The Irish Ancestral Research Association
121 Boston Post Road Sudbury, MA 01776
Spring 2018 Volume 35, Number 1
STILL GOING STRONG
TIARA members have shared stories and research tips and expanded their family genealogies into the past and outward into 35 the present. YEARS Members have been involved with other ge- nealogical groups, contributed to local history, OF IRISH RESEARCH and maintained active participation in TIARA. (SEE PAGE 3 FOR MORE DETAILS)
Histo ry + Research nferences Trips + Co Lectu res + Stories INSIDE THIS ISSUE The Presidents Message 2 TIARA’s Achievements-35 Years 3 BY THE NUMBERS If the Bellhop Uniform Fits… 4 A Dream That Sustained Them 7 Our “Aunties” 10 Celtic Connection Conference 13 Nearly Starved to Death 15 A Mysterious Death 17 3865 33 9,000 Blog Watch 18 Members States with Forester Digging Deeper for Databases 18 Since 1983 Members Records Theme for Next Issue 18 Indexed Upcoming Events Back Cover TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA The President’s Message On a recent trip to visit family on the west coast, my flight was delayed while we waited for a truck to arrive to de-ice the plane. While I did not wish for this necessary procedure to be omitted, sitting in a middle seat on the plane at the gate The Irish Ancestral Research Association for an hour seemed interminably long. I have a different per- 121 Boston Post Road spective of time as we celebrate a TIARA anniversary. Thirty Sudbury, MA 01776 www.tiara.ie -five years ago, the first TIARA meeting was held on January OFFICERS 14, 1983. Co-Presidents Susan Steele Virginia Wright What? Is it really ten years since TIARA’s 25th anniversary Vice President Pam Holland Co-recording Secretaries Joanne Delaney gala one-day conference and five years since TIARA presi- Anne Patriquin dent Mary Choppa proposed organizing a national Celtic Corresponding Secretary Pat Deal Connections Conference? Yes and this biennial event has be- Financial Director Gary Sutherland come a national landmark for Irish and Celtic family history COMMITTEE CHAIRS education. Partnering with IGSI, successful conferences have Membership Julie Rizzello Webmaster Pat Landry been held in 2014 and 2016. This year’s two-day conference, Foresters Susan Steele “Pathways to Our Past”, features many international experts Library Barbara Brooker as well as nationally known speakers. Topics will cover Irish, Volunteers Allison Doane Scots-Irish, Scottish, and Welsh genealogy, culture and DUES: Calendar year membership is DNA. For information on the conference program, confer- (U.S.) $25 per individual & $35 per family for Newsletters sent as a PDF ence registration or lodging see Page 13 or visit http://celtic- file via email. An additional $5/yr is connections.org/ charged to mail paper copies of the newsletters. Canadian and overseas memberships are charged an additional Over the last five years, TIARA has also been active in other (US) $10/yr for paper copies of the areas. In collaboration with the UMass Boston Healey Li- newsletter. brary, faithful Forester volunteers have continued to meet MEETINGS: TIARA meets monthly twice a month at the TIARA office to index the post 1935 except July & August at locations MCOF mortuary records. Having indexed about 9000 re- throughout the New England area. cords, they will soon have an index up through 1945. TIARA THE TIARA NEWSLETTER volunteers have also been assisting UMass Boston with a The TIARA newsletter is published quarterly and distributed to members in project whose goal is to document and preserve the stories of good standing. over 1100 police officers who took part in the 1919 Boston Editor Mary Coyne Police strike. Background information on each police officer Assistant Editors Ann Patriquin Marie Ahearn is found by locating census records, vital records, obituaries, Layout Editor Don Ahearn etc. Unlike the Forester project, volunteers do not need to be Submit all correspondence to the above local so if you want to get involved, visit http:// address or email to [email protected]. blogs.umb.edu/bpstrike1919/. COPYRIGHT All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Cover Photos: 2011 TIARA trip to Belfast: Mary Choppa Permission must be obtained for use of National Library of Ireland: http://www.docbrown.info/docspics/dublinscenes/ any material and credit given, including dspage02d.htm Title, Author, Volume, and Issue Hill of Tara, 2008 TIARA trip: Marie Ahearn number. Cover Design: Kim Downey
2 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA
Recent TIARA events have TIARA Achievements—35th Anniversary included a writer’s work- shop and a writer’s group. This past year TIARA began Milestones for TIARA since founding 1983 Fàilte Fridays opening the 3865 members since 1983 office a few hours before members in 33 states, 3 countries the monthly meetings held ~350 programs for members; open to the public at Brandeis. TIARA members 140 newsletters are welcome (fàilte) to stop by Forester records in database 35,000 the office to research in the 9000 indexed by TIARA volunteers since 2011 library, watch recordings of 3 Celtic Connections Conferences past lectures, and meet and Co-sponsored with Irish Genealogical Society network with other members. International (Minnesota) Projects
Foresters What an eventful history! TI- 1919 Boston Policemen’s Strike Project ARA is more active and excit- ing than ever because of TI- American Cousins Project ARA volunteers. As we cele- Cemetery Projects brate TIARA’s 35th anniver- Membership in Related Organizations sary we also look to the future. Federation of Genealogical Societies Soon many of our meetings Massachusetts Genealogical Council will be available to all our New England Historic Genealogical Society members via on-line video. New England Regional Genealogical The trip committee has organ- Conference ized research trips to Ireland Involvement / participation in conferences / events in past years and plans are in with other genealogical groups the works for more. Thank Archives & Special Collections, Healey Library, you to our many, loyal mem- UMass Boston bers who make TIARA possi- Back to Our Past Conferences ble and who will lead us into Irish Cultural Centre of New England the future. Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc. New York Family History Conference National Genealogical Society New TIARA Web Site 2018 (projected assets) Virginia Wright, Co-President Available to public [email protected] Easier to navigate
