Where in America?

[*Sandra*]

SSDI Record

Name: James C. Comiskey
Born: 12 Apr 1893
Died: 15 Sep 1966
Last Residence: 02767  Raynham, Bristol, Massachusetts.
SSN was issued in: Massachusetts (1964-1965)

[*Sandra*]

WW2 Draft for John Francis Comiskey

14 Doggett Court. Clinton. Worcester. Massachusetts.
Name and address of person who will always know him:- Mrs Charles M Daley. New Braintree. Massachusetts.
Employers Address:- Town Of Clinton. High Scool. Clinton. Massachusetts.

[Colur]

A big thank you for your prompt reply to my query, you supplied more information to me in an evening than I was able to uncover in over a year. I will check out the various leads and WILL get back to you.
Many, many thanks once again.

Colúr.

[Colur]

When I posted the query ‘Where in America’ some fifteen months ago little did I realise the odyssey the replies would send me on.
I have crossed the Atlantic on every passenger ship between 1900 and 1911 and checked the Castlegarden and Ellis Island records during the same period for information on my two Great uncles John and Thomas. I have made myself more aware of the history of the U S A in both World Wars and have trawled through the B M D records for information on John and his wife Elizabeth who were first to travel over after their marriage in 1900. Thomas was to follow sometime between the 1901 and 1911 census, oral history has given a date of 1906 for his departure, leaving his wife and children here. His eldest child Patrick was to loose his life during WW1 on the 9th September 1916, the date of his 17th birthday and lies in an unmarked grave in Northern France a victim of the carnage that was the Battle of the Somme.
Again oral history has John’s death occurring in 1932 and Thomas’ in 1927. Further information states that Thomas lived at 141, Camden Street and was buried in St John’s Cemetery Boston Mass. in that year but I was not unable to locate him on either the 1910 and 1920 census nor can I find a death notice for him.
The children of John and Elizabeth, Elizabeth D O B June 1891, James C April 1893 and John F February1895 appeared in both the 1910 and 1920 census but only John F with any degree of certainty appears on the 1930 census as he is still living with his parents.  I have located death notices for John Jnr. July1974 and James C. September 1966.

Toni, I see the point you made regarding the 1900 census and it does appear that the enumerator used 1900 dated forms for his return instead of the 1910 s all the children were born after 1900.

I was particularly taken by the description of James C in his WW1 Draft posted by Sandra as I feel it describes his Grandfather James to a ‘T’




The most saddening thing for me about this whole issue is that it would appear none of the three children married. Their Grandfather James left his family home in Lucan with his wife Mary Anne and his first born John and travelled out to Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) in search of a better life. On the journey which in the 1860’s would have taken some time, their second son Michael (my Grandfather) was born. In the next 16 years a further seven children were born as borne out by the 1911 census which shows them having had ten children all of whom were still living. Of the four sons two remained in the town, my Grandfather became a butcher as did my father and his brother James became a boot maker going on to own a boot repair shop in Dun Laoghaire which was still in operation and the family name until relatively recently.
John and Thomas were lured by all that America had to offer and it is sad that their dreams, their ambitions for themselves and their children in the New World were ended within 75 years of leaving these shores.

Another thing that my search revealed was that their cousin Catherina, born to the brother of my G/Grandfather also went to America. She became a Catholic nun and ended her days on the 5th February 1959 in a convent in Houston Harris Texas. Her ‘Order’ name was Mary Anselm and she is buried in the Garden Of Gethsemani Cemetery Houston Texas.

My thanks once again to all who took an interest in my query and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you think I might be of help to you with your searches. 

[shellyesq]

Clinton, Massachusetts city directories

1927 -
Comiskey, James C., teacher, resides 14 Doggett Ct.
Comiskey, John F. (Elizabeth C.) employed LMills, home 14 Doggett Ct.
Comiskey, John F. Jr., teacher High School and accountant The Gannon McKnight Co., resides 14 Doggett Ct.

1931 -
Comiskey, James C., teacher New Bedford, resides 14 Doggett Ct.
Comiskey, John F. (Elizabeth C.) carpenter, home 14 Doggett Ct.
Comiskey, John F. Jr., acct. emp. 12 King and teacher 174 Chestnut, resides 14 Doggett Ct.

1935 -
Comiskey, Elizabeth C., widow of John F., home 14 Doggett Ct.
Comiskey, James C., teacher North Brookfield, resides 14 Doggett Ct.
Comiskey, John F., teacher 174 Chestnut, resides 14 Doggett Ct.

1943 -
Comiskey, Elizabeth C., widow of John F., died 18 Jun. 1941 at age 74
Comiskey, James C., teacher North Brookfield, resides 14 Doggett Ct.
Comiskey, John F., teacher 174 Chestnut, resides 14 Doggett Ct.