Vol. XXIV No. 4 Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society 2012 www.ctiahs.com Date book 2013 projects will focus on domestic servants and Connecticut sites of Irish significance Nov. 4: Civil War rite

At 11 a.m, the annual wreath-laying at 013 may be the year when the Connecticut the monument to the Ninth Connecticut 2 Irish-American Historical Society finally Volunteer Infantry will be held in is able to bring to a boil two projects that for Bayview Park, New Haven. The Ninth far too long have been simmering on its back was Connecticut’s Irish regiment in the Civil War. The regiment was organized burner. in late summer The first project is the creation of an Irish 1861 and served heritage trail to put on public display the doz- until 1865 in cam- ens of sites of Irish significance that dot the paigns ranging from state’s landscape from Stonington to Salisbury New Orleans and Vicksburg to the and Woodstock to Westport. Shenandoah Valley The second project is to focus attention on a of Virginia. The seldom noted, but widespread phenomenon of tradition of an an- Irish-American immigration: women working nual wreath-laying as domestic servants. near Veterans Day Irish women frequently have found work as was begun in the Irish Footprints across Connecticut domestic servants in homes in Connecticut. late 1990s. It was led by Maureen This past summer, the state Department of Delahunt, the late Irish History Round Economic and Community Development began Also, a public bench and a museum in Willi- Table President John Boyle and former a program titled “Our Places, Our Stories.” Its mantic that honor the memory of Irish textile Connecticut Irish-American Historical objective is to encourage organizations to un- workers; the Jabez Bacon house in Woodbury Society President Jeanne Whalen. It is dertake projects that highlight the rich diversity sponsored by the Irish History Round where Dublin native Matthew Lyon served out Table, the Connecticut Irish-American of Connecticut and its people. The CTIAHS an indenture before going on to become one of Historical Society, the Ancient Order of submitted an application for a grant to create a the founders of Vermont and a congressman; Hibernians and the South Central Con- website featuring brief stories and pictures that the gravestone in Litchfield of Alexander necticut Civil War Round Table. Civil tell the story of more than 300 years of Irish McNeill, a 17th century Scots-Irish immigrant War re-enactors, a Knights of Columbus immigration and settlement in our state. Honor Guard and bagpiper Pat Whalen from County Antrim, who became a prominent have been invited. “Coffee and …” will In early October, the state Historic Preserva- merchant after surviving a shipwreck. tion Office, notified Patricia Heslin, chairwom- be served at the park after the ceremony. Irish domestic servants an of our Irish Footsteps project, that our appli- Nov. 4: Christ Church cation is being evaluated by the DECD. Our Scarcely any Connecticut-Irish family can be application must also receive the approval of found that does not have in its immigration lore Christ Church was New Haven’s first the tale of one or more daughters, sisters, Catholic parish. Most of its parishioners the State Bond Commission. were Irish immigrants many of whom The places that would be featured on the mothers or grandmothers who served as maids. were buried in a cemetery adjacent to the Irish Footsteps website would include, among Irish women laboring in that occupation can be church in the 1830s and 1840s. many others: Monte Cristo cottage in New found in Connecticut going back more than In July 2011, during a construction London, the boyhood home of Eugene O’Neill; 300 years — as early as the 1650s and as late project at Yale-New Haven Hospital, as the 1950-60s. Yet little history of these human remains were uncovered on that the Farmington and Enfield canals, where women has been preserved or written. site of New Haven’s earliest Catholic many Irish immigrants found work; the New cemetery. Haven monument in honor of Father Michael The good news is that the Knights of Colum- A project headed by state archaeologist McGivney, founder of the Knights of Colum- bus Supreme Council has given the CTIAHS Dr. Nick Bellantoni was begun to deter- bus; and the Civil War arch near the State Cap- permission to transcribe and publish the diary mine if any of the remains could be (Please turn to page 2) itol in Hartford, designed by County Cork na- of an Irish maid that it has in its archives. The tive, George Keller. (Please turn to page 8) 2

