John "Jack" O'Keefe may have been born about April 5, 1889 in Rathcormack Roman Catholic Parish, Diocese of Fermoy, where John O'Keeffe was baptized April 9, 1889, the son of William O'Keeffe and his wife Katherine Walsh O'Keeffe. This is likely him because he is known to have an April birthday, and he named his oldest daughter Catherine.
Other sources claim Jack's parents names were reported as Timothy O'Keefe and Mary Hegarty on what might be their marriage record. The bride also reported that she was from Baltimore, MD. More research is needed.
John "Jack" O'Keefe was born in the Poor Law Union of Fermoy area of northern County Cork, Ireland, HIs possible birth certificate lists the townland of Johnstown, which is really Johnstown West in Killathy, two and half kilometers east of Ballyhooly, and in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rathcormack.
John "Jack" O'Keefe is one of several siblings according to the 1901 Census of Ireland for Johnstown West, Killathy, County Cork, Ireland. We are not finding a John for his correct age and we wonder if he went by a different name or if we have the wrong family:
John "Jack" O'Keefe's family is Roman Catholic and they live on a farm where his father is a farmer and his mother a farmer's wife.
John "Jack" O'Keefe left home before 1901 and is not listed with William and Catherine O'Keeffe of Johnstown West, Killahy on the 1901 United States Census. He may have had an apprenticeship in another townland, because he would have been 12 years old. But we still think this is his family because his birth and location match his birth certificate.
John "Jack" O'Keefe Immigrated to the United States and settled in Buffalo, New York after World War I, when we find him marrying Julia Burke in June 1919. Julia Burke is from Lough Hyne in County Cork in Buffalo, New York. The marriage likely took place in Holy Angels RC Church. We have two dates for the marriage, June 20, 1919, and June 24, 1919. The first date may be the date they obtained the license to marry and the second date may be the actual ceremony.
John "Jack" O'Keefe immigrated to the United States and settled in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, where worked at Iroquois Gas in Buffalo, New York in 1919 when he married Julia Mary Burke .
John "Jack" O'Keefe married Julia Mary Burke, daughter of Randall Burke and Mary Driscoll, who was born in Ballyoughtra, Lough Hyne, (Loughine), Skibbereen Roman Catholic Parish, Diocese of Cork and Ross, County Cork, Ireland on June 24, 1919 at Saint Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, 157 East Street, in Buffalo, Erie County, New York.
John "Jack" O'Keefe and his wife Julia had four daughters, all who are deceased by 2014:
John "Jack" O'Keefe and his wife Julia lived with their four daughters at 229 Parkdale Avenue, just south of West Delavan Avenue, in Buffalo, New York in 1930, 1935, and in 1940 as recorded on the 1930 and 1940 United States Federal Census for Buffalo, Erie County, New York. Their 3 bedroom, 1 bath home with 1334 sq. feet was built in 1906 on an 1800 sq. foot lot in the Grant-Ferry neighborhood, and was worth $3000 in 1940, and would be worth almost $130K today.
John "Jack" O'Keefe passed away in December 1963 in Buffalo, New York as his family was preparing to move to Pinellas County, Florida. He is buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pinellas Park with his wife and two of his daughters, and near his lifelong friend John "Jack" Troy whom he met as a young man in Buffalo. Jack Troy's wife Annie is a sister of Jack O'Keefe's wife Julia.
John "Jack" O'Keefe's death record as recorded by the State of New York Death Index:
NOTE: In 1914, James O'Keefe of Bushy Park and Patrick O'Keefe of Scartberry are recorded on Guy's Postal Directory for Watergrasshill. There is also a James Keefe in Barnetstown. We don't know how these O'Keefe's may be related to John "Jack" O'Keefe.
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