Worcester Talk
Genealogy => Worcester Irish Genealogy/History => Topic started by: osekat66 on October 11, 2005, 01:38:56 PM
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I'm looking for information on Michael and Mary (Sheehan) Shea. They came to Boston from County Kerry in early 1850 with some children including Dennis b. 1839 in Kerry and possibly Cornelius b. 1841 in Kerry. I can't find Michael and Mary listed in any census but I do find Dennis and Cornelius starting in 1860. Dennis died 12/31/1875 at 12 Dewey Street Worcester and is buried at St. Paul's. Dennis was a tailor. His death certificate (copy) does not say where his parents were from in Kerry. Family rumor has it that Michael and Mary came over the pond with owners of a neighboring farm in Kerry...their names are Daniel and Ellen (O'Meara) Myers. Their daughter Mary A. married Dennis. I'm stuck with Michael...no birthdate or place, no death date.
Kat
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http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true
Is this marriage of Daniel Myer and Ellen Mara your clue that they may be from Kilcummin?
Cheryl
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http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/kerry/kilcummin.htm
Griffith's for Kilcummin, Kerry
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Kat, I went on the LDS site (familysearch and found a marriage of Daniel Myer and Ellen Mara Feb 1828 in Kilcummin Kerry. This may be Mary Myers parents. What you should do is get on a message board to ask someone in Ireland to look up the marriage details, if any. This might be done on the Killarney message board as Kilcummin is quite nearby. Cheryl has some info on Kilcummin as she and several of the worcester irish gang have old roots there. I think that the Cornelius that Dennis was living with in 1860 Worcester was his brother. he named his first son Michael which by tradition would be his father's name and you know for a fact that Dennis' father was named michael. Are you certain that Michael & Mary Shea and Daniel & Ellen Myer arrived in Boston? I'd check the passenger lists. If you would like to meet at the WPL, I'd be happy to meet you and show you all of the valuable resources available.
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Thank you ladies :D
You are right merski, I've been reading and looking up the names for so long that i'm getting generation confusion. Dennis and Cornelius would be brothers. I think I saw something somewhere about Cornelius' father being another Cornelius. I'm not sure where though. I can't find my sheas or O'connors on passenger lists although Dennis' naturalization papers list him arriving on 12/31/1852, his sponsors were Dennis Lynch and James Dal. What year is that Griffith's Valuation List, Cheryl? I see the names I'm looking for with the exception of Myers. Merski, I would love to have you show me around the WPL, I'll let you know when I can do it.
Kat
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Kat does this fit in?
Shea, Cornelius
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Embarkation: Liverpool
Ship: Underwriter
Occupation: tailor/tailoress
Passengers: 336
Residence: Unknown
Native Country: Ireland
Destination: USA
Arrival Date: 5 July 1851
Record Shea, Catherine 17 Female Unknown Ireland Liverpool Underwriter 5 July 1851
View Record Shea, Catherine 18 Female Unknown Ireland Liverpool Underwriter 5 July 1851
View Record Shea, Cornelius 22 Male Unknown Ireland Liverpool Underwriter 5 July 1851
View Record Shea, Dennis 18 Male Unknown Ireland Liverpool Underwriter 5 July 1851
View Record Shea, Mary 25 Female Unknown Ireland Liverpool Underwriter 5 July 1851
View Record Shea, Michael 35 Male Unknown Ireland Liverpool Underwriter 5 July 1851
View Record Sheehan, Thos. 20 Male Unknown Ireland Liverpool Underwriter 5 July 1851
Record Shehan, Dennis 30 Male Unknown Ireland Liverpool Underwriter 5 July 1851
No Mara or Myers
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I don't know Cheryl, my Dennis was 13 when he arrived in the U.S. All the names fit, though. How do I know for sure?
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Wow, cheryl, that looks great! I think this is a big sibling or cousin group. Cornelius was married to a katherine who according to the 1860 census was 3 yrs his junior. I wonder if they all ended up in worcester. There is an 1855 census in the state of massachusetts which I am told by Nancy Gaudette is being indexed. It would be interesting to find them all in that census and the 1860 census. I could not get on heritage quest for some reason yesterday...may try later. How's the kitchen...can I come to see it?
