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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: River Tyne Lass on Monday 19 November 18 14:25 GMT (UK)
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My Great Grandfather's (Simon Peter Conroy) brother was called Joseph Conroy. He was born in Morpeth, Northumberland on 20 January 1849 and baptized on 11 February at St Robert RC Church Morpeth.
His parents were James Conroy and Elizabeth Conroy nee Fitzpatrick.
He married on 5 February 1874 to Bridget Conway at St Mary RC Church in Newcastle upon Tyne. I have come across a certificate of death for whom I believe is their daughter -Mary McClelland June 26th 1928 in the county of Allegheny in America.
Joseph's brother James Conroy also emigrated to America and settled in Pennsylvannia with his wife Rose. I have been able to find out the end story of James but now would like to know more about what happened to Joseph, if this might be possible?
I was wondering if anyone might know what became of Joseph and where he may be buried?
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In the 1920 census a Joseph Conroy is listed as a boarder living with Mary McClelland and her family.
1920 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6B6-93R
He died in 1921.
Name: Joseph Conroy
Birth Date: abt 1851
Birth Place: England
Death Date: 7 Jul 1921
Death Place: Braddock, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Father: James Conroy
Mother: Conroy
DC: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01n23/
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Thank You!! So perhaps Joseph and James' family may have been relatively close.
James had quite a gruesome death at the mine he worked at - apparently he fell into some machinery and got mangled. :o
I can't quite make out the cause of death totally .. but I think it might be due to kidney trouble, perhaps? And is the contributory .. fly drops?
Joseph's Father James died on 24 August 1876 and was buried in Durham, England on 27 August 1876. Burial entry Our Lady & St Joseph, Brooms, Durham.
RJ137 I am very grateful for this information you have found for me. :D
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Does anyone know if a death notice may have been placed for Joseph? I know the American notices seem to list family members who 'survived' the person. My Great Grandfather Simon Peter Conroy did not die until 1922 in Gosforth, England - I wonder if he may have been named as a family 'survivor' in any such notice?
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Not sure what this means? or anything?
On Joseph's DC the informant was a Elizabeth Richardson, address Jeanette, PA.
Here is that Elizabeth Richardson in the 1910/1920 census. It appears her maiden name was Conroy. Does the mother-in-law Margaret Conroy ring a bell?
1910 Census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGHD-6FR
1920 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6B7-9VL
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No, unfortunately this does not ring any bells at the moment. So if Margaret was a married woman she would have married someone called Conroy. However ..
Joseph's Father James had a sister called Margaret but she was born in England not Scotland.
James the father was almost hanged during a trial in 1856 in Newcastle upon Tyne which was known as 'The Matfen Murder'. He was charged with murdering his landlady. Margaret was later sent to the Hexham house of correction for attacking one of the witnesses at the trial. After that Margaret disappears and I have never been able to find that one. I might add that James was acquitted of the murder.
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A few more bits & pieces.
Margaret died in 1928. Informant was Elizabeth Richardson
Name: Margaret Conroy
Age: 67
Birth Date: 31 Dec 1860
Birth Place: Scotland
Death Date: 16 Mar 1928
Death Place: Jeannette, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA
Father: John P Hines
Spouse: John P Conroy
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Elizabeth died in 1938. She was divorced from William.
Name: Elizabeth Richardson
Age: 54
Birth Date: abt 1884
Birth Place: England
Death Date: 3 Oct 1938
Death Place: Hempfield, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA
Father: John Conroy
Mother: Margaret Hines
Spouse: William Richardson
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No, it cannot be that one as the Margaret on the American census was born 1855.
I will have to think about this one .. ???
What a puzzler .. Margaret Conroy must be in some way connected to Joseph .. since her daughter was the informant.
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Joseph also had a brother John who was born on 17 March 1855 in England. I have never been able to pin point his end story either. However, he was only John Conroy with no P in his name. ???
This is certainly giving me something to puzzle over.
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Oh my gosh!! You won't believe how excited I am!! :D
I have just checked on freebmd and possibly a John Conroy married a Margaret Hines in the Lanchester registration district in the June quarter of 1875. So Elizabeth Richardson is very likely Joseph's niece!!
I will have to follow through on researching this some more - but my ancestors did go and live the Lanchester district in Durham. Wow!! I did not expect such a breakthrough today. I know I will have to investigate more .. but I really feel you have made my day today!! :D
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That's great RTL. I am sure all of us have that excited feeling every so often, breakthroughs are so welcome!
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Oh thank you Josey .. I do feel like leaping for joy now. Trying to contain myself as I know more needs to be looked at. I have just put a marriage look up request on the Durham board and hopefully someone will look up the marriage for me.
I have never been able to pin point any particular John as my ancestor after 1871 so I have never found his end story .. however, now inadvertently through a post requesting information on Joseph .. perhaps I may have got a break through on John!! :D
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Here is Margaret Conway & her husband John listed a boarders living with Elizabeth & husband William Richardson in the 1900 census. It states Margaret & John were married in 1877.
