52 ANCESTORS 52 WEEKS -

 BEGINS WITH A VOWEL

ALICE is a name that appears in my family tree frequently. It is also in several different branches of the tree.  I think it was just a popular name in the 1800’s that everyone loved.

The earliest Alice in my tree is Alice McGuigan born 25 July 1842 in Tynan, Armagh, Ireland.

Birth Register from National Library of Ireland website.

(25 Alice of Patr McGuigan & Mary Hughes, Sponsors Michl McMullin and Rosy McStorey Crossdall)

Alice was the only girl born to Patrick and Mary (Hughes) McGuigan.  She had 3 brothers, Patrick born in 1825, Peter born in 1839 and Thomas born in 1846.

Alice married Edward Mooney 8 May 1877 in Crossdall, Armagh, Ireland.  Alice and Edward had a son Peter born 27 November 1879.  Once I had these documents I wasn’t able to find anything else about this family.  The family wasn’t in the 1901 Ireland Census, so I starting looking in the U.S.  I found the marriage certificate for Peter Mooney in 1918 in Massachusetts indicating his parents as Alice McGuigan and Edward Mooney and that he was born in Armagh, Ireland.

   Massachusetts, U.S., Boston Archdiocese Roman Catholic Sacramental

                                                    Records, 1789-1900

I thought that my grandmother, Mamie McGuigan and her sisters were the only ones in the McGuigan family to immigrate to the U.S.  I was wrong, her Aunt Alice and cousin Peter Mooney immigrated to Massachusetts.  In the 1920 census, it indicates that Peter came to Massachusetts in 1885.  I find Alice Mooney widow of Edward in Massachusetts in the1902 directory.

I don’t know if my grandmother knew that her Aunt and cousin were in Massachusetts.  I surmised that she did know they had left but maybe not where because she was living in the same town and didn’t leave until 1892.

 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks - Light a Candle

Many years ago, my father’s cousin, Bunny Morris, her name was actually Irene, would tell me about my cousins and aunts and uncles.

Bunny had the family stories all in her head. She would tell me all about how it was growing up in Richmond Hill, NY with all her cousins.  Everyone lived within a block or two.  You didn’t need school friends you had your cousins.  Bunny and my Aunt Kay, or Sister as she was known to everyone, were best friends.  Even when they were in their 60’s and 70’s they spent every weekend together, having tea and playing cards.  Of course, they gossiped about all the family too.

I had never met these cousins she talked about but I felt I knew them all.  I would visit Aunt Kay some weekends with my father. It was fun to listen to the stories.  I finally said to Bunny, please write down all these names and their connection to me.  I had to figure out who everyone belonged to.

It was like I lit a candle under her, the next time I saw her she had pages and pages listing all the sisters and brothers of my grandfather.  Then all their children and their children, with dates when they were all born.  After many years I have verified all her data, it was all right.  I have all the birth, marriage and death certificates to prove everything she listed.

Sometimes people just need a little push to write down what they know.  They think everyone knows what they know about family until you let them know you don’t and are very interested.

 52 ANCESTORS 52 WEEKS - MEMBERSHIP

I have been interested in genealogy for most of my life.  I did start seriously researching when I got married and wanted to merge the two families.  It has been a long and interesting process.  You start with just what and who you know and work back in time through the family.  You accumulate information on each ancestor and hope you can fill in some of their life as you go along.

One such ancestor, Benjamin Foster, had a very interesting life.  He was born in 1699 in Ipswich, Massachusetts.  In 1775 he was living in Machias, Maine at which time the townspeople were hearing that the British wanted to retain Boston and all New England under British supremacy.  When the British armed vessel Margaretta was ordered to Machias as convoy of merchant vessels to procure “lumber and boards” to build barracks and officer’s houses in Boston, for use of British troops, the citizens of Machias felt they had to do something.  A council of war led by Captain Jeremiah O’Brien and Col. Benjamin Foster voted to make an attack on the Margaretta.

The attack was successful, it was the first surrender of a naval flag by the British Crown on 12th of June 1775 and the first naval victory of the American Revolution.

Benjamin Foster is my patriot and my 6th Great Grandfather. He is the reason I was able to join and be a member of the Daughters of the Revolution, the DAR.

Note-The Capture of the British Sloop of War Margaretta published by Hannah Weston Chapter - Daughters of the American Revolution, Machias, ME

52 ANCESTORS 52 WEEKS  -   LUCKY

I would not be here except for the luck of my ancestor, John Howland.

John Howland was born about 1599, probably in Fenstanton, Huntingtonshire, England. He came on the Mayflower in 1620 as a manservant of Governor John Carver. During the Mayflower's voyage, Howland fell overboard during a storm, and was almost lost at sea--but luckily he managed to grab hold of the topsail halyards, giving the crew enough time to rescue him with a boat-hook.

He married another passenger on the Mayflower, Elizabeth Tilley who was traveling with her Aunt, Uncle and parents. They had ten children after settling in Massachusetts. 

I am descended from John and Elizabeth Howland’s, daughter, Hope Howland born 1629 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

There is a wonderful book written about John Howland’s adventure getting on the Mayflower, his fall into the ocean and his staying in America and building a legacy.  The book is “The Boy Who Fell off the Mayflower or John Howland’s Good Fortune” by P. J. Lynch.  There is also a beautiful painting called “Howland Overboard," by maritime artist Mike Haywood.