Upcoming Events feature
Members only section Videos of TIARA Lectures Link to past issues of the TIARA newsletter
(Continued on Page 12)
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 3 TIARA
If the Bellhop Uniform Fits…
Susan Steele #1025
“If the bellhop uniform fits, Bob had never been to New room and a ballroom. “The the job is yours.” In the spring England. Family trips took Ship” was an additional of 1941, Helen Steele Loughlin place in the west – Colorado wooden structure next to a salt wrote these words to her and Wyoming. Bob’s shoreline water pool. This nautical brother, Bob Steele, a student was Lake Michigan. Having themed building contained finishing his junior year at grown up just outside Chicago, dressing rooms, a bar and a Notre Dame Univer- Bob had seen his share of large theater. There was a bath sity. Helen urged Bob to make buildings and wealthy house on the shore for guests the trip from South Bend, Indi- neighborhoods. None of these who preferred a swim in the ana to seek summer employ- experiences would ocean, as well as a nine-hole ment at Wentworth-by-the-Sea, have prepared this midwestern golf course and tennis courts. a resort hotel in New Castle, boy for the grandeur of The Dormitory buildings for em- New Hampshire. Wentworth-by-the-Sea. ployees were set back from the main buildings. In contrast to Newly married, Helen had left When Bob arrived at his sis- the opulent furnishings of the Chicago to follow her husband ter’s house in Rye, New Hamp- hotel, employee dormitory back to his home state of New shire, he found a small seaside rooms were sparsely furnished Hampshire. Homesick for her community of modest homes. – a bed, dresser and chair. The own midwestern family, Helen The scenery changed when he slightly larger rooms were re- looked forward to the possibil- traveled over the bridge from served for professional staff. ity of having her brother Bob Rye to New Castle. A huge “Pros” were full time workers nearby for the summer. edifice dominated the skyline. who traveled the resort circuit: The four-floor hotel stretched Wentworth in the summer and Bob was ready for adventure 800-feet along a bluff overlook- Florida or North Carolina in and traveled a thousand miles ing the Atlantic. the winter. to find it. Bob was introduced to a summer job (the uniform The central buildings, capped The pros, along with some ex- fit), a new area of the country by towers, included facilities perienced local workers, and a girl. for 600 guests: bedrooms, din- guided the college students as ing rooms, parlors, a billiard they learned their new roles.
Hampshire Historical Society 1941 1941 Historical Society Hampshire
Bob Steele 1941 Wenthworth-by-the-Sea, 1941 Photoof courtesy New Castle, New
4 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA One of the pros would have The first black patron would Catherine Reardon and her sis- trained Bob in the Wentworth not enter the Wentworth din- ter Mary Elizabeth were stu- “code of conduct”. An em- ing room until the 1960s. It dents on break from Em- ployee manual written just af- was also during that time pe- manuel and Radcliffe Colleges. ter Bob’s period of employ- riod that a Catholic presence They were also experienced ment began this way. “The was noted for the first time as waitresses when they arrived Wentworth-by-the-Sea is one Sunday Masses were offered at the Wentworth-by-the- of the world’s great resort ho- in the ballroom. Sea. The sisters had spent the tels. This reputation is previous summer working at Management and guest expec- achieved because of location, the Bay of Naples Inn in tations would have guided my facilities, sports and climate, Maine. In 1941, Catherine and father’s experiences during his but primarily, the reputation is Mary Elizabeth traded that time “on the clock”. What was achieved because of the excel- lakeside summer setting for the his life like after work hours? lent service to the guests which New Hampshire coast- Employees didn’t have access the Wentworth has maintained line. Catherine secured the job to all the guest amenities but over a period of years…..Your of relish girl in the Wentworth they did have their own day job is important regardless of dining room. “She was the room and store. They were what you do. A guest arrives prettiest girl who worked in allowed on the tennis courts at the Wentworth expecting a the dining room: because of her and golf course when there high degree of attention.” beauty she was raised a notch were no guests playing. A above waitress level to that of beach near the clambake pit Bob’s salary was largely de- relish girl - singled out to float was available for a quick pendent on tips. The employee through the room to charm swim. If a group of employees manual reminded staff that … guests with her radiant smile had more time off, a truck ride “guests coming to this hotel and fresh pastry in the morn- was provided to nearby public expect to tip”… but “inferior ing and assorted relishes in the beaches. It was during one of service will not secure a tip” As evening.” these excursions when Bob met a bellhop, Bob was one of the Catherine Reardon. first staff members to greet a The bellhop waited for his op- guest and was expected to be portunity to meet the relish cordial without stepping over a girl. It happened on the beach. specified line. "Wentworth According to Bob, it was love guests may expect and will, at first sight. According to receive quiet, intelligent and Catherine, it was bewilderment self-effacing service from all - why would this man choose employees." to wear cowboy boots to the beach? In later years, both Bob Who were the guests that ex- and Catherine would tell their pected a “high degree of atten- own versions of the meeting. tion” and “self-effacing ser- Bob wrote of approaching the vice”? During the 1940s the “tanned goddess on a blanket Wentworth was described as a chatting with friends.” After a “restricted” hotel. This term few pleasantries, he asked was used to describe a hotel Catherine if she would like to that was restricted to a non- Catherine & Mary Elizabeth go to Old Orchard Beach to Jewish clientele. The Wen- Reardon hear Big Band drummer, Gene tworth catered to a wealthy Bay of Naples Inn, 1940. Krupa. Catherine accepted the white Protestant clientele. invitation.
