Michael and Anne (Donovan) were born in Ireland (1830 and 1835 respectively). All of their seven children were born in Illinois. The family was on the 1860 Census of Whiteside County living in Mt. Pleasant township. Following in 1870 they were found in Lyndon with all seven children listed. In 1880 Michael (works for the railroad) & Anne are still in Lyndon with Julia, Daniel, Emma and Louisa still at home. John age 19 is a butcher, boarding in the home of John Duffin in Morrison, Hannah is working as a servant in the home of Thomas Gatt in Sterling and Mary is 16 working as a servant in the home of Mary Wallace in Sterling.