Date book Great Hunger Museum dedicated by Quinnipiac

(Continued from page 1) week of events in late September heralded matched with individuals on the opening of another site of special signifi- burial lists that are available in A cance to Connecticut’s Irish community. published documents, and also what might be learned about On Sept. 28, Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s minister of the lives of these early immi- transport, tourism and sport, dedicated the new grants by forensic research on Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University. the remains. The museum, said Quinnipiac President John L. From 2 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 4, Bellantoni will lead a panel Lahey, “is home to the world’s largest collection of discussion at the New Haven art, artifacts and ephemera relating to the Great Museum, 114 Whitney Ave., Hunger that devastated Ireland from 1845-52.” New Haven, regarding the The museum, located at 3011 Whitney Ave. in findings. Panelists will include: Gary Hamden, about a mile south of the Quinnipiac cam- Aronsen of Yale, Sarah pus, opened to the public on Oct. 11. Brownlee of the Peabody Among the dignitaries attending the dedication Museum, Dan DeLuca and were Connecticut U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Anthony Greigo. The program Cathy Malloy, wife of Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. is free and open to the public. Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s minister of transport, Malloy, former state Sen. Brian McDermott and formally dedicated Quinnipiac University’s new state Sen. Thomas Gaffey, who sponsored legisla- Great Hunger Museum on Sept. 28. Nov. 13: Milestone (Photo by George Waldron) tion a few years ago leading to the development of a The Irish History Round Table will mark its 500th history curriculum about the Great Hunger for Con- The collection was born of a partnership between meeting with a special presen- necticut schools. Lahey and Murray Lender, a New Haven Jewish tation on Nov. 13. The week’s actitivites accompanying the dedica- businessman and Quinnipiac graduate. The Round Table began tion included: monthly meetings way back in Lender also was one of the founding fathers of the 1971. The 500th meeting will A lecture delivered by , president of Ethnic Heritage Center of which the Connecticut feature a musical program by the Irish political party Sinn Fein, on the topic “Irish Irish-American Historical Society is a component. Rick Spencer and the Kellys America and the Struggle for Freedom in Ireland.” He was a representative of the New Haven Jewish titled Forging a National Identity: Music of Irish- A presentation given by Christine Kenealy, author Historical Society in the founding of the EHC which America. of This Great Calamity, The Irish Famine, 1845-52, now has its home on the campus of Southern Con- The meeting is at the about Cecil-Woodham Smith, a British historian and necticut State University. Knights of St. Patrick, 1533 biographer who wrote the first comprehensive histo- State Street, New Haven, at A native New Yorker, Lahey was grand marshal ry of the famine. 7:30 p.m., and is free and of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade in open to the public. A panel discussion on the topic “Depicting the 1997 on the 150th anniversary of the Great Hunger Great Hunger Through Art” led by Catherine Mar- in Ireland. He dedicated the parade that year to the Jan. 19: CTIAHS shall, senior curator at the Irish Museum of Modern memory of the more than a million Irish who died in The first meeting of the Art. the famine. Connecticut Irish-American Just before the dedication, a concert of traditional Lender provided funding for the collection of Historical Society in 2013 will Irish music featured author and scholar Mick Molo- be from 10 a.m. to noon on more than 350 books, documents and papers; video ney and a group of renowned Irish musicians and Jan. 19 at the Ethnic Heritage cassettes; online capabilities, sculptures, maps and Center, 270 Fitch St., New dancers in the Grand Courtroom of the Quinnipiac paintings. At the library, the collection remained a Haven. Agenda items include: School of Law Center. After the dedication, a con- fertile source for researchers and an attraction for a state grant program for “Our cert at the TD Bank Sports Center featured the visitors who wished to learn more about the famine People, Our Places”; a project Dropkick Murphys and Black 47 bands. focusing on Irish domestic through artwork. In its new home, it will be even servants; reports on the Ninth The museum is a continuing expansion of a Great more accessible to the general public and provide Regiment wreath-laying and Hunger project begun at Quinnipiac. A special col- opportunities for visits by school students and other the Christ Church project and lection of Great Hunger books and artifacts was groups as well as workshops and seminars. a possible merger of the his- dedicated in the Lender Family Special Collections torical society and the Irish More information on the new museum is availa- Room in the university’s Arnold Bernhard Library History Round Table. ble on the website: www.ighm.org. in 2000. 