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 5 TIARA
Catherine later confessed that she dominate the correspondence what was saved and what was didn’t really want to go on that of the then engaged couple. lost. There were the spaces for first date but couldn’t think of a guests and those for the work- polite refusal. The Wentworth-by-the-Sea en- ers. As we took the tour, we all tered its own period of uncer- wondered – what would have On that first date Bob and tainty and literal darkness. happened if the bellhop uni- Catherine joined other Wen- Situated only miles from the form hadn’t fit! tworth friends. On the drive to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Old Orchard, Bob’s friend, “the giant white hotel was too Sources Sport, drove at breakneck convenient a target for German speed and frightened everyone U-boats. The Wentworth was Author’s Collection in the car. Despite this inauspi- "dimmed out" for two years as Photos of Catherine & Mary Eliza- cious beginning, there was a huge artillery gunners at New beth Reardon 1940; Bob Steele 1941 Letters from Robert P. Steele to second date and many Castle and Rye military forts Catherine Reardon more. Bob wrote about time searched the waters and the “More Than I’ve Ever Said” unpub- spent with Catherine and the sky for enemy craft.” lished short story by Robert P. Steele rest of the gang - Sport, Henry, Johnny, Mary, Woody, Mimi, Post war brought marriage, New Castle New Hampshire Histori- Chris, Tommy and Whit. There family and responsibility for cal Society Photo of Wentworth-by-the-Sea, were walks on the beach and Bob and Catherine. They pro- 1941 time spent at Ladd’s, the joint duced six children including down the road. Bob remem- the author of this article. The Portsmouth Athenaeum, Portsmouth bered “much beer drinking, Wentworth-by-the-Sea re- NH fried clam eating and general sumed operation. It was re- Friends of the Wentworth Collection hilarity.” When they walked opened and continued to func- 1955, Employee Handbook, 1987 Ray Brighton Interview with back to the Wentworth, Bob tion as a resort and conference Olive Richards Tardiff, waitress at and Catherine lingered behind destination for over 30 years. the Wentworth in 1937 the rest. The mile long walk During the 1980s the hotel en- back to the hotel was the tered a period of decline, was Seacoastnh.com “beginning of the romance.” shuttered and sections torn http://www.seacoastnh.com/Places- down. It was during this pe- and-Events/Wentworth-by-the-Sea/ J. Dennis Robinson The romance continued when riod that we adult “children” Accessed December 2017 Bob and Catherine returned to were driven by “the giant college. There were many let- haunted house.” We had a Wentworth by the Sea ters and occasional visits in- hard time imagining this as the The Life and Times of a Grand Hotel cluding Bob’s attendance at setting of my parents’ ro- J. Dennis Robinson Catherine’s junior prom at Em- mance. Stories of the courtship Peter E. Randall Publisher, Ports- mouth, NH 2004 manuel. This was a true test of seemed at odds with the de-
love as Bob hitchhiked all the crepit hulk. Summer by the Seaside way from South Bend, Indiana The Architecture of New England to Malden, Massachusetts car- In 2003, the Wentworth-by-the- Coastal Resort Hotels, 1820-1950 rying a tuxedo! This happy Sea was rescued, refurbished Bryant F. Tolles, Jr. occasion would be a contrast to and reopened. Not long after University Press of New England 2008 times to come. Bob finished his the reopening, we children senior year and entered the took parents, Bob and Cath- army just months after Pearl erine, to lunch at the hotel. My Harbor was bombed. Uncer- parents wandered through tainty and worry would rooms and commented on
6 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA
A Dream that Sustained Them Libby Gaffney #2311
Every Sunday, for most of vacuum, a special birthday O'Rourke, Jr. The O’ Rourkes World War II, my grand- dinner, report cards of the came to this country in 1865 mother wrote to her four sons younger siblings. Yet it from Clogher East, Dromin serving in the military. She seemed that the boys in the Parish, Limerick. The Gaffneys wrote newsy bits of the family service received that informa- had emigrated from the ad- and of their hometown of tion with great interest and joining parish of Bruree a few Danvers, Massachusetts. e n t h u s i a s m . years earlier. My ancestor, John Gaffney, married Mary Combagh and Edmond O'Rourke, Sr. married her sis- ter, Hannah Combagh. Both Combagh sisters emigrated to Danvers, Mass. from Howardstown North, also a townland within the Bruree Parish, Limerick, Ireland. Dan- vers was somewhat of an en- clave of Irish immigrants. In fact, one of the main areas of downtown was called "Little Dublin" because of the large number of Irish residing there. L to R: Cousin Jim Ambrose, Gerard, Jim and Bob Gaffney during WWII.
Nana Gaffney kept her boys Although the boys were serv- apprised of their brothers ing in different parts of the whereabouts and sent them world, she somehow was able clippings from the local news- to correspond with them with paper. They were part of a big regularity. We are very lucky extended Irish family and to have many of the letters that news of their siblings, aunts, the boys sent back home to uncles, neighbors and cousins their mother. In these letters, filled the pages of those letters. they spoke often of their child- Every occasion, however mun- hood vacations spent in dane, was reported to them by Maine, and the halcyon days my grandmother -- things that enjoyed there. The beach prop- seemed so inconsequential in erty was owned by their Aunt terms of what each of them Alice who was married to an L to R: Jim, Rardy, Tom and was dealing with -- a broken Irish immigrant, Edmond Bob Gaffney in Maine
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 7 TIARA
When Edmund Combagh died Patton's Third Army, Uncle mission -- just shy of his 25th in 1928, Alice became the sole Gerard Gaffney was also in the mission -- the mission which owner of the Maine property. Army, Uncle Tom Gaffney would have brought him The boys loved everything served in Africa and in France closer to his dream as his crew about Aunt Alice's' place in and Bob Gaffney was a tail was only required to do 25 Maine-particularly, the ocean, gunner in the Army Air Corps missions. He was the one the fishing and the boating. In serving in the Pacific. When brother who wrote most fer- their letters, they expressed Bob learned of his brother Jim vently about the horrors of the wish to return home and being wounded, He tried to war and his desire to recapture buy a property that would af- express how he felt about the the simplicity and peace of ford them similar experiences. war and his brother's injury: those summers on the Atlantic They dreamed of a life without "the great distance that sepa- shore. There never would be the chaos of war and the peace rates Jim and the implacable another Maine summer for that a rural life would bring. circumstances of war makes Bob. From a 1945 letter: “ It seems everything seem almost im- My father lost his leg in a bat- almost impossible to visualize personal and certainly help- tle just outside of Metz, France the wonderful day when once less. So low however has our and spent a good deal of time again we will all