OWEN MCDONALD #21 52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS

In January 2014, Amy Johnson Crow of the Ancestry blog No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.

The premise: write once a week about a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, a research problem — any that focuses on that one ancestor. The next week, write about a different ancestor. In 52 weeks, you’ll have taken a closer look at 52 people in your family tree… and maybe learned a little bit more about them in the process

 

Owen McDonald was born about 1840 in Ireland.

 

Owen McDonald is my husband's paternal great grandfather.  I do not know when he came to the United States but he married, around 1865, Mary Callahan who was born in New York.  They had 7 children, Oscar, Ida and Blanche who all died very young and George, Ellen (Nellie), Gertrude, and Florence (my husband’s grandmother).

 

I found Owen with his family in several census records that stated he was a butcher.  All the databases are very helpful in letting you know where he lived, who he lived with and what occupation he had but it doesn’t really tell you anything personal about the person.

 

 

I often search old newspapers.  Many have been put on-line and are easy to find people because they are indexed. I have found very detailed descriptions of weddings, family parties, and graduations.  You also find where people have travelled and who they have visiting them from out of town.

 

I found an article about Owen McDonald in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle Newspaper in 1883.  It is a sad story about Owen being lost after leaving work.  He was a butcher and had gone to his office at the Washington Market on a Sunday morning to do his billing. He was spotted at several locations after that including New Jersey but nothing after that time.  This article was dated April 4, 1883 and he had been missing since February 25, 1883.

 

Part of Brooklyn Eagle Article

http://newsstand.bklynpubliclibrary.org/

 

 

The unfortunate thing about newspapers they don't give an update on some articles.  I haven’t found another article stating that he was found or what was the reason for his disappearance.

 

The wonderful thing about this newspaper article is it gives a description of the man.  Some of the family and friends stated he was not a drinking man so they know that was not part of the problem.  The family said that when he left the house that day he wore a black derby hat but later was seen wearing a green plush cap which he usually wore at the market.

Washington Market, Brooklyn, NY 1888

http://www.printsoldandrare.com/newyorkcity/

 

 The article also stated that he was about 5’6” or 5’7”, about 40 years of age, had light sandy hair slightly mixed with gray, he wore sparse sidewhiskers and a small mustache.  He was dressed in a dark overcoat, dark mixed pants, laced shoes, stand up collar, had on scarf and a white shirt.  He had no jewelry and they didn’t know if he had any money on him.  The family was a little embarrassed to say that there was some insanity in the family and was hoping that wasn’t the problem.  If I was an artist I could draw a picture of him from that description.

 

I do know that he died November 28, 1896 in Bellevue Hospital, in New York City.  It states on the death certificate that he was in New York City for 3 years so I think he might have been in the hospital for that length of time. I don’t know where he was the other years.  The 1892 census does not show him living with his family.  He is buried in Calvary Cemetery with his 3 children who died young, his Mother, Mary McDonald, my Father-in-law, Thomas N. Murphy and my Mother-in-law Mary Glessoff Murphy.

 

CATHERINE MATHEWS #20 52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS

 

In January 2014, Amy Johnson Crow of the Ancestry blog No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.

The premise: write once a week about a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, a research problem — any that focuses on that one ancestor. The next week, write about a different ancestor. In 52 weeks, you’ll have taken a closer look at 52 people in your family tree… and maybe learned a little bit more about them in the process

 

 

 

 

CATHERINE MATHEWS was born in New York City, New York on January 23, 1911.  Her parents were WILLIAM MATHEWS and MAMIE MC GUIGAN.  CATHERINE was known by a few different names, her family called her Sis or Sister and the younger generation called her Kay.  She was my father's sister, my Aunt Kay and Godmother.  

 

Catherine was the only girl with 3 brothers, Thomas born in 1909, William born in 1915 and James born in 1920.  I imagine she was doted on, I know my father thought she was very special.

 

Catherine got her drivers license about 1930 and the family had her take them for rides out to the country every weekend.  They also went up to Port Chester, New York to visit Aunt Alice, her Mother's sister.   I am surprised they even had a car. People who lived in New York City and the 5 boroughs rarely had cars because of all the buses and trains available to them.

 

 

On September 14, 1940 Catherine married Bartholomew Hurley.  They lived in Jamaica, Queens, New York at first and then settled in Richmond Hill, Queens when they started their family.  They had 5 children, William, Robert, Dennis, Joan, and Brian.

 

Bartholomew developed cancer and died in 1957.  Catherine went back to work as a secretary to take care of her family.  She was a very wonderful mother.  She was also a good friend to all her cousins who lived nearby.

The cousins, Bunny Morris, Grace White Mulrain, Kathleen Rudolph Mc Donough, Bunny Hickey and Helen Hickey Mahon were her favorites. They would get together every chance they could and would most likely play cards and talk. 

