2227 Directory 2019 Directory06 21/01/2020 14:23 Page 27
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2227 Directory 2019_directory06 21/01/2020 14:23 Page 27 Utilising Your Collateral Relatives to Discover their Townlands of Origin Kevin Cassidy (Guild member 28,689) Identifying the places of origin for my paternal ancestors was a straightforward process that led me to two parishes in Ulster and unexpectedly to Belfast. No contacts were maintained over the years with my paternal places of origin in Northern Ireland. My paternal grandparents were both born to Irish immigrant couples in the mid-1890s in New York City. Joseph Cassidy junior (1893–1948) was the only child born to a thrice married native of Newry, County Down, and his third wife. Sarah Goodwin (1896–1983) was the youngest child born to a couple from County Tyrone. Newry native Joseph Cassidy (1849–1928) with his third wife Civil death certificates revealed that the first Mrs Joseph Cassidy was named Margaret McKeon (c. 1843–1882). Margaret’s 1882 death certificate listed her parents as Felix and Margaret McKeon. Margaret’s daughter, Mary, was born 22 December 1882 and died 28 June 1883. Mary was baptised on Christmas Eve with Michael Cassidy and Ann Reynolds as her baptismal sponsors. Joseph Cassidy (1893–1948) and Sarah Goodwin The second Mrs Cassidy was Ellen Hart (c. 1855–1889). Ellen’s before they were married 1889 death certificate stated that she was the daughter of James and Ann Hart. Ellen’s daughter, Ann, was born 2 August 1888 Newry, Counties Down and Armagh and died 9 July 1889. Ann was baptised 5 August 1888 with Working from knowns to unknowns, the Cassidy family story Mick Murphy and Kate Hart as her godparents. was examined in late nineteenth-century Manhattan. Joseph Cassidy senior (1849–1928) emigrated from Ulster some time Despite family tradition, neither girl was stillborn. Neither wife in his twenties. He worked as a boilermaker and earned decent had died in childbirth; although Margaret died a week later from wages when he could find work. The family story was that his peritonitis following parturition. Each daughter was baptised. first two wives and their infants had died in childbirth. Bridget Both had one apparent family member as sponsor along with Benson (1853–1933) was his third wife; the name Benson was another sponsor with a non-family surname. originally O’Banaghan. A native of County Sligo, she was 40 when she had her only child. Joseph Cassidy senior was found in the 1880 federal census at 416 East 18th Street, in 1900 at 246 East 35th Street and in the Burial information from Joseph senior’s cemetery records was 1910 and 1920 federal censuses at 251 East 39th Street. This collected. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, NY revealed that he lived with younger siblings named Michael across the East River from Manhattan in Queens. The cemetery (1857–1905) in 1880 and Elizabeth (1854–1928) in 1900. deed was dated 1 January 1883, presumably to bury a family member. The grave is located at Section 12 Range 22 Plot Q Joseph and Elizabeth eventually moved to the East 30s between Grave 1. The cemetery verified that the years of burial in that 1st and 2nd Avenues. Michael and his family moved to the West grave were 1883, 1883, 1889, 1889, 1928 and 1933. This 30s around 10th Avenue. Ordinarily, immigrants remained on supported the family narrative that the first two wives and the east or west side of Manhattan and simply moved north as children died simultaneously. their fortunes improved. 27 2227 Directory 2019_directory06 21/01/2020 14:23 Page 28 DIRECTORY OF IRISH FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH Family members recalled that another brother named Patrick Elizabeth Cassidy was buried in a grave at Calvary purchased (1852–1908) had also come to New York. Joseph and Bridget’s by her nephew, Joseph Cassidy junior (Section 60 Plot 32 Grave granddaughter Marian attended Grace Secretarial School in the 17). She had worked as a domestic servant and never married. early 1940s with Patrick’s granddaughter Nancy. Both She died a few months before her brother Joseph senior. There secretarial students were daughters of men named Joseph are three other burials in this grave; Joseph junior and Sarah’s Cassidy. They went home after their first day of class and asked daughter, Patricia Cassidy, aged nine days in 1932, Joseph if there was a connection between their families. They learned junior in 1948 and Sarah Goodwin Cassidy in 1983. Patrick that their fathers were first cousins. The Manhattan Cassidys Cassidy purchased his grave at Calvary in 1890 to bury his were invited to Bayside, Queens to visit the descendants of infant son, Patrick. There were subsequent burials in 1898, 1908 Patrick Cassidy. The Bayside Cassidys included Nancy’s aunt and 1942 (Section 