Hi Shellyesq,
1890 US Censuses were pretty destroyed in the fire and very little reminded. But New York and Louisania censuses are amongst the censuses destroyed in the fire.
I am much interested in 1900 US Census. The only trouble with this family is that their surname consistently mistranscribed throughout the censuses.
I am pretty certain they are still in NY for my great grandfather got married in Brooklyn in 1902 and had a family with his Irish-born wife. They are my Grandfather's parents.
As to the city directories, how one can identify a person as yours? Unless your ancestors pretty stayed in same place, it is a good tool--that's my position on using city directories. If there is online databases, I will be happy to search them but many are paysites. I had spent fortunes on many databases. Need to cut back on expenses.
With this family, they may have moved around between 1880 Census and 1900 Census. For instance, in 1880, the family was in Manhattan and in 1870, they were in New Orleans, LA.
This family is a bit troublesome because my Great Grandfather may be only one male sibling. It would be great if we find that he had younger male sibling or two in 1900 Census which will enable me to track them down. But all of his known siblings were female.
Vital records are strangest part of this family because for an example, my Great Grandfather was named Patrick on his birth record yet his baptism record shows his name as Henry Joseph! It seems he was originally named after his Father but for some reasons his parents changed their mind by baptising him under new names! It is same with his siblings.
Luckily, the baptism record does have his birth date which match up with his birth record. The parentage were confirmed by his marriage record.
I am trying to determine whether his parents died in New York City or not because it seems that Great Grandfather married and settled down in Brooklyn.
I know his Father was a cooper and was consistedly recorded on two censuses. This is an useful information to identify in the city directories but you cannot truly confirm that it is yours if the name is common like his.
I have tried searched the death records on his parents especially his Father--none of them shows his occupation as a cooper. It makes me think that he probably was not actually a cooper at all. Yet 1870 US Census shows that he is somewhat "prosperous" and not sure if 1880 US Census shows the same information (will double-check this information). How accurate the information is my question.
Too bad that early NYC death records does not list an informant--they were always a doctor. This is very difficult to determine which record is my Great Grandfather's parent's.
If there is a family plot, it would be great as it will pinpoint which record is correct. I do not know where his parents were buried.
Even more is that I still could not find my Great-Grandparents' firstborn's birth record nor death record. I have the baptism record of their first child whom my Mother never knew about. It was confirmed by two birth records on my Grandfather and his "eldest" sister where they asked how many children are in the family. It seems the parents named a firstborn Angela which was recorded in 1905 NYC Census whereas the baptism record shows different names.
I hope this does not put anyone off but I am illustrating my difficulties with this family.
Kind regards,
Tees
