1916 Brainerd City Directory says "Maghan, Agnes (W Thos. wid)" - my first clue that Tom's *middle* name was Thomas.

1871 census for Sunnidale Twp., Simcoe County, Ontario lists William T., age 5. This gave me his given first name. He apparently went by his middle name to avoid confusion with his father.

1885 census has him in Aitkin with parents, age 19.

21 Nov 1885 Aitkin Age newspaper reports that "Tommy Maghan is learning the barber's trade with Al. Bushor". (This is a month and a half after his father drowned. "Tommy" is 20 years old.)

12 Feb 1887 Aitkin Age newspaper reports that Albert Bushor had shot himself in the chest in the rear of his barder shop. Present in the shop at the time, among others, were Thomas Maghan and Fred Maghan. (Albert died a few weeks later).

26 Mar 1887 Aitkin Age newspaper reports that Thomas Maghan was now the proprietor of the barber shop formerly owned by the deceased Mr. Bushor. The front page ad now has:

    Barber Shop
    Thomas Maghan, Prop.
    All Work Done in First Class Style
    First Door North of Northern Pacific Depot
    Aitkin - - - Minnesota

20 Apr 1889 Aitkin Age newspaper reports marriage license issued for Thos. Maghan and Miss Bertha Tibbets.

27 Jul 1889 Aitkin Age newspaper reports a boy born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Maghan.

10 Aug 1889 Aitkin Age newspaper no longer has an ad for Thomas Maghan's barber shop.

Thomas and his wife were divorced soon after their baby was born. It was obviously a shotgun wedding, since Bertha was a pregnant, 16 year-old bride.

1891-92 Duluth City directory has Thomas, brothers George and Frederick, and widowed mother, Margaret. Thomas was a barber. They were not in the 1890-1891 directory.

1895 census for Duluth, ward 8, p. 34 has Maghan, Wm Th, 28, b. Canada, resident of state for 14 years and of enumeration district for 1 year 7 months, occupation Barber; Agnes, 20, b. Minn., and "Magie", 3/12 (3 month-old daughter). Living with his family are Fred A. Maghan, 25, b. Canada, Alfred C. Maghan, 22, b. Canada, and Margaret Maghan (widow), 58, b. Ireland. All living at 422 58th Ave.

1900 census Brainerd, Crow Wing, MN E.D. 55 Sheet 6: Thomas Mahan, head, 34, b. Oct 1864(sic) in Canada, f/m b. Ireland, married 6 years, {occupation illegible}, year of immigration 1890(sic); Agnes, wife, 24, b. Dec 1875 in Minnesota, f/m b. Germany/Sweden, 3 children 3 living; Maggie, daughter, 5, b. May 1895 in Minnesota, f/m b. Canada/Minnesota; Amos, 3, b. Nov 1896 in Minnesota, f/m b. Canada/Minnesota; Leone, daughter, 4/12, b. Jan 1900 in Minnesota, f/m b. Canada/Minnesota.

For Tom to be 34 as of June 1 1900, he has to be born Oct 1865, not 1864. Agnes' count of 3 children 3 living doesn't account for Michael, born and died before the census.

Around 1901, Tom left Agnes and the children, apparently moving back to Aitkin, possibly following the death of their daughter, Maggie, in May of 1901.

St. Louis County death record says he died May 14, 1903 at age 36. Cause of death: of pnuemonia. Born in Canada, but no birth date specified. Parents were William Maghan and Margaret Toner, both born in Ireland. Late residence: "Aitkin Minn. (died St. Luke's Hospital)". Length of residence was 2 years. Occupation: Painter. There is an address of 903 N 56th Ave. W written in at the top. I don't know if that's the address of his brother George or what...

Tiny obits in Duluth Herald just said he died May 14 at St. Luke's Hospital and that the funeral would be held from the home of George Maghan, 903 North Fifty-first avenue west. No survivor info - not even any mention of wife or children.

19 May 1903 Aitkin Age newspaper had this small obit in local news item section on P. 5 C. 3: "Thomas Maghan, who is well known around Aitkin, died at Duluth a few days ago, where he went less than a week before his death. Alcoholism was the cause." Indeed, his wife, Agnes, had mentioned in later years that she hated Tom because of his drinking.

Thomas is buried in Oneota Cemetery in the family plot of his brother, George Maghan. Marker says "THOMAS / 1865 - 1903 / BROTHER".

Aitkin County records show marriage to Bertha Grace Tibbits 19 Apr 1889 and the birth of their son, Paul, 21 Jul 1889. They apparently were divorced shortly thereafter, as Thomas was in Duluth by 1891. In 1893 Bertha married Albert Zeese, who adopted Paul. The Zeese family never spoke of Paul's father. Neither did the Maghans apparently, because no living descendants of Thomas knew about this marriage and child until October, 2000.

I have not found any record of a marriage to Agnes, in Crow Wing, Aitkin, or St. Louis counties. She was 18 when she became pregnant with their daughter Maggie. Ol' Tommy liked 'em young, I guess.

• Married: 19 Apr 1889 in Aitkin, Minnesota

1. Paul Maghan Zeese b: 23 Jul 1889 in Aitkin, Minnesota

• Married: Abt 1894 in Minnesota
• Note: No record of this marriage exists. Not in Crow Wing County records or St. Francis Catholic Church records. Presbyterian records start in 1900, so they might have been married there, since both sets of parents were Presbyterian. They also might have been married in Duluth, but no record of it in St. Loius County records, nor of the birth of their first child, Margaret, who was 3 months old in the 1895 Duluth census taken in June.

1. Margaret "Maggie" Maghan b: Mar 1895 in Duluth, Minnesota
2. Michael Maghan b: Jun 1896 in Brainerd, Minnesota
3. Amos Jerome Maghan b: 19 Nov 1897 in Brainerd, Minnesota
4. Leona Veronica Maghan b: 22 Jan 1900 in Brainerd, Minnesota