Catherine Coll
Encyclopedia
Catherine Wheelwright (née Coll) (1858 – 12 June 1932), was the mother of Irish
President
and Taoiseach
Éamon de Valera
.
, County Limerick
. She emigrated to New York City
in 1879. She first took a job with a wealthy French family that was living in Manhattan
. This is where she allegedly met Juan Vivion de Valera (born 1854), a Cuban or Spanish sculptor who came to the home of her employers to give music lessons to the children. Though de Valera's official biography (Longford/O'Neill, Hutchinson, London, 1970) states that his parents were married at St. Patrick's in Greenville, New Jersey
, on 19 September 1881, the parish records show no record of any Coll–de Valera wedding either at St Patrick's or any church, nor were any civil records found, in the vicinity during the period from 1875 to 1887. Also, initially de Valera was not registered in his father's name.
The New York State records contain two de Valera birth certificates. The first, registered on 10 November 1882, gives his name as George De Valero. The second was a "corrected certificate" which was "approved by Commissioner of Health" on 30 June 1910. Consequently, whilst the correction was instigated by de Valera's mother Kate, there appears to be no validity in the claims that it was for the purpose of establishing de Valera's U.S. citizenship in an attempt to save him from a firing squad following the Easter Rising
in Dublin, which occurred six years later. It is in this second certificate that the first name is given as Edward and the surname as de Valera.
It was alleged that Vivion de Valera, always in poor health, left his young family behind him and traveled to Colorado
, hoping that perhaps the healthier air would help him out only to die within a few months. However, not merely is there no record of the wedding. No record exists of the existence of a "Juan Vivion de Valera" anywhere in the United States: no birth certificate, no baptism
al certificate (if he was a Catholic
), no wedding certificate and no death certificate. While it was possible that he was born abroad and so either had a foreign birth certificate or was not registered, the absence of a death certificate for someone stated definitely in Éamon de Valera's family history to have died in the United States has puzzled researchers. Some scholars have questioned whether he ever existed. There has been a suggestion that he was related to the French painter Achille Deveria as Éamon de Valera was known to be particularly fond of his works.
Kate later married an English-born coachman, Charles Wheelwright, on 7 May 1888, who converted to Roman Catholicism for her, and she gave birth to a daughter Ann, and a son, Thomas, who would later become a Catholic priest. They moved to Rochester, New York
. The closeness of the marriage to her supposed first husband's death is again pointed to as evidence that the first marriage never actually existed, and was just a cover story to explain her pregnancy. Coll sent her young son Éamon back to live with relatives in Bruree prior to her marriage to Wheelwright. She never brought him back to live with her.
The 1881 British census lists Charles Wheelwright, 27, coachman/domestic servant living at the house of a man called Edward de Vall or Devall, 65, a coachman.
Later in his life, Éamon de Valera would remember occasional visits from, as he knew her, a "woman in black", which ended up being his true mother. Kate later sent her young son to Limerick to be raised by his grandmother and uncle.
The Wheelwrights were staunch supporters of de Valera and his cause for the establishment of the Irish Republic
. In 1916, Mrs. Wheelwright campaigned successfully for the suspension of the death sentence placed on her son, an American citizen by birth, by the British government.
Charles Wheelwright died in 1929, and Catherine Wheelwright died 12 June 1932. Both are buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester, New York
.
Though married for many years to Wheelwright, Catherine is generally referred to in biographies as Catherine (or Kate) Coll.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
President
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
and Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
.
Biography
Catherine Coll was born in BrureeBruree
Bruree is a village in south-eastern County Limerick, Ireland, on the River Maigue. It takes its name from the nearby ancient royal fortress, the alternative name of which from the earliest times into the High Middle Ages was Dún Eochair Maigue or the Fortress on the Brink of the Maigue.- History...
, County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
. She emigrated to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1879. She first took a job with a wealthy French family that was living in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. This is where she allegedly met Juan Vivion de Valera (born 1854), a Cuban or Spanish sculptor who came to the home of her employers to give music lessons to the children. Though de Valera's official biography (Longford/O'Neill, Hutchinson, London, 1970) states that his parents were married at St. Patrick's in Greenville, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, on 19 September 1881, the parish records show no record of any Coll–de Valera wedding either at St Patrick's or any church, nor were any civil records found, in the vicinity during the period from 1875 to 1887. Also, initially de Valera was not registered in his father's name.
The New York State records contain two de Valera birth certificates. The first, registered on 10 November 1882, gives his name as George De Valero. The second was a "corrected certificate" which was "approved by Commissioner of Health" on 30 June 1910. Consequently, whilst the correction was instigated by de Valera's mother Kate, there appears to be no validity in the claims that it was for the purpose of establishing de Valera's U.S. citizenship in an attempt to save him from a firing squad following the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
in Dublin, which occurred six years later. It is in this second certificate that the first name is given as Edward and the surname as de Valera.
It was alleged that Vivion de Valera, always in poor health, left his young family behind him and traveled to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, hoping that perhaps the healthier air would help him out only to die within a few months. However, not merely is there no record of the wedding. No record exists of the existence of a "Juan Vivion de Valera" anywhere in the United States: no birth certificate, no baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
al certificate (if he was a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
), no wedding certificate and no death certificate. While it was possible that he was born abroad and so either had a foreign birth certificate or was not registered, the absence of a death certificate for someone stated definitely in Éamon de Valera's family history to have died in the United States has puzzled researchers. Some scholars have questioned whether he ever existed. There has been a suggestion that he was related to the French painter Achille Deveria as Éamon de Valera was known to be particularly fond of his works.
Kate later married an English-born coachman, Charles Wheelwright, on 7 May 1888, who converted to Roman Catholicism for her, and she gave birth to a daughter Ann, and a son, Thomas, who would later become a Catholic priest. They moved to Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. The closeness of the marriage to her supposed first husband's death is again pointed to as evidence that the first marriage never actually existed, and was just a cover story to explain her pregnancy. Coll sent her young son Éamon back to live with relatives in Bruree prior to her marriage to Wheelwright. She never brought him back to live with her.
The 1881 British census lists Charles Wheelwright, 27, coachman/domestic servant living at the house of a man called Edward de Vall or Devall, 65, a coachman.
Later in his life, Éamon de Valera would remember occasional visits from, as he knew her, a "woman in black", which ended up being his true mother. Kate later sent her young son to Limerick to be raised by his grandmother and uncle.
The Wheelwrights were staunch supporters of de Valera and his cause for the establishment of the Irish Republic
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
. In 1916, Mrs. Wheelwright campaigned successfully for the suspension of the death sentence placed on her son, an American citizen by birth, by the British government.
Charles Wheelwright died in 1929, and Catherine Wheelwright died 12 June 1932. Both are buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
.
Though married for many years to Wheelwright, Catherine is generally referred to in biographies as Catherine (or Kate) Coll.
Sources
- Tim Pat CooganTim Pat CooganTimothy Patrick Coogan is an Irish historical writer, broadcaster and newspaper columnist. He served as editor of the Irish Press newspaper from 1968 to 1987...
, De Valera: Long Fellow, Long Shadow (Hutchinson, 1993)