Monday, August 24, 2020
History: Why did our Ancestors Leave Ireland? Understanding the Famine
Why did our ancestors leave their homes in Ireland? This website gave me a better understanding of what they faced during the famine and their immigration to America.
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney of County Meath- Family Overview
Parents:
Richard "Dick"Allen b abt 1795 Meath d 1866 Great Umberstown, Summerhill Parish, Meath
married 10 July 1825 in Summerhill Parish to
Margaret Sweeney b abt 1805 d aft 1847 Great Umberstown, Summerhill, Meath
Townland: Great Umberstown, Laracor civil parish
Church: Dangan Church, Summerhill Parish
Children of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney and baptisms/marriages
1-Mary bapt. 28 May 1826 at Dangan, married Patrick Byrne 1851 son of Patrick Byrns and Anna Murray in Summerhill, emigrated to NJ and then Jerseyville abt 1862
2- Francis "Frank" bapt 3 Feb 1829 Dangan emigrated to Jerseyville bef 1859
3- John Allen bapt 20 May 1833 Dangan- stayed at family farm in Great Umberstown- never married- d 8 Jan 1918 (should be buried at Dangan)
1901 census (farmer, age 62 with Jane Moran 19, cousin) 1911 census (age 76 with Thomas Byrne 37, nephew) 1918 died age 85, Magt Byrne present at death
(My aunt mary used to write to John Allen for his brother, Tom Allen, who was living with my mother's family in Jerseyville and a female relative in Ireland would read the letters to him and write in return)
4- Hugh Allen born 3 March 1834 (no bapt doc yet) emigrated to NY for a few years then Jerseyville bef 1863 (see picture)
5- Patrick Allen bapt 5 June 1835 emigrated first to Jerseyville bef 1874 when he married there to Kate Byrne, dtr of Patrick Byrne- both from Summerhill) then Nebraska
6- Peter Allen bapt 20 June 1837 emigrated abt 1881 to Nebraska d 1905
7- Richard Allen bapt 15 sept 1839 Dangan d 1876 Jerseyville
8- Thomas Allen bapt 22 Nov 1841 Dangan emigrated to Jerseyville and married Bridget Julia Byrnes in 1872. died 1920 at home of his nephew Thomas Allen in Jerseyville when his clothes caught fire in the garden. He lived with them for many years as his wife died early and he had no children. My mother was very close to him as a child and he loved to play games with her (see picture)
9- Edward Allen bapt 4 March 1844, married Mary Byrne 1885 Jerseyville died 1897 Nebraska (6 children) Mary Byrne was born in Summerhill Parish, dtr of James Byrne (1817-1907 Mill Road/ Ballinrig) and Catherine Reilly (1827 Mill road-1903 Ballinrigg- both were on the 1901 census with son Richard Reilly)
(see picture)
10- Catharine Allen bapt 21 May 1847 Dangan, married Owen Byrne 1872 in Summerhill. This was Owen's 2nd marriage and he had 5 children when they married. Catherine had 3 children; Thomas b 1873 Clonmahon, Margaret Mary born 1875 d 1951 and Edward b 1887 d 1937 (all baptized Summerhill Parish)In 1901 Owen was 78 and Catherine 50 and they lived in Clonmahon with Thomas 26 and Edward 13. In 1911 Owen was 90 and Catherine 69 and they still lived in Clonmahon with Edward 23. Owen died in 1916, and Thomas was his primary beneficiary (effects 53 pounds) so Catherine likely died before this. Thomas Byrne was also the nephew who lived with John Allen on the 1911 census. Margaret Mary "Maggie" Byrne emigrated to Nebraska (where her uncle Edward "Ned" Allen lived) and married John Patrick Carmichael there before 1910. Edward Byrne was born in 1887 in Clonmahon and may have moved to Dublin.
