Michael Grenaghan was born in Faulagh, Barnatra, County Mayo, Ireland, the son of John and Catherine Grenaghan (née Monohan, or Monaghan)). In various records he gave his date of birth as being in August 1864; however, it is likely that he was born as early as 1860.
His father was a farmer and he had sisters named Rose and Mary. It is not known when his mother died, but his father remarried and Michael had two half-siblings – William and Catherine “Kate” as a result of his father’s second marriage.
No record can be found proving when Michael emigrated to the United States of America, but he claimed at various times that it was in 1877 or 1880. There are no records to indicate that he had ever applied to become a naturalized citizen of the United States of America, and he never married.
By 1895, he owned a farm in Vail, Cook County, Iowa, and also residing in the area were his sisters, Mary, who was married to Charles Hanus, and Rose, who was married to Eugene Mallet.
It is not known if he made any journeys back to Ireland before 1911, but he certainly returned to his home in Ireland in the summer of 1911, following the death of his father, at the age of 91 years, in May of that year. He returned to Iowa in October 1911, and made another visit to his homeland in the summer of 1914.
In the spring of 1915, he decided to return home again, as his brother-in-law and sister, Charles and Mary Hanus were travelling there on holiday. Consequently, they booked third class passage on the May sailing of the
Lusitania which was scheduled to sail from New York to Liverpool on the morning of 1st May 1915.
They joined the vessel on the morning of that date and boarded her in time for her scheduled 10 o‘clock departure, which was then delayed until the early afternoon, as she had to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner the S.S.
Cameronia. Just after mid-day, she slipped her moorings from the Cunard berth at Pier 54 and sailed into the North River and eventually out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine
U-20, within sight of The Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland - only hours away from her destination.
Michael Grenaghan was one of the minority of third class passengers who was fortunate enough to survive this action and after he had been rescued from the sea, he was landed at Queenstown. However, his brother-in-law and sister were both lost and neither of their bodies was ever recovered. He eventually made it to his original intended destination from there. His stated aged was 52 years at the time the
Lusitania foundered, although it is likely he was aged 55 years.
In the initial list of those on board the Lusitania published by The Cunard Steam Ship Company in March 1915, his name is spelt as
Granahan!
Michael Grenaghan returned to his farm in Iowa, in August 1915, sailing from Liverpool to New York on board the American Lines liner,
New York, but returned to Ireland on the Finland on the 20th May 1916. He would never return to Iowa again.
On the 3rd of December 1920, Michael Grenaghan died in Faulagh, Barnatra, from an unspecified stomach complaint. His death certificate stated that he was aged 60 years. He left his estate to his surviving sister, Rose Mallet, and his half-siblings, William Grenaghan and Mrs. Kate Hargraves.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1895 Iowa State Census, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1905 Iowa State Census, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Massachusetts Passenger Lists 1820 – 1963, UK Outward Passenger Lists 1890 – 1960, UK Incoming Passenger Lists 1878 – 1960, Cunard Records, Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758 – 1997, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/39, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.