Hugh McGaffin

[Snudge21]

I am trying to find a Hugh McGaffin who was born about 1830 in Ireland and moved to New York. He is listed on the 1870 United States Census living in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess, New York with wife Cornelia along with two daughters Ellen (born in New York about 1866) and Bridget (born in New York about 1864). There is another woman living with them called Emily Timmons aged 28 who is also from Ireland. Hugh's occupation is listed as a Shoemaker. When I tried looking for them in the 1880 US Census nothing was coming up and the same can be said with regards to birth records for Ellen and Bridget. I'm still unsure as to whether Hugh moved back to Ireland or remained in the United States. Can anyone help?

[jorose]

Where have you been looking for death/birth records?

First you need to look at what was available:
https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/How_to_Find_New_York_Birth_Records#Births_from_1851_thru_1880

After the failure of the 1847 law, no births were recorded by the State of New York between 1850 and 1880 though some cities (including Albany, Buffalo, Yonkers) started recording births in the 1870s.

So we do not expect to find birth records for Ellen and Bridget, although there might be other records such as church records. Do you know what church the family might have attended?

Similarly, if they died before 1880:
https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/How_to_Find_New_York_Death_Records#Deaths_from_1851_thru_1879

After the failure of the 1847 law, no deaths were recorded by the State of New York between 1850 and May 1880 though some cities (including Albany, Buffalo, Yonkers) started recording deaths in the 1870s.

Again, church records, cemetery records, probate records, etc, could stand in.

I think possibly Cornelia died and Hugh remarried.

In 1875 NY census, a Hugh McGaffin is in the Poughkeepsie area with a Sophia as wife and no kids:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNVV-2GH
In 1880 he is with her and three kids in NJ:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNZB-6VX
still around there in 1900:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9JS-2P3
Note: occupation shoemaker
and 1910:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKTT-MP7

Years married listings in 1900 and 1910 suggest they married around 1874-1876, with other records such as census of 1875 and the first child being born 1875 suggesting the 1874 date is more likely.
In 1910 Sophia has "m1" and Hugh "m2", i.e. she was married once and he, twice.

Interestingly in 1900 Hugh seems to have first entered "40" for number of years married, which might fit if he listed the number of years since his marriage to Cornelia?

So you are looking for a burial/cemetery/newspaper etc. record for Cornelia's death between 1870 and 1875. No single "death record" as such as they weren't kept at that time. I would suggest looking for family members - for example Cornelia's relatives - to see if the girls were placed with them, perhaps the surname has been misspelt.

[shellyesq]

Possible birth records for two of Hugh & Sophia's children:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCJH-6ZZ

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FC2R-XRD

[shellyesq]

There are some newspaper ads and an article from Poughkeepsie newspapers in 1874 that seem to indicate that Hugh was selling his boot and shoe store.  It's a subscription site, but you can see some from the free results.  http://poughkeepsiejournal.newspapers.com/search/#lnd=1&query=%22hugh+mcgaffin%22

There is also a Robert McGaffin in the shoe business there.  Maybe he was a relative?  http://poughkeepsiejournal.newspapers.com/search/#lnd=1&query=%22robert+mcgaffin%22

[shellyesq]

An old post that mentions Robert & Hugh - https://www.ancestry.co.uk/boards/localities.britisles.ireland.dow.general/3048/mb.ashx

[Snudge21]

I have been looking in New York for Ellen and Bridget's birth records largely because they are listed as being born in New York on the 1870 Census. I do not know Cornelia's surname which has made finding a marriage record more difficult. At present I haven't found a death record for Cornelia. Hugh did have four brothers - Robert (born 6th April 1829 and died 15th August 1906 in South Datoka), who moved to America with his wife Mary Elizabeth (nee Martin), James (born 1816, stayed in Ireland), William Henry (b. 29th April 1822) and Caleb (b. 17th February 1825)

[hanes teulu]

New York Newspapers  http://www.fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html

You can see the Poughkeepsie newspapers here. Cannot find anything for Hugh, but you can find Robert's shoe advert.

[shellyesq]

The Newark city directory from 1911 has Sophia McGaffin listed as the widow of Hugh, so it looks like he died around 1910-1911.