Category: Genealogy

Frances Greer  marries Horace Johnston in  1892 NYC

Frances Greer marries Horace Johnston in 1892 NYC

I’ve been looking for additional children of Matthew Greer and Ruth Allingham of Glencar, Leitrim and Sligo Town. Yesterday I stumbled across a marriage record on familysearch.org while looking for information on Matthew Greer’s son of the same name.

Frances Greer married Horace Johnston on 24 Dec 1892 in New York City, NY. The parents of both were listed and hers may be those listed above.

I guess I am about 95% sure I have the right family but I need more. Thought I would mention it now in case anyone out the is looking at the same record or thinks they are related. Hope to hear from you soon!

Note added:
I am almost certain this is the correct Frances Greer. See my later post on Frances Greer and Horace Johnston .

Emma Cash McKenzie

Emma Cash McKenzie

I’m trying to find out more about Emma Cash who we think was born in Allegheny, PA about 1867. I believe that is now part of Pittsburgh. Her mother was Ellen Gow (probably from Ireland) and her father was Charles Cash (probably from Germany). She and Ellen Cash are listed in the Federal census for 1860 and 1870 in Westmoreland Co PA.

Emma Cash later married Malcolm McKenzie or Mackenzie, probably in the 1880s. We think they may have married and had their first child in the Boston, MA area and later moved to the Greater New York City area (New Jersey and New York).

Truphenia Gertrude Shockley Frazer

Truphenia Gertrude Shockley Frazer

Truphenia Gertrude Shockley, I had the name at last. Truphenia is an unusual name and one that was a bit confusing at first.

But let me back-up and tell you the story. I got an email about Harry Frazer with no evidence he was one of mine. And this is a genealogy story.

So on my wife’s side I have a bunch of Frazers living in the Maryland and Delaware and I’ve filled in a few collateral members of this extended clan Continue reading “Truphenia Gertrude Shockley Frazer”

David Greer and Giovanna Tesio of NYC

David Greer and Giovanna Tesio of NYC

I don’t think anyone ever said that genealogy was fast. Sometimes things happen quickly but, in my experience anyway, that is not very often.

For example, over a year ago I posted something here about the John Greer and Julia Mary Hopkins family of New York City and made note of the fact that their son David John Greer, his wife Anna, and baby daughter Rita Continue reading “David Greer and Giovanna Tesio of NYC”

Limerick Genealogy Day 2014

Limerick Genealogy Day 2014

For those who plan on being in Limerick or can travel to Limerick, you may be interested in Limerick Genealogy Day 2014. It is a free event and many groups of historical and genealogical interest will be there for 1 day only. Full details are available on the web at http://limerickcityofculture.ie/content/genealogy-day.

The event will be on March 15, 2014 in Limerick city. This is a chance to view many genealogical records from Limerick and surrounding areas and get advice from the participating groups. Many are listed on the website. In addition, I know that the Letters of 1916 project will participate.

Letters of 1916 project at Trinity College

Letters of 1916 project at Trinity College

I received an interesting email today from Kevin Kavanagh at Trinity College Dublin. The Letters of 1916 project at Trinity College is creating digital collection of letters written between 1 November 1915 – 31 October 1916.

Letters of 1916 is the first public humanities project in Ireland. it is creating a crowd-sourced digital collection of letters written around the time of the Easter Rising (1 November 1915 – 31 October 1916).

This project could help provide insight into an important period in Irish history. Continue reading “Letters of 1916 project at Trinity College”

Calendars of Wills and Administrations, National Archives of Ireland

Calendars of Wills and Administrations, National Archives of Ireland

I had posted this months ago but thought I would update it. This website will give useful (but limited) information for those of us doing Irish genealogy research. The Calendars of Wills and Administrations, 1858 – 1922 at the National Archives of Ireland can be searched via a simple form. Continue reading “Calendars of Wills and Administrations, National Archives of Ireland”

Jeanie Johnston, the luckiest Irish Famine Ship

Jeanie Johnston, the luckiest Irish Famine Ship

I read All Standing: The Remarkable Story of the Jeanie Johnston, The Legendary Irish Famine Ship by Kathryn Miles because of an interest in Irish Genealogy. And then thought I should review this book since I enjoyed it and that is one of the things I do here. So that is how the book review got here and why it is listed under both Book Review and Genealogy.

I guess I should make clear than this is not a genealogy book but rather a history book about one of most important important events to Irish Genealogy.


I read the paperback version of the book and that runs to 214 pages excluding reference, acknowledgements, prologue and that type of thing. The book also comes as a hardback (if you want to spent a bit more) and a kindle version if you want to spend a bit less).

The ships the Irish traveled on to emigrate from Ireland during the potato famine were often called coffin ships because so many passengers died during the voyage. The Jeanie Johnson was an exception. It made many round trips between Ireland and North America carrying passengers one-way and cargo on the return voyage without losing a single passenger.