Close friends of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney in Summerhill Parish
Thos Gallaher (marriage witness 1825)
John Reilly, Mary Murran (for Mary bapt 1826)
Patk Mahon, Alicia Gogarty (for Mary's marriage 1851)
Peter Allen and Mary McCann (for Francis' bapt 1829
Patk Gogerly, Rose McCann (for John's bapt 1833
Walter Ratican and Catherine Brennan (Hugh and Mary were sponsors for dtr Bridget 21 Nov 1846 in Summerhill)
Pat Sweeney and Kate McCan (Peter's bapt 1837)
Richard Reiley, Honor Corcoran (Richard's bapt 1839)
Thomas McCann, Christine Flynn? (Thomas bapt 1841)
Patk and Catherine Reilly (Edward bapt 1844)
Thomas Murin, Ellen Sweeney (Ellen bapt 1847)
Patt Young, Mary Reilly (witn marriage of Catherine Allen and Owen Byrne
Patk Young, Mary Reilly (sp baptism Thomas Byrne, son of Catherine Allen and Owen Byrne)
Ned Allen (may be Catherine's brother, Edward Allen) and Anne Byrne (sp for margaret 1875, dtr of Catherine Allen and Owen Byrne- Summerhill Parish)
Griffiths relatives and neighbors in Great Umberstown (see map in Hugh Allen Blog)
Ellen Neilan, Ellen Reilly, Richard Reilly 12 acres, James Reilly house from Richard, Mary Reilly sr and jr, Elizabeth Mahon 3 acres, Richard Allen 17 acres, John Allen (likely sr) house and garden from Richard Allen, Patk Reilly 30 acres, Patk Flynn house from Patk Reilly, Thomas Murrin 16 acres, Michael Connolly 7 acres, John Corcoran 8 acres, William Doran 5 acres, Patk Doran 11 acres, Patk Sweeney 12 acres, James Mulary 6 acres, James Mulary and Patk Sweeney 8 acres together
Census Great Umberstown
1901- Anne Sweeney, Patk Flynn, Luke Sweeney, Richard Reilly, Julia Doran, Wm Mulvey, Patk Corcoran, Joseph Byrne, John Mahon, Patk Reilly, Charles Mc?, Ellen Murrin, John Allen
1911- George Halligan, Bridget Byrne, Patk Reilly, John Mahon, Elizabeth Byrne, Peter Connor, Julia Doran, Wm. Mulvey, Anne Sweeney, Richard Reilly, Ellen Murrin, Luke Sweeney, John Allen
Griffiths relatives and neighbors in Dangan
(need to do)
Census Dangan
1901- Patrick Young 50, Wm Young 35
John Sweeney 65, Rose 60, Patrick 35, John 25
Elizabeth Young 60, George Young 40 and family
Bridget Allen 72, Fanny 50
Thomas Allen 44 and family
Dowd has Allen nieces living there so an Allen woman married Dowd
1911
Patrick Young 71, George Young and family, Eliz Young 72
Patrick Sweeney 45 and large family- incl. John b 1911
Bridget Allen 79 and fanny 45
Thomas Allen 52, James, Peter, Bridget
Relatives who stayed in Ireland
John Allen (Great Umberstown)
Catherine Allen Byrne (Clonmahon), son Thomas Byrne
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To do:
Mary's 1851 marriage doc
look for other children's births and deaths in Summerhill parish
print: John Allen's death cert, 1901 and 1911 census
print: same for Catherine Allen Byrne (wife of Owen Byrne)
Get thomas byrnes death information
make a digital photo album of these people
Research- Bridget Allen Married Thomas Byrne, son Thomas Byrne born 23 march 1879 (witn micheal mccann and eliz reilly)
Research close friends/neighbors, relatives
contact Facebook site"summerhill house of stories"- share emigration information
My family Heritage service is in Batterstown, near Summerhill
https://myirelandheritage.com/
To do in Ireland:
1-Cemetery- graves of John Allen, Richard and Magt SweeneyAllen
Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Dangan
Tel 046-955 7021- very rev. Michael Meade- parochial house, Dangan
R158, Ginnets Little, Co. Meath, Ireland
2- See Dangan school built 1856, remodeled 1890
2- Cemetery at Moy (south of Summerhill on New Moy Rd) grave of Hugh Sweeney d 1824.
