Putting It All Together (or part of it)

Edward Barry and wife Bridget at 81 Dove St. in South Boston (nee Higgins, who was likely the sister of my gg grandfather Edward and his brother John, who adopted Annie Carrigan)  ~ led to me Cornelius Scanlon also at 81 Dove ~ who led me to James Scanlan at 92 Dove and earlier 2 Dove St. ~ who bought property from Michael Cunningham of 2 Dove ~ whose tax records led me to John Higgins at 1 Dove and John Higgins the roofer at Farrell Place in 1859-1862.  

And John the roofer may have had a brother named James Higgins, another roofer. 

A 25-year old James Higgins is listed on John’s 1860 census in Ward 12 of Boston.  He is listed simply as a laborer born in Ireland [1].  At this point we don’t know if they were brothers, and so far, James is not listed on any further records pertaining to John.

But I traced a roofer named James Higgins a few years ago, so I pulled out my notes from that time, which included his marriage record from 1863.  

James is listed on this record as a 25-year old laborer whose parents were James Higgins and Mary [2].  I don’t have any documents that list Mary’s maiden name, at least not yet, but will keep looking. 

Now the death return for John Higgins the roofer listed his parents: James Higgins and Mary Hagerty [3].

I believe there is a connection.

So this morning I resumed my search of James Higgins the roofer and found his naturalization records from 1877:  He was born in County Waterford, Ireland, and arrived in New York on or about 15 October 1853 [4]. 

IF there is a connection between these roofers and my gg grandfather Edward Higgins (also a roofer), and his brother John (a teamster), the man who adopted Annie Carrigan ~ and if there is a connection between Annie, and the Carrigans from Lismore, County Waterford, investigating the occupation of roofing may (or may not) bring me one step closer to where I need to go. 

Notes:

[1] 1860 U. S. census, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Boston, population schedule, Ward 12, p. 115, dwelling 763, family 889, line 8, John Higgins household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 March 2014), citing National Archives microfilm publication M653, roll 525.

[2] “Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915,” Boston, 22 November 1863, James Higgins to Hannah Walsh, no. 2070; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed again 21 March 2014), citing “Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915,” New England Historic Genealogical Society.

[3] “Massachusetts, Death Records, 1841-1915,” Boston, 25 January 1914, entry for John Higgins; 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.    

[4] “New England Petitions for Naturalization, 1787-1931,” Massachusetts, U. S. Circuit Court, 1877, December, Vol. 111, p. 169, entry for James Higgins; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 21 March 2014). 

Edward Barry (1868-1869) of 81 Dove Street

My last couple of posts have mentioned the birth and death of a recently (very recently) discovered Edward Barry who may have been Edward Barry and Bridget (Higgins) Barry's oldest son.

This child died on 9 September 1869 [1].

Well, I pulled out the cemetery records I have for Edward and Bridget Barry.  One date immediately stood out when I saw it:  9 September 1869 is the date Edward purchased a grave in Mt. Calvary Cemetery....

Yet the paperwork I was sent from Boston Catholic Cemeteries only showed three burials:  one for Edward himself in 1879, one for son Michael Barry in 1894, and one for wife Bridget (Higgins) Barry in 1907 [2].  

The paperwork does not mention a fourth burial that may have occurred earlier in September 1869, but I find it probable now (considering also the Irish naming pattern I wrote about earlier today) that Edward purchased the grave on the same day his oldest son Edward died of "chol. Inft: at "81 Dove" Street.

Now having established a stronger case that Edward and Bridget lived at 81 Dove Street at the same time Cornelius Scanlon lived there -- and if and only if Cornelius becomes a link to the Roman Catholic parish of Lismore, County Waterford -- as I suspect he might -- then I may be able to establish a link between the Higginses and Cornelius, which would in turn provide a link between the Higginses and the Lismore parish.    

Notes:

[1] “Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915,” digital image, FamilySearch (htpps://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N7NL-1BF : accessed 12 September 2013), Edward Barry, 1869.

[2] Boston Catholic Cemeteries, owner profile, Report 1167 in possession of blog author;  Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 366 Cummins Highway, Roslindale, MA 02131.

