Franklin County, Nebraska

For Another Day

The name Donovan/O’Donovan belongs to the oldest class of Irish surnames. It was formed by prefixing O’ or Ua (grandson / descendant) the genitive case of a native Irish personal name. The name means descendant of Donndubhan, which translates black/brown. It is probably referring to the skin or hair color. The O’Donovans, who belonged to the royal race of Munster, were originally chiefs of Ui Cairbre Aedhbha, a district lying along the banks of the River Maique in Co. Limerick. Their principal stronghold was at Bruree. Around 1178 AD they were driven from there and forced to take refuge in the southwest Cork. It is likely that the O’Donovans of Co. Cork are of the branch of the King of Ireland in the third Century.

Michael O’Donovan, son of Richard and Ellen (Murphy) O’Donovan migrated from Co. Cork, Ireland sometime in the late 1860’s to Wampum, WS. Family hearsay says he and his brother Patrick and one sister came together to New York, there leaving the sister behind as they journeyed west to Wampum, WS. Michael Donovan married Sarah Rowells in 1869 at 19 years of age. From Washington, Michael and Sarah moved to Pawnee City, NE where their oldest child, Richard Francis Donovan was born.

The O’ was dropped from the Donovan name shortly after they came to the US. Richard Francis Donovan (called Frank) came with his family Michael and Sarah to a homestead 10 miles south of Naponee over the line into Kansas in 1887. Frank would have been 16 years old at that time.

Frank Donovan, (pictured above) the subject of this story was married at the age of 25 to Ura Mae Cottrill in 1897 at Pleasant Green, a berg south of Naponee in Phillips Co. Ks. To this union was born six children, one being James Donovan-the father of my husband, Duane Donovan. Mae died in childbirth in 1911. Frank remarried to Kate Bradley and had three children.

Frank Donovan was a tall handsome man with large hands. I see those hands everyday because Duane inherited those hands and a lot of his other features. Frank was a successful farmer and cattle feeder. He accompanied his carloads of cattle to Kansas City, where he always brought home a new dress to Kate and his daughter Jean and gifts for the children. Duane Donovan’s grandfather, Frank was post master at Pleasant Green Post Office in 1893; was county treasurer of Phillips Co. for two terms in 1905 at the age of 35; a member of the Kansas legislature in the years 1916-17 at the age of 45; president of the Naponee State Bank in his older years and was secretary and director of the Naponee Equity Exchange.

Frank and his two families lived on the southwest quarter section 15 in Sumner Township, Phillips Co. KS in a large two story white house. All that remains of that Irish-Catholic born man are the steps that entered the white house and a foundation over to the east that once was his large barn. Also standing is a cement water reserve that he used to hold water when dry summers were plentiful. I heard the house was torn down to provide wood for the building of the Pleasant Green church. Sometimes I go down to that old farm on the hill and stand in the strong south wind. I recognize the feeling of strength of his powerful existence, flowing over the land once owned by Frank Donovan, for yet today two generations later; I still feel the same strength alive in one of his descendants. It’s an intense awareness of wrong and right and a firm belief in the latter. On one of my trips down to this place of quietness about 15 years ago, I found leaning against the fence a few of the old window frames that had been removed from the house. I hoped no one minded if I brought one home. A window frame that once held glass, a window that kept out the winter snow and offered a glimpse of the coming spring, or the arrival of a caring father.

I know this man loved his family very much, for during the last week of July 1924 in the hot summertime Frank Donovan got very sick. He must have been in so much pain, but was a determined man. The family wanted him to go to the doctor but he refused. His concern was so great for his wife, Kate, who was expecting what was to be their last child that he wouldn’t leave her because any day she would deliver their child. He fought the sickness as long as he could but when the anguish was endless he was transported to Cambridge, NE to the hospital, but it was too late. He passed away August 1, 1924 of appendicitis. The expected child, Mark Donovan was born a few days later. Frank was never to lay his eyes on this healthy child who still lives in Stansberry, MO. the last living child of Frank and Kate Donovan.

Family legend passed down from father to son says Frank Donovan, a Catholic born man helped build the old Catholic Church in Bloomington, some 104 years ago. Frank would have been 27 years old in 1898 when the Bloomington Church was built. He would have been newly married to Mae Cottrill. By that date he would have already lost his first child, a girl named Ruth, and had a new born baby boy named Paul. Duane’s father, James Donovan was born the fifth child of that marriage. From father to son, the story is told of how they traveled to church in Bloomington by horse and buggy. Father tells son about the sound of the sleigh bells around the horses collar on the cold winter rides. The father kept the bells locked in a truck and years later passed on to the son. Today they hang in our home on the fireplace as a reminder of Frank’s dedication to the Catholic church. What one of us would travel in a cold buggy 16 miles to honor the Lord?

Father John Birkel has helped me to research the records of that Catholic church. We find no proof of this family legend. I usually don’t print legends but I think I have proof enough for in Frank Donovan’s obituary I found this statement: “as per his request the remains were brought to this city Saturday morn and laid in state at the Catholic rectory until services were held at the Sacred Heart church conducted by Rev. Ferris and the remains interred in the Dubois cemetery north of Agra, KS.” He lived as he died strong in his faith, honest in his morals, and love for his family and all the people in his heart. This only touches lightly on this O’Donovan/Donovan family from Co. Cork, Ireland. From the naturally green valleys of southern Ireland to the sometimes-green hills south of Naponee came this Irish family to make a life in a better world. I tell my grandchildren what a wonderful surname they have inherited. I tell them of their ancestors and the trials they fought to come and be a part of this wonderful U. S. A. I tell my grandchildren their American citizenship is free and clear to them because of choices made by their ancestors 130 years ago. America is made of people from many different countries and all with a story to tell of the long journeys to a strange land. Take time to talk of these old times with your family and hang out your flag, fly it high, not only in honor of our United States but also in honor of the other countries of this world that made us the nation we are today.

Consider what an honor it is to say I am American. Say it with pride and a thankful heart for there is no greater place to live than in your little spot in Nebraska, U.S.A.

“But it is all so different today!” says the Lord of Hosts. Zechariah 8:11

Rena Donovan, For Another Day.

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