2-Great Umberstown- find house of John Allen 1911- house had 3 windows in front, 3 rooms, wood or thatch roof, stone or concrete walls (see map in Hugh Allen blog)
3- Visit Dangan ruin- see https://visionsofthepastblog.com/2012/08/19/dangan-castle-summerhill-co-meath/ "Just outside Summerhill, Co. Meath stands the ruins of Dangan Castle. Beside Dangan church a long laneway leads up towards the ruin, in a field to the right as you advance towards the castle a three arch bridge – now unused – crosses a small brook"
4- drive through village of Summerhill on way from Dublin to Dangan
5- continue to base in Trim and other sites in Meath (see my map)
Trim- see River Boyne, Trim Castle, and walk over oldest bridge in Ireland over the Boyne River, visit St. Mary's Abbey, St Patricks church, pubs- Marcie Regans Pub (one of the oldest in Ireland, right on the river Boyne, and Fri night music) James Griffin Pub, the High Horse Pub, overnight at bnb's
https://www.parishoftrimandboardsmill.com/gallery
St Patrick's Trim (built 1902)
Photos:
Generation 1- emigrants from Summerhill Parish, children of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney
 |
| My ancestor Hugh Allen 1831-1891 (son of Richard Allen and Magaret Sweeney) and wife Margaret Durney  Thomas Allen (1841-1920) brother of Hugh Allen, and my mother, Pauline Allen  Edward "Ned" Allen (1844-1897) brother of Hugh Allen Generation 2- grandchildren of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney- born in US  |
 |
| Home of Thomas Allen and Nellie Quinn at Allen farm in Jerseyville |
Generation 3-My mother- Pauline Allen 1915-2007 (dtr of Thomas Allen)Generation 2-
Children of Hugh Allen, born in Jersey County, Illinois-
Home of Richard Allen and his family- part of Hugh Allen farm in Jerseyville |
| Margaret, dtr of Hugh |
 |
Rose, dtr of Hugh (1869-1964) on left, with Nellie Quinn |
Generation 3
 |
| Margaret Mary "Maggie" Byrnes (dtr of Catherine Allen) 1875-1951, Husband John P Carmichael, and family in Nebraska |
Children of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney of County Meath- Thomas Allen 1841 Summerhill- 1920 Jerseyville
Thomas Allen was the seventh son born to Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney. The seventh son was thought by some to hold special powers; the seventh son of a seventh son was though to be a healer. (We don't know Thomas' father Richard Allen's birth order!)
Hugh was seven years old when his brother Thomas was born. We can only imagine the tiny cottage full of little boys; the eldest child, Mary, now 15 years old, was the only girl to help Margaret when this new baby was born.The family was predominantly boys; Frank 12, John 8, Hugh 7, Patrick 6, Peter 4, and Richard 2.
The baby was baptized at the church at Dangan on November 22, 1841. His baptismal sponsors were Thomas McCan (likely his uncle- the husband of Mary Sweeney, his mother's sister) and Christine Fitzsimons (also likely Sweeney relations- Catherine Sweeney, another of his mother's sisters, had married Andrew Fitzsimmons.)
On the 1900 census, Thomas reports immigrating in 1864. But we see no records for him for the civil war draft.
However, we do know that on New Years Day in 1872, Thomas married Bridget Burnes/Byrnes at St. Francis Xavier Church in Jerseyville. Richard? and Anna Burns were the witnesses.
In 1900, Thomas was 59 years old, living and working on the farm of newlywed John J. and Catherine "Kate" Maloney Quinn and their family, including John's parents- 76 year old Thomas Quinn and 64 year old Ellen Kinsella Quinn (my great grandparents), who note their immigration date as 1855, and Richard Quinn, John J. Quinn's brother who was born in 1869 and would die that year.
He was still with them in 1920, when my mother, Pauline Allen, was 4 years old. His age is now listed as 80, which would be close to correct.
My mother never knew her grandparents; they all passed away before she was born. So her great-uncle, Thomas Allen, was the closest thing she had to a grandfather. She remembered him very fondly; he would often sing and play games with her. As the youngest child in a large family, she was the "baby" of the family, and he was the eldest member, so they enjoyed their special time together. Her oldest sister, Mary, would write letters for him back to John Allen, his brother who still lived on the old family farm in Summerhill Ireland, and read the letters to him that came back, written by John's niece.