be freed of so called great civilization in hospitals in England and the fetters of fear and the hor- fallen that the creation of sinis- the US. Gerard made it home rors of war but when it comes ter and deadly weapons and safely and Tom, although he I'll never cease thanking God the unscrupulous accumula- suffered a serious head for bringing all of us through - tion of dollar bills puts an in- wound, also returned home. - scarred maybe but compara- dividual on a pedestal of The dream of those happy tively whole" greatness -- no matter what summer times that had sus- the individuals inherent moral In the correspondence, the tained them throughout the characteristics might be. Con- family often discussed buying war were now crushed by sequently such insignificant a place in Maine when the war harsh reality for the boys. individuals as you or I must be was over. If it couldn't be swept along on this mighty I imagine, in the midst of the Maine at least a place away tidal wave of destruction and noise and carnage surround- from the abomination of war. furthermore have no choice in ing them throughout those One of the boys wrote to his the matter. This trail of devas- horrific times, they had found father:" I think those of us in tation will, I fear, carry on long solace in the images of the the Army look forward, at the after the last shot has been ocean and the fishing trips present time, to a place which fired" they loved so much. However, will allow us to get the maxi- the complexities of rehabilita- mum amount of peace and By the time it was over, the tion, marriage, children and solace that only a quiet coun- war had certainly taken its toll tryside can give". Sadly it was as war always does. Bob, employment dashed the never his. quiet, introspective, and bril- dream of their summer vaca- liant by all accounts, was shot tions in Maine. Despite the My father, Jim Gaffney, was in down in his B29 on his 23rd challenges of post war life, the
8 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA three surviving boys tried to recreate the peaceful atmos- phere of Maine and the heal- ing properties of the ocean. Jim acquired a summer place on the ocean in Ipswich, Rardy found his home near the ocean in Salem, Mass. and Tom, after a long career in the foreign service, retired to Maine -- very close to where they had their wonderful summers. Al- though their dream of sharing The Great Famine Voices Roadshow in Boston those Maine summers again after the war was never real- Come share your family memories and stories about their ized, I believe the memory of emigration from Ireland to Boston. those summers that had The Irish National Famine Museum at Stroketown Park and brought them some peaceful Irish Heritage Trust are working in partnership with the moments during the horrors of Burns Library in Boston College to bring the Great Famine World War II remained with Voices Roadshow to Boston from 4 to 8:30pm on April 11th. them throughout their lives. The purpose of the Roadshow is to bring together Irish emi- grants, their descendants, and members of their communities For genealogists, I would like to to share family memories and stories of migration from Ire- mention an excellent resource. As land to Boston, especially during the period of the Great Hun- three of the boys had graduated ger and afterwards. The stories will be gathered for the Great from Harvard, I was fortunate to Famine Voices online archive. learn that Harvard kept a record The Roadshow will feature short talks about the Irish Na- of the service of the graduates. tional Famine Museum in Strokestown Park and the Great My grandmother filled out the Hunger by the leading expert in the field, Professor Christine forms religiously. The archivist at Kinealy from Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac the Harvard Library helped me University. The event will also include an exhibit of the Burns find the correspondence of the Library’s Famine related holdings, along with a beer, wine Gaffney boys during their years and cheese reception after 5:30 pm. A forum will be provided in the service. I even saw the form for Bostonians to share their memories and stories of migra- filled out by Franklin Roosevelt tion, and to strengthen their sense of ancestry and historical where, in his own hand, he and current Irish connections. The Roadshow will also travel to New York, New Haven, Philadelphia, and Toronto. penned out his address -- 1600 If you would like to share a family memory or story, please Pennsylvania Ave and his rank -- contact Dr Jason King ([email protected]). Commander in Chief! More information about the Irish National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, the Great Famine Voices Roadshow and details for a reply will be posted at http:// www.strokestownpark.ie/
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 9 TIARA Our “Aunties” Marian Huard #764
A grandmother is often one of brother, Daniel, and his 4-year When my siblings and I the most significant persons in old son and 3-year old daugh- started coming along in the a child’s life. Now, imagine ter, my mother. This newly re- 1950s, Annie and Alice had having three “grandmothers” formed family moved into a joined Helen and my grandfa- living in the same small house small bungalow on Wolfe ther in West Roxbury. Alice with their younger brother. Street in West Roxbury, where and my grandfather were re- To my four younger siblings Helen continued to live for the tired and, looking back, it and me, these three women next thirty-five years. seems the three aunties and were “The Aunties” — Helen, my grandfather focused all Annie (Margaret Anne), and After Helen, there were two their attention on our mother Alice. other sisters who died before and us. the age of three, and then An- Helen, born 1884, was the nie, born 1887. While no occu- To us as children, they were a third of nine children of my pation is listed for Annie in constant in our lives. They great-grandparents, John and 1910, Annie can be found in lived 15 minutes away in West Ellen who had emigrated from the 1930 census described as a Roxbury, a drive that my Ballyconneely, in Connemara, “forelady” at a candy shop, mother could probably have around 1880. Helen and her which supports my mother’s done in her sleep. We were siblings grew up in the North description of her as a supervi- either dropped off at their End of Boston on Henchman sor. home for the day (either in and Commercial Streets and twos or occasionally four of later lived in Charlestown be- Alice was born next, in 1889. us), or all or some of them fore finally settling in Medford The 1940 census indicates she would be picked up by my by 1920. attended two years of high school. In 1910, Alice was working as a sales- lady in a department store and by 1920 she is recorded as a telephone operator, her profession until retirement in the 1950s. She worked for New England Tele- phone and Telegraph and rose to the position of supervisor by 1930. Probably as a result of Henchman Street in 1893- Boston Public this stable position, she Library was able to purchase a summer cottage in Sci- Helen’s life changed drasti- tuate in the 1930s, which cally in 1927 when she was would be enjoyed by the ex- Alice in Scituate- undated chosen by her mother to move tended family until the mid- in with her newly widowed 1960s.
