjoyed giving it right back. With all these people in that little house, times were often tough, and they got tougher during the Depression. Somehow they made it through, and two grandkids eventually found their way into the house. These were Butch and Nancy, Bill's kids, whose mom had died. When Alice and Nick got married in 1938, they lived there and sort of acted as parents to Butch and Nancy. They gave Alice and Nick some practical experience in dealing with teenagers, which came in handy when Ken and Joan reached that age in the mid 1950s.