One day Tom was helping in the garden, burning grass, when his trousers caught fire and he was badly burned. He must have suffered terribly; the burns were so severe that he died several days later. My mother lost one of her dearest friends.
He died on the last day of March in 1920 and his funeral was held at St. Francis Xavier Church in Jerseyville. This would have been the first time my mother experienced the funeral of someone she loved, although another Allen death would come just a month later- the sudden death of her 47 year old uncle, Hugh Allen, who lived on the farm just across the road from her home. Both services were held by Father Clancy, a priest who would serve Jerseyville and the Allen family for many, many years to come.
He was buried at the cemetery at St. Francis, next to his wife, Bridget.
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Children of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney of County Meath - Peter Allen 1837 Summerhill -1905 Nebraska
We don't know much about Peter Allen.
He was baptized on June 28, 1837 at the church in Dangan. His father was listed as "Dick" Allen and his mother as Margaret Sweeney. His baptismal sponsors were Pat Sweeney (his uncle) and Cath McCan.
The only census we have for him is the 1900 census. On that document, he reports that he arrived in the U.S. in 1881. So, Peter was one of the last Allen siblings to immigrate from Ireland.
We notice in the Allen documents and especially in the census records that there is a lot of discrepancy about birth dates and ages. Peter clarifies this for us by simply stating his birth date on the census as "Don't know." This is despite the fact that he states that he can read and write. Birth dates were apparently not all that important to the Allen's in Ireland, and since many could not read and write, they were not readily recorded. It is a good thing that we have the church baptismal records!
In 1900, Peter was a naturalized citizen, and owned his own farm, adjacent to that of Mary Allen, his brother Edward's widow. With 6 children under the age of 15, Mary was probably very glad for Peter's help on the farm. Edward had only died 3 years earlier.
Peter died 5 years later, on January 5, 1905. He was 67 years old. He was buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Burchard, near his brother Edward. His grave gives us a great clue as to where the Allen family lived in County Meath. It is inscribed "Aged 61 y. born in Umberstown, Ireland."
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 12 August 2020), memorial page for Peter Allen (20 Jun 1837–5 Jan 1905), Find a Grave Memorial no. 33061916, citing Sacred Heart Cemetery, Burchard, Pawnee County, Nebraska, USA ; Maintained by LoNe Searcher (contributor 46845051) .
We know now that Umberstown is the tiny townland where the Allen family farm was located- near Dangan, where they attended church in Summerhill Catholic Parish in County Meath.
The inscription on Edward's grave says " born in Summerhill Parish, Meath Co., Ireland." His birthdate on findagrave is given as March 14, 1844 and his death date as May 27, 1897- aged 53.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 12 August 2020), memorial page for Edward Allen (14 Mar 1844–27 May 1897), Find a Grave Memorial no. 33302035, citing Sacred Heart Cemetery, Burchard, Pawnee County, Nebraska, USA ; Maintained by LoNe Searcher (contributor 46845051) .
Mary (Bryan) Allen would also be buried there in 1932, as would her son, John J. Allen, buried in 1966.
There is a puzzle in the Burchard Cemetery as well-
James Allen, b 1888, died May 25, 1897 (two days before Edward)- age 9. Edward's son James was still listed on the 1900 census as 12 years old. He did not die until 1930. So- who is this child?
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 12 August 2020), memorial page for James Allen (1 Jan 1888–25 May 1897), Find a Grave Memorial no. 33302068, citing Sacred Heart Cemetery, Burchard, Pawnee County, Nebraska, USA ; Maintained by LoNe Searcher (contributor 46845051) .
Children of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney County Meath- Patrick Allen 1835 Summerhill- 1910 Nebraska
Hugh and his younger brother Patrick were close in age- just one year apart. Patrick was baptized at the church in Dangan on June 5, 1835.
He had joined his brothers in Jerseyville by 1874, when, on April 8, he married Catherine "Kate" Burns at St. Francis Xavier Church. His brother Hugh was a witness for his wedding.
Their first son, Richard, was born on January 27, 1875 and baptized at St. Francis Xavier church in Jerseyville.
Shortly after his birth, the couple moved to Beatrice, Gage Nebraska, where their first daughter, Mary Ann was born.
