Sunday's Obituary - Jeremiah Coakley

The following obituary was published in the Wilmington Clinton County Democrat on January 5, 1887. Jerry Coakley was very active in establishing the Catholic Church in Wilmington, Ohio and was present at the first mass said there in 1852. I posted a shorter obituary for him from the Clinton County Republican earlier this month.

JERRY COAKLEY, one of the old residents of the place, died last Friday at his home on Locust street, after an illness of several months, of no especial disease, but a general wearing out. Mr. Coakley was nearly eighty-seven years old and was born in Ireland. He left County Cork thirty years ago and came directly to Wilmington, where he has since resided. He was a hard-working, peaceable man and a good citizen. Funeral services were held in the Catholic Church on Sunday, and deceased was buried in Sugar Grove Cemetery.

It's interesting that the obituary states that Jerry came directly to Wilmington around 1857. I believe that my 3x great-grandfather Patrick Creedan arrived in Wilmington in 1849 and had been married to a Mary Coakley, so it's possible that they were related. Both Jerry and Patrick were present at the first mass in Wilmington in 1852, so they definitely knew each other. I'm still looking for that definite link between the families.