Although the Jeanie Johnston was called a lucky ship, this record was not just a matter of luck. The Irish passengers were usually malnourished and weak before beginning the journey. Conditions on the ship were not great and many succumbed to disease. But conditions on the Jeanie Johnson were better than usual and even more unusual was the presence of a ship’s doctor to care for the passengers. So the words remarkable and legendary in the subtitle are appropriate.

The book is about much more than the Jeanie Johnston. There is quite a bit on the Irish potato famine or the great hunger. And the inadequate relief efforts. The English who were in charge at the time did very little but did get around to apologizing about 150 years later.

There is also quite a bit about Tralee, the home port of the Jeanie Johnston and home of the owner. And a good bit of general information about ships of the time and the hazards they faced. Then whole story is interlaced with the stories of some of the passengers.

Unlike many history books which can have a tendency to bore you with too many detail, this is a lively history that reads well and quickly. I think in part that is because there is sufficient background to understand why this ship was so remarkable and then there are the remarkable stories of the ship and one of the families that traveled on it.

New page – New York City History

New page – New York City History

I’m categorizing this post as genealogy but it is more about history and I don’t have a history category. I’ve been researching several families in New York City (NYC) and have run across some really good historical maps and some interesting blogs.

The New York City public library has digitalized many historic maps as well as other materials. Although many do not appear to be of the resolution you would like for reading detail, the is a window that lets you zoom in and move the map.

In addition, the David Rumsey Collection has a wonderful collection of digitalized maps that you should be able to view on your computer. The nice thing is that although the map you see at first may not seem to have the resolution you need, you can zoom in on any area. The is also a 1852 map of NYC that is combined with a Google map of the current city. Check it out!

There are several blogs that have good information on New York City history. Some of the pictures are amazing. Some specialize in a certain area. Others are more general. I’ll be adding to this list as I find more.

See the NYC links tab.

Edward Reidy of North Cambridge MA

Edward Reidy of North Cambridge MA

I just ran across this on GenealogyBank as I was looking for one of my Reidy families.

There was a short article in the Boston Herald in 1923 saying that the body of Edward Reidy, age 22 and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Reidy of 14 Alberta St in North Cambridge, was found in Alewife brook.

Reckless blasting in New York City history 1895

Reckless blasting in New York City history 1895

I’ve been delving into New York City history today. Yesterday I found out I had made a wrong assumption in my genealogy and I figured today I should figure out what really happened.

Early this year I wrote about my great grandfather William Ready. He died of injuries resulting from a case of reckless blasting on Christmas eve 1895. I had just always assumed the blasting had something to do with creating the New York City subway system.

I was wrong. Continue reading “Reckless blasting in New York City history 1895”

Short Life of Katie Reidy

Short Life of Katie Reidy

Katie Reidy, the daughter of my great grandfather William Ready (or Reidy), was born in New York City on 11 October 1895.

She died on 25 July 1896 of whooping cough in her family’s tenement apartment at 303 E 110th St. Continue reading “Short Life of Katie Reidy”

William Mulcahy of Riddlestown evicted twice

William Mulcahy of Riddlestown evicted twice

The Irish American Weekly of October 9, 1886 (published in New York City) had a short article about the case of William Mulcahy of Riddlestown, Rathkeale, Co Limerick, Ireland who was evicted twice from the family farm. The first eviction was soon after he inherited the leased farm in 1881 and the second time in 1886.

The article was relatively short but gave an interesting description of the eviction cases and his living conditions after being evicted the second time. I found the article on GenealogyBank.

Ancestry buys Find A Grave

Ancestry buys Find A Grave

I’ve long been a fan of Ancestry and several other websites for genealogy which I’ve mentioned here but oddly one that I use regularly has not been mentioned here that I can recall.

That site is http://www.findagrave.com/ or Find A Grave. Frequently when I know the names of husband and wife and where they live, I can easily find date of death and often additional information and frequently an actual picture of the grave. Of course I check to see if the information there is consistent with everything else I know.

Or sometimes I know less than that and Find A Grave gives me the first hint on things to check out. It is a wonderful site and is run by volunteer genealogists. Now Find A Grave has been purchased by Ancestry.com. Apparently the site will remain free but have the support of Ancestry behind it so we can expect further improvements

What will change at Find A Grave?
•The short answer is: nothing. The site will remain free and continue to operate as it has for the last eighteen years. I (Jim Tipton, Find A Grave’s founder) will continue to run the website but will have the support of a full, dedicated Find A Grave team at Ancestry.com – so the pace of updates / improvements / new features should accelerate. The familiar administrators that many of you have come to know over the years will remain and continue in the same capacity.

This is from the announcement and FAQ on Find A Grave. Read it if you’d like to know more about it.

I decided to renew GenealogyBank for a year

I decided to renew GenealogyBank for a year

I’m impressed with GenealogyBank. I took a trial for a month and impressed with the number of old newspapers on the website and the ease of finding information.

I like the newspaper search but I’m still learning. Continue reading “I decided to renew GenealogyBank for a year”