William F. Dougherty & Sons copper coffee urn

Isn't this lovely?  An Ebay posting, wish I had room for it.  It is a William F. Dougherty & Sons copper coffee urn.

Michael (Ned) Neary's of Shrahannary, Bangor Erris, Mayo, Ireland

Kate Neary Koehler c. ? 

An revision of my earlier account of our research on Kate Neary (1893-1977) our grandmother. My co-researcher is my sister, Celeste.  Understand, research was necessary. When Celeste asked about Ireland, Nan Nan always replied:  “Why do you want to know about that god-forsaken place?” and refused to go further.

In the 1901 Irish Census, Michael (Ned) Neary of Shrahanarry, is listed as being 46? with the question mark. We know that he is our grandfather as the names of our great- grandmother, Bridget (b.1864 Bangor Erris), and the children (John, 9; Kate, 7; Mary, 6; Annie, 4) are correct.  Michael(Ned) was the son of Edmond and Bridget (possibly Gilroy).  Bridget Neary was the daughter of Patrick Collins and Honor Gaughan.  Michael Neary and Bridget Collins were married on November 9, 1890 and Cloontikilla is given as their residence on the marriage record.

My sister, Celeste, had been researching the family to determine why my grandmother came to the US as a 14 year old.  After a day of research in Bangor Erris/Belmullet, County Mayo, she was told to purchase a copy of Father Sean Noone's book, Where the Sun Sets, a history of the county. She found it at the local news stand in Belmullet. Her husband, Guy, asked if they could go some where quiet so that he could "take a little nap" so they parked near the beach overlooking the bay. Celeste started paging through the book for the chapter on Shrahanarry and found it on page 329. Much information to be found:
"Shraigh of the Spring";
194 acres
Population: 1841=10, 1851 = none, 1911 = 17
1855 Landlord: Ellen Cosgrave
No dwelling house in 1855
East of Bangor.

But the most wondrous words then appeared on the page:

A June 8, 1907 newspaper article from The Western People reporting evictions in Bangor Erris on June 4th:

• "The Sheriff's bailiff and a party of police and Mr. Bingham of Doolough (Landlord) proceeded to Shrahannary. The first house visited was that of a man named Neary who is only three weeks home from America to take charge of his holding. His little children he found alone with an old woman, their mother having died a few weeks previously. Notwithstanding the protestation of Neary , that he was prepared to pay his rent, his sickly old mother of 86 years of age and her helpless burden of orphans, the eldest not ten years and the youngest scarcely that number of weeks were cast out on the roadside where they remained until given shelter by a kind neighbor. The party next proceeded to the house of a widow Bridget Neary who with her 4 children were evicted. The only shelter remaining for her was to put her little scanty furniture opposite the house on the roadside. Sometime during the night, being very cold and finding the house open, she went in a lighted a fire to give warmth to herself and her children where she has since remained.........She will likely be prosecuted for what is known as forcible possession..........The Relieving Officer was not present having got no notice of the eviction and living ten miles away ..................."

We later determined that Michael (Ned) had died in 1901 and this newspaper article indicates that Bridget was in dire straits. We have a death record for Bridget, who died in 1909, and a birth record for another daughter of Bridget’s, Margaret Cosgrove, the “illegitimate” daughter of John Cosgrove…. another story.  This told us why Ireland was “that god-forsaken place”!

John, the oldest, states in his 1915 US immigration record that he was a miner in Bedlington, England, and living with a Carey family there, a common name in Bangor Erris.  He married a Mary Gallagher in 1916, Philadelphia, PA and they had two children Mary and John.  John was a fireman in the oil refinery.  My father remembered visiting John most Sundays at their home in South Philadelphia

The story told to us by Kate (our NanNan) was that she had come to America - through Philadelphia in 1907 with her sister.  We have done much research through the  Immigration records online, and have a Kate Neary (Narey), from Bangor Erris, coming to her Aunt Kate Collins on North 10th Street in Philadelphia. (Kate Collins is listed as Kate Neary's sponsor on the baptismal record we have for Kate Neary.) The date of arrival is June 25, 1907 - she is 14 and it is just 21 days from the eviction, and no sister is with her.  Kate married Frederick Koehler in 1918 in Wilmington, DE and they had seven children, Fred, Harry, John, Richard, Mary, Arthur Thomas and Dorothy.

