A Common Denominator (Maybe)

•    Lawrence Carrigan and Mary Murphy of Hartford, Hartford, CT
•        John Higgins the roofer of Boston
•         James Higgins the roofer of Boston
•         My gg grandfather Edward Higgins the roofer of Boston
•         John Higgins, the teamster of Boston who adopted Annie Carrigan
•         Philip F. Lonergan, a witness to James Higgins the roofer’s naturalization

The one thing they all have in common is an association to a person or persons whose surname is Welch (or Walsh).

Michael Welch was a witness at the wedding of Lawrence Carrigan and Mary Murphy in Hartford in 1870 [1]

A man named Michael Welch was also enumerated in Hartford, CT in the 1870 household of John Higgins, the man who adopted Annie Carrigan [2]. 

In 1867, John Higgins the roofer’s daughter Annie was born at 387 First Street in South Boston, at the residence of Edward Welch, who was likely my gg grandfather’s business and roofing partner [2].

James Higgins the roofer married Hannah Walsh [4].

My gg grandfather Edward Higgins, and John Higgins, the man who adopted Annie Carrigan, were most probably brothers.  The maiden name of their mother was Welch [5].

     Philip F. Lonergan (sometimes spelled Lanigan, Lonegan, or Landrigan) also lived for a time at 387 First Street, at the residence of Edward Welch the roofer, and also married Catharine Welch [6].

     Side note:  The surnames Lonergan and Lundregan are associated with the Scanlons (See Scanlon 13).   Interestingly, a man named John Scanlon also lived at 387 First Street, the residence of Edward Welch, the roofer [7]

The parents of Hannah Walsh (wife of James Higgins) were John Walsh and Joanna [8].

The parents of Catharine Welch (wife of Philip Lonagan) were Michael Welch and Catharine [9].

I would like to take a deeper look now at all of these Welches to see if there is a common denominator. 

Notes:

[1] Connecticut, Hartford County, Town of Hartford marriage Registrations for the year 1870, p. 241; FHL microfilm 1,313,873.  Names of witnesses were provided by parish secretary at St. Patrick's Church in Hartford, Hartford, CT in an email dated 21 July 2008 to Annie Carrigan's granddaughter, who forwarded the information to the blog author.

[2] 1870 U. S. census, Hartford County, Connecticut, population schedule, Hartford, Ward 6, dwelling 989, family 981, line 24, John Higgins household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed again 18 March 2014), citing National Archives microfilm publication M593, roll 101.

[3] "Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXZ6-Y23 : accessed 20 Mar 2014), Annie Higgins, 28 Sep 1867; citing Boston, Massachusetts, 5247, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,428,039.

[4] “Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915,” Boston, James Higgins and Hannah Walsh, 22 November 1863; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 March 2014), citing “Massachusetts Vital Records, 1840-1911,” New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

[5] See parental information at “Massachusetts, Death Records, 1841-1915,” Boston,  19 May 1893, entry for Edward Higgins; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 March 2014), citing “Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911–1915,” 438:212, no. 4655, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

See also “Massachusetts, Death Records, 1841-1915,” Boston,  10 December 1908, entry for John Higgins; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 March 2014), citing “Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911–1915,” New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

[6] The transcription entry for Philip Lanigan in the 1865 Boston Directory at Boston Streets:  Mapping Directory Data (http://dca.lib.tufts.edu/features/bostonstreets/ : accessed 23 March 2014), reads “Lanigan Philip, mariner, house 387 First.”

[7] The entry for John Scanlon on page 590 in the 1870 Boston Directory reads:  “Scanlon John, laborer, house 387 First” from “U. S. City Directories, 1821-1989,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 March 2014), citing The Boston Directory, Sampson, Davenport & Co.

[8] See James Higgins and Hannah Walsh marriage at note 4.

[9] See "Massachusetts, Marriages, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N4MF-8WS : accessed 24 Mar 2014), Philip Lonagan and Catharine Welch, 28 Nov 1863; citing 107, Boston, Massachusetts, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,433,021.