By 1880 Patrick was living in Mud Creek, Gage Nebraska. Patrick was farming, and they had four children.
In the 1900 census, Patrick noted that he immigrated in 1870, so had been in the U.S. for 30 years, and was a naturalized citizen. He owned the farm they are living on.
The couple lost their eldest son, Richard, in 1890. He was only 14 years old. He was buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in Beatrice, Gage Nebraska.
In the winter of 1909, Patrick became ill. He was diagnosed with pneumonia. Just after Christmas, on December 29, his 27 year old son, Frank, died suddenly. Patrick died just days later on January 2, 1910.
Catherine stayed on the farm for a time, but by 1920 she was living at 429 6th Street in Beatrice. The census showed her as 72 years old. She later moved to Vermillion, South Dakota. She died on November 20, 1926, and was buried with Patrick at St. Joseph Cemetery in Beatrice.
Patrick and Catherine Allen's children were:
Richard b January 27, 1875 Jerseyville, died 1890 Nebraska age 14
Mary Ann b Sept 7, 1877, Beatrice married Lawrence J. Houlton in 1897. Lawrence was a farmer in Vermillion, South Dakota. He and Mary Ann had nine children. Mary Ann lived until age 92, dying in November, 1969.
Thomas was born January 1879. Thomas remained single throughout his life, and at age 41, was living with his sister, Cecilia Allen Reddon and her family on Gage St. in Potsdam, Nebraska, working as a stock buyer. By 1930 he owned a farm in Green Valley, Nebraska. He later moved to Stuart, Nebraska, where he died in August, 1941. He was buried at the cemetery in Beatrice.
John A. b Oct 6, 1880 married Dora Mae Olds in 1905. John was a farmer, worked at Dempster Mill, and helped build the first Catholic church in Crab Orchard, Neb. He was living at 918 S. 6th street in Beatrice, when he died at age 89. He was buried at St. Joseph's cemetery in Beatrice.
Frank Allen born 1882 died 1909 age 27.
Cecilia Allen b Aug 15, 1884, married Charles J. Reddon August 5, 1903 in Beatrice. They had 7 children and lived in Blue Hill, Nebraska. Charles died in 1937. In 1940, Cecilia was living with two of her daughters and providing nursing care in a private home. She died in 1965 at age 80 and is buried at Blue Hill cemetery.
Bernard Charles Allen b September 22, 1886 married Ellen Shaughnessey in 1912 in Axtell, Kansas. They had 8 children. Bernard was a farmer. He died in 1945 at age 58.
Edward Robert Allen b March 11, 1889, married Rose Murray in 1910. They had 7 children. In 1940 they were living at 428 North 6th St. in Beatrice. Ed was driving a truck for a refinery. He died in 1964 at age 75.
Saturday, August 8, 2020
Frank Allen Part 2- What happened to Frank Allen's family after his death?
About ten days after Frank's death, his widow, Mary Durney Allen petitioned to be the executor of his estate, and a probate was filed, with Hugh Allen and Michael Powers signing as securities. The estate was valued at about $1700 with Frank's heirs being Mary (Durney) Allen, his wife, and Adele (Delia) and Margaret (Maggie) Allen, his children.
Catholic Diocese of Springfield; Springfield, IL; Illinois, Church Records, 1853-1975
Ancestry.com. Missouri, Death Records, 1850-1931 [database on-line]
Source: Probate Records Vol. B-D 1877- 1906, Jersey, Illinois
Two months later, in January, 1873, the estate was settled. There were claims paid to Frank's brothers, Richard and Patrick. A public sale of personal property was held, and Patrick Allen bought a stallion for two hundred dollars- quite a sum at the time.
Three years later, on August 16, 1873, Mary Durney Allen married John Fahey.
Ancestry.com. Illinois, County Marriage Records, 1800-1940
Mary amoved to St. Louis, Missouri with her husband.
On August 20, 1879, eighteen year old Adelia Allen married John R. Aylward at St. Francis in Jerseyville.