We do not know where Annie and Mary were between the eviction in 1907 and their immigration to Philadelphia, PA in 1913 to their sister, Kate Neary.  We cannot pinpoint them in the 1911Irish census, but they were either living with relatives, or in the workhouse. We have lost track of the sisters in America, and would love to know what happened to them.  Our aunts and uncles did not remember much, if any, interaction with them and talked of them possibly being in Chicago and North Jersey.

Margaret Cosgrove came to Philadelphia, PA in 1922, to her sister, Kate Koehler.  On the manifest the address she gave for Kate Koehler is the same house where my father grew up.  And she gave as her contact in Ireland, “Mother Superior, Convent, Belmullet.  The sisters ran the workhouse/orphanage, and we believe we have Margaret there in the 1911 Irish census, but the residents were only listed by initials/age, so it is somewhat speculation.  The workhouses were closed after the Irish War of Independence.  Margaret went on to become a baby nurse in Philadelphia, living with families and taking care of their babies.  She usually came to Thanksgiving and Christmas with Nan Nan’s family, and always had the most beautiful hand knitted sweaters to give to the newest baby.  I have the one she knitted for my brother in 1957.

1931 W. F. Dougherty & Sons, Inc Kitchen Equipment Catalog

 Purchased this summer on Ebay, here is an original catalog of kitchen equipment offered in 1931 from the 1009 Arch Street location.  Interesting to note that at the very bottom its states "Manufacturers Since 1852".

I am still here!

Working on unpacking boxes after moving to the beautiful mountains of PA. Will be answering some queries and adding new content soon!

Happy Birthday Mom!

1926-1979

Margaret Dean 1927-2010

My daughter-in-law's adored grandmother passed away this week in Louisiana.  I had spoken to Margaret by phone several times over the years, and she was always warm and gracious.  She always inquired about my family and invited us to visit in Louisiana.  I am sad that we never got to meet in person, but her spirit lives in her granddaughter Ann.

Interior, William F. Dougherty & Sons building, Arch Street Philadelphia

 Here is a picture of the interior of the Arch Street William F. Dougherty & Sons building - thanks to our cousin in Chicago.  She is from the Alice Dougherty/Edward J. Lynch line.  She has shared some family pictures with us and I will try and post them over the next few days.  One of the gentlemen is her Zeigenfus grandfather.

Below is the exterior, as shown in an earlier post:

*PHOTO CREDIT
http://www.phillyhistory.org This link give you marvelous access to the Philadelphia Photo Archive: The Philadelphia Department of Records has over 2 million photographs dating back to the late nineteenth century. Among these photographs are stunning pictures of ships arriving at dock, horse-drawn carriages on cobble streets, and the Eastern State Penitentiary, America’s most historic prison. The PhillyHistory.org website is a GIS application that allows the public to search for historic photographs based on location. Users can locate photographs within a certain neighborhood, within a radius of an address, near a particular intersection, or by a place name like City Hall. In addition, users can search for photographs during certain years and they can search the descriptions of photographs by keyword. Also available on the PhillyHistory.org website is a weekly updated historical blog and digital access to the Department of Records’ Historic Streets Index and Historical Photo Database. Users can make scan requests and purchase photos.

Happy Birthday NanNan!

May Dougherty Gallen on the right was born May 21, 1901.  This picture looks like it was taken on the beach in Atlantic City, NJ and I believe that the gentleman is my grandfather Charles J. Gallen and would love to know who the other woman is!