3 Daring young Norwich Irishman delivered transcontinental airmail rans-continental airmail was who would fly what was consid- and landed with hardly a percepti- walked out of the wilderness. T a revolutionary dream in ered the most difficult leg of the ble jar. Murray, who had flown James was not the only pilot 1920. If it could be done, it would route: Omaha to Cheyenne to Salt from Omaha since 12:55 p.m. and pioneer in the Norwich Mur- cut in half the four-day railroad Lake City. covering 453 miles in 236 ray clan. His brother Edward, delivery between New York and Murray successfully flew the minutes … showed nothing to born in 1895, followed him to the West Coast. But were there first flight westward on that leg on indicate nervous strain resulting Trinity College in Hartford. He daring young pilots willing to risk Sept. 9, 1920. The Cheyenne from the journey.” too excelled at baseball, in 1917 their lives flying solo in open- Leader reported: “Begrimed with On Sept. 14, Murray had the setting a Trinity hitting record cockpit biplanes over mountains grease and smoke from the engine honor of delivering the first air- with a .550 average. That sum- and untracked forests? And could of his De Havilland Four airplane, mail to Cheyenne from the west mer, he had a short major league they navigate their aircraft — J. P. Murray … at 5:51 o’clock when he landed Plane No. 71 at career — one game and one at bat World War I vintage De with the St. Louis Havilland, Curtiss and Martin Browns — before join- planes — across the vast ing the Army Air Corps. American West at altitudes of In 1922, Ed married 12,000 to 14,000 feet fighting Mae McGarry, his high fog, snow and headwinds of school sweetheart, and 40-50 miles per hour? they headed west to join One Connecticut-born Irish brother Jim. Ed went young man didn't hesitate for into the insurance busi- a moment. In fact, James ness, joining the C.W. Patrick Murray, became a Riner agency, which trailblazer on one of the most was founded in 1877, Pilot Jim Murray, seventh from right, poses with spectators after landing in Cheyenne, dangerous legs of the entire and had the distinction Wyo., on one of the first transcontinental airmail flights. 2,600-mile route. Murray was of being the first insur- born in Norwich in 1894, the first Thursday afternoon swooped Cheyenne from Salt Lake City in ance firm in Wyoming. In 1926, son and fourth child of Patrick down on the Cheyenne landing early afternoon. Ed purchased the agency. Ed and Murray, a woolen mill foreman, field with the first aerial mail to It sounds like a lark, but was not Mae had three sons — William, and his wife Margaret Donovan. reach Cheyenne. In the rear cock- that at all. After just 10 months, Edward Jr. and Donald — all of James was a go-getter who pit of the ship were packed 11 21 pilots and eight mechanics had whom joined the family business. earned a bachelor’s degree in pouches containing 400 pounds of lost their lives in accidents. Mur- James and Edward Sr., mean- three years at Trinity College in letters. The consignment consisted ray himself came very close to while, added another chapter to Hartford, where he also was short- of approximately 16,000 separate disaster. On Oct. 20, flying east in their story as ballplayers by sign- stop and captain of the baseball pieces of mail, most of which a blizzard from Salt Lake City at ing on with the Cheyenne Indians, team. were posted at New York City … 100 mph trying to complete his one of the premier semi-pro teams Among the mail brought by Mur- He graduated in 1914, the year route before nightfall, he lost his in the Rocky Mountain region in ray was a letter from the Omaha World War I began. After teach- bearing and crashed into a hill 95 the 1920s. In 1923, with Jim Mur- Bee to the Cheyenne State Leader, ing for several years, he went to miles west of Cheyenne. Fortu- ray at shortstop and Ed Murray at expressing a fraternal greeting on Toronto in 1917 to enlist in the nately uninjured, he built a fire third base, the Indians defeated the occasion of the establishment British Royal Flying Corps. Earn- with sagebrush and huddled by Denver in a tournament billed as of aerial mail service. ing his commission, he trained the wreckage of the plane over- the “Little World Series.” other pilots in England, and after “About 50 persons were at the night. With no sign of a rescue Sources: Richard E. Noble, Bantam the war, flew mail planes from field to welcome the first airmail plane the next morning, he walked Baseball: A Brief History of Baseball England to the occupation troops ship … They first observed the 17 miles to the tiny village of at Trinity College, 1980; A.E. Roedel, “The Mail Must Go,” Annals of Wyo- in Germany. trail of smoke from the airplane’s Arlington, hitched a ride to the exhaust. A moment later, the ship railroad station at Rock Ridge 14 ming, January 1945, Vol. 17, No. 1. In 1920, Murray applied to be a itself became visible at first as a miles away and telegraphed Chey- Peter Knapp, “Pioneer of Transconti- pilot in the proposed transconti- nental Airmail Service,” Trinity Re- mere spec, but quickly assuming enne. A crew sent to recover the nental airmail program. He not porter, Spring 2001. Cheyenne State the outlines of a bird with out- plane was said to have located the only was selected, but also was Leader, Sept. 8-14, Oct. 20, 1920. spread wings. Flying smoothly, site by backtracking a bear that picked as one of the few pilots Cheyenne SunDay Magazine, July 11, the ship slanted down to the field had followed Murray as he 1982. 4