A confusing note in the family history notes that in February, 1885, Mary Durney Allen Fahey submitted bills to the probate court for the care of Delia and Margaret and these funds were forwarded to St. Louis. S.H. Bowman was listed as guardian of the girls and there was a claim for board and keeping in the amount of $1,416 for the years up to June 1875. So Mary had borrowed $1500 on the estate. In any case, the farm in Jerseyville was sold to settle the accounts. (Source: book of Jody Allen)
John Fahey died and Mary was listed as a widow in the St. Louis directory. Maggie, was living with her mother at 2228 Clark Ave. in St. Louis when in September, 1889 she contracted typhoid fever, and tragically died at age 19.
There was a packed funeral at St. Francis Xavier Church in Jerseyville. But Maggie's step-sister, Delia, is not mentioned in the announcement.
Source: book of Jody Allen
Maggie Allen was buried with her father, Frank Allen, at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery in Jerseyville.
Source: findagrave
Mary Durney Allen Fahey moved back to Jerseyville, living in the upstairs apartment of an orange building on East Pearl Street (near where the Stadium Theater is standing today. (source:book of Jody Allen)
She is shown here on the 1900 and 1910 census. The 1910 census shows her as 84 years old. Mary died in 1913. Her funeral expenses were paid by Hugh Allen and Thomas Allen. (source:book of Jody Allen)
Next Post: But before she died, Mary Durney Allen Fahey wrote a very unusual will...
Friday, August 7, 2020
Frank Allen Part 3- The interesting 1912 will of Mary Durney Allen Fahey (3rd and last wife of Frank Allen)
In 1912, Mary Durney Allen Fahey wrote her will. She named her nephew, Hugh Allen, (my great grandfather) as her executor.
From the book of Jody Allen
Probate Records; Author: Illinois. County Court (Jersey County); Probate Place: Jersey, Illinois
Probate Records, Vol D-G, 1901-1922
This will is significant for our Durney genealogy. We very limited Parish baptismal records for this family from Ireland to prove relationships. But here Mary notes her relationship with nieces and nephews in the community. They are listed as:
John Powers- nephew, East St. Louis (son of Bridget Durney Powers who died in 1905)
Laurence Powers
Katie Powers
Priscilla Powers
Anthony Powers
Josephine Powers
Cora Powers
grandnephews and nieces, Jerseyville, Illinois (children of James "Shug" Powers who died in 1907/grandchildren of Bridget Durney)
John Durney
William Durney
Richard Durney
Annie Durney
Michael Durney
Nephews and nieces, address unknown (children of Thomas Durney)
Bird Powers
Mary Powers
grandnieces address unknown
Thomas Durney
John Durney
James Durney
Mary A. Herget
Anna Schlagel
grandnephews and nieces address unknown (children of Michael Durney)
and Bridget Fitzgerald - Jerseyville Illinois (daughter Michael Durney)
Richard Allen
Margaret Allen
Rose Allen
Thomas Allen
Hugh Allen
nephews and nieces- Jerseyville Illinois (children of Margaret Durney Allen who died in 1884)
So- despite the lack of baptismal records, here we have a document connecting Mary Durney, Bridget Durney, Thomas Durney, Michael Durney, and Margaret Durney as siblings.
Here is another interesting thing about the will. Despite naming 24 heirs to her estate, including those she had no idea of where they might live, Mary left out one very important person.
She left out her stepdaughter, Delia Allen Aylward, who she raised from the age of seven. Family histories note that Delia's children visited Mary, and referred to her as grandma. Delia received nothing from her father's estate. But she sat with her step-mother as she lay dying. Here is a note she wrote to her eldest son, Frank.
Next Post- The remarkable story of Delia Allen Aylward.
Frank Allen Part 4- Frank's daughter Delia Allen Aylward
Photo from book by Jody Allen
I feel sure I would have liked Delia. She was a strong and remarkable woman.
She had a rough start. She lost her mother before she was seven years old. She lost her father when she was eleven. A few years later her 2nd step-mother remarried and they moved from her home on the farm in Jerseyville to the city- East St. Louis. We don't know if Delia stayed with her step-mother or was raised by a guardian, whom Mary Fahey paid to care for her. We don't know what Delia's relationship was with her half-sister, Maggie Allen, but we can guess that Maggie, who tragically died of typhoid fever in 1889, was her mother's favorite. But when she turned 18, Delia moved out on her own. On August 20, 1879, she married John Aylward at St. Francis Xavier Church in Jerseyville.
