And so last Thursday, I turned to the 1865 MA state census.
There are two Boston possibilities for Bridget in the 1865
MA State census, although it is not known with any certainty that she was
actually in MA in 1865 or even in Boston, for that matter:
Name
|
Ward
|
Age
|
Birthplace
|
Occupation
|
Andrew L. Hall [2]
Mrs. Hall
James Higgins
Bridget
Higgins
Elizabeth Fenn
|
6
|
66
60
40 [born abt. 1825]
25
[born abt. 1840]
25
|
Mass
Mass
Ire [Ireland]
Ire
[Ireland]
|
Merchant
Servant
Servant
servant
|
David M. Yeoman [3]
Mary H. Yeoman
Edwin M. Yeoman
Bridget
Higgins
Nancy Driscoll
|
11
|
26
22
1
17
[born abt. 1848]
25
|
Ohio
Me
Mass
Ire [Ireland]
Ire [Ireland]
|
Oil dealer
Servant
Servant
|
I’m not confident with either of these households; there
isn’t anything or anyone that stands out.
Could I distinguish perhaps a likelier candidate based upon Bridget’s year
of birth in known U. S. records?
This morning I went through what records I have that point
to her birth year:
Record
|
Year
of Birth
|
1866 marriage application
|
Record implies Bridget was born about 1840 [4]
|
1866 marriage registration
|
Born about 1840 [5]
|
1870 U. S. federal census
|
Born about 1841 [6]
|
1880 U. S. federal census
|
Born about 1843 [7]
|
1900 U. S. federal census
|
Born about Feb 1842 [8]
|
1907 Return of death
|
Born about 1847 [9]
|
1907 Burial
|
Born about 1847 [10]
|
Earlier records indicate a possible earlier birth, while the
death and burial records indicate a possible later birth. So based on these records alone, I’m not able
to judge a likelier candidate from the 1865 MA state census, and even if I were
able to, I wouldn’t want to discount either census record at this point – or
other records in other locations.
The FHC reopens tomorrow.
I’ll be looking for Bridget “et al” in other records.
Notes:
[1] “Massachusetts, Town Records, 1620-1988,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 27
August 2012), marriage application, p. 118, entry for Edward Barry and Bridget
Higgins, 6 April 1866, Charlestown; citing “Town and City Clerks of
Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook
Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).”
[2] “Massachusetts State Census, 1865,” index and images, FamilySearch (htpps://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MQH4-HJF
: accessed 22 Aug 2013), Bridget Higgins in entry for Andrew L. Hall,
1865.
[3] “Massachusetts State Census, 1865,” index and images, FamilySearch (htpps://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MQHZ-RSL
: accessed 22 Aug 2013), Bridget Higgins in entry for David M. Yeoman, 1865.
[4] “Massachusetts, Town Records, 1620-1988,” database, Ancestry.com, entry for Edward Barry and
Bridget Higgins, 6 April 1866, Charlestown.
[5] “Massachusetts, Town Records, 1620-1988,” database, Ancestry.com entry for Edward Barry and
Bridget Higgins, 7 April 1866, Charlestown.
[6] 1870 U. S. census, Suffolk County, Massachusetts,
population schedule, Boston, Ward 12, p. 127, dwelling 523, family 871, Edmund
Barry; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30
December 2008), citing National Archives microfilm publication M593, roll 647.
[7] 1880 U. S. census, Suffolk County, Massachusetts,
population schedule, Boston, Enumeration District (ED) 692, p. 34, line 1,
Bridget Barry; digital image, Ancestry.com
(http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30
December 2008), citing National Archives microfilm publication T9, roll 557.
[8] 1900 U. S. census, Suffolk County, Massachusetts,
population schedule, Boston, Enumeration District (ED) 1357, sheet 11-A, p. 177 (stamped), dwelling 103, family
165, Bridget Barry; digital image, Ancestry.com
(http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30
December 2008), citing National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 682.
[9] Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910, 18:242, no. 8689,
death, entry for Bridget Barry (From original records held by the Massachusetts
Archives. Online database: NewEnglandAncestors.org [now
AmericanAncestors.org], New England Historic Genealogical society, 2004).
[10] Boston Catholic Cemeteries, owner profile, report #1167
in possession of blog author, entry for Bridget Barry, 1 October 1907, lot no.
C2-22-7; citing Mt. Calvary Cemetery burial information, Boston Catholic
Cemeteries, 366 Cummins Highway, Roslindale, MA 02131.
