Surnames

Treasure Trove

My dining room table is covered with a trove of genealogical treasures.  My dad was back east this week visiting my grandfather.  While he was there, I got him to pick up a box family documents and photographs.  It filled a suitcase and my dad dropped it off at my house this afternoon.  I excited – like a child on Christmas morning excited.  I’ve already spent several hours tonight going through all the photographs and documents, sorting them into like piles.  I’ve located photographs of ancestors I know very little about – these photographs are the first inkling of any real information I have about them. 

I can’t wait to start really digging into the information and finding out new information about all my ancestors contained in all these documents.  I’m down right giddy – and intimidated by the sheer volume.

The Thomas Family in Brooklyn 1930
The House on Schneck Avenue

The House on Schneck Avenue

The house Nan lived in when she was five in Brooklyn, NY. From the 1930 Federal Census, the Deegan and Weymer families lived in the other apartments in the building. The Deegan’s had a teenage son and a teenage daughter, and the Weymer’s had a 21 year old son, and a six year old son. In addition to her parents and sister, Nan’s grandmother lived with them in their apartment.  Her father’s occupation is listed as an Operator, and the industry on the census appears to be “Monotype” but it’s a little illegible, so I’m not entirely sure.  Her grandmother is listed as a Cook, and her industry is completely illegible, so I have no idea who she would have been working for.

1930 Federal Census

1930 Federal Census

 

St. Vincent de Paul, Brooklyn, NY – Another source for information on the Donnelly/Reilly Family
St. Vincent de Paul, Brooklyn, NY

St. Vincent de Paul, Brooklyn, NY

This is the church were my 2nd great-grandmother Sadie Donnelly married my 2nd great-grandfather John Reilly on April 30, 1893 in Williamsburg (Brooklyn), NY.

I have been unsuccessful in finding a lot of information about this part of my family.  Vital records searches in Brooklyn have turned up with nothing.  Now I found a reference to the church where they got married in some old records.  So I thought, if the City of New York doesn’t have any information, maybe the church as the information.

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Elizabeth Leary – Census Records

The 1850 Federal Census is one of the few places I’ve found a reference to my 4th great-grandmother Elizabeth Ambrose nee Leary. She is married to David Ambrose and they have three young daughters: Mary Ann, Ellen and Catherine. They lived in the Western District of the 1st Ward of New York, which is the tip of Manhattan in the area now part of the Wall Street/Financial District. Elizabeth and David were listed as the same age in 1850: 26 years old, which would put their dates of birth circa 1824. Both of their birthplaces are listed as Ireland, while their daughters’ are all listed as New York, which means they immigrated sometime between 1824 and 1847 when Mary Ann was born. Mary Ann is listed as 3 years old, Ellen as 1 year old, and Catherine as 2 months old. David is listed as working as a laborer.

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1850 Federal Census

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