John Richard Aylward was a handsome young man, whose parents had also come from Ireland. He was a car mechanic- an exciting occupation in those early days of automobiles. Later in his life, he would work as a brick mason.
The young couple soon started a family. Their first son, born in 1882, was named Francis Thomas (after both their fathers) and called "Frank." There would be seven children; Frank, Mary Ellen "Ella," James Francis, Katherine Agnes "Kate," John Richard, Margaret Lydia, and Cecilia Elizabeth born in 1897. They lived on Maple Avenue in Jerseyville.
At some point in his life, John Aylward began to struggle with alcoholism. The newspaper story below, tells the sad tale of his final days.
A later biography tells how Julia survived with seven children after the death of her husband.
"When Mr. Aylward died, Mrs. Aylward was left with a family of children. In order to comfortably support them she entered upon an unusual line of work for one of her sex, paper hanging, and was so successful in it that by 1915 she was one of the leading inside decorators of Jerseyville and vicinity. She is a lady of remarkable force of character and ability, and is held in the very highest esteem by all who have the honor of her acquaintance, for they appreciate the determination and pluck that is required to enable her to enter what was then regarded as exclusively a man's field, and to "make good" at her work, and to all times command respect and confidence."
Source: Biographies from the History of Jersey County, 1919 Oscar Brown Hamilton
In 1910, Delia was 48 years old, living in Jerseyville and renting a house on 618 East Carpenter Street. Three of her children, John 18, Margaret 16, and Cecilia 13, were still living with her.
Year: 1910; Census Place: Jerseyville Ward 3, Jersey, Illinois; Roll: T624_295; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 0052; FHL microfilm: 1374308
In 1930, she was 69 years old, and living at 306 Maple Ave. with her daughter Katie Aylward Atchison and her family.
Year: 1930; Census Place: Jerseyville, Jersey, Illinois; Roll: 522; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0008; Image: 119.0; FHL microfilm: 2340257
In 1940, she was 78 years old, and living at 719 East Carpenter Street. Her 47 year old son, John, was living with her and working on a project with the W.P.A. This census tells us that, like many women of her time, Delia never went to school past the sixth grade.
Year: 1940; Census Place: Jerseyville, Jersey, Illinois; Roll: m-t0627-00817; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 42-8
Yet, orphaned and widowed, in a time when women were not expected to have a career, she began and built a flourishing business while raising seven children. Three of her sons served in World War I.
Delia passed away at age 92, on October 12, 1953. She was buried next to her husband, John, in the Saint Francis Xavier Cemetery in Jerseyville.
Delia Allen Aylward's children were:
Francis Thomas "Frank" b Sept 10, 1882. Frank served in WWI. He died April 13, 1957 and is buried at St. Francis.
Mary Ellen "Ella" b Jan 19, 1884, married Clarence A. Hughes in 1904 but was widowed by 1920. Ella lived at 407 Maple Ave. in Jerseyville. She died Jan 28, 1976 and is buried at St. Francis.
James Francis- b Dec 2, 1886, helped his mother with painting and paper hanging in her business. He served as a cook in the 110th mortar battery, 60th Field Artillery Brigade, 35th Div. in WWI. He died Feb 8, 1948 and is buried at St. Francis.
Katherine Agnes "Kate" b April 5, 1889, married William H. Atchison in 1908. William was a barber in Jerseyville. They lived next door to Ella at 409 Maple Ave. Kate died March 14, 1977 and is buried at St. Francis.
John b Aug 23, 1891, worked on an ambulance in Co. 334 during WWI. In 1940 he was living with Delia at 719 East Carpenter street in Jerseyville. He died Jan 15, 1968 and is buried at St. Francis.
Margaret Lydia b June 12, 1894, married Harry Oakes Taylor in 1915. They lived in Nameoki, East St. Louis, Madison, Illinois. Margaret died March 30, 1981.
Cecilia b March 23, 1897 married Earl Birkenmayer, a farmer in Jerseyville. Cecilia died Oct 31, 1986 and is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Jerseyville.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)