10 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA father and brought to our Alice always planted gerani- We still visit that beach at least home. They were our primary ums, and tended the house- once during the summer. caregivers, after my parents. plants that she brought from
West Roxbury. Later in the afternoon, after we My siblings and I refer to them had left the beach for the day, all the time, and love remind- it was not uncommon for Alice The Scituate cottage had three ing each other of our many to take one or more of us on a very small bedrooms, and one memories. Some of our favor- walk to a local farm stand for bathroom. My grandfather ite memories involved our fresh vegetables. Alice was a would sleep downstairs on a times with them in Scituate. great walker, and wouldn’t cot, and everyone else would hesitate to head off on her mis- share beds upstairs. There The annual move from West sion. As I recall, we often would be two to three sharing Roxbury to Scituate was a big lagged behind. a double bed, and two in a sin- event. The car rides them- gle bed. We were advised that selves were memorable. Imag- Dinner would be around the the toilet was not to be flushed ine the three aunties in the round pedestal table in the at night unless absolutely nec- back seat of my mother’s sta- small dining room. I recall lob- essary, which was a puzzling tion wagon, each with a child ster dinners where we were rule, especially with so many on her lap (Car seats and seat instructed in the art of prop- sharing this one bathroom. I belts were not yet used). My erly eating a lobster, leaving would never have connected mother, brother and grandfa- no morsel behind. Another this plumbing mystery with ther were in front, and after meal that my younger siblings the boggy, malodorous area in my youngest sister was born, I recalled included steamed the back yard that I always was in the way back with the periwinkles, which had been tried to avoid. luggage. It was challenging collected in a pail at the beach trying to follow the adult con- by Alice. The lasting impres- Most days, we would walk versations in the car, especially sion was a gritty one. Alice down the street to the very when they felt the need to re- also spoke of eating dulse-an rocky beach. For many years, sort to pig Latin. edible seaweed. I have won- the town of Scituate has re- dered if these two food choices moved the rocks that collect Once we arrived, it was neces- from the sea might have been on the beach during the winter sary to “open up” the house passed on from her parents, but in the 1960s and earlier, for the summer, which in- who grew up on a similar Sand Hills beach was a rocky cluded moving furniture to the rocky coast in Connemara, and one. The adults seemed to ac- porch, and installing the might have relied upon dulse cept this challenge, but stum- screens. Both my brother and I and periwinkles as part of bling along over the rocks was recall returning with our their food source. challenging for little feet try- mother from a grocery trip to ing to make it to the occasional the harbor and coming upon Memories of evenings in- Annie, in her 70s, up on the area of sand. But, once there, we had a wonderful time, clude card playing, and lis- roof of the porch, installing the tening to the gravelly voice screens on the upper win- playing with our tin pails and of Cardinal Cushing recit- dows. Even as a young child, shovels, ignoring the coldness it seemed remarkable, and of the water, and exploring at ing the rosary over the ra- alarming. Obviously, Annie low tide. dio. There was a screened was very determined and front porch with glider and resourceful. rocking chair that everyone enjoyed.
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 11 TIARA
Sundays we would walk ten and fire engines pass by. My bring the aunties to the area minutes to a small wooden brother recalls being sprayed around the Scituate lighthouse chapel for Catholic Mass. by water from the fire trucks. where they could sit on a Much of the immediate com- bench, and she would bring munity would be attending as Alice sold the cottage in Scitu- pails of water up from the well. The chapel was in the ate in the mid-1960s, and after ocean for their feet. midst of a residential area and that time we would go on day just up the street from the trips to Scituate with Annie It is not clichéd to say that beach. For many families, this and Alice, as Helen had died Helen, Annie and Alice added was important as not everyone in 1962, and my grandfather in much richness and love to our had a car. 1967. One summer day in par- lives. It is evident in how often ticular which had a special im- we speak of them, and the The end of summer brought portance was August 15— a memories that we cherish, es- the annual Labor Day parade Catholic feast day. On that pecially those in Scituate. in the Sand Hills section of Sci- day, the aunties would always Their lives were long, and sig- tuate— enjoyed by residents wish to put their feet in the nificant to those who were and visitors since 1926— water at the beach, as it was touched by them. where we looked forward to believed to have curative cotton candy and candy ap- properties on that day. In the ples, as we watched the floats later years, my mother would
(Continued from Page 3) Photo submissions to Newsletter
Research trips in last 10 years Photos submitted with articles to the TIARA Newsletter should Belfast (several) be taken at a high resolution Dublin (several) setting on your camera. Genealogy Cruise New York City If you use your iPhone to copy another photo or document, Salt Lake City send it to yourself as an email TIARA Library and send it ACTUAL SIZE. Do Genealogical books, manuals and newsletters for not decrease the size or members’ use. resolution before submitting it Fáilte Fridays – chance to use the library, watch to the newsletter. videos, socialize DVD’s with videotapes of lectures for members If you are spending valuable time copying documents or who missed lectures. photos, use a regular camera Workshops set to high resolution so you Ancestral Arts can easily read enlarged Irish authors book discussion group versions of the document when Presenting Your Family History printed. If the lighting is dim Writers Group (several multiweek sessions) you may need to use a small Writing Workshops tripod to prevent blurring.
Thank you. Mary Coyne, Editor
12 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA Celtic Connections Conference 2018 – Pathways to Our Past! Mary Wickersham The Celtic Connections Con- Introduction to Irish Internet ference (CCC) 2018 will be the Sites third genealogy conference co Chasing the Poor and the -sponsored by Irish Genealogi- Landless cal Society International (IGSI) Mining the Destination Data in partnership with TIARA (The Irish Ancestral Research Nora Galvin has held many Association). Conference leadership positions, and is dates are August 10 – 11 RockStar genealogist, John editor of the journal, Connecti- (Friday & Saturday) in Au- Grenham, comes back for a cut Ancestry. Mapping Your Ancestral burndale, Massachusetts. third appearance at the confer- Home in Ireland Using Google ence. He is the author of Trac- This year’s conference ex- Earth ing Your Irish Ancestors and pands the number of lecture Donna Moughty is author of Clans and Families of Ireland, tracks from three to four at a the Quick Reference Guides for time. Outstanding interna- and his website, Irish Research and a genealogy tional and national speakers www.johngrenham.com blogger (Moughty.com). will present lectures in the ar- Seeking Your Scots-Irish eas of Irish, Scots Irish, Scot- Things You Didn't Know Ancestry tish and Welsh genealogy, cul- You Didn't Know About Irish Strategies for Finding the ture, DNA and new and excit- Genealogy Origins of Your Irish Ancestors ing ways to interpret and dis- Valuation Office (Ordnance Irish Civil Registration and cover your ancestral roots. Survey, Pre-publication Records, Church Records - It's a New While a few of our speakers Griffith's and Revisions) World! have participated in a previ- ous conference with us, their He has written for The Septs in Marie Daly, of the New topics are new. And we wel- past years as have some of our England Historic Genealogical come eight new presenters. other speakers: Kyle Betit, Society, is the author of the The Celtic Connections Con- Nora Galvin, Donna Moughty, r e c e n t l y - p u b l i s h e d ference list of presenters for and David Rencher. Genealogist’s Handbook for Irish 2018 is as follows. Full infor- Research. mation on their topics is lo- Kyle Betit, of Ancestry Proge- Transatlantic Genealogy: cated on the conference web- nealogists, was a presenter at Linking American Ancestors to site www.celtic- the first conference in 2014. Ireland connections.org Using Canadian Records for Your Irish Research Bruce Durie, Shennachie Fiona Fitzsimons is a founder Irish and Irish Immigrant (Genealogist and Historian) to of Eneclann and is active in the Societies and Their Records the Chief of Durie, is the au- genealogy community on both Using Ancestry DNA thor of Scottish Genealogy. This sides of the Atlantic. She is a is his second appearance at regular contributor to Irish David Rencher is Chief Ge- CCC. genealogy journals and work- nealogical Officer for Scots Migrations to Colonial shops as well as to television FamilySearch; he has been a America genealogy shows. professional genealogist for 40 Scottish Records You Cannot Irish Church Records Educa- years and has been a contribu- Get on Ancestry.com tion and Occupational Records tor to past issues of The Septs.
