Let's look for Cornelius Moriarty in Newport.

 Let's review before we go on – Michael Moriarty from Coad married Mary/Gubby Sweeney from Coad in 1850 in Cahirdaniel and eventually settled in Loughane. They had at least 7 children. 

1) Mary Moriarty - Hannah John L said that one of Myles Moriarty’s sisters married a Sullivan down Gleesk Pier Road – so this may be her. Her daughter married Mike Breen from Moneyflagh (Patrick Breen’s uncle) and settled off the Gleesk Pier road.

2) Myles Moriarty married Ellen Leary from Bohocogram and they settled in the homestead. More about Myles’ family coming up. 

3) Margaret - we just saw that she emigrated to Newport and married neighbor Michael Dwyer of Dreenauliffe– they had no children.  

4) We also have learned that Schoolmaster James Moriarty trained at Trinity College in Dublin and eventually taught at a school in Annascaul/Inch on the Dingle peninsula. He married a Fitzgerald from there, and they had 12 children – some of whom were involved in the Irish War of Independence. The schoolmaster lived in the Inch Post Office building which two of his daughters later ran. 

5) Helen Moriarty emigrated to Rhode Island where she married Joseph Murray – they had 2 children. Unfortunately, both Helen and her husband died young.  

6) Cornelius/Con Moriarty emigrated to Newport. He adopted his sister Helen’s 2 children when she and her husband died. 

7) I have no information about Myles’ brother Michael – perhaps he died young or perhaps he also emigrated. 

So let’s stay in Rhode Island, and see what we can find out about Helen and Cornelius Moriarty. 

Like his sister Margaret Moriarty, we had heard absolutely nothing about Con from my grandmother. When I connected with his cousin, Nuala Aylward, she had an old address – 47 William Street, Newport, Rhode. So this gave me someplace to start the search – Newport. William Street is near St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church.

Notice that William St. is starred on the right - it runs between Bellevue Ave. and Spring St.

St. Mary's Church is at the corner of Spring St. and Memorial Boulevard.

You can see Thames Street running along the waterfront at the bottom of the map - above Newport Harbor. Margaret Moriarty Dwyer had a boarding house at #133 Thames not far from the red arrows at Washington Square and before Mary Street. Clarke Street is also starred - above Thames Street between Touro and Mary Streets - the Dwyers lived here at #28 for 2 years. Earlier, they lived in an area to the left of this map.

47 William Street, Newport

Above is 47 William Street - the address that Nuala had for Con - we saw on the map that it runs between Bellevue Avenue and Spring Street on one side of St. Mary’s Church. I couldn’t find any Newport directory listing Con at this address. Notice how the house is set right on the sidewalk. No porch or yard. The street is narrow – my car is parked on the opposite side heading for the harbor – you can see the tail end of it. Today the house is assessed at $398, 300. The Assessor’s Office lists it as a 3 family built in 1901. It has an asbestos roof and asbestos shingles. It has 7 rooms total with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. I wonder if it was really built before 1901 and the Assessor's Office did not keep records before that? Surely Con came over before 1901!

A look down William Street from outside # 47 - we are looking toward the waterfront.

We know that Margaret Moriarty immigrated to the United States around 1878-1880 and was married in Newport in 1889. The Irish used to save their money once they were established in the U.S. to bring over a brother or sister. Then they would bring over the next one and the next until all the family was over. We can presume that if Margaret was here first, that she would save her money to bring over her sister or brother. 

I found nothing for Con in the 1880 U.S. Census for New York or Rhode Island. And we know there is no 1890 U.S. Census. So it is on to the Newport directories.

The first directory on www.ancestry.com to have a listing for Cornelius Moriarty is 1883 below. Con is a laborer boarding at 37 Marsh Street! 

Does this sound and look familiar? Do you remember that Michael Dwyer, the blacksmith, was boarding at 37 Marsh Street in 1883?!? This same year!  Is this a coincidence or what? 