Irish entrepreneur built nation’s biggest paper mill in Windsor Locks

rish immigrants flocked to the I jobs offered by factories that sprang up in Connecticut during the Industrial Revolution. In at least one case, the factory owner as well as many of its employees was also an Irish immigrant. In 1844, Dudley Persse, a native of County Galway, and his part- ner, Horace Brooks, a New York City attorney, purchased the first paper mill ever constructed in Windsor Locks. The mill was built in 1832 by Samuel Williams of Hartford to take advantage of the abundant water power of the Connecticut River. Under the management of Persse and Brooks, the mill pros- “Persse & Brooks Paper Works” was inscribed on the Windsor Locks mill owned and operated in the 1840- pered. One of their clients was the 1850s by Dudley Persse, an immigrant from County Galway, and his partner Horace Brooks, a New York New York Herald, the nation’s attorney. Their mill in Windsor Locks employed numerous Irish immigrants and supplied annually 1,400,000 most popular newspaper in that tons of newsprint for the publishing of the New York Herald. The Herald printed this drawing of the Windsor era. In one year alone, the Persse- Locks operation in its Saturday, Aug. 30. 1845, editions. Brooks mill produced 1,400,000 tons of paper for the printing of They immigrated because of the inevitably lead to disaster for all and was able to help young The- the Herald. The town benefited urging of their father Henry Strat- Irish people. ophilus acquire farmland there. not only from the mill, but from ford Persse, a descendant of an When the Persse brothers ar- Dudley Persse remained in New the additional riverboat traffic Anglo-Irish Protestant family. rived in New York, Theophilus York City, served eight years as generated in transporting the rolls Henry had an unusually realistic went north to the Albany region an apprentice and worked his way of newsprint to New York. view of Ireland’s problems. He and settled in Johnstown, a com- up in the city’s mercantile sector urged his sons to leave a home- munity founded in colonial times to a position of considerable influ- Fatherly advice land where the vast majority of by another Irish immigrant, Wil- ence. For example, he was a Persse and two brothers, The- natives were denied any chance of liam Johnson. prime mover and chairman of an ophilus and Richard, arrived in initiative to establish a trans- improving their lot. Clement Sadlier, a brother of the United States in 1821. Dudley Atlantic steamship station in Gal- He realized that British misrule Henry Stratford Persse’s wife was only 18 years old, and The- way City as a means to bolster the in Ireland would eventually and Mary, had settled in Johnstown, ophilus, the youngest, was just 15. economy of the west of Ireland.

Irish activist Leading lady of was a Persse He also was deeply involved in Their Ascendancy roots notwithstanding, the Perssy clan had a bit of the Irish rebel New York’s Irish-American com- and the Irish love of storytelling in them. , right, a prominent figure munity. He was an active member in the Irish Literary Revival of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was born of the Friendly Sons of St. Pat- Isabella Augusta Persse in March 1852 at the family estate in Roxborough, County rick, an organization whose ranks Galway. She was the daughter of another Dudley Persse and Frances Barry. She were filled with O’s and Mac’s was schooled at home by an Irish speaker, Mary Sheridan, and married Sir William who would have been tenants of Henry Gregory. Her home at Coole Park in Galway became a meeting place for the Persses back in Galway. He leaders of the revival. With William Butler Yeats and Edward Martyn, she founded was a fund-raiser for famine relief the in Dublin. She wrote extensively of Irish mythology and folk- during the Great Irish Hunger of lore. She was a distant cousin of Dudley, Richard and Theophilus Persse. the late 1840s. 5