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 13 TIARA
Maurice Gleeson is a major Next Steps in Search for Welsh Conference pricing includes name in Celtic genetic geneal- Ancestors continental breakfast and ogy. He has organized DNA Mapping Your Celtic Ances- luncheon both days and access Lectures for "Genetic Geneal- try: by Surname, by DNA, by to the electronic conference ogy Ireland" in Dublin and Place Syllabus. But there will be ex- "Who Do You Think You Are" tras: Planning for optional in the UK since 2012. John Schnelle has conducted Thursday bus tour, a Friday Adding DNA to Your Genea- extensive research into Irish night banquet, and a Saturday logical Toolkit land valuations, early agricul- night Pub Trivia event are in Using Autosomal DNA to tural science, and mid-19th cen- the works. The extras are open Find Cousins and Break Through tury farming. He created to family and traveling com- Brick Walls panions. Pricing for these ex- www.townlandvaluationtranslator Using Y-DNA to Research tras and other information are .com website. Your Surname on the website (or will be there Townland Valuation Translator soon). Chris Paton runs the Scot-
land’s Greatest Story research Christine Woodcock is a gene- As with our prior two confer- service and The GENES Blog, alogy educator with an exper- ences, we encourage members and is author of several Unlock tise in Scottish records; she au- to sponsor a lecture to honor the Past genealogy guide thored Tracing Your Scottish An- ancestors. Details for that are books. cestors, a special edition maga- on the Sponsorship website Down and Out in Scotland: zine for Internet Genealogy. page and as inserts in this Researching Ancestral Crisis In Search of Your Scottish An- newsletter. Irish Records Online cestors
Using PRONI for Northern Step AWAY From the Com- Please join other IGSI and TI- Ireland Research puter Military Men, Covenanters, ARA members at the confer- Audrey Collins, Family His- Jacobites: Historic Events That ence, where great learning and tory Specialist at The National Led to Mass Emigration fun will be had by all! Archives U.K., is co-author of Birth, Marriage and Death Re- Further details about the pre- cords. senters and their topics are Save the Date! There and Back Again posted on www.celtic- Tracing Irish Ancestors in connections.org. Check the August 10-11, 2018 the National Archives - in website for registration infor-
England mation, as it is scheduled to be Birth, Marriage and Death available in January 2018. Records in the National Archives The conference will be held at Celtic - in England the Boston Marriott Newton
hotel, 2345 Commonwealth Connection Darris Williams is the only Avenue, Auburndale, MA person currently accredited by 02466. You should make hotel Conference ICAPGen™ for Wales. He was reservations at the conference a co-founder of the rate through the link on the FamilySearch wiki. Lodging page of the CCC Boston Marriott Newton, First Steps in Search for website. Auburndale, MA Welsh Ancestors
14 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA ‘Nearly Starved to Death’ Mary Lee Dunn #2509
Insights on the Famine era tor leading to the Strokestown the Mahon estate in lives of Irish women who were district’s poverty as well as Strokestown, Co Roscommon, tenants of the Mahon family at overpopulation. Such circum- and the Lucas-Clements estate Strokestown and the names of stances affected the nature of in Tullyvin, Co Cavan.” a handful of them come from a petitions to the landlords. chapter written by Dr. Ciaran The Roscommon petitions, Reilly in a new book, Women This review will focus on what Reilly found, showed “a cer- and the Great Hunger, co-edited Reilly is able to tell us about tain level of literacy, or at the by Christine Kinealy, Jason the tenant women who lived very least some formal educa- King, and Reilly. in and around Strokestown tion” and suggested they had and their personal plights dur- knowledge of “how other peti- The chapter is titled “Nearly ing the famine that led them to tions and documents were Starved to Death: The female seek help from their landlord. framed.” They may have petition during the Great Hun- Historian Margaret Kelleher, picked up such knowledge ger”. The information is de- in a review of the book, com- from newspapers, he specu- rived from letters – that is, pe- mented on this paper: lated. For instance, the writers titions – that the women wrote often used the same phrasing to their landlord seeking help “The recent focus of Famine as that adopted in petitions to for themselves and their fami- studies has usefully shifted parliament or in religious writ- lies to survive the disastrous from the national to the re- ing. They sometimes named famine confronting them. The gional; now it moves to the someone to vouch for them or petitions often were written by family: not only the fate of included a separate letter of the women themselves in their family structures but also reference in attempts to legiti- own words. Reilly compares what occurred within fami- mize their requests. And the petitions from two different lies. petitions not infrequently were places: Strokestown’s Mahon mailed rather than delivered estate and the estate of the Lu- “Significantly, this lens of gen- in person. cas-Clements family in Tully- der studies combines the do- vin in County Cavan. mestic and public spheres – The women of Strokestown the personal is political – and most often asked the Mahons He notes that the two estates engages with the most elusive for food or shelter or to stay in “were experiencing differing and challenging dimension of their homes whereas in Cavan fortunes.” Landlord Clements Famine writing: to detail and the women asked for jobs on resided in his home whereas do justice to the lives of those the public works schemes es- the landlord in Strokestown most directly affected. tablished by the government. had died in 1836 and for a A notable number of time the estate was managed “A good example of this is Ci- Strokestown petitions came by “uninterested and inactive arán Reilly’s essay on ‘the fe- from women who had been land agents.” Reilly pointed male petition’. Reilly illumi- abandoned or widowed, a out that a cholera epidemic in nates the lives of the cottier status which could lead them 1832 saw the wealthy fleeing class, who were decimated by to crime or outrage due to de- Strokestown, leaving it de- hunger and disease, through a spair. He cited widowed Mary serted for weeks. He cites sub- study of petitions written by Duignan who, in 1849, wrote division of land as a main fac- or on behalf of women from for help declaring that she was
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 15 TIARA from two Strokestown women demonstrated. Catherine Maguire sought aid as one who was “deaf, dumb and or- phaned and destitute of friends” while Eleanor Smyth claimed hers was a solitary life, that she was nearly blind and her future was hopeless.
