Philip Joseph McKenna I (1862/63–1924)
Foynes / Mount Trenchard emigrant to America, Chicago lawyer, husband of Joanna E. Richardson. The 1911 Book of Chicagoans ties him to James McKenna and Margaret Sheahan of Mt. Trenchard, Foynes; Irish civil birth records now corroborate that parental couple at Ballynash.
Book of Chicagoans source pull
Short Answer
The 1911 Book of Chicagoans entry identifies Philip Joseph McKenna as a Chicago lawyer, born at Mt. Trenchard, Foynes, Limerick, Ireland, son of James and Margaret (Sheahan) McKenna, who came to America in February 1883. Irish civil births at Ballynash from 1864 through 1875 now prove the same parents, James McKenna and Margaret McKenna formerly Sheahan, with several of Philip's siblings. The book also names his wife, marriage date, seven children, education, bar admission, memberships, clubs, residence, and office.
What it proves
It independently connects the Chicago Philip J. McKenna to the Foynes / Mount Trenchard family. The Irish civil sibling records now corroborate the parents named by the book.
What it does not prove
It does not say Lord Monteagle paid for Philip's 1883 passage. That remains an open Monteagle estate-paper question.
1911 Book Entry, Normalized
The original OCR contains predictable text-recognition errors, so this page records a normalized reading rather than a verbatim transcription. The source is The Book of Chicagoans (1911) OCR text, pp. 446-447, processed in raw/james-margaret-sheahan-children-verification-2026-05-13.md.
- Name / occupation
- Philip Joseph McKenna, lawyer.
- Birth
- Mt. Trenchard, Foynes, Limerick, Ireland, 10 Dec 1863.
- Parents
- James McKenna and Margaret (Sheahan) McKenna.
- Irish civil corroboration
- John Michael, Eliza, Patt, Dan, Edward, and Mary McKenna were registered at Ballynash, 1864-1875, as children of James McKenna / M'Kenna and Margaret formerly Sheahan.
- Irish education
- National schools of Ireland; private schools in Limerick and Cork; literary course at St. Michael's College, Listowel, Ireland.
- Emigration
- Came to America in February 1883.
- Legal education
- Chicago-Kent Law School and Northwestern University Law School.
- Marriage
- Married Joanna E. Richardson of Escanaba, Michigan, 14 Feb 1888.
- Children named in 1911
- Harold V.; Ethel Mary; Blanch Lucile; Philip Joseph Jr.; Arthur Anthony; Ruth Ester; Roger R.
- Illinois bar
- Admitted to the Illinois bar in 1899; practiced in Chicago afterward.
- Politics
- Democrat.
- Fraternal memberships
- Knights of Columbus; Catholic Order of Foresters; Royal League; Modern Woodmen of America.
- Professional memberships
- Chicago Bar Association; Illinois Bar Association.
- Clubs
- Iroquois Club; Chicago Automobile Club; Chicago Motor Club; Chicago Gun Club.
- Recreation
- Swimming.
- Residence
- 6834 Sheridan Road, Chicago.
- Office
- 30 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago.
Family Names From The Book
- Proven
Parents: James McKenna and Margaret (Sheahan) McKenna. The 1911 Chicago biography names them, and Irish civil registrations now prove the same couple at Ballynash with Philip's younger sibling cluster.
- Proven
Wife: Joanna E. Richardson of Escanaba, Michigan; marriage date 14 Feb 1888.
- Proven
Seven children named in 1911: Harold V.; Ethel Mary; Blanch Lucile; Philip Joseph Jr.; Arthur Anthony; Ruth Ester; Roger R.
- Open
Children not named in this book: the later wiki child roster also has Gerald, Raymond, Marion, John/Jack, and the unresolved Myrtle record conflict from other sources. The 1911 book should not be treated as a complete proof of every child born to Philip and Joanna.
Evidence Notes
- Birth-year conflict: the book gives 10 Dec 1863. Philip Joseph McKenna II's interview tradition says December 1862. The wiki should keep both readings until the Irish baptism or civil death/probate package settles the year.
- Place-name importance: "Mt. Trenchard, Foynes" ties Philip's birth to the Mount Trenchard / Spring-Rice / Monteagle estate research lane.
- Irish civil proof: Philip's own birth predates Catholic civil birth registration, but six post-1864 Ballynash births name his parents as James McKenna and Margaret formerly Sheahan. The verified children are John Michael, Eliza, Patt, Dan, Edward, and Mary.
- Mounttrenchard collateral proof: the 25 May 2026 official-record pass documents Philip's brother Thomas McKenna of Cappa / South Cappa, husband of Hanna / Joanna Cummane, and their children Margaret/Maggie, Bessie/Elizabeth, James, John, Mary/Molly, Bridget Celia, and Jane Agnes/Agnes. The record chain runs through the 1891 marriage, seven South Cappa births, the 1901/1911/1926 censuses, 1924-1967 death records, and 1935 marriages.
- Church association: the family parish was Loughill / Ballyhahill. The best exact-chapel evidence is Thomas McKenna's 22 Feb 1891 civil marriage to Joanna Cummane: Thomas, age 31, farmer of Cappa, son of James M'Kenna, farmer, married in the Roman Catholic Chapel of Ballyhill / Ballyhahill. In present-day parish terms this points to Our Lady of the Visitation, Ballyhahill, now mapped to Mount Trenchard on the Lord Monteagle page.
- School context: the book says Philip was educated at national schools in Ireland, private schools in Limerick and Cork, and St. Michael's College, Listowel. Mounttrenchard National School roll 2540 is now located as a plausible local lead, but all 42 online Dúchas Mounttrenchard entries were checked on 24 May 2026 and none names Philip, his parents, siblings, or known Mounttrenchard McKenna collaterals.
- Emigration question: the book proves arrival timing as February 1883, but it does not identify who paid the fare or arranged passage.
- Chicago career: the book proves legal identity, legal education, Illinois bar admission, Chicago practice, political affiliation, memberships, residence, and office as of 1911.
Research Targets
- OpenFind Philip's Irish baptism near Foynes / Mount Trenchard to resolve 1862 vs 1863 and confirm sponsors.
- OpenFind Philip + Joanna's civil marriage record in Michigan or Illinois to confirm Richardson parents and witness network.
- OpenUse the Monteagle Papers to test whether any 1883 estate account or correspondence mentions Philip's departure.
- OpenSearch for surviving Mounttrenchard National School records by roll number 2540, especially any pupil registers or roll books that could test Philip's "national schools of Ireland" statement. The online Dúchas folklore collection is already checked and negative for the target family.
- OpenIdentify the newspaper behind John M. McKenna I's "Editor of The Sentinel" family memory.
Primary source for this page: The Book of Chicagoans (1911) OCR text, pp. 446-447. Local processing note: raw/james-margaret-sheahan-children-verification-2026-05-13.md. Irish civil-record proof note: raw/mounttrenchard-irish-records-philip-parents-siblings-2026-05-24.md. South Cappa / Mounttrenchard collateral proof note: raw/mounttrenchard-south-cappa-mckenna-records-2026-05-25.md. Church-confirmation note: raw/ballyhahill-church-civil-marriage-confirmation-2026-05-25.md. School-record lead: raw/mounttrenchard-school-records-2026-05-24.md. Deep-search and property-chain note: raw/mounttrenchard-deep-search-property-chain-2026-05-24.md. Related pages: Kerry & Foynes descendants; Lord Monteagle & Mount Trenchard; John M. McKenna I.