Setting aside the to do list this #SundayMorning to research my Irish female ancestors, beginning with my great grandmother Catherine #OFlaherty. It is after all #IrishAmericanHeritageMonth and #WomensHistoryMonth
Catherine O'Flaherty
Catherine was born on 2 August 1880 to Dennis and Martha (Durkan) O'Flaherty in Phoenixville, Chester County, PA. This is confirmed through various records and family members, including my grandmother (her oldest child. Her marriage application however notes she was born on 2 October in 1885.
She was the youngest of eight known children. Her siblings (in birth order) are:
Back to my Catherine ...
The 1880 Census was conducted in June 1880, thus Catherine does not appear on it. Her father, Dennis, is a 45 year old white man born in Ireland and now working in the Iron Works in Phoenixville. Martha, her mother, was a 41 year old white woman, also born in Ireland. She, like meany women the, was "keeping house". Her siblings listed were Mary (age 12), Hugh (age 11), Michael (age 8), Dennis (age 7), Maggie (age 3), and Martha (age 1).
Since Dennis - her father - died in 1894, I had to switch to searching for Martha. I found her, and Catherine, in the 1904-05 Boyd's Chester County, PA Directory. It shows them, along with Hugh, living now at 203 Emmet Street in Phoenixville. Catherine's brother Michael is living on his own at 212 South Street. There is one other Hugh listed living in town at 353 Hall. Side note: The 1902 City Directory lists widow Martha and Hugh living at 203 Emmet, and Michael living at 212 South. There is no mention in 1902 of Catherine or the Hugh on Hall.
By 1910 (the date of the census is 16 April 1910), Catherine was the only one left at home with her mother at this time. Martha reveals she had 10 children, only three of whom is still living. (The three were Mary Theresa, Hugh, and Catherine). It also states that she immigrated in 1870. (See note on side about that.) Catherine (spelling her name Katherine) is 23 and is a sewer at at shirt factory. The census enumerator also incorrectly states that both of Catherine's parents were born in Pennsylvania. They were both born in Ireland.
Within just a few days of that census, Catherine would become Mrs. Martin J. Welsh. The story - as my grandmother and some of her siblings told it - was that Martin played on a baseball team up in Shenandoah (Schuylkill County, PA) where he had lived with his parents. His team came down to play in Phoenixville and there he and Catherine met. I don't recall anyone mentioning how long the courtship was or how they actually met each other. The marriage application lists both Martin and Catherine living in Phoenixville. In any case, they met and on 21 April 1910 were married in Phoenixville, presumably at St. Mary's of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church. The parish is right down the street from where Catherine lived with her mother. It was the first marriage for both. Under occupation, he lists he is a laborer, while Catherine states domestic.
Just 10 years laters, in the 1920 census, Martin and Catherine - both listing their ages as 35 - now reside on Marshall Street. He is a laborer in the Iron Works and she is at home. And no wonder she is at home! They already have five children. They have also lost three children at this point, although the census does not account for them. The five surviving are:
The 1930 census, provides a little more info on Catherine and her parents. Until now, her parents birthplace was simply listed as Ireland. Now, in 1930, it is listed (and Martin does the same for his parents) as "Irish Free State".
The Irish Free State was comprised of 26 of Ireland's 32 counties. Since I already knew both Catherine's parents and Martin's parents were Catholic, this only slightly narrows down their ancestral homes.
Back to the census ...
Catherine and Martin now have six children. Since the 1920 census, they had two children actually: James and Loretta, both born in 1921. James died the same year, although I do not know the circumstances.
On 14 August 1933 at 10:50 EST, Catherine became a widow. Martin's death was ruled accidental. He died from "injuries received while engaged at work at the Phoenix Iron Co, due to falling on railroad tracks and being struck by a truck," according to his death certificate. Catherine was the informant.
In 1937 my Uncle Leo married Ruth Miller. All the siblings and Catherine posed for this photo below. I am extremely grateful to my cousin for providing me a copy of the photo. It is, I am told, the only photograph of all the siblings together. I include it here because of course Catherine is in it. The photo was taken at the wedding.
I have not yet found Catherine on the 1940 census records.
The war (World War II) stretched from 1939 to 1945. America tried to stay neutral until Pearl Harbor was destroyed on 7 December 1941. It was then that we joined the War - officially. In May 1942, construction began on the Valley Forge Army Hospital in Phoenixville. It was completed the following year and Catherine went to work there. She was a House Mother for the nurses there her health deteriorated. Catherine suffered strokes.
She died on 20 August 1949 at 2:40 a.m. EST at the Phoenixville Hospital, according to her death certificate. Loretta (now Loretta Kaba) was the informant on the certificate. The death certificate confirms much information but does not reveal any new information, aside from official cause of death.
Her birthdate is confirmed as 2 October 1885.Her parents are confirmed as being Dennis O'Flaherty and Martha Durkin. She was living on Vanderslice Street in Phoenixville, which I know from other sources to be Loretta and Stephen Kaba's house. Husband is confirmed as Martin Welsh. Her COD (cause of death) was cerebral thrombosis.
A cerebral thrombosis is a type of stroke that, according to John Hopkins University, occurs when "a blood clot forms in the brain's venous sinuses. This prevents blood from draining out of the brain." This results in the blood leaking into the brain, causing a hemorrhage. She suffered the cerebral thrombosis for two days, according to her death certificate. It was due to arteriosclerosis. Diabetes mellitus was listed as another condition she suffered.
She was buried at St. Mary's of the Assumption on 23 August 1949. She is there with her husband and one of her grandchildren, Mary Kathleen Still (Mary Rose's daughter).
© Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2019
Catherine was born on 2 August 1880 to Dennis and Martha (Durkan) O'Flaherty in Phoenixville, Chester County, PA. This is confirmed through various records and family members, including my grandmother (her oldest child. Her marriage application however notes she was born on 2 October in 1885.
She was the youngest of eight known children. Her siblings (in birth order) are:
- James - 1868 to 1870. Twin to Mary Theresa.
- Mary Theresa - 1868 to 1945. Twin to James. Married Patrick Rogers. They had five children. Through Ancestry.com, I have connected with one of her descendents.
- Hugh - 1869 to 1947. Married Katherine Dee. They had six children.
- Michael - 1871 to 1904.Married Margaret McQuade. He died just two years after they married, leaving no children.
- Dennis - 1871 to 1894. At only 21, he died unmarried.
- Margaret - 1877 to 1895. At 19, she too died unmarried.
- Martha - 1879 to 1897. Martha too died unmarried at age 19. She died of consumption.
Back to my Catherine ...
The 1880 Census was conducted in June 1880, thus Catherine does not appear on it. Her father, Dennis, is a 45 year old white man born in Ireland and now working in the Iron Works in Phoenixville. Martha, her mother, was a 41 year old white woman, also born in Ireland. She, like meany women the, was "keeping house". Her siblings listed were Mary (age 12), Hugh (age 11), Michael (age 8), Dennis (age 7), Maggie (age 3), and Martha (age 1).
Since Dennis - her father - died in 1894, I had to switch to searching for Martha. I found her, and Catherine, in the 1904-05 Boyd's Chester County, PA Directory. It shows them, along with Hugh, living now at 203 Emmet Street in Phoenixville. Catherine's brother Michael is living on his own at 212 South Street. There is one other Hugh listed living in town at 353 Hall. Side note: The 1902 City Directory lists widow Martha and Hugh living at 203 Emmet, and Michael living at 212 South. There is no mention in 1902 of Catherine or the Hugh on Hall.
Within just a few days of that census, Catherine would become Mrs. Martin J. Welsh. The story - as my grandmother and some of her siblings told it - was that Martin played on a baseball team up in Shenandoah (Schuylkill County, PA) where he had lived with his parents. His team came down to play in Phoenixville and there he and Catherine met. I don't recall anyone mentioning how long the courtship was or how they actually met each other. The marriage application lists both Martin and Catherine living in Phoenixville. In any case, they met and on 21 April 1910 were married in Phoenixville, presumably at St. Mary's of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church. The parish is right down the street from where Catherine lived with her mother. It was the first marriage for both. Under occupation, he lists he is a laborer, while Catherine states domestic.
Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1852-1968 [database on-line].
Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
Just 10 years laters, in the 1920 census, Martin and Catherine - both listing their ages as 35 - now reside on Marshall Street. He is a laborer in the Iron Works and she is at home. And no wonder she is at home! They already have five children. They have also lost three children at this point, although the census does not account for them. The five surviving are:
- Mary Rose - my grandmother
- Joseph Martin
- Leo Francis
- Raymond Charles
- Gerald Aloysius
The Irish Free State was comprised of 26 of Ireland's 32 counties. Since I already knew both Catherine's parents and Martin's parents were Catholic, this only slightly narrows down their ancestral homes.
Back to the census ...
Catherine and Martin now have six children. Since the 1920 census, they had two children actually: James and Loretta, both born in 1921. James died the same year, although I do not know the circumstances.
On 14 August 1933 at 10:50 EST, Catherine became a widow. Martin's death was ruled accidental. He died from "injuries received while engaged at work at the Phoenix Iron Co, due to falling on railroad tracks and being struck by a truck," according to his death certificate. Catherine was the informant.
In 1937 my Uncle Leo married Ruth Miller. All the siblings and Catherine posed for this photo below. I am extremely grateful to my cousin for providing me a copy of the photo. It is, I am told, the only photograph of all the siblings together. I include it here because of course Catherine is in it. The photo was taken at the wedding.
I have not yet found Catherine on the 1940 census records.
The war (World War II) stretched from 1939 to 1945. America tried to stay neutral until Pearl Harbor was destroyed on 7 December 1941. It was then that we joined the War - officially. In May 1942, construction began on the Valley Forge Army Hospital in Phoenixville. It was completed the following year and Catherine went to work there. She was a House Mother for the nurses there her health deteriorated. Catherine suffered strokes.
She died on 20 August 1949 at 2:40 a.m. EST at the Phoenixville Hospital, according to her death certificate. Loretta (now Loretta Kaba) was the informant on the certificate. The death certificate confirms much information but does not reveal any new information, aside from official cause of death.
Her birthdate is confirmed as 2 October 1885.Her parents are confirmed as being Dennis O'Flaherty and Martha Durkin. She was living on Vanderslice Street in Phoenixville, which I know from other sources to be Loretta and Stephen Kaba's house. Husband is confirmed as Martin Welsh. Her COD (cause of death) was cerebral thrombosis.
A cerebral thrombosis is a type of stroke that, according to John Hopkins University, occurs when "a blood clot forms in the brain's venous sinuses. This prevents blood from draining out of the brain." This results in the blood leaking into the brain, causing a hemorrhage. She suffered the cerebral thrombosis for two days, according to her death certificate. It was due to arteriosclerosis. Diabetes mellitus was listed as another condition she suffered.
She was buried at St. Mary's of the Assumption on 23 August 1949. She is there with her husband and one of her grandchildren, Mary Kathleen Still (Mary Rose's daughter).
© Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2019
You are welcome and very nice postings
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