When Patrick O’Donohue, the even texture and greater strengths. from Johnstown to work there, and Irish rebel of 1848, died in New The rest of the machinery is driven subsequently owned and operated Irish paper makers York in 1854, Persse “the eminent by three of Boydon’s patent iron a grocery store there. in Windsor Locks paper merchant of 65-67 Nassau- waterwheels of 400 horsepower, Theophilus also went into poli- Windsor Locks returns for street,” led the campaign to raise nearly double the necessary pow- tics and was elected for one term the 1850 U.S. census list by funds for his widow and child. er. From the time that the pulp is to the Connecticut General Assem- name 57 Irish immigrants And when Thomas Francis Mea- discharged on the surface of the bly just before the Civil War. In working in paper mills. The ger arrived in New York in June wire gauze of the Fourdrinier ma- later life, he returned to John- number may not include all 1852 after escaping from prison in chine, till it comes out in the form stown, N.Y., where he died on those working there because Australia, he “repaired for a short of paper, is not more than five Dec. 13, 1880. many Irish natives were listed only as laborers not time to the counting house of minutes. In this way, 28 miles of His son, Theophilus Blakeney specifically as “paper work- Messrs Persse & Brooks (and) was paper, weighing three tons, is worked Persse, remained in Windsor er.” The names include: waited on by large numbers of off in the course of 24 hours. Locks, took over the family store John Donnely, 50; James citizens, Americans and others, The Irish-American Weekly and also was elected to the state Donnely, 28; Peter Lacey, who were desirous to pay their newspaper published in New York legislature in 1874. He married the 29, Joseph Lacey, 16; Wil- respects.” Persse’s offices “were City was especially pleased that an daughter of John Windsor of liam English, 42; John Hof- thrown open with an Irish cead Irish immigrant was the moving Windsor Locks. man, 25; Patrick McCarty, millea failtha.” force behind such a worthwhile Panic of 1857 41; William McCarty, 15; Bolstered by initial success at project. It saw many benefits in The small commercial empire Patrick Feney, 25; Michael Windsor Locks, Persse and Brooks the new mill: “The daily transfor- Guinan, 47; John Guinan, fashioned in Windsor Locks by decided in 1853 to construct a mation of upwards of 20,000 15; Thomas Broderick, 27; Dudley Persse lasted only a few huge new factory. “They intend to pounds of filthy rags into one of Patrick Broderick, 35; Peter years. It was destroyed in 1857 turn out seven to seven and a half the most useful articles of con- Agen, 40; Patrick Feurey, when the failure of one bank in tons of paper a day when the new sumption — the daily (economic 30; Lucius Phelon, 36; New York City triggered an eco- mill goes into operation and to value) of 400 horsepower of water, James Cogan, 34; Thomas nomic panic in which 4,932 com- Brady, 45. employ upwards of 150 hands,” that otherwise would flow useless- panies were driven out of business. said the Hartford Courant. ly to the sea — the direct daily John Mullen, 51; Richard The Persse paper mill in Windsor employment of about 150 opera- Brooks, 50; Richard Brooks, When it was completed in late Locks went bankrupt as a result of tives, men, women and children – 20; Edward Cochran, 50; 1854, the new mill was said to be the panic, although it later reo- John Cochran, 20; Edward the daily maintenance in comfort the largest in the world. At a cost pened with new owners. Cochran, 22; Martin Feurey, of $150,000, it was erected near and respectability of about 1,000 Dudley Persse died at his resi- 23; Dannel Webb, 60; John the existing mill, which was “still human beings – the improvement dence on 38th Street in New York Burns, 34; Michael Scully, in running order and capable of in population and otherwise of a 41; John Connor, 28; Ed- City on Feb. 5, 1864, at the age of making two tons and a half of village that, now flourishing, must ward McDonald, 35; Patrick 57. His obituary in the Herald printing paper daily,” reported the without its aid, dwindle into a few Donnell, 27; Hugh McGuire, described him as a “citizen of New Courant. “The new mill is three cottages by the roadside – and, 26; William Claff, 30; Mi- York and identified with its com- stories high, including the base- above all, in the manufacture of chael Kearns, 20; Michael mercial progress, and highly es- Omaley, 25; James Finnigan, ment, 295 feet in length and 42 in about 15,000 pounds of paper, or teemed in the mercantile commu- 28; Francis Shields, 26; breadth, built of stone and brick as many sheets as large as the Irish nity for a quarter of a century.” John White, 30. with a slate roof. It stands on the -American as would reach from His funeral was at St. Bartholo- Peter Wall, 30; Patrick banks of the canal from which it Dublin to Galway, between the mew’s Episcopal Church on Lafa- Duffey, 20; James Murphy, obtains its motive power. Its facili- rising and setting of every sun.” yette Place. He is buried in Green- 21; Michael Kennedy, 22; ties for obtaining the raw material “We cannot help congratulating wood Cemetery. Thomas Kearns, 21; Patrick our fellow citizens of foreign, and and sending off its paper when Gaines, 36; Michael Mahon, finished, are great, arising from especially of Irish birth,” contin- Sources: Hartford Courant, July 11, 1853; Dec. 15, 1854, April 20, 30; Thomas Nugent, 23; ued the Irish-American Weekly, the river and canal near which it 1858. Irish-American Weekly, Francis Blake, 21; O.M. stands, and from the railway that “on the way in which they are Aug. 16, 25, Sept. 13, 1851, June Dornan, 28; James McCart- passes but at a short distance. represented in mercantile and 5, 1852, April 1, Dec. 16, 1854. ney, 20; Francis Coffee, 22; New York Herald, Aug. 30, 1845, “The Fourdrinier machines of commercial life …” Peter Hunt, 32; Andrew July 20, 1847, Feb. 11, 1854, Feb Devllan, 20; Walter Doudy, the mill are worked by two small Dudley Persse apparently never 6, 1864. ‘To the Land of the Free 23; Bryan Fallon, 22; Luke steam engines, which being more resided in Windsor Locks. Howev- from this Island of Slaves, edited Stanton, 21; William Fox, steady in their operation than wa- er, during his ownership of the by James l. Pethica and James C. Roy, 1998. 20; Patrick Newton, 50. ter, will produce paper of more mill, his brother Theophilus came 6