Edward and Bridget (Higgins) Barry---An Irish Naming Pattern

I've found him, I've found him, I've found him.

My last post mentioned an Edward Barry born in 1868 at “81 Dove” Street in Boston.

This Edward died at “81 Dove” ten months later of “chol. Inft” on 9 September 1869 [1].  

His parents were Edward Barry and Bridget – not unlike the other Edward who was the youngest known child of Edward Barry and Bridget (Higgins) Barry [2].

The two Edwards were born ten years apart:  1868 and 1878. 

They may have been brothers.

If so, it appears that Edward Barry and Bridget (Higgins) Barry named their five known children and possibly the older Edward after this traditional Irish naming pattern:

SONS

1^st son was named after the father’s father

2^nd son was named after the mother’s father

3^rd son was named after the father

DAUGHTERS

1^st daughter was named after the mother’s mother

2^nd daughter was named after the father’s mother

3^rd daughter was named after the mother

Children	Named After
Mary Barry	1st daughter named after Bridget’s mother Mary  [3]
Edward Barry (possible oldest son)	1st son named after Edward’s father Edward [4]
Ellen Barry	2nd daughter named after Edward’s mother Ellen [5]
Michael Barry	2nd son named after Bridget’s father Michael Higgins [6]
Delia Barry	3rd daughter named after Bridget [Delia and Bridget are forms of the same name] [7]
Edward Barry	3rd son named after his father Edward [8]

  

Notes:

[1] “Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915,” digital image, FamilySearch (htpps://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N7NL-1BF : accessed 12 September 2013), Edward Barry, 1869.

[2] Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910, 297:89, no. 3183, birth, entry for Edward Barry (From original records held by the Massachusetts Archives.  Online database:  NewEnglandAncestors.org [now AmericanAncestors.org], New England Historic Genealogical society, 2004.)

[3] “Massachusetts, Town Records, 1620-1988,” database, Ancestry.com, marriage application, entry for Edward Barry and Bridget Higgins, 6 April 1866, Charlestown.

[4] Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910, 312:151, no. 3859, death, entry for Edmund Barry (From original records held by the Massachusetts Archives.  Online database:  NewEnglandAncestors.org [now AmericanAncestors.org], New England Historic Genealogical society, 2004.)

[5] Ibid., no. 3859, death, entry for Edmund Barry.

[6] Ibid., marriage application, entry for Edward Barry and Bridget Higgins.

[7] Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910, 279:35, no. 1573, birth, entry for Delia Barry (From original records held by the Massachusetts Archives.  Online database:  NewEnglandAncestors.org [now AmericanAncestors.org], New England Historic Genealogical society, 2004.)

[8] Ibid., no. 3183, birth entry for Edward Barry.

Edward and Bridget (Higgins) Barry -- Objectives and Tasks

I am still gathering information about accidental deaths in Massachusetts -- and especially looking for information about deaths indirectly caused by natural disasters -- AND procedures that may have been followed when a body was considered dead but missing at the scene-- as well as what documents may have been generated by these procedures.

These documents may shed light on Edward Barry's death, but it is hoped that some clue in some as yet unknown document may shed light on the current objective:

Find birth locations in Ireland for all known siblings of John and Edward Higgins.

That includes Edward Higgins' sister Bridget (nee Higgins) Barry and a much younger brother named Michael, who died in Boston.

The underlying objective here would be to prove or disprove a link to the Roman Catholic Parish of Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland -- where not only Laurence Carrigan may have been baptized, but also possibly my gg grandfather Edward Higgins and his brother John.

So far all of the records I have just say "Ireland."  However, there are still some basic records I need to collect, such as marriage and death records for Edward and Bridget Barry's children.  And so this has become the new task.   

Boiler Room Fireman

At death, Edward Barry’s occupation had been “fireman” [1].   This term apparently had and still has different uses.  And according to this West Coast gal (well, mostly West Coast), this is big news.

That is, Edward may not have been a member of the Boston Fire Department (as I had thought), but employed as someone called a “boiler room fireman,” a person who actually worked in a boiler room.