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I don't know what vital records you've found,but from the NEHGS website of Mass vital records I found a birth record for Dennis Shea born in Worcester in 1860 to Cornelius and Kate Goulding Shea. Parents both born in Ireland. In 1862 a marriage of Dennis Shea to Mary Meyers and a birth in 1872 of a Dennis A. son of Dennis and Mary Shea
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In the 1870 census of worcester ward 5 I found an Edward and Rosanna Myers (he's 30 born in ireland) with Kids Daniel age 5 and John Age 3 both kids born in NY (I'd assume that they married in NY ) living in the same abode in another apartment was Ellen Shea 50 years old born in Ireland with children Joseph 25, William 10, Ellen 17 all born in Mass. I'm thinking that this could be Mary Myers brother (his first boy is named after his father) To prove this we would need marriage cert or death record. Shea connection in this household may be a "co inky dink" or is it possible there may even be a kin connection between the Sheas and Myers. I've made a big leap with that last sentence...what we'd have to do is prove it....
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yes, Traveler, I've found all of those, they're all part of my family. I have a lot of vital records...i've scoured the Mass. Vital records 1841-1910 on NEHGS as well as all databases on Ancestry.com. Perhaps someone can connect their family to mine? I would love to know what happened to Michael Shea (see first post). I did find a michael shea living with a Sheehan family in Boston on one census, perhaps I'll try to trail that to a death certificate.
I love that you all are so eager to go check things out for me! Nice board.
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Okay, so here's what you do to find living relatives. Get burial cards from St. John's cemetery for all of those older folks. Look up the most recent burials and look up those obits. Relatives are usually listed and at least the town they're from. Merski
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Hi,
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oops
You say you have checked 1841 forward. I wonder if the Dennis Shea that married Julia Coonan on April 18, 1844 (Patrick Lane or Lahey and Julia Breen witnessed) is yours. That was a busy day for Fr. Williamson (it was just after Lent) Three other couples married that day.
Dennis and Patrick Lane or Lahey witnessed for one of them,: Patrick Mullen to Ann McMurray.
Michael McCarty married Mary Cunningham with Patrick Lahey and Catherine Cunningham witnesses.
Tobias Boland and Thomas A. Cuddy witnessed for John McGrath and Mary Ann Downes. Tobey was a contractor, some consider him to be noteworthy.
Is it possipal that your Sheas came to Worcester c. 1850 because there was family member here?
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Yes, worcmik, its entirely possible there were relatives already here. I can't locate them, though, until i find out who Michael and Mary were. Thanks for looking!
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Have you read those obits and got names of survivors? Merski
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I think I've looked all the Mass Databases. I didn't see obits for the 1800s. Am I missing something?
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I mean in your research, have you any clippings from the worcester telegram of obituaries? If you give me a name and a death date I'll try to look it up sometime.
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Thanks Merski :)
I don't know when Michael Shea died...sometime after 1880 I think (maybe in Worcester maybe in Boston)
His wife Mary Sheehan Shea died sometime before 1880 I think (maybe in Worcester)
Dennis A. Shea died 12/31/1875 in Worcester of Dropsy
His wife Mary Myers Shea died 4/2/1890 in Worcester of Pneumonia
Dennis A. Shea (Jr.) died in August of 1937 (although I think that was in Somerville or Cambridge)
I don't know when his wife (Mary Williams) died
Michael A. Williams (her father) died in 1895 and is burried at St. John's in Worcester
Mary Connor died 2/15/1882 in Worcester and is at St. John's (she is Michael Williams' wife)
Maybe someone else out there knows of these death dates.
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Kat message from Jo Mason on ancestry.com
This is a "shot in the dark" but perhaps some Kerry "cousin" can help me. My Gr-grandfather, Dennis Shea, was born July, 1839 to MICHAEL and Mary (Sheehan) SHEA. (Dennis was listed as a tailor in Boston and Worcester, MA along with Cornelius and Laurence - perhaps a family trade?). If anyone has researched their MICHAEL SHEA in the following Kerry townlands or by some miracle there is a connection, would you please let me know. I would be most deeply grateful for your help. TOWNLANDS: Agnatubrid, Cahersiveen, Breahig, Coomaroher, Derrindeden, Murreagh, Derreensillagh, Farna, Carhoonahone, Rossacossane, T/Tralee. Jo in Virginia
There are other postings by her.
:DCheryl
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Are you she?? ???
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Hi Cheryl,
No, I'm not she. She was my aunt but she passed away a couple of years ago :'( i have her information and am trying to run with it. It seems she couldn't get very far either.
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I just spent several hours looking for obituaries of your sheas on Friday and alas couln't come up with any. Sorry kat. If I were you, I'd get all of the death dates and burial locations and records I could and keep your eyes open for some clues. My Dennis shea when he died the record said his parents were Dennis and Catherine but I still can't find out where in ireland they're from either...just keep pluggin away....Merski
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Hi Kat,
Have you checked the internments for these Shea and Myer families to see who is buried where and by whom? I did notice Mary m. Dennis 1862 and Mary Myers Shea d. 1890. In the street directories Denny (tailor), Patrick (tailor) and Cornelius (tailor) all live on ?Mechanic Street and there is also a Michael living on Mechanic Street ?1860s. Have you investigated Patrick?
