Susan Boyle...A McLaughlin?

One of my favorite Maxwell/McLaughlin researchers emailed me the other day with some interesting anecdotal information.  A relative received a copy of Susan Boyle's autobiography for Christmas.  As everyone probably knows, Susan Boyle was the winner of the 2009 Britain's Got Talent.

In her autobiography, she mentions that her mother's maiden name is McLaughlin.  Susan was born in Scotland but did have an affinity for singing mostly Irish songs as a child because of her mother's family.  Her McLaughlin's came from a village outside of Derry in Northern Ireland.  Her mom played piano while her father sang.

How fun to find McLaughlin connections in the world!

Maxwell/McLaughlin Posts

The Maxwell/McLaughlin Posts are now clickable with hyperlinks from the Maxwell/McLaughlin Page.  Feel free to click on the link below.  This page is an index of posts about my maternal grandfather's mother's family.  My maternal grandfather was Richard Joseph Flanagan (1912-2000) of Napa, CA.

This page includes my extensive information gathered from several other researchers and sources about the McLaughlin's, Maxwell's, Gartlan's (Gartland's), Shaffrey's, and Fox's that are all connected to this side of my family via my grandfather.  There are also Duffy cousin's mentioned here and there.  If you are looking to find out more about these families and the Irish Settlement in Newport, New York, you have reached a good starting place.  I have placed the posts in a sort of alphabetical order.

Maxwell/McLaughlin Page

If you seek the Flanagan's, I have a separate page with posts about my Flanagan Family Line.

New U.S. "Who Do You Think You Are?"

I just found listed on NBC.com that the new episodes of "Who Do You Think You Are?" will air on Friday, February 4th, 2011, 8pm, on NBC.  Can't wait!

UK: Who Do You Think You Are? - Jeremy Clarkson

I recently watched the UK "Who Do You Think You Are?" for Jeremy Clarkson.  He is the host of the BBC show Top Gear.  Top Gear is a worldwide car enthusiast show.  My husband watches it.  Jeremy and his co-hosts are pretty funny and informative when it comes to automobiles.

In Jeremy's exploration of his family tree, he comes across the Kilner Jar.  The Kilner's were his ancestors.  This was a very interesting episode found on YouTube.

UK: Who Do You Think You Are? - Zoe Wanamaker

Another fascinating UK "Who Do You Think You Are?" that can be found on YouTube is for Zoe Wanamaker.  Her ancestry is truly interesting including the fact that she is actually an American, of Russian/Ukranian lineage, and her father moved the family from the USA to England to escape worry of persecution.  Zoe has actually been in the Harry Potter movies as one of the teachers at Hogwart's.

UK TV: Who Do You Think You Are? - Kim Cattrall and Jeremy Irons

If anyone likes the show, "Who Do You Think You Are?", U.S. version, several of the UK episodes are on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/.  I particularly have enjoyed the episodes for Kim Cattrall and Jeremy Irons.  Kim's was so good and yet so heartbreaking.  Jeremy's was rather long, full of interesting anecdotal information but once he ended up in Ireland, it was home for him and I could so relate.  Those two are a must see for anyone interested in their family tree.

Check them out if you get a chance!  The new stateside season is set for January 2011.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone!

From Mine, Yours', and the Other Guy's Genealogy.

Searchable Site

I am in the process of making all of my index pages clickable to the actual posts.  Another feature of the blog site that can be useful until I get the index updated, and will probably continue to be useful, is the search option.   If you are looking for a particular topic, you can use the search in the top upper left corner of the site.  For example, if you type in "Flanagan", any post with the Flanagan's mentioned will display from newest to oldest.  Happy reading!

Photos Photos Photos

Send your photos of our ancestors my way.  I plan to build out photo albums of my ancestors on my little used website and link it to this blog.   I am not planning on posting photos of living individuals unless you, as the living person, wants your picture on the stie.

My email at kristin@zelsersk.net can handle large files so there are no worries on this end about how many photos and/or how large the files are.  Send away!

Miscellaneous Posts - Now Clickable

I have now completed my first index page that includes a "clickable" index.   All you have to do is click on the title and go to the archived post. 

Check out the index page:  Miscellaneous Posts

I will be completing the other pages soon!