Among the petitions, Reilly found one by a Widow Kil- martin who lived in Strokestown and had lost her husband and two children in the month prior to writing her plea for help. She explained that her late husband’s family was creating further trouble from The Times Oct 7, 1847. for her by “trying to put me http://www.strokestownlearningzone.com/index.php/resources/ out of my place.” Mrs. Kilmar- modal/the_state_of_roscommon tin said that she had “Not a bit nor sup to give” her surviving “aged, worn, childless and place to bring English and children. friendless.” And two other Scottish farmers to the Mahon
women with young children – estate.” The evictions and emi- Reilly also found that all was Mary Farrell and Winifred grations from the area had not always what it seemed. He Hannelly [perhaps a variant frightened the local people. described the case of Margaret spelling of Hanley?] -- had re- Reilly pointed out that a Ingraham of Strokestown who sorted to the workhouse at Widow Stuart, who lived in petitioned the landlord for aid Roscommon by 1851 after be- nearby Tully, outside of in 1849 and repeatedly in the ing abandoned by their hus- Strokestown, said that year following years and had sur- bands. The record said that that neighbors had threatened vived attempts to evict her. Mary’s husband Pat had left to set her house afire if she “Remarkably, when Ingraham for America. Some 200 other paid rent to the landlord. In a died in 1863, she was found to people who lived at the work- footnote to her story, Reilly have over 147 [pounds] in her house then also were tenants notes that a widow by that possession, despite having of the Mahons. Two-thirds of name also from Tully was spent much of her life petition- them were women and 40 per- listed in the 1847 local scheme ing for help.” cent were described as aban- to emigrate tenants to Canada.
doned, according to Reilly. Witholding rent payments Catherine Larkin wrote in July though had become a more 1850 seeking to avoid a trip to Women around Strokestown wide-spread practice after the jail. In court, she’d been ac- also worried greatly that they Ballykilcline rent strike, we cused of walking “on the grass would lose their land. “This know. Officials were con- in Strokestown demesne.” She was something which exer- cerned about that strike’s imi- told the court that she had an cised a lot of worry in tators. infant to care for. The court’s Strokestown, particularly in The disabled and elderly decision in her case remains a 1849 when plans were put in needed much help as petitions mystery. (Continued on Page 19)
16 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA A Mysterious Death Thomas M. Toohey #2705 My parents were great story- The fifth, my father’s great, that I had never seen before. tellers. They knew hundreds great uncle, Patrick Murray, of stories and loved to tell was much more difficult to It was Joel Munsell’s “The An- them. There were, however, research. I found him in a 1835 nals of Albany”. Munsell was fragments of stories which New York passenger list and an Albany publisher who died with the older genera- in the 1840 and 1850 census chronicled the important tions. This is a story of Uncle returns in Albany, New York. events in Albany history. Patrick Murrray that I re- He also appeared in several Among other items “The An- searched in recent years. Albany city directories and the nals of Albany” listed those 1855 New York census but not who died unusual deaths. Un- When I was about eight years in the 1860 census. fortunately, Joel’s book only old I was eating lunch too fast went to 1858. I expressed my and began to choke. My New York is a closed record disappointment to the refer- mother rushed to my side and state and the vital records are ence librarian and he directed forced me to cough up my difficult and expensive to me to Albany Morning Times food. As she shook me she search. Many records are miss- an index of Albany deaths. To yelled, “Be careful - Be careful! ing and there are no guaran- my delight, I quickly found a Don’t eat so fast! You know tees of success. The best reference to the obituary of a what happened to your method of research at the time Patrick Murray who died on father’s Uncle Patrick!” seemed to be newspaper January 24, 1860 by choking. obituaries on microfilm in the I didn’t know what happened Albany City Library. In the With the death date from this to Patrick so when I got my mid 19th Century there were index I went back to the news- voice back I asked her to tell several newspapers in Albany papers for January 25, 1860 me about him. She was reluc- and deaths of Irish laborers and found a more complete tant to tell me and told me to were not always recorded. At report of Patrick’s death. The ask my father. My father was- that time these films did not newspaper article listed his n’t much help either. He told circulate so I had to go to Al- address, his family members me that he would tell me bany to look at them. and his place of employment. about Patrick, “when I got (Continued on Page 19) older.” As time went by I for- After a day of research with- got about this incident and out success I decided to spend neither of them ever told me the rest my limited time look- about Patrick. In the 1990’s as I ing for other sources in the li- began researching my father’s brary’s local history room. In a extended family and found few minutes I came across sev- five men named Patrick. eral volumes of a book that
One Patrick died of the Span- Article from Albany NY newspaper January 25, 1860 (See above) ish Flu and another died of a “CHOKED TO DEATH WHILE EATING DINNER” – heart attack. A third died of “Patrick Murray, who resides at the corner of Green and Schuyler Streets, while eating his dinner, at noon yesterday, was choked to pneumonia and a fourth died Death by a piece of meat, which lodged in his throat. of “old age.” Deceased was engaged as a laborer in Taylor & Sons’ Brewery, and was about 48 years of age. - He leaves a wife and four children. Coroner Lederer held the inquest.”