Just a thought,
Cheryl
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Thanks Cheryl.
I have found the Worcester City Directories and know about the names on Mechanic Street. I think I have copies in my files but no, I haven't examined Patrick. I will though. Also, I have an internment card that my aunt got with some names of another line that I can check out. It may give me a hint to the Sheas. I don't have any internment cards for the Sheas. I was going to check those out on my trip to Worcester (I'm not sure when that'll be) but I think now I'll write to the church or cemetary. I've been renewed by everyone's willingness to help on this and other message boards, you've given me ideas of lesser known avenues to look at and I really appreciate it.
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1865, death, Patrick Shea, age 21, parents Michael & Mary
1870, death, Daniel J. Shea, age 3, parents Dennis & Mary
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Cheryl, Merski
My sister and I went to Worcester this past weekend. We had a fun time but didn't find anything really useful. I did get a long look at the city directories and was able to determine when a suspected family member died. I only got through the 1870s though before the Library closed. The newspapers didn't yield anything either. We'll go back soon now that we know the lay of the land (and boy is downtown Worcester a little bit scary). We also found addresses of former residences and took pics. Of course, they were vacant lots and large office complexes, but I'm glad I saw them.
Kat
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Hi! I've been off-line a few weeks...yet another move into a 2 room apt. to stay in until our house is built. I'd be willing to meet you at 9 am on a Friday at the Library. I tried to find obits for you and couldn't...probably too early. Go to genforum which is a message board at genealogy.com, I think and look under Shea surname then use the term worcester massachusetts as a search term. I saw a posting about Sheas from Fieries, near Killarney in Kerry.
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Hahah, I think I just emailed you merski in reply to a genforum message you sent to my cousin Maureen Shea in 2003.
Do you know if she ever contacted you?
Kat
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No I don't believe she has. have you tried to google her?
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I am looking for information on the Lawler family of Worcester, late 1800, early 1900. I have a 1901 DC for my great grandmother, Kate Lawler. Kate's parents were Michael Welch and Margaret Shea. I see alot of Shea's mentioned on the boards here. I'll have to check that out!
Kate's husband was Ed Lawler and they had 5 children: Fenton, John, Margaret, Catherine (my grandmother) and Fredrick (and maybe an infant girl).
In 1900, they lived at 80 Market Street, Worcester. Kate died in 1901 and I can't find her husband.
The kids were split up with Catherine (my grandmother) going to live with Thomas, Patrick and Margaret Cahill. (I think I saw a board for Cahills also and am wondering if Margaret Cahill and Kate Lawler were sisters.)
Wondering if there are any relatives out there?
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It has been my experience that the first son was named aftet the father's father. Eventually, there would be a straight line of first sons with the same name. Later sons would name their sons in the same manner. When these sons started school, there might be 2-3 of them with identical names. In these cases, in Ireland, the teacher would add a middle initial to their names or even a full name.
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Well kids, I finally bit the bullet and have hired the New England Genealogical & Historical Society to try to find the irish origins for Dennis & Mary (Callaghan) Shea on the first anniversary of my mother's death. Hopefully all of those candles and prayers will pay off. I'll let you know. It is rather ironic that I can help others but haven't hit the jackpot myself. Wish me luck! Will know in about 6 weeks...tick, tick, tick.
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Thanks! I love the puzzle of genealogy...the pieces HAVE to fit for me to trust them. I just hope when NEGHS gives me their results that I can trust it. Cheryl and worcmik are much more deserving than I am in terms of helping others, but they seem to have uncovered their family history,,,
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merski, others,
I still have branches that I know little about, (sometimes for lack of looking) and there are a few brickwalls as they say. I have stopped looking hard for my family info while I play around with the mid 19th c. history of Worc.
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GREAT NEWS! ;D I just got the package of info back from the NEHGS. My Shea line is from county Kerry and most likely from Kenmare! All those candles (and the $ I put towards the problem) paid off! I was so close on my own...I hadn't looked up the naturalization papers for a brother at the NARA, so when NEHGS did it for me it sai he was from Kenmare and I know it's him because a brother in law, Thomas Mara stood as witness to him. I'm going to have to get someone to research at the National Library in Ireland because there parish registers are not available through the Mormons, but I'm so happy to be at this place! Thank you all for your prayers, candles and support. And it just goes to show you "Look Up those Naturalizations!!!!"
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Congratulations MaryEllen!!!! Something exciting to more forward on!! Cheryl
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very happy for you, John