It's the 21st of May, 2010, spring has sprung and our neighborhood is recovering from a busy St. Patrick's Day season. We've removed all of the beer cans and cups from our shrubs and have been able to park on our block for three days now, so I consider this holiday a success.
I live on Tipperary Hill in Syracuse, NY, and yes, I'm part Irish. I'm also a genealogist, who has to this point been unable to trace my family's irish heritage back to Ireland. I can get back to New York City in 1860 and no further. I've started this blog as a way to motivate me to achieve this goal, and to perhaps find some cousins and help other Irish researchers along the way.
My father's parents were Lester Armstrong Cavanagh and Elizabeth Eugenia Laborde. Lester was born 12 Nov 1890 in Elizabeth, NJ to parents Michael Archibald Cavanagh and Elizabeth Armstrong Kennedy. Lester and Elizabeth married 6 Mar 1920, possibly in Brooklyn, NY or in Spring Valley, NY. Lester died 10 Nov 1935 in Brooklyn of stomach cancer.
Several years ago I visited the NJ State Archives in Trenton and was able to find Lester's Birth Certificate. To my surprise I found out that Lester had a brother, Frank W. Cavanagh, b. 1 Feb 1888 in Elizabeth. Neither child was named at birth. I have only found one census record that shows the family intact. This is the 1895 NJ State Census. Family 275 of the 5th Ward of Elizabeth, NJ is listed as follows:
Michael Cavanagh, white male, 20 - 60
Lizzie Cavanagh, white female, 20 - 60
Frank Cavanagh, white male, 5 - 20
Lester Cavanagh, white male, under 5
Michael does not appear with his wife in the 1900 US Federal Census. Elizabeth (Kennedy) Cavanagh was living with her mother, Eliza Kennedy, at 235 Elizabeth Ave., in Elizabeth, NJ. The family is listed as follows:
Eliza Kennedy, head, white, female, b. May 1835, 65 yrs old, widowed, 2 children, 2 living, b. Ireland, both parents b. Ireland, immigrated 1847, in US 53 yrs, able to read, write and speak English, rents house
Sarah Kennedy, daughter, white, female, b. Apr. 1875, 25, single, b. NJ, both parents b. Ireland, Stenographer, 0 mos unemployed, able to read, write and speak English
Elizabeth Cavanagh, daughter, white, female, b. Apr. 1870, 30, married 13 years, 2 children, 2 living, b. NJ, both parents b. Ireland, able to read, write and speak English
Cavanagh, Frank, grandson, white, male, b. Nov. 1887, 12, single, b. NJ, both parents b. NJ, at school 6 months, able to read, write and speak English.
It's interesting that Lester is not listed in the household, and that both Frank and Elizabeth Cavanagh's birth month and year are incorrect. Where are Lester and Michael?
Michael Cavanagh, white male, 20 - 60
Lizzie Cavanagh, white female, 20 - 60
Frank Cavanagh, white male, 5 - 20
Lester Cavanagh, white male, under 5
Michael does not appear with his wife in the 1900 US Federal Census. Elizabeth (Kennedy) Cavanagh was living with her mother, Eliza Kennedy, at 235 Elizabeth Ave., in Elizabeth, NJ. The family is listed as follows:
Eliza Kennedy, head, white, female, b. May 1835, 65 yrs old, widowed, 2 children, 2 living, b. Ireland, both parents b. Ireland, immigrated 1847, in US 53 yrs, able to read, write and speak English, rents house
Sarah Kennedy, daughter, white, female, b. Apr. 1875, 25, single, b. NJ, both parents b. Ireland, Stenographer, 0 mos unemployed, able to read, write and speak English
Elizabeth Cavanagh, daughter, white, female, b. Apr. 1870, 30, married 13 years, 2 children, 2 living, b. NJ, both parents b. Ireland, able to read, write and speak English
Cavanagh, Frank, grandson, white, male, b. Nov. 1887, 12, single, b. NJ, both parents b. NJ, at school 6 months, able to read, write and speak English.
It's interesting that Lester is not listed in the household, and that both Frank and Elizabeth Cavanagh's birth month and year are incorrect. Where are Lester and Michael?
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