 

Catherine had her Mother and brother Tom living with her, after her husband died, for many years.  Catherine lived to see a couple of her children marry and have children. Catherine died July 29, 1989 and is buried in St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York.

 

 

HONORA QUINLAN #19 ONE OF MY “BRICK WALLS” 52 ANCESTORS 52 WEEKS

In January 2014, Amy Johnson Crow of the Ancestry blog No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.

The premise: write once a week about a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, a research problem — any that focuses on that one ancestor. The next week, write about a different ancestor. In 52 weeks, you’ll have taken a closer look at 52 people in your family tree… and maybe learned a little bit more about them in the process.

Honora Quinlan was my husband’s paternal great grandmother.   Honora was born in Ireland according to all the documents I found on her.  The years 1852 to 1864 were stated as her birth in several census records and on her death record.  She had her first child in 1873 so I figure her birthday was most likely closer to 1852.

I found Honora with her husband, John Murphy in the 1880 census living in Brooklyn, New York.  Also living with them were their children Mary born in 1873, Patrick born in 1875, Thomas (my husbands grandfather) born in 1877 and Maggie born about 1879 plus Honora’s, mother Mary Quinlan.  The 1900 census indicates that she came to the United States in 1870 but I have not found her or her family on any Passenger List as yet.

I found Honora’s mother, Mary in the Brooklyn Directory listed as the widow of Michael Quinlan, but that is the only place I have found any mention of Honora’s father’s name. 

As you can see I do not have anything substantial on Honora.  I know she was born in Ireland according to all I have found.  She is listed as John Murphy’s wife in the census records.  Honora and John are the parents 4 children.  Honora’s mother name is Mary and her father is Michael.  I do have her death certificate but the birth information on the certificate is secondary and questionable. 

I do not have a birth certificate or exact place of birth.  I do not have a marriage record.  I do not have any immigration records.  I have looked for Honora and John’s marriage both in the New York and Irish records and found nothing. 

I have searched many records and used many different plans of attack such as searching other family members, neighbors, and sponsors on her children’s birth records.  I have put this family tree on Ancestry.com  all in the hope someone will come along and have a clue to the next step in finding more about Honora Quinlan Murphy.

HARRY PALMERSTON WILLIAMS #18 EARLY AVIATOR 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

In January 2014, Amy Johnson Crow of the Ancestry blog No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.

 

 

 

The premise: write once a week about a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, a research problem — any that focuses on that one ancestor. The next week, write about a different ancestor. In 52 weeks, you’ll have taken a closer look at 52 people in your family tree… and maybe learned a little bit more about them in the process.

 

 

 

 

 

HARRY PALMERSTON WILLIAMS was my maternal Grandfather’s (John Nelson Moore 1889-1980) 2^nd cousin.  I never heard my Grandfather talk about him and I am surprised because he was a very famous person in the early 1900’s.  He was a businessman, politician, and an aviation entrepreneur in Louisiana.  He became a noted aviator and co-owner of the Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation that dominated air racing in the United States during the Golden Age of Aviation.

 

Harry Williams was born in Patterson, Louisiana to Frank Bennett Williams and Emily Williamson Seyburn on October 6, 1889.

 

Harry Williams first started working in his father’s Cypress Lumber Company but became fascinated with flying.  In 1927, spurred by the news of the Lindbergh solo flight across the Atlantic, he had purchased a similar Ryan monoplane from Jimmy Wedell a noted race pilot. After working closely with Jimmy Wedell  learning to fly, Harry Williams formed a partnership with Wedell and his brother, Walter Wedell, that resulted in the formation of Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation in 1928, based in Patterson, Louisiana.

 

The Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation provided a passenger service from New Orleans to Houston, Louisiana’s first commercial airline and also they started their own postal air service, as well as operating a flying school.

 

 

 

 

 

Harry served in WW 1 as a Lieutenant in the Engineers Corp. and met his wife during a War Bonds Tour.  She was a film star, Marguerite Clark. They married August 19, 1918.

They lived in New Orleans with Harry’s parents in a house that now is the Milton Latter Library on St. Charles Street.

 

 
 
On May 19, 1936, as Harry Williams was returning from Baton Rouge where he had a conference with Governor Richard Leche, and flying with the company's chief pilot, John Worthen, their Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing crashed on takeoff, killing both men instantly.
The loss of Harry Williams, along with the recent deaths in air crashes of both Wedell brothers who had co-founded the company along with the company test pilot, led his wife, Marguerite Clark Williams, , to sell the assets of the company in 1937 to Eastern Air Lines. The new owner, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, folded in the Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation into the larger airline operation, gaining the coveted mail route from New Orleans to Houston, giving Eastern its first presence in Texas.
 
References 
The Louisiana Historical Society - http://louisianahistoricalsociety.org
Louisiana State Museum - http://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/online-exhibits/louisiana-aviation-since-1910/the-williams-family/