Thank you Alan - I was aware of the WW1 history of Wm Henry O'Hanlon, my grandfather.
The other part of your post was of course heartrending and something neither myself or my siblings were aware of. A great shock, of course, and no doubt the sadness of it will disturb us for a while yet. Indeed, those were very tough times for many who came from the other side of the world, fleeing as they did the constraints of the poverty of their Irish environment - only to end up victims of the destitution they were trying to escape.
I am so grateful they had some support in the last weeks of John's life. I am glad he received the comfort of the church in his final moments and I hope Elizabeth took some continued relief from the citizens of the town until she died in 1901.
We have had difficulty locating their graves/headstones and the report suggests they probably could not afford even a funeral let alone an headstone and possibly were laid to rest in a pauper's grave.
Since those frightening years the following generations, in a large part, did very well for themselves and I am sure John and Eliza would be proud of their progeny who finally achieved that which they had left Ireland for.... for their sakes.
Thank you
Jim
