Thomas Lacey and His Descendants

Note: Since writing this post several years ago, I have published more detailed information about the Lacey family which can be found at this link.

Thomas Lacey

Our Lacey immigrant ancestor was Thomas Mark Lacey. He was born May 18, 1877 in Rossadilisk, Ireland, the second of two children born to Mark Lacey and Bridget Feeney.

The story of Thomas Mark Lacey’s arrival in America was often repeated by his sons, but has not been verified by any immigration records, as of yet. According to family lore, Thomas was a fisherman in Rossadilisk who sailed from Ireland to San Francisco on a cargo vessel, probably as a crewman. According to the story, the boat had to sail around the tip of South America to make the journey. Because he was on a cargo ship and because San Francisco did not register incoming immigrants with the efficiency of larger entry points like Ellis Island, I’ve been unable to find documentation of Thomas Lacey’s arrival in the United States. Family notes indicate that he may have arrived in 1903. We do know that Thomas was living in San Francisco before the time of the great earthquake of 1906, as he was in the city during that event and survived the tragedy. Later, Thomas moved his family to Alameda, where his children were raised.

After arriving in San Francisco, Thomas met and married Sarah Kilcullen (born May 19, 1881 in Carrowhubbock, Co. Sligo, Ireland). Together they had eight children:

i. MARK THOMAS LACEY, born 1909 in San Francisco 

ii. FRANCIS “FRANK” JOSEPH LACEY, born July 1, 1910 in San Francisco; died August 28, 1999 in Oakland, California. He married Nunciata "Nancy" Cellini. 

iii. KATHLEEN LACEY, born August 8, 1911, died May 14, 1998 in Santa Clara, California. She married Henry Fine. 

iv. MILTON PETER LACEY, born February 9, 1914 in Oakland, died November 6, 1996 in Sand Point, Idaho. He married Betty Moore McCune. 

v. HERBERT “HERB” BRENDON LACEY, born October 14, 1915 in San Francisco; died November 19, 1993 in Fremont, California. He married Florence Freitas. 

vi. DAVID AUSTIN LACEY, born September 24, 1918 in Alameda; died April 27, 2004 in Fallbrook, California. He married Jeanette Mary Beck. 

vii. EDMUND OWEN LACEY, born March 22, 1922; died as an infant. 

viii. JOHN BERNARD “BERNIE” LACEY, born July 31, 1924; died November 17, 1985 in Alameda, California.

Thomas Lacey died on May 4, 1960 and is buried alongside his wife, Sarah, at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, California. His sons Herb Lacey and Frank Lacey are also buried in this cemetery, along with their wives.

Thomas and Sarah Lacey's grave in Hayward, California