Non-Catholic Irish marriages in mid-19th century New Haven

Editor’s note: Genealogist Paul R.  Feb. 10, 1840 — Patrick Flinn and Joann Leary, both of New Haven, by Harry Croswell, Keroack, who specializes in Connecti- rector of Trinity Church in New Haven. (page 900) cut Irish and French-Canadian re- search, explains an easy-to-use, online  Aug. 3, 1840 — Edward Donnelly to Amanda Parmalee, both of New Haven, by Harry Cros- source for New Haven marriage rec- well, rector of Trinity Church. (page 910) ords in the article below, and at the  May 7, 1840 — James T. McDonough and Laura Hitchcock both of New Haven, married by same time provides an interesting list of Leonard Bacon pastor of the First Church of New Haven. (page 909) non-Catholic Irish marriages.  Oct. 6, 1842 — Garrett Barry, U.S. Army, to Mary Ann Atwater of Wallingford, by Harry

Croswell, rector of Trinity Church. (page 917) arriages of New Haven Irish from 1840 through 1854 can be  June 5, 1843 — John B. Murphy to Eliza Mattoon both of New Haven, by Harry Croswell, M rector of Trinity Church. (page 934) found published in “Vital Records of New Haven, 1649-1850,” Vol. 2 (Book  Feb. 11, 1844 — Patrick Michael Henessy to Susan French, both of New Haven, by Rev. 6: Marriages 1835-1853). Harry Croswell, rector of Trinity Church, New Haven. (page 942) These volumes, originally published  Sept. 10, 1845 — Michael Crunley to Jane Cusack, by Justice of the Peace Horace Andrews. between 1917 and 1924, are now free to (page 954) read or download on the Internet, at  June 7, 1847 — John Sullivan to Mary Ann Beardsley, both of New Haven, by Rev. Harry www.archive.org. At that site, choose Croswell, rector of Trinity Church. (page 978) American libraries-text to search by the  Feb. 21, 1848 — Christopher Hartley to Nancy McCready, by Rev. S. Cooke, rector of St. above title. Choices include volumes Paul’s Episcopal Church. (page 980) one or two. Choose volume two, and select “read online” for easiest viewing.  March 15, 1848 — James Quinn to Martha Ann Childe, by Rev. S. Cooke, rector of St. Paul’s Church. (page 980) Some public libraries own physical reprints of this title and the original  July 29, 1849 — Austin Chamberlain and Mary Ann Sullivan in New Haven, by Rev. James Floy, minister of the Gospel. (page 994) information at the town clerk’s office is also on microfilm No. 1405858, which  May 6, 1849 — Elijah Groomes to Mrs. Ellen Fagan, by Rev. F. Ketchum, pastor of the Se- is available at the Latter Day Saints cond Baptist Church. (page 1001) Family History Center in Woodbridge.  March 4, 1850 — Michael McGann to Mary Gilmore, both of Bethany, by Rev. Harry Cros- Beginning on page 903, Catholic well, rector of Trinity Church. (page 1012) marriages from 1841 are included, by  March 1, 1850 — John W. O’Grady to Mary Ann O’Brien, by Rev. S. Cooke, rector of St. date, along with all other marriages Paul’s Church. (page 1015) registered with the city. Why they begin  April 17, 1850 — Thomas Boyle to Catharine B. Gradys, by Rev. S. Cooke, rector of St. in that year — given that the first local Paul’s Church. (page 1015) Catholic church opened in 1832 — is not clear.  May 3, 1851 — Arthur Smith and Ann Hurtt, both of Ireland, by Rev. E.E. Beardsley, rector of St. Thomas Church. (page 1018) After 1852, parties to the marriage were expected to notify the town direct-  Aug. 10, 1851 — Mr. John Sullivan to Miss Mary Jane Way, both of New Haven, by Rev. ly and clergymen were no longer asked Wm. De Loss Love, minister of the Gospel. (page 1030) to submit their baptismal or marriage  Nov. 17, 1851 — James P. Barns and Maria McCanna of New Haven, married by J.E. Searles records to town authorities. minister. (page 1036) As a small example of the data that  Feb. 22, 1852 — James Shannon to Elizabeth Doran, both of Waterbury, by Rev. Harry Cros- can be found in the books, I have ex- well, rector of Trinity Church. (page 1048) tracted, at right, the listings of those  April 8, 1852 — Robert Murray to Mary Tully, both of New Haven, by Thomas C. Pitkin. marriages of Irish persons performed by (page 1050) Protestant clergy. From these records, it cannot be determined whether the par-  March 21, 1852 — John T. Clark & Ellen Barry, by A.N. Littlejohn, rector of St. Paul’s Church. (page 1050) ties were Protestants or Catholics who chose to marry in a Protestant ceremo-  June 26, 1854 — Thomas Gardner of New Haven and Mary Alice Monaghan of Newark, ny. The entries include date, groom and N.J., by Rev. Heman Bangs, minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. (page 1056) bride’s names, clergyman and page  Oct. 7, 1854 — Timothy Desmond of New Haven and Eliza Havens of New London, by Rev. number. J.M. Garfield, rector of St. Luke’s Church. (page 1056) 7

