Another sister - Catherine Moriarty of Loughane, Sneem, County Kerry

So we’ve talked about Jim Moriarty, who emigrated to Chicago via Watertown, and Mary Moriarty who emigrated to Roxbury via Newport, Rhode Island. Do you remember that there was a younger sister, Catherine Moriarty who was born 24 October 1889? I found her on the Ellis Island website and wrote to the National Archives to try to get her records – this was before I had a subscription to www.ancestry.com.  Jean Nudd sent me a paper copy of the passenger list. She checked for other passengers from Sneem on several pages before and after Catherine's page but found no one.

Catherine emigrated from Loughane only 4 months after her sister, Mary. She left Queenstown on the S.S. Lucania; she arrived in New York on 22 September 1906. She is number 3 on the list but is ticket #28002. She is a 17 year old servant. She is able to read and write. She is a British citizen although she is Irish. Her last permanent residence was Loughane. Her sister Mary Moriarty bought her ticket to her final destination of Newport. She has $5. Catherine has never been in the U.S. before. She is joining sister Mary Moriarty at 27 Clarke Street in Newport, Rhode Island. (So we know Mary was with Uncle Con in September of 1906.) She is in good physical and mental health – she is not deformed or crippled. I wonder if there was anyone else traveling with her? 

Once I had a subscription to www.ancestry.com, I also checked the pages just before and after Catherine and didn’t see anyone from Sneem. That must have been awful to leave home and sail by herself to New York. Did Uncle Con or Mary meet her in New York or did she have to find her own way?

S.S. Lucania - http://www.greatships.net/lucania.html

"Affidavit of the Master or Commanding Officer, or First or Second Officer

I, Jas B Watt, of the Lucania, from Queenstown, do solemnly, sincerely and truly swear that I have caused the surgeon of said vessel sailing therewith, or the surgeon employed by the owners thereof, to make a physical and oral examination of each and all of the aliens named in the forgoing Lists or Manifest Sheets, 23 in number, and that from the report of said surgeon and from my own investigation, I believe that no one of said aliens is an idiot, or insane person, or a pauper, or is likely to become a public charge or is suffering from a loathsome or a dangerous contagious disease, or is a person who has been convicted of a felony or other crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or a polygamist, or an anarchist, or under promise or agreement, express or implied, to perform labor in the United States, or a prostitute, and that also, according to the best of my knowledge and belief, the information in said Lists or Manifests concerning each of said aliens named therein is correct and true in every respect.

JBWatt

Commanding Officer

Sworn to before me this 22nd day

at New York 

William (?) Stack

Affidavit of Surgeon

I, B Sydney Jones, surgeon of the Lucania, sailing therewith, do solemnly, sincerely, and truly swear that I have had 18 years' experience as a Physician and Surgeon, and that I am entitled to practice as such by and under the authority of (?) R.C.P. Land & S England, and that I have made a personal examination of each of the aliens named herein, and that the foregoing Lists or Manifest Sheets, 23 in number, are, according to the best of my knowledge and belief, full, correct, and true in all particulars, relative to the physical and mental condition of said aliens.

BS Jones

Sworn to before me this 22nd day of Sep 1906

at New York

William (?) Stack"

http://www.greatships.net/lucania.html

Royal Mail Ship Lucania was built in Glasgow in 1893 for the Cunard Steamship Line. She and her sister ship RMS Campania were the world's largest passenger ships when the Lucania made her maiden voyage to New York in that same year. On her second trip to NewYork, she won the Blue Riband award for the fastest passenger ship - she held the title until it was snatched away by a German liner, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse in 1898.

The Lucania was built according to specifications from the Btitish Admiralty, and Cunard received money from the British government on condition that the government could commandeer the Lucania to carry munitions in war time. 

reloc.gov/pictures/item/det1994011734/PP/

Library of Congress

I was interested to learn that the Lucania was the first ship outfitted with a Marconi wireless system. Crookhaven in County Cork had the first Marconi transatlantic station in Ireland built in 1902 - it was later moved to Valentia Island in Kerry - not so far from Sneem and especially close to Waterville.

The Lucania and the Campania, although the biggest and most luxurious passenger liners when they were built, were later outsized by German ships which were much faster. Therefore, to meet the competition, Cunard had the  RMS Luisitania and RMS Mauretania built. They eventually put the Lucania and Campania out of business. The Lucania was damaged by fire in 1909 - she was then sold for scrap while her contents were auctioned off. 

But back to our story.  How long did the two Moriarty sisters stay at 27 Clarke Street? They both arrived in 1906. When and why did they leave Newport and go to Boston? We don’t know yet when Con adopted their cousins – Helen’s children. But Helen and Joseph Murray were in the 1910 U. S. Census for 27 Clarke Street and Mary and Catherine were not. Perhaps they found jobs with Boston families summering in Newport.  Whatever, we know they both lived in Boston after getting married. 

We know from