Irish National Famine Memorial Day, May 16, 2010

Here we are at the Famine Memorial, Murrisk, County Mayo in April. A beautiful spot overlooking the ruined Murrisk Abbey and Clew Bay with Croagh Patrick across the road.  Here is an article on the day from the Irish Times, May 16, 2010
Thousands of people are expected to attend a  ceremony today to remember the 1.5 million people who died or emigrated during the Famine.
Up to 5,000 people are expected to attend the second National Famine Commemoration Day in Murrisk, Co Mayo.
All those who suffered between 1845 and 1851 will be honoured at the National Famine Monument, a large bronze sculpture of a coffin ship which sits at the foot of Croagh Patrick.
Community Minister Pat Carey will be among the dignitaries at the service which will feature a wreath laying, music, readings and a tree planting and candle lighting ceremony.
Frank McCarrick, of Murrisk Development Association, said the ceremony was particularly poignant for locals as several coffin ships left for the US from nearby Westport.
“A lot of people would have seen Croagh Patrick and Clare Island, at the mouth of Clew Bay, as their last glimpse of Ireland as they left and headed for America,” he added.
In a statement the Irish bishops encouraged parish communities to find an appropriate way to mark the day, like with a pilgrimage to or prayer at a local famine site or graveyard.
“As the country holds the second National Famine Commemoration Day, we are confronted by the shocking reality that more than one billion people on the planet are victims of hunger,” they said.

“Remembering the millions who died or were forced to emigrate at the time of the Irish Famine brings to mind that almost one in six of the world’s people does not have enough food to eat today.”

Anna Quinn and Charles Gallen Grandchildren

Holding the babies are (l-r) Nancy Fogarty, Larry Fogarty, Rosemary Gallen, Anne Gallen and the babies are unidentified.  But I have to tell you that sure looks like Kurt on the right?

De

Rose Gallen Corcoran at her First Holy Communion c.1914

Charles Gallen, Jr. 1897-1976 in WWI uniform

Gallen Family

Rose Gallen Corcoran and Charles Gallen, Jr.->

<- Rose Gallen Corcoran, May Dougherty Gallen and friend

Charles and Anna Quinn Gallen m. 1886 in Philadelphia. Charles worked for the Philadelphia Transportation Company. He was naturalized a citizen on October 5, 1878 in Philadelphia, stating that he came from Ireland. On November 4, 1879 Judge of Elections F. Edward Harris signed the citizenship paper stating that Charles had voted that day. Still searching for where in Ireland he was from, suspect County Tyrone near Strabane.

Their children:
Katie b. 1887 was a domestic in Trenton, NJ. I believe that I have her in the 1920 and 1930 census with the Kelly family and in the SSDI with a date of death 1973.
Grace 1 b. 1888 died at 8 months in 1889.  Buried in New Cathedral, Philadelphia
John 1890-1894 is buried in New Cathedral, Philadelphia. I have an elaborate funeral card printed at the time of his death.
Mary 1892-1926 is buried at Holy Cross, Yeadon.
Margaretta (Peggy) 1893-1982 (Holy Cross) never married and work at Bell Telephone retiring in 1956.
Charles 1896-1976 (Sts. Peter & Paul) married Mary Anne (May) Dougherty in 1923. They operated Mary's Laundry at 4023 Garrett Road in Drexel Hill, PA and had 5 children: Charles 1924-30? died of  a childhood illness), Anne (1925-1998), Rose (1926-1979), Charles (1930-1937 was struck by a car on Garrett Road and died) and John J. (1932-1995).
Grace 1897-1972 (Holy Cross) married Larry Fogarty and had two children Anne Marie (Nancy) and Larry.
Anna 1900-1956 (Holy Cross) She died ten years after being diagnosed with breast cancer and never married.
Rose 1904-1985 (Holy Cross) married a Corcoran and had a daughter Rosalie.

William F. Dougherty & Sons

The photo at right is of 1009 Arch Street circa 1960. Don't you love the fins on the cars? The sign says: Dougherty's Kitchen Equipment and Supplies. *

William F. Dougherty was born December 11, 1850 in Philadelphia to Mary McCrory and Charles Joseph Dougherty. In the 1870 US census Charles lists his occupation as sheet metal worker and William is apprenticed to a tin smith. William is listed in the 1875 Philadelphia City Directory living at 808 Buttonwood Street and with an occupation of "stoves". In 1877 at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, William married Mary Ann Fitzgerald and in the ensuing years they had eight children: Charles, Alice, William, Thomas, Joseph, John, Anna Mary and Edward.

At the time of his death in 1920, William F. Dougherty's (my gggrandfather) obituary states that he was in the business of manufacturing cooking equipment for 55 years and the business was located at 925 Arch Street. Over the years it was located at 158 North 9th Street, 925 Arch Street and 1009 Arch Street.