37 Marsh Street in June 2012 is a 2 storey building with an unfinished attic and basement. It was built in 1724. The exterior is clapboard with a Gambrel roof. Today it has 10 rooms including 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. I wonder how many rooms it had in 1883? And in what condition was it when Con was boarding there? It was over a 150 years old then. And did each boarder have his or her own room? Or were a couple of guys or a couple of women in a room? or a couple of them sharing a bed even?

Remember that we wondered if this Michael Dwyer at 37 Marsh Street was from Dirreenauliffe and if he was the Michael who married Con’s sister Margaret Moriarty in 1889? Would this be too much of a stretch to think that Con Moriarty from Loughane is boarding in the same house as Michael Dwyer from nearby Dirrennauliffe?

And who owns this house in 1883? I recently found on www.ancestry.com that a fireman, John Caulfield, has a house at 37 Marsh Street. 

But there were others also. 

Benjamin F. Crowell, a boatman, has a house at 37 Marsh Street. 

Mrs. Bridget O'Loughlin has a house at 37 Marsh Street as well as Michael O'Loughlin, a watchman for the Old Colony Steamship Company repair shop, who has a house there. Frank O'Loughlin, a plumber, boards there. 

Widow Catherine Sullivan also has a house here.  

George Hopkins, a boilermaker, is boarding here in 1883. 

None of these people sound familiar. Is the house divided into apartments? What is the difference between "house" and "boards" in the directories?

Con is boarding there as well as the two Dwyers, George Hopkins, and Frank O'Loughlin.

Marsh Street is on the other side of Newport from William Street but is still down near the docks. In 1879 it starts at 68 Washington Street which runs along the waterfront east to the cove – looks like a small body of water in an 1882 map. The Old Colony Railroad starts nearby, and the wharf, where its steamships dock, is also nearby. Must be a busy and noisy place.

By 1884 Con is a clerk at 20 Kinsley’s wharf.  Kinsley’s Wharf was across from Pelham Street between Bowen’s Wharf and Sayer’s Wharf – it no longer seems to be there – it was in the area of today’s popular Bannister Wharf.

Con is boarding at 101 Levin Street this year. Patrick Murphy, Newport City Historian, told me that when it was laid out in the early 1900s, Memorial Boulevard - that we saw near William Street on the map above - took both sides of Levin Street which was a narrow street like so many early streets.

The directory talks about the gala July 4^th celebration and Newport reunion in 1884. The city was full of thousands of visitors and natives who had returned home for the celebration. Houses, buildings, wharves, boats and ships were adorned with patriotic decorations to celebrate Independence Day. The harbor was full of every kind of vessel - all decked out in finery. There was a procession  - the longest ever held - through the main streets of the city. When it ended, there was a collation, and toasts were made by local dignitaries. There were letters from United States President Chester Arthur as well as from Rhode Island’s Senators and Representatives. Julia Ward Howe, famous author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, read a poem. 

Image what Con Moriarty and his sister Margaret thought of this! They come from outside the small isolated village of Sneem – remember that in 1837 there was only one road going through the village! And now less than 40 years later Margaret and Con were in Newport with thousands of people celebrating America’s Independence from Britain, whom they blamed for the Irish Famine – remember these Moriartys were born not long after the end of the Famine. And this year Newport was having a Reunion as well – so there were even more people!! I’m sure the Moriartys and many an Irish emigrant had never seen such commotion, such noise, such festivities, such crowds!!

Dennis W. Sheehan emigrated from Foynes Island, Limerick, Ireland in 1872 to New York. In 1879 he is working as a clerk at 14 Ferry Wharf in Newport.  

In 1880 Thomas Carrigan owned a liquor store and saloon at 19 Kinsley's wharf. (Con is working at 20 Kinsley's wharf four years later in 1884.) By 1881 Dennis Sheehan has a grocery and liquor store at that same address - 19 Kinsley’s Wharf, and he was boarding at 8 Mill Street. Did Dennis Sheehan buy the shop from Carrigan, who disappears from the directories? There was no # 20 Kinsley's Wharf in 1880.

