About 1821 in Ireland were born Patrick O'Shea and Catherine Healy They married circa 1850 and had 13 kids.Don't know where they married but it seems the births were in London,Eng. The first in 1852and the second, Richard Joseph, was born on Dec. 2,1853at St. Clements Danes in London. Interestingly this was 4 years earlier than Nana and her mother were told by Ricchard. Patrick was a tailor by trade and many of the kids did the same.Patrick lived till1903[82?] and Catherine till 1905[84], many of the kids died young , T.B. seems to have run in the family.
Oct. 7,1874 Richard marries Susannah Eliz. Bennett in London their only boy , Richard,Jr., dies at an early age[Nana said there were 3 kids] Soon the pair emigrate to USA, leaving parents& sibs behind They arrive on the SS CANADA Nov. 1880, Susan dies soon after. Why??
April 20, 1884 Richard marries Mary Alice Sherlock[21] at St. Michael's, 383 9th Ave.,NYC. The witnesses are her brother John T & sister Lucy Sherlock.Nana describes her mom as5'7" auburn hair and blue eyes with an easy going personality
Jan. 31,1885 Margeret Helena O'Shea is born NYC She is named after Richard's grandmother and his older sis The baby will hear many names during her life-Helen, Nellie ,Mom &Nana. A baby brother is born in 1899,William,dies in days.
For the O'Shea life had to be hard Being a tailor was almost a seasonal job Allie had started at 9 sewing buttonholes and now worked as a seamstress to help out After graduation Helen was an office clerk atWomen's Home Companion The family lived in rental apts. in NYC during this time,but 1900 US Census finds them living in N.Adams, Mass with Richard finding tailor work during a slow period -summertime
Aug 15 ,1905Margaret Helena[20] marries James Clare Nerney[31]They had met a year ago at a church dance . Richard was against the union as he wanted Helen to work and help support his
family Nana said he was a demanding person,hard on his family SO HE DID NOT ATTEND THE WEDDING!
Aug 9 1908 Richard dies of "general paralysis, exhaustion" in Manhattan State Hosp.and was buried at Calvary Cemet.,Queens Boro,NYC He had soften enough to see his 2 young g'kids- Helen and baby Jim
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1 comment:
Jack, Thanks for the History lesson!
1-Any idea as to the identities of Nana's 2 half-sisters?
2-Is my arithmetic right - Richard Joseph was 10 years older than Mary Alice Sherlock?
3-Nana said that her friend at Woman's Home Companion was named Nan Coghlan.
Jim III
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