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 17 TIARA Blog Watch Kathy Sullivan #3009 Culture, Context & Background Kenneth R. Marks of the Ancestor Hunt has Read “Peat’s Place in Art”, for a fascinating arti- compiled some great lists of where to look for cle on peat’s place in our history from JSTOR. ancestors’ births, marriages and deaths. https://daily.jstor.org/peats-place-in-art/ http://www.theancestorhunt.com/blog/27- ways-to-find-ancestor-birth- Kay Caball’s blog on Kerry in the 19th century information#.WnMOmIjwY2yhttp:// applies to much of Ireland. Some things to think www.theancestorhunt.com/blog/22-ways-to- about when looking at Irish research. find-ancestors-marriage- http://mykerryancestors.com/kerry-19th- information#.WnMOnojwY2x century/ DNA Research Tools Many people received DNA kits for Christmas Try out John Grenham’s interactive map of and the results are coming in now. Lois Mackin Catholic baptisms. has some tips and tricks to use when contacting https://www.johngrenham.com/ your new DNA matches. blog/2018/01/23/new-interactive-maps-of- https://www.loismackin.com/tips-for-dna-testers- catholic-baptisms/ making-your-family-trees-useful-to-your-matches/
Digging Deeper for Databases Eileen Curley Pironti #2788
Throughout the 19th and early 20th century, the Housed at the University of Maryland’s Horn- Baedeker firm published a series of travel guides bake Library is the National Trust Library His- covering various European countries. These toric Postcard Collection, containing approxi- guides furnished travelers with hotel, restaurant mately 20,000 postcards dating from 1893 to and entertainment options, as well as detailed 1970. A small portion of these postcards have maps. They hold value for genealogists as well, been digitized and are available online at providing information such as the cost of hotels https://digital.lib.umd.edu/ntlpostcards. The and transportation during that time and brief online collection is searchable by state. For ex- histories of the cities and countries covered. The ample, a search for New Hampshire postcards company stopped producing these books after results in 138 matches. Some of the postcards World War II, but began printing a new series in include written messages on the back, which are 2007. Digital copies of the early guidebooks are interesting to read. available at https://archive.org/details/ baedeckers Theme for Summer Issue Irish Social Organizations D. Appleton & Company also published a series of travel guides in the 19th Century, focusing on Order of Hibernians, Knights of Columbus, Sodality, Church Groups, Political Organizations, Forresters, railroad travel in the United States and Canada. Neighborhood Groups. Were your relatives active in The areas covered in their guides later included any of these organizations? How did the organiza- parts of Europe and Latin America. A number of tions influence their lives? Do you have stories, these travel guides are available at https:// photos and documentation of their activities? www.hathitrust.org/. Send submissions to [email protected]
18 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 TIARA A Mysterious Death (Continued from Page 17) Nearly Starved to Death (Continued from Page 16) This report also said that Patrick’s death was Reilly values these messages from the past be- being investigated by the Albany coroner. Yes - cause they inform “on the fractured state of soci- this Patrick was my father’s ancestor, his great, ety” and studying them “introduces us to the great uncle. world of the cottier.” It’s a class he describes as ambiguous by definition which varied from At a later time, I contacted the Albany coroner’s place to place. As Reilly explained though: office and received a copy of the report of the “Cottiers usually rented a small patch of ground inquest into Patrick’s death. To this day, I am from a farmer and in return paid their rent in very careful to chew my food well and not eat labour.” That part of the land system, he ob- too fast. served, led to endemic poverty which also was exacerbated by the disappearance of cottage in- dustries, which engaged women, after the 1820s. He called the cottier class “… the largest body of [famine] people about whom we know the least.” The archive of famine time petitions “allows for a more nuanced understanding of the role and fate of females during the famine” than do other sources (such as folklore) used to tell the experiences and effects of the famine. The famine period empowered women and al- lowed them to take on new roles, Reilly con- cluded.
Other chapters in this book from Quinnipiac University Press also should greatly interest Coroner’s report on the death of Patrick Murray. “died by strangulation caused by lodgement of a famine researchers. piece of meat in his throat.” Editor’s Note: This story is reprinted from the Sep- tember 2017 issue of The Bonfire, newsletter of the Ballykilcline Society with permission. Strokestown is now the site of the Irish National Famine Museum mentioned previously in this newsletter regarding the Great Famine Voices Roadshow. For more info on the assisted emigration from Strokestown: http:// www.thejournal.ie/missing-famine-strokestown- Erratum roscommon-1437721-May2014/
TIARA’s New Home!
Our new address is 121 Boston Post Road in Sudbury. The room is a large, bright, first floor office with space for a conference table (looking for one), office equipment and library.
An error was detected in Life in the Shipyard article in the Winter 2017 article. The motto for TIARA will be moved during the month of the Downey diaper service in Arlington MA was March. Watch the TIARA website for details of “It’s tops for bottoms”. open hours once the office is unpacked.
TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018 19 TIARA
Non Profit Organization US Postage PAID Boston MA Permit No 300
The Irish Ancestral Research Association 121 Boston Post Road Sudbury, MA 01776
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
DATED MATERIAL Upcoming Conferences, Workshops, and Events
Massachusetts Genealogical Council Celtic Connection Conference Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, Marlborough, MA Boston Marriott Newton, Auburndale MA April 7-8, 2018 August 10-11, 2018 (see p. 14) www.massgencouncil.org http://www.celtic-connections.org/
The Great Famine Voices Roadshow New York State Family History Conference Burns Library, Boston College Double Tree Hotel, Tarrytown, NY April 11, 2018 4:00—8:30 pm (see p. 9) September 13-15, 2018 http://www.strokestownpark.ie/ https://nysfhc.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/
20 TIARA NEWSLETTER Volume 35 Number 1 Spring 2018