Look at the ad below for Dennis’ shop – “Dealer in Foreign and Domestic Liquors and Cigars. Also Choice Family Groceries, and Table Delicacies.” Remember the mansions were being built at this time, and Newport was becoming quite a fashionable summer destination – we read about the Fall River Line that brought the wealthy from Boston and New York to Newport - sounds like Dennis was appealing to a wealthier clientele and to customers who wanted the finer things in life. 

By 1882 Dennis Sheehan also is a partner in Sheehan and Groves' saloon at 47 Levin Street. Dennis still lives on Mill Street. 

James Groves had emigrated from Derry, Ireland to New York about 1862. He arrived in Newport about 1875 and by 1879 he had a liquor store at 7 Perry Street. He kept that establishment until 1883 when he is also listed having a liquor store at 104 Levin Street. He keeps the liquor store on Levin Street until 1887 – then he is listed as a baker at 499 Thames Street. 

There is nothing more after 1882 about a saloon for either Dennis Sheehan or James Groves. But in 1883 Dennis has moved to a house at 14 Bay View Avenue. He still has the shop on Kinsley's wharf, but it is now #20 where it had been #19.

Our Con Moriarty is living at 101 Levin Street in 1884.  Guess who is living next door? Dennis Sheehan is at 98 Levin Street! So what came first - the job or the digs? Did Dennis hire Con and then get him a place to stay? Or did Con move to Levin Street and then get a job? Or was Con working at The Carrigan shop when Dennis Sheehan bought it?

That Levin Street was pretty busy - James Groves had a liquor store there, Groves and Sheehan had a saloon there at one time and now Con and Dennis Sheehan are living there.

But look what happens in 1885? They are both at the same address - 98 Levin!!! So, what? Con moves in with Dennis? I know Dennis married 22 year old Julia Ann Halpin in Newport on 12 September 1882 - Dennis was 27.  Julia's father, Patrick Halpin, owned a grocery store at 3 Spruce Street and was living there when they were married. Spruce Street was back near Marsh Street where Con was living in 1883. 

Below are the 1885 entries.

Dennis and Julia Sheehan eventually have at least six daughters - I could not find any sons. Did Dennis feel like Con was a younger brother and take him in? Or was Con a loyal and trustworthy employee for this to happen? I find it very interesting no matter what.

I recently (7 July 2013) found an interesting entry in the 1885 Newport, Rhode Island Census. Look at line #19 near the bottom -  District #206, Family #459, Number in family is 5 - Moriarty, "Arnelius" - male, boarder, white, single, born in Ireland, parents born in Ireland, bartender, alien (not  naturalized citizen.)

Did you ever hear of anyone called Arnelius? Do you think this should be Cornelius? Dennis Sheehan owned a grocery and liquor shop - could he have kept the saloon that Thomas Carrigan had? That's the way it worked with the Irish in Boston - combos of shops and bars where the locals shopped, met folks from home, gathered for conversation,  politicked. Just saying that this could be our boy Con.

And now look at the entry below for Dennis W. Sheehan that I found 12 July 2013 - Line 20, same District 206, same Family 459, same 5 in family as Con - 30 year old white married male - grocer - born in Ireland, parents born in Ireland - real estate voter - naturalized citizen. So the above Arnelius Moriarty is our Con!

Dennis stayed at 98 Levin Street until 1889 - then he moves to 99 John Street in 1890 - but still has  a grocery and wholesale liquor store on Kinsley's Wharf. Con is also there at 98 Levin Street until 1890. By 1891 Con has moved to 57 Burnside Avenue - still working at Sheehan's store. 
So what happened? Why did they move?

We heard of Burnside Avenue before - Michael Dwyer is living at 56 Burnside from 1889 to 1892 - he married Con's sister Margaret in January 1889. And now Con moves across the street from the Dwyers in 1891!

My car is parked in front of 59 Burnside Street - again it is right on the sidewalk like so many older homes.

57 Burnside Avenue is now a driveway. This is 59 Burnside Ave – a 2 family house built in 1849. There are 12 rooms but only 4 bedrooms– there are 3 bathrooms. Worth about $300,000 in 2012.

The street is a mix of older and newer houses but # 59 seems to be the oldest. Several were built in 1890 – I suppose some of the older houses were knocked down and replaced then. 

So now what happens?