Clickable Index Pages

It occurred to me the other day that I should figure out how to make my index pages clickable links.  I am in the process of working on this.  With over 200 posts for my blog, it may take a bit of time but I am linking the index pages to each blog post.  What this means is that very soon, you can just look on the index page for a topic that you'd like to read about, find the post, click on the title and be taken directly to the archived post.

Technology is a wonderful thing!

6 Months of Posts and Counting

Today is the 6 month anniversary of this blog!  I've posted something just about every day.

This has been a wonderful experience to write about my family and connect with other family and researchers.   Since it is the holidays, it is time for a break.  I will return to regular posts in 2011 but for now will be on hiatus with maybe a couple of quick posts here and there.  

This can give any newcomers and relatives the opportunity to catch up on reading about the Maxwell's, McLaughlin's, and Flanagan's.  I have other family surnames included in my blog along with general genealogy posts.  Please check out the index pages to find the posts that you'd like to read.  I'd love feedback too.

My blog has comment sections for anyone to type a message.  The blog is also attached to my website at http://www.zelsersk.net/ and "Mine, Yours', and the Other Guys Genealogy" is on Facebook.  Feel free to sign my guestbook on the website or email me.   I will continue to check email during the holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Hannah Gartland

Recently, I completed posting the Descendants of Thomas McLaughlin online.  In doing so, I noted that Hannah Gartland was an author of a few mystery novels.  A cousin sent me a quick email with the titles of two of her books that she found online.

The books are as follows:
The Globe Hollow Mystery - 1923
The House of Cards - 1922

I decided to see what else I could find about Hannah and found some info.

A review for the book:  The House of Cards, by Hannah Gartland

"No clues?  There are too many clues in this murder mystery story.  The police go in one direction, the District Attorney in another, and a clever reporter who is on the case in still another.  Not even the most confirmed reader of detective fiction will guess the real criminal.  $1.75"

-This is found in the Atlantic Monthly circa 1922.

GARTLAND, HANNAH. 1856-1947. Born in New York; graduate of Columbia University; teacher and eventual Dean of Women at Rollins College, Florida.

Maguire McGuire

I've known for a long time that I am both a Maguire and a McGuire.  I know that may sound funny but it is true.  When I look up heraldry information for McGuire it refers me to the Maguire surname.  I suppose even back in time on my McGuire lineage, I am a Maguire at some point.  That is, if I go back several hundred years give or take.  However, I am actually a Maguire as my great-great-great (G3) grandmother was Anne Maguire.

My McGuire family tree information is rather limited on my Dad's side of the family.  I have Francis "Frank" Joseph McGuire on my tree who was born on August 1, 1878, in New York.  His parents were apparently born in Ireland and emigrated to the United States.   What their names were eludes me.   Maybe my great-great-grandfather's name was Frank. Or was it Charles?  My grandfather's brothers' names were John and Charles.  His sister's names were Cecilia and Marion.  My grandfather was Francis "Frank" Robert McGuire (b. 1908).  I keep finding Charles McGuire on U.S. Census but have no good information about my great-grandfather's own family unit to know for sure if that was his father.  I don't know Frank Joseph's siblings' names either.

What I have determined is that locations like Brooklyn, New York, and Greenwich Village in Manhattan, New York, were locations that my McGuire family lived.  My grandfather told me in 1990 that his parents were Frank McGuire and Mary Romaine.  He did not know the first names of his grandparents because he did not call them by those names.  His grandfather was a McGuire from County Fermanagh and his grandmother was a McGrath.  They were apparently both from Ireland.  This is all that I've got.

Do I have much more on my Maguire's?  Not yet, but I bet I could get my hands on that information.  On my mom's side of the family, Anne Maguire was born in 1810 and lived across the road from her future husband, John Flanagan (b. 1805) in Termonfechin, County Louth, Ireland.   In 1829, she married John and moved across the road.  They had eleven children for which I have the family tree.  These individuals are Flanagan's but also Maguire's.  What does the rest of the Maguire family tree look like?

The Flanagan Family Letter Collection from 1864-1909 mentions some Maguire's.  In 1870, there is reference to a marriage of Kate Maguire of the Mill to Pat Johnson of Canontown.  In an 1874 letter, the Maguire cousin's who lived across the road are mentioned.  I find Thomas, John, and Judith Maguire indicated in the letter.  An 1881 letter from California to Ireland mentions the Maguire's as if some of them were headed there. 

