Newspaper Article on Michael William Shanahan Click on the Image to Enlarge Transcription: Irish stowaway finds new home in Senatobia     Editor Note: The following is a history of Michael William Shanahan. Such histories will appear in the soon-to-be-published Tate County History Book.     Michael William Shanahan was born on Sept. 28, 1841, at Limerick, County Cork, Ireland (Irish Free State) near Belfast. His parents were Henry Shanahan (Not sure about the name Henry) and Bridget Luby Shanahan. Their children were Dennis, Michael William, Maggie A. and one named Henry or Charles. The parents died during an outbreak of the Plague. The child named Henry or Charles drowned in a river, nearby the home of a Grandmother, who had charge of the children after their parent's death.     Michael William was being educated for a Priest, He refused to accept this fate and ran away from his Catholic background, by stowing away on a ship coming to America. He arrived in the New World about 1855 or 1856. He was in Senatobia, MS with good friends at the time the Civil War broke out. Still young he joined the first Company formed in Senatobia. This Company later combined or reorganized at Pensacola, Fla., thereafter throughout the war he belonged to the 9th Mississippi Infantry, Company B. under Captain J. P. Holihan, First Lieut. R. E. McCart[h]y, close personal friend of 2nd Lieut. Shanahan and corresponded with him for life. This Company was part of the first regiment raised in the State of Mississippi. 2nd Lieut. Shanahan was wounded in the arm in the battle of Atlanta, and according to records, was wounded once before but not seriously. Records show he was given sick leave for six months. He was sent back to Senatobia to collect recruits. His orders commandeered his transportion. He was discharged at Greensboro, NC and returned to Senatobia, MS where he taught school and worked.     The following was copied from "The Coldwater Herald", published in Coldwater Wednesday, June 22, 1887 (Vol. 2, No. 8, Cullen Johnson Prop.) The transcription of this article will end here as the rest of it is merely a direct quote of the aforementioned newspaper article which has already been published on this site. Read this article/letter written by Robert E. McCarthy Transcribed 26 Oct 2001 by K. L. Rhodes from a photocopy of the newspaper article published 4 Oct 1990 in the Tate County Democrat originally forwarded by Gene Embrey to Lowry Stewart in 1990 a copy of which was then sent by Lowry's daughter J. C. S. Waite to me in January 2001. Return to Shanahan Family Genealogy Home Page