Maher book tells much about history of Naugatuck Valley Irish

any years ago, Janet Ma- pictures of gravestones in St. M her, an associate professor Francis Cemetery, the oldest at Loyola University in Baltimore, Catholic cemetery in the town. set out to trace the history of her In its way, the section is as val- ancestors who immigrated to Nau- uable, or even more so, in the gatuck from Ireland. details it reveals of Irish- This summer she capped years American origins in various coun- of research by publishing a splen- ties in Ireland, and of such small did book filled not only with data details as life expectancy in the and stories of Mahers, but with age of large-scale Irish immigra- those of Quinns, Dwyers, Hick- tion. eys, Morrisseys, Burkes, McKen- Typical of the listings in this nas, Donahues, McDermotts, section are the details copied by O’Connors, Rileys and, literally, Maher off just one gravestone, dozens of other Irish people who that of Roland Dalton: “Born put down roots in the Naugatuck One of the 366 images sprinkled throughout Janet Maher’s book, From 1834; Died 1869; Native of Co. Valley and around New Haven. the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley, is this family photograph taken in Kilkenny, Ireland; Julia Quirk, 1912 of some of the Mahers, friends and relatives. Her 390-page book is titled His Wife, Born 1841; Died, 1879; From the Old Sod to the Nau- 1866, Katie Meagher and Thomas For example she writes, of the Native of Ballylanders, Co. Lim- gatuck Valley. It is filled with Murphy became godparents for growth of a considerable Irish erick, Ireland; Julia, their daugh- engaging text and pictures. The James F. Lennon, son of Thomas contingent in Waterbury around ter, Born 1859; Died 1878; May artwork ranges from portraits of Lenan and Maria Reilly …” 1830: They Rest in Peace; Hanora E. priests, schoolchildren and fami- She relates not only vital rec- “… The Cornelius Donnelly Walsh; Born 1875; Died 1881; lies going back go the late 19th ords, but life stories: “Patrick and family was considered the oldest Erected by James Walsh; Native century to Irish castles and cathe- Anne Maher’s daughter, Jose- of the Irish Catholic residents in of Newmarket, Co. Cork, Ire- drals and the Connecticut grave- phine Agnes Maher, born in 1861, Waterbury, from at least 1832. land.” stones of many early Irish settlers. graduated from Notre Dame Con- Rev. James O’Donnell included Still another valuable, if usually Maher reaches deeply into the vent in 1878, after which she among the early community, overlooked, section of Maher’s lives of Mahers in Naugatuck. She became a teacher herself, in Nau- James Martin and his wife, Chris- book is that of the footnotes. In writes, “… the first Roman Catho- gatuck. She was principal of Un- topher Casey, John Flynn, John addition to providing references to lic born and baptized in the bor- ion City school, the first school in Connors, John Corcoran and wife, sources, she has included in the ough of Naugatuck was a daugh- Naugatuck to give grades, and of Michael Neville and sister (later notes valuable information on ter of the Maher couple ... Before Salem School. She had a 56-year Mrs. William Moran), Michael topics and people. Naugatuck’s first Catholic Church long career in education, and an Corcoran, William Corcoran, For example, she provides a was established, masses were also academic scholarship is still Timothy Corcoran and his wife, brief biography of Father Thomas held in the living room of the awarded annually in her name. John Galvin and wife, James Hendricken, pastor in Waterbury Mahers … Her older sister, Catherine, had Byrne and James Grier … in the 1870s and later bishop of “With their surname spelled been a teacher both in Waterbury “By 1838, Michael Donohue, Providence, R.I. Hendricken who Meagher, Patrick and Anne ap- and Naugatuck before her mar- Patrick Donahue, Patrick Reilly was born in County Kilkenny and peared as baptismal sponsors at riage to Michael Martin in 1873 and sister, and Patrick Martin studied at St. Patrick’s Seminary the Immaculate Conception and was considered the first Cath- were added as Irish Catholic set- at Maynooth, was a descendant of Church, Waterbury, in May 1852, olic schoolteacher in Naugatuck.” tlers in Waterbury; and between a German officer who fought in for Sarah Rogers, the future wife Fortunately for the wider view 1839 and 1841, Patrick, Matthew the Battle of the Boyne in 1691! of the region’s Irish pioneers, and Finton Delavan, Thomas of their neighbor Thomas Garrity. The price for the book is $65.95 Maher delves into the history not Delaney, Thomas Killduff and Sarah, born in 1831, was an adult with packing and shipping paid by only of one family but of a bud- wife, Timothy Whalen and wife convert to Catholicism. Patrick the author. Discounts are availa- ding Irish community. In doing and Thomas Claffy had ap- and Ann’s daughter, Mary Maher, ble for more than one book. and Thomas Boylan were godpar- so, she provides more detail of the peared.” Full information on purchase is ents on July 10, 1856, for Julia, Irish people in the Naugatuck Of special value to readers with available on Maher’s website: the daughter of Philip Boylan and Valley than perhaps has ever been Naugatuck roots is a large section www.mahermatters.com. Ann (Monegan). On April 1, collected in one place before. of the book with inscriptions and 8

Irish domestic servants and historic places top agenda for 2013

(Continued from page 1) The transcribed diary will be himself part Irish, had a favorite immigrating to Connecticut and diary was kept by Mary McKeon, the centerpiece of an effort to Irish-American domestic servant with some Irish-Americans who a native of Cashcarrigan, County record and publish a wide range named Katie Leary, and two recall their own mothers or grand- Leitrim. She came to New Haven of experiences of Irish domestic prominent families fought to mothers telling them about work- in the 1870s and served as a do- servants in Connecticut. maintain the services of an Irish ing as domestic servants. mestic servant for a number of There are a small number of servant named Maggie Maher. For this phase of the project, the years before getting married and written accounts that go back into Hopefully all these accounts CTIAHS will be seeking the having her own family. colonial times. One is a brief can be put together with the tran- names of people to interview. McKeon’s diary entries include reference to the value of Irish scription of the diary for publica- Members who worked as maids many small, but important, details servants from a letter in 1650. tion either in online or in printed or know a lot about family mem- of her duties, her joys and frustra- Another account involves a com- format. bers who did, are asked to contact tions — including loneliness for plaint about an Irish maid in the One final element will be an the CTIAHS using the email con- her homeland — her friends, her early 1700s. attempt to do some oral history tact feature on the website: social and religious life and New References are more frequent in interviews with Irish-born women www.CTIAHS.com, or the post Haven in that era. the 1800s. Mark Twain, who was who were domestic servants after office address at left below.

The Shanachie

President George Waldron Vice President Vincent McMahon “We have kept faith Published quarterly by the with the past; Secretary Maureen Delahunt Connecticut Irish-American we have handed Treasurer Mary McMahon Historical Society a tradition Membership Chairperson Joan Murphy to the future.” P.O. Box 185833 Shanachie Editor Neil Hogan, (203) 269-9154 — Padraic Pearse Hamden, CT 06518

(203) 392-6126 Membership $10 individual, $15 family. Send name address and check to CTIAHS to address at left. In Ireland, a Sha- nachie is a folklorist, historian and keeper of the traditions of the people.

Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society P.O. Box 185833 Hamden, CT 06518