In 1888, Thomas Maguire of Termonfechin married Jane Sheridan who was the sister of Bridget Sheridan, Peter Flanagan's wife.  Thomas and Peter were cousins.  This letter indicates that Thomas is the only one at home in Ireland.   John Maguire was in Chicago.  In 1889, John Maguire is indicated as being in Chicago again.  The letter indicates that there are also four Sheridan's in Chicago too.  A letter from 1893 mentions an Andy Maguire in Chicago.

It would appear that the Maguire and Flanagan families of Termonfechin were close to the Sheridan's too.   The Maguire's and Sheridan's seem to have emigrated to Chicago at the time.  However, even today the Flanagan's live right next door to the Maguire's in Termonfechin.  Also, there appears to be some additional connections to the Sheridan's.  That completely amazes me and I love these types of family connections.  Who's got that Maguire Family Tree?

Kuyahoora Churches' Timeline -- Newport, New York and nearby

This page is also from the book "History of the Roman Catholic Churches of the Kuyahoora Valley".

On a Whim and a Prayer - McGuire Romaine

On a whim, I decided to look closely at my granddad's (Francis Robert McGuire) baptism certificate.  He was baptized at St. Louis Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn, New York, in 1908.   I poked around online and found that it closed in 1939.  The parish and it's records were transferred to St. Lucy's in Brooklyn until that parish combined to become St. Lucy's/St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church of Brooklyn, New York on Willoughby and Kent.

I picked up the phone and called St. Lucy's/St. Patrick's when I could not locate a website for the church.  A very nice priest answered.  He was willing to take down the names of my great-grandparents, Francis Joseph McGuire and Mary Elizabeth Romaine, and said that he'd do a search for their names as part of St. Louis' parish.  They have the records on site.

He did tell me that Romaine is French and that St. Louis was definitely the French speaking Roman Catholic Parish in Brooklyn at the time.   He also indicated that there are plenty of McGuire's (Irish surname) still around in the current parish.

Information about St. Louis Roman Catholic Church, Brooklyn, New York:
33 xx St. Louis (French) [1869; Closed 1939] - Ellery & Nostrand {21st ward}
(located at Seigel & Manhattan until 1889)
(mission 1939-1946 until absorbed by St. Lucy)

He said that when he gets a chance, he'll get back to me.  I am good with this.  I figure that I can always call back sometime and check if I haven't heard anything.  I'll be prayin'!

:-)

Coughlin Hickey Research - Part 2

Below is the rest of my research for the Coughlin and Hickey family line.  I am placing it out here with hopes that someone knows more about them.

1. A Coughlin married a McManus in Ireland.

2. The Coughlin's had 16 children – Anna, Bridget, Daniel, Edward, James, John, Kathleen, Lena, Margaret, Mary Ann, Michael, Patrick, Stephen, Thomas, Timothy, and Johanna.

3. I know that Johanna Coughlin married Patrick Hickey in Rye, New York, on November 26, 1911.

4. Johanna Coughlin was born around 1889 in County Clare, Ireland and passed away sometime in 1971-1972 in Brooklyn, NY. I have found two different potential pieces of information for her year of death. I have seen Johanna’s name written in census information as Josephine T. Hickey. It is her in the census because all Patrick's and Johanna’s children are listed including my grandmother, Josephine Hickey. I am not sure if this is just the transcriber making it easier to write it or a misinterpretation of her name on the part of the census person. She is listed as Johanna on other years' census. I have found information that she immigrated to the U.S. in 1905 and that Patrick Hickey did in 1904.

5. I have been told that Margaret Coughlin, Johanna’s sister, immigrated to the U.S. before her and was a housekeeper in Rye, NY, for different families. I think that I found her on a census but am not sure if it is her.  I do have her as a witness to Patrick and Johanna Hickey's wedding in Rye, New York.

6. Other information: I have a possible match on information for a Coughlin Family living in Co. Wexford, Ireland in the 1901 Irish Census. I am not sure if it is them. A lot of the names look like nicknames and the parents names are John and Bridget.

7.  I do know that while Patrick Hickey was baptized in Whitegate, County Clare, Ireland, he may have actually been from Tipperary or lived there.  Tipperary is indicated on what appears to be his WWI draft registration.  His origins and locating his family in Ireland really evade me.