***

In 1877, an Act occurred in the state of Massachusetts to provide for medical examinations and inquests in cases of death by violence, which briefly spoke of accidental deaths.   

Section 10 of this Act states that an inquest would be required only if the accidental death occurred “upon any railroad” – but in other cases of “casualty,” an inquest would be held only if the district attorney or the attorney general deemed it necessary [2]. 

This would include examining witnesses. 

In the case of Edward’s death, there may have been only one witness – an engineer – by the name of ‘William B. Mason’ who had been standing near the boiler room where Edward was killed.  William had a “narrow escape,” and could have known and told authorities that Edward was inside the boiler room [3].  

Notes:

[1] Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910, 312:151, no. 3859, death, entry for Edmund Barry (From original records held by the Massachusetts Archives.  Online database:  NewEnglandAncestors.org [now AmericanAncestors.org], New England Historic Genealogical society, 2004.)

[2] An Act To Abolish The Office Of Coroner And To Provide For Medical Examinations And Inquests In Cases Of Death By Violence,  Acts and Resolves, 1877, Chapter 200; digital image, State Library of Massachusetts (http://archives.lib.state.ma.us : accessed 30 August 2013).     

[3] “A Building Struck by Lightning and Partially Burned – A Fireman Buried in the Ruins,” Boston Evening Transcript, 17 July 1879, front page; digital image, Google News (Archive) (news.google.com : accessed 28 August 2013).  

Edward Barry's Death -- Scalded By Steam?

This is somewhat of a tangent, but may lead to more information about Bridget, which in turn may lead to more information about John and Edward Higgins and the Carrigans:

Edmund [aka Edward, Bridget’s husband] Barry’s civil death registration stated he was a fireman who died at 53 Warcham St – after being scalded by steam [1].  This apparently was somewhat of an understatement, and perhaps a huge one.

This morning I found a newspaper article-- about his death--that made the front page of the Boston Evening Transcript on 17 July 1879 [2].   

A fierce storm had made its way through the Boston area the day Edward died – bringing rain, hail, wind -- and lightning, which struck a chimney in the rear of Cressy & Noyes’ planning mill – in the vicinity where Edward was killed.   

‘Forty’ feet of the chimney was knocked away and bricks fell upon several nearby buildings, including the boiler room Edward was inside.  According to the article, he was "no doubt instantly killed."  But after four hours of tunneling, his body was never found.

Also according to the article, Edward had a wife and five children, which was correct, but the article also stated he had lived at 9 Bolton Street – which is apparently incorrect, based on his death registration, which clearly states he had lived at “24 Lark.”    

Furthermore, the 1880 Boston Directory – which commenced on 1 July 1880 – has “Mrs. Edmund Barry” [aka Bridget] living at “24 Lark” – about a year after her husband’s death.   

So…I’m wondering -- since and if Edward’s body was never found – who declared him officially deceased?  Was there a court record that needed to be filed?

Notes:

[1] Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910, 312:151, no. 3859, death, entry for Edmund Barry (From original records held by the Massachusetts Archives.  Online database:  NewEnglandAncestors.org [now AmericanAncestors.org], New England Historic Genealogical society, 2004.)

[2] “A Building Struck by Lightning and Partially Burned – A Fireman Buried in the Ruins,” Boston Evening Transcript, 17 July 1879, front page; digital image, Google News (Archive) (news.google.com : accessed 28 August 2013).   

Marriage Application Signatures?

What perplexes me about Bridget Higgins Barry’s marriage application is the “applicant” signature line, which contains two signatures – that of Edward Barry, the groom, and one “Wm Whalen” -- who obviously is not Bridget [1].

The other applications that appear on the same page all have one signature – that of the groom.  Why would Edward’s and Bridget’s application need a second male signature?

I thought perhaps it might have something to do with the age of either the bride or groom, but Edward was 27 at the time and Bridget’s age was recorded as 26. 

I’ll need to follow up on this. 

“Wm Whalen” – William Whalen – just may be key to finding more information about Bridget.   

Notes:

 

[1] “Massachusetts, Town Records, 1620-1988,” database, Ancestry.com, entry for Edward Barry and Bridget Higgins, 6 April 1866, Charlestown.