1900 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M341-VSX
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In the 1910 & 1920 census Margaret is listed as married, even though John was wasn't listed with the family. He must have been away working at the mines. He died in 1922. He is listed as John P. Conroy and the informant was Wiliiam Richardson, Jeannette, PA
Name: John P Conroy
Gender: Male
Age: 68
Birth Date: 17 Mar 1853
Birth Place: England
Death Date: 6 Mar 1922
Death Place: North Union, Fayette, Pennsylvania, USA
Father: James Conray
Mother: Conray
DC: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01n24/
EDIT ADDED-
Daily News Standard
Uniontown, PA
Tuesday, March 07, 1922 - Page 5
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In the first link in the 1900 census his birth year is given as 1855. I have such a good feeling about this John .. like I have never had with any other 'John Conroys I have come across in England.
I do have a sense already that this IS the one. :D
I suspect the birth year in death registration and the marriage length of time has been put down wrongly. John was born on 17 March but in 1855. His Father was James Conroy and on some census it does record James was born in Ireland. John like his brothers was a miner in England.
I have posted asking for a marriage look up for this on the Durham board.
Thank you so much for all you have found today including the newspaper article. I really do get a strong sense that this is the John I have been looking for and for so long. :D.
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If this definitely is him it will be amazing to think that 3 of the brothers went out to live in America.
There is a Simon Conroy who went out in 1887 on the 'Lord Clive ' from Liverpool arrived 19 April but I do not know if this may or may not have been my Great Grandfather going out to visit them. I do know that some of Joseph's sister Mary's children later went out and also settled in America.
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The marriage of Mary Conroy (born England 1 May 1877) and John McClelland took place in Alleghenny county on June 5th 1899.
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Thanks ShaunJ for this - I will add this to my records too. :)
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On FamilySearch I have just noticed a Margaret Hinds (sic) in 1871 living in Medomsley with her family. Her father is called Patrick. Perhaps he might have been (John) Patrick Hines or Hinds?
My Great Grandfather Simon Peter Conroy's marriage certificate gives his residence as Medomsley Cottages - so I think perhaps it might be that the Margaret above could be the one who married John. Even though in this census her birth place is not Scotland - it is given as Cumberland. However, I have seen birth places change from census to census so this is not set in stone.
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On the death notice for one surviving daughter of 'New Castle' - is this a place in America or might they be referring to Newcastle in Northumberland?
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New Castle is a town Northwest of Pittsburgh, PA near the Ohio border. Wellsville, Ohio is west of Pittsburgh, PA near the Pennsylvania boarder.
I think the daughter (Mrs. George McCord) is named Mary Jane.
There is a Mary Jane Conroy (b. 10 Oct. 1880 England) residing in Jeanette, PA marrying a George M. McCord (b. 27 June 1877 Wellsville, Oh) in 1904
Marriage: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2VW3-V4G
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George's WWI Draft Card names his wife as Mary Jane and they are living in Newcastle , PA
WWI Draft: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6VR-YLX
In 1920 George is listed as divorced and back in Wellsville, OH.
1920 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDBW-MBD
It appears George must have remarried another Mary . His WWII Draft card list his wife as Mary as does his death record in 1953. His obit in 1953 states he leaves a widow Mrs. Mary Hood McCord. No children mentioned just siblings and nephews/nieces.
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Could this be that Mary Jane?
Birth: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XJS-1YR
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EDIT ADDED-
I think this is Mary Jane in the 1900 census listed a Jamie Conroy. It looks like "Jannie" to me. Born Oct 1880 England and living in same place as John & Margret were in the 1900 census.
1900 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M341-L4W
Just noticed on the 1900 census for John & Margaret that Margaret states she has 3 living children. One child must have died between 1900 and 1922 when John died.
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This is so kind of you to find out all this extra for me!
I will be looking at the GRO website to check out of this Mary Jane had a Mother with maiden name of Hinds or Hines.
Oh so New Castle is in America - if it was the Newcastle in Northumberland (now Tyne and Wear) I would have been able to search more on her locally.
By the way these are the birthdates of all the Conroy siblings in Joseph and John's birth family if this might be helpful to anyone else: :)
Mary 15 January 1847
Joseph 20 January 1849
Simon Peter 4 June 1851 (My Great Grandfather)
James 19 February 1853
John 17 March 1855
Michael 11 August 1857
Thomas 15 December 1859
Catherine 17 February 1862
Elizabeth 7 May 1864
Catherine and Elizabeth died very young and are on the death registers at St Mary RC Church, Hexham.
Thank you so much RJ137 - it is great to have found out so much more and all through your help. :)
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Just to add the GRO website shows that Mary Jane's Mother's maiden name was Hines. Her birth was registered in Lanchester 1880 Vol 10A Page 269.
Elizabeth was also registered in Lanchester in 1883 - so both daughters were born here before they headed off to America.
I have checked FamilySearch and it would appear that Elizabeth was baptised at Esh (Lanchester) in an RC Church.