8.  Michael Hickey was a witness to Patrick and Johanna's wedding in Rye, New York in 1911.  My uncle advised me that Patrick did have a brother who lived in Woodside, NY.  He may have been an NYC fireman.  I also have have a sister by the name of Mary Hickey for Patrick.

9.  I have my own handwritten notes from 1990.  My Grandparents, Francis Robert McGuire and Josephine Hickey provided the following information:

-Patrick Hickey - b. Clare, Ireland, married Rye, NY; d. 1965 at the age of 81
-Johanna Coughlin - b. 1890, Clare, Ireland, d. 1972
-Children of Patrick and Johanna Hickey - Anna, Eleanor, Josephine, William, Margaret, Kathleen, Mary, Martin Hickey

    Coughlin Family Children circa 1870-1890:

    -16 children

    -They were all from County Clare, Ireland.

    -Children's names:  Anna, Bridget, Daniel, Edward, James, John, Kathleen, Lena, Margaret, Mary Ann, Michael, Patrick, Stephen, Thomas, Timothy, and Johanna.

    -The following are the children who ended up in Rye, New York:  John, James, Stephen, Thomas, Anna, Bridget, Margaret, Kathleen, and Edward.

   -The following are the children who ended up in New York City:  Johanna and Lena

   -The following children stayed in Ireland:  Timothy and Mary Ann

   -It is unknown what happened to the following:  Daniel, Michael, and Patrick

10.  Margaret Coughlin was known as Aunt Peg to my father's family.  She worked as a domestic in Rye. 

11.  Stephen Coughlin -  My uncle indicated that a Coughlin brother worked on a farm in Rye.  I believe that I located Stephen Coughlin working as a gardener in a U.S. Census for this location.

12.  A Martin Hickey was a sponsor for my grandmother’s (Josephine Hickey) baptism on November 15, 1915, at St. Anthony’s Church (153 Sullivan Street, New York).  This may have been another of Patrick Hickey's brothers.

So do I have more information about the Hickey's and Coughlin's?  Not really.  I do have information about my own grandmother, Josephine Hickey McGuire.  I have a copy of her baptismal certificate.  She was baptized at an Italian Catholic Church in the Village (Greenwich Village).   The original copy has the church named in Italian.  A more current version of the certificate is in English.  I have a copy of each.  I have many photos of my grandmother also.

Coughlin Hickey Research - Part 1

I received a letter a few weeks back dated October 21, 2010, from the State of New York Department of Health.  It says the following:

"We have completed your genealogy request.

Uncertified copies enclosed:  0

No Record Notifications:  1

No Record For:  Johanna Coughlin  

Dates Searched:  1910-1912"

Really?   Did they try and search for her husband, Patrick Hickey?  I admit to be a little disappointed here.  There is still hope though.  I have had some success in my search for Johanna Coughlin and Patrick Hickey.  They are one set of my great-grandparents on my Dad's side of the family.

I am fortunate to have the marriage record for Johanna and Patrick from Roman Catholic Church records.  I sought this out and was delightfully surprised back in May of this year.  I had been told by my uncle that Johanna and Patrick had been married in Rye, New York.  Armed with this scrap of information plus the year of their marriage as around 1912, I searched down the Roman Catholic Churches in Rye, New York.  There are only a couple in this location.  Knowing that it would have to be an old church, I found The Church of the Resurrection and emailed them.

A delightful and very helpful pastoral assistant looked up the records for the timeframe.  What she found was amazing to me.  I say that because I have next to nothing on my Dad's side in the way of family tree information.

"The date of the marriage was November 26, 1911. Priest was Fr. Meehan; witnesses were Michael Hickey and Margaret Coughlin. Patrick Hickey was baptized on November 20, 1884 in White Gate, County Clare, Ireland. Johanna Coughalin was baptized on February 9th, 1889 in County Clare, Ireland.

At the time of the marriage, Patrick was living in NYC and Johanna in Rye."

This is a as good as gold to me.   I can wish all want that their parents names were indicated in the church record but that is just not the case.   This is why I was so very much hoping for the marriage certificate.  I guess it is not to be had.

So do I have additional information?

To be continued........................