I have an undated list of installations (which states the business started in 1852!) with such notable institutions as US Public Service Hospitals in Walla Walla, WA, Fort Bernard, NM, Rutland, MA and Prescott, AZ, Atlanta Terminal, Atlanta, GA, Hotel Rittenhouse, Philadelphia, PA, Hotel Charlestown, Charlestown, SC, Sing Sing Prison, NY, Campbell Soup, Camden, NJ, Bucknell University, and the Pine Valley Golf Club, Pine Valley, NJ.

Thanks to EBAY and other internet cites I have been able to purchase several pieces of Dougherty china. The restaurant china was actually made by Shenango China, New Castle, PA and is stamped "made for William F. Dougherty & Sons, Philadelphia, PA". I also have a brass stovepipe label with "W.F. Dougherty & Sons 1009 Arch Street Phila."

*PHOTO CREDIT
http://www.phillyhistory.org This link give you marvelous access to the Philadelphia Photo Archive: The Philadelphia Department of Records has over 2 million photographs dating back to the late nineteenth century. Among these photographs are stunning pictures of ships arriving at dock, horse-drawn carriages on cobble streets, and the Eastern State Penitentiary, America’s most historic prison. The PhillyHistory.org website is a GIS application that allows the public to search for historic photographs based on location. Users can locate photographs within a certain neighborhood, within a radius of an address, near a particular intersection, or by a place name like City Hall. In addition, users can search for photographs during certain years and they can search the descriptions of photographs by keyword. Also available on the PhillyHistory.org website is a weekly updated historical blog and digital access to the Department of Records’ Historic Streets Index and Historical Photo Database. Users can make scan requests and purchase photos.

A good quote

Ellen Goodman of the Boston Globe wrote: "This packrat has learned that what the next generation will value most is not what we owned, but the the evidence of who we were and the tales of how we loved. In the end, it's the family stories that are worth the storage." To that I would add the pictures!

1907 Koehler Gustave death certificate

1910 US Census Koehler Marie Reiss

1900 US Census Koehler Gustif Marie

The Gustave and Marie Reiss Koehler Family

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Kathryn Neary Koehler 1893-1977--->

probably with Fred 1918-1984

Frederick Koehler 1898-1984

The earliest evidence of Koehler's in the US is the citizenship petition of Gustif Koehler. He petitioned to become a citizen of the United States on September 3, 1888 in Philadelphia, PA (spelling was Kaylor) and was naturalized in June 11, 189_ the last digit was never filled in. He resided at 3522 Warren Street in Philadelphia and his sponsor was a John J. Steck of 3614 Lancaster Avenue Philadelphia. Address matches the one listed on his death certificate, so we can assume that this is he.

There is no listing for Gustif in the 1890 Philadelphia City directory , a primary source for Philadelphia occupants since the 1890 US Census was lost to a fire. I checked under Kahler, Kaylor, Kohler, and Koehler (62 listed) which is odd, because in the 1900 US Census the family is living at 3522 Warren Street.

In the 1900 census, Gustif is the head of the household, a cabinet maker and lists his birthday as May, 1858. He states that he came to the US in 1881 from Germany and that both his parents were born in Germany. Mary (Marie Reiss) lists her birthday as March, 1857 and emigration date as1881. She and Gustif have been married seven years and the Philadelphia City License Bureau lists their marriage registration in 1893 as #58407. Marie also lists both parents as German born. Marie states that she has birthed 4 children, two of whom are living, Herman born April, 1896 and Frederick born September, 1897.

A search of the Philadelphia City Death certificates returns an Emelia H. Koehler, 7 months, died March 26, 1896 of convulsions and an Arthur T. Koehler, 22 months, died March 31, 1896 of pneumonia. Parents Gus Koehler and Mary Koehler, residence Warren Street. Both children were buried in Greenmount Cemetery in Philadelphia. A third child, Gustav Leopold Koehler 5-1/2 months died July 7, 1901 of fever and is also buried at Greenmount.

Gustave Koehler, 49 years old, died on September 2, 1907 of pulmonary tuberculosis. His obituary, which appeared in the Philadelphia Public Ledger and the Philadelphia Inquirer read as follows

Gustave KOEHLER, aged 49 years. Relatives and friends, also Equity Lodge No 591, F and A M; Keystone Chapter, No 175 R A M. Universal Council, No 19, Asso of Equity Pennsylvania R R Relief Association, are invited to attend the funeral on Thursday, at 2 P M, from his late residence, 3522 Warren st Interment at Greenmount Cemetery.

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A search of city Directories for the family lists the following:
1906: Gustave Koehler, cabinetmkr, h. 3522 Warren
1907-1913: no listings
1914: Marie Kohler, widow, h. 3522 Warren
1915: Marie Kohler, widow Gustav, h. 3522 Warren
1916: Marie Kohler, widow Gustav, h. 3522 Warren
1917: Marie Kohler, widow Gustav, h. 3522 Warren
1918: Marie Kohler, widow Gustav, h. 3522 Warren
1921: Fredk Kohler, h. 250 S Ithan
1922: Fredk Kohler, machst, h. 250 S Ithan

In the 1910 US Census, Marie, a widow is living with Herman and Frederick on Warren Street and lists her occupation as a chambermaid for a private family. Of interest is the fact that a Norah Begley is also living with the family, she is 38 and came to the US from Ireland. She lists her relationship to the head of the family (Marie) as servant.

By 1920, Frederick has married Kathryn A. Neary and they are living at 250 South Ithan Street in Philadelphia with son Frederick W., 12 months, mother Marie and brother Herman. Frederick is a machinist for the railroad and Herman a house carpenter.

Kathryn lists her age as 23 (she was 27) and that she came to the US in 1900 (she came in 1907) and that she was naturalized in 1917 (see the June 5, 2008 posting on the Neary family). Women were not generally naturalized on their own, only through their marriage so this is suspect also. The Philadelphia Archivist searched for a marriage record, but could not find one for them. Where and when were they married?

Always questions to be answered!

Mary A. Morris, born at sea, 1863, daughter of William and Rose

Mary A. Morris, b. 1863 at sea, daughter of William Morris (1840-1900) and Rose Dougherty (d. 1904) married Ulysses S. Grant Machen in 1888 in Philadelphia. This was determined by Rose Morris’s obituary in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, March 9, 1904 where it states: “Relatives and friend’s are invited to attend the funeral on Saturday, at 8:30 am from the residence of her son-in-law, Mr. Grant Machen, 5702 Woodland Avenue.” The Philadelphia Marriage Index, 1885-1951 LDS website, lists for 1888 License #18511 Machen, Grant and Morris, Mary. US Grant Machen was born in West Virginia and appears in the 1870 Census in Baltimore, MD, father, John, a painter born in Virginia, and mother, Rachael, born in Maryland.

Mary and Grant lived at the Woodland Avenue address in the 1900, 1910 census, and Grant was widowed and boarding on South Yewdall Street with youngest son, Roland in 1920. Mary Morris Machen gave birth to seven children between 1889 and 1904, four of whom died before 1899.

Children of Mary A. Morris and Grant Machen:
John Machen was born Jan 1889 in Philadelphia, PA. He died on 05 Jul 1889
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania of Cholera Infantism.
Burial on 07 Jul 1889 in Cathedral Cemetery.

Grant Machen. He was born 1889 in Philadelphia, PA. Cause Of Death on 17
Aug 1899 in Philadelphia, PA (heart disease, mitral valve?).
Burial on 21 Aug 1899 in Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon. (3)

Mary Machen. She was born Apr 1892 in Philadelphia, PA. She died on 08 Jul
1892 in Philadelphia, PA [2].
Burial on 11 Jul 1892 in Cathedral Cemetery .

Helen Machen. She was born Jul 1894 in Philadelphia, PA. Cause Of Death Sep
1894 in Philadelphia, PA (Cholera Infanture).
Burial on 06 Sep 1894 in Cathedral Cemetery

Morris J Machen. He was born on 26 Jun 1893.

Margaret Machen. She was born 1899 in Philadelphia, PA. Residence 1930 in
Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Roland Machen. He was born 1904 in Philadelphia, PA. Residence 1930 in
Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.