My great great grandmother was Catherine CRENAN (or Crennan, Crannan, Kreenan, and Kiernan as we sometimes found it) and her maiden name was MURPHY. She was born about 1837, in Ireland, and according to census information and also her obituary Catherine was a native of Queens County (County Laois), Ireland]. She spent most of her adult life in California.
It is most probable that she emigrated to America probably around 1854 to 1859, when she was 17 to 22 years old. Michael CRANNAN was two years younger, so it probably would be closer to 1856 when he emigrated. We do know that they were in California by the 1860 census, so they had to arrive in America prior to that time.
She married Michael CRENAN (“CRAN??N,” [abt. 1839, 1860 Census]) who a San Francisco hack driver and was born in Ireland. Where they married is unknown to us at this time, as were the details on how they got to San Francisco, and if they emigrated from the same place in Ireland. Catherine CRENAN was located in the 1880 San Francisco Census, along with Alphonso WALL and Rosa, with her brother Michael. She was widowed by Michael’s death and she went to reside with the BARLINGs at 8 Ford Street in San Francisco [1890, according to the San Francisco Directory]. But we are unable to find out where and when he died.
The information that she was living with the Barlings stated that she was 39 (b. abt 1841) and both parents were born in New York [sic]. Yet the 1910 census has both her parents born in Ireland. It seems reasonable that she did not fill out the census, which was probably done by the head of household, Mr. Barling. This is further buttressed by the statement in the 1930 census that Catherine’s parents were both born in the Irish Free State.
My great grandmother was Margaret A. CRENNAN [b. c 1859, California: 1880 San Francisco Census Index]. We found that she lived in 1867 in San Francisco, at #2 Thompson. Margaret, a schoolmate and friend of John Amos GAFFIGAN, would become Maggie Gaffigan in an1879 wedding at St Joseph’s Church in San Francisco [John’s Journal]. They were both the same age.
Her siblings included Rosa CRENAN [b. about 1858, 1880 San Francisco Census]. It shows her the daughter of Catharine Crenan who was widowed, age 39, born in New York [sic] while her father was born in Ireland. Rosa was a bridesmaid at her sister’s wedding to John A. Gaffigan.
Margaret’s siblings may have also included: Mrs. John L. Catherine (or Kathryn) BARLING [b. 1860, parents were born in the Irish Free State; she was first married @ 24 yrs, abt. 1880-82; this Barling was a second marriage, abt. 1920, and her husband was a dyer. according to the 1930 Census]. In 1910 Henry J. CRENNAN resided with his sister Katherine [sic] and her husband John BARLING [b. abt. 1863, New York]
Mrs. Alphonso. H. Rose WALL [b. abt. 1857, the husband was a shoe cutter, but by 1889 was a driver for the Contra Costa Laundry]. This may have been Rosa. Then there was Mrs. Kate (or Kattie) CAREY [b. abt. 1861]; Michael CRENAN [b. abt. 1863, who worked for J. Schweitzer & Co. as a butcher] and Henry J. CRENNAN [b.1866, all the children were born in San Francisco, CA]. There may have been one other brother: John Augustus CRENAN who was born about 1860 and died at the age of 11 in 1871 [1871D-371]
Maggie CRENNAN and John Amos GAFFIGAN were parents many times: Alphonse died in 1891 at age 4; James Walter, died in 1890, aged 5 months; Milton Alphonse, died in 1886 at age 2. According to the 1910 U.S. Census the family had re-located to Diamond Street, in San Francisco. There were seven living children, all at home: Arthur [b. 19 April 1880 d. 26 July 1953]; Albert [b. 23 October 1882]; John Amos Kreenan [b. 31 August 1884 d. 23 August 1946]; Mary [b. abt. 1887]; Agnes Bridget “Aggie” [my grandmother who was born in 1888 and died 5 July 1958]; Catherine Lillie [b. June 1891]; and, Clara [b. August 1899].
Maggie was located in the Ellis Island records as one who had traveled to Dunkineely, Co. Donegal, Ireland. She returned to the states on the Columbia, with an arrival date of 24 April 1910. She departed from Londonderry, Ulster, Ireland, and was listed as a U. S. Citizen.
Margaret A. Gaffigan’s funeral was not attended by her husband, John Amos Gaffigan. She passed away November 14, 1915. The funeral took place at the family home of her daughter, 129 Diamond Street, San Francisco, thence to Most Holy Redeemer Church and burial at Holy Cross cemetery.