15 Range 23 Grave 6). Mamie and uncles Mike and Frank. Michael Cassidy was buried in a grave at Calvary purchased by Patrick, his wife, Ann, and their children were found in the 1900 his widow in 1905 (Section 28 Range 7 Plot B Grave 17). federal census at 275 Avenue B near East 14th Street. Michael worked as a blacksmith throughout his life. He died Thoroughly checking the census record revealed that Patrick from massive burns. As reported in the press, he ran out into Cassidy and his bride had married c. 1877. Ann had delivered the street from his home at 400 West 32nd Street with his a total of seven children with four still living (Mike, Mamie, clothes on fire, according to the policeman, Officer Carmody. Joseph and Frank) as of June 1900. He answered the officer’s question on how he came to be on fire by stating, “I’ll tell no one but the priest.” This account This family would eventually move to the East 60s of appeared in the 8 May 1905 edition of The Morning Telegraph. Manhattan around 1st Avenue by 1905. Ultimately, they settled No follow up story has been located. in the Bayside section of Queens. Patrick had worked a variety of jobs from labourer to boilermaker. Joseph senior naturalised on 18 October 1880; both he and his first wife became citizens that day. His subsequent brides New York City complained that the 1870 and 1890 federal simultaneously became US citizens when they became Mrs censuses undercounted its population. The municipality was Joseph Cassidy. Based on census records and naturalisation allowed a second enumeration in December 1870–January 1871 laws, it is most likely that Joseph senior arrived on the island of when it criticised the June 1870 census. In 1890, no such Manhattan in 1871. Patrick Cassidy naturalised on 18 approval was granted but to prove its point the NYC Police December 1894. Michael Cassidy never naturalised. These Department was sent out for three weeks in September and earlier naturalisation records did not indicate an Irish place of October to conduct an abbreviated census; address, name, sex, origin for either Joseph senior or Patrick. age. The 1890 federal census for NYC was severely water damaged in the efforts to extinguish a fire in 1921 and ordered Further research in the church registers showed that initially the destroyed by Congress in 1933. Cassidy brothers settled in the infamous Gas House District on Manhattan’s East Side around 14th Street and First Avenue. Therefore, this police census is an excellent census substitute. They worshipped at Immaculate Conception Church and the Joseph senior and his sister, Elizabeth, were enumerated various baptismal and marriage records from 1878–95 shed together at 338 East 39th Street. Their brother Patrick, his wife much light on their extended family based on the choice of and three eldest children were counted at 551 East 16th Street. sponsors and witnesses. No record survived for Michael and his family. Joseph Cassidy and Margaret McKeon wed on 25 November Joseph senior married three times in New York City: in 1878, 1878. John Heffernan and Margaret Walsh witnessed these 1885 and 1892. There are no civil marriage records of these nuptials. Michael Cassidy and Catherine McKeon (1845–1920) events; only the parish marriage registers recorded these nuptials. married on 4 January 1882 with Patrick Cassidy and Rose The information collected was generally sparse; date, names of McGuigan as best man and maid of honour. Both these couple, officiant and witnesses. The 20 December 1885 marriage weddings occurred at Immaculate Conception. record at the Jesuit parish, St Francis Xavier, did provide the names of the couple’s fathers: Michael Cassidy and James Hart. Each of the three Cassidy brothers had a child baptised between Kate Hart, the godmother in 1888, was the maid of honour. September 1882 and February 1883 at Immaculate Conception. Patrick and his wife, Ann Murphy (1854–1942), baptised a Joseph married for the third time to Bridget Benson on 18 May daughter, Mary, on 24 September 1882 with Joseph Cassidy and 1892 at St Gabriel. Bridget’s sister, Maria Benson, was the maid Catherine Cassidy as sponsors. Joseph senior and Margaret also of honour. In August 1893, she was her nephew’s godmother; baptised a daughter, Mary, on 24 December 1882 with Michael again at St Gabriel. The Benson sisters were the daughters Cassidy as sponsor. Michael and Catherine McKeon of Dominick Benson (c. 1816–1901) and Mary Fahy (1845–1920) baptised a son, Joseph, on 4 February 1883, with (c. 1829–1870) of Ballysadare, County Sligo according to Terence and Mary McKeon as sponsors. parent searches on the International Genealogical Index (IGI), FamilySearch.org and at rootsireland.ie. Both women had Margaret McKeon and Catherine McKeon were possibly sisters worked in domestic service as living out girls.