Michael Ward, Munhall Pennsylvania

[NavanScot]

I am trying to trace anyone with a knowledge of the history of my Great Uncle  Michael Ward who emigated to Munhall Pennsylvania in 1922. According to the Ellis Island records hi fare was paid by his Uncle Patrick Feeney and his aunt Bridget Feeney nee Murray, who lived at that time at 543 Ninth Ave Munhall. Michael was Scottish by birth but also had strong family ties to the Cleggan area of Co galway in Ireland. He worked as a labourer in the steel mills. I am anxious to find any surviving family he may have, or indeed hear from anyone who can tell me anything about his life. His cousin Thomas Murray was also staying with the family in the 1930 census.
Thanks Brian

[*Sandra*]

Hello Brian,

1930 is the last available Census in the USA - 1940 is due out next April which may help you.  Unfortunately, there are no marriage records online for the time frame you would need. However, if you had an exact date of birth - it would be possible to check the SSDI Index which records most deaths after 1960/62

http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

Some Census and other records are available on  - https://www.familysearch.org/

Sandra

[shellyesq]

I wonder if this might be his WWII Draft Registration Card - http://www.rootschat.com/links/0drw/

If you look on the Ellis Island records of the first page with Michael's name on it, there are some markings indicating that he sought naturalization.  You can see more about what the manifest markings mean here:  http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/manifests/

[johnnyboy]

Sorry that I have not been able to provide much info on Michael Ward in this reply. I seem to have found a good bit on the Feeney's, though.

I looked at Michael Ward's manifest from 1922 on the Ellis Island website. His final destination--listed in the last column on the first page of the manifest--is Homestead, Pennsylvania. The numbers next to Michael's occupation indicate that he applied for naturalization in Pittsburgh (represented by the first number: 6) on January 26, 1937, perhaps after a night of celebrating the birthday of Robert Burns.

Homestead and Munhall border one another. They even share the same avenues: 9th Avenue, for example (on today's map it there is an East and West 9th Ave). Residents of Munhall are listed in Homestead directories.

To see directories for Homestead and Pittsburgh (the big city across the river), go to http://www.donslist.net/PGHLookups/HomePage.shtml.

Click on "No Frames" under "Directories." Then click on "Pittsburgh Area" at the top of the page, and that will take you to the directories for both Pittsburgh and (just below) Homestead.

I searched the Homestead directories various years, but found no trace of Michael Ward. I also looked for the Feeneys.

In 1925 (see attached directory page below), Bridget is living in Munhall at the address listed on Michael Ward's passenger manifest: 543 9th Avenue. She is described as the widow of P.J. Below Bridget's name are P. John Feeney (student) and Marie Feeney, at the same address. Her children? No listing for Michael Ward in the 1925 directory.

I also looked in the 1921 Homestead directory and found something curious. Bridget Feeney is listed at 543 9th Avenue in the directory, but Patrick Feeney is not. Nor is Bridget described as a widow. At the same address are Edward J. Feeney and Joseph Feeney, both laborers. Sons? Relatives?

Perhaps someone can look for a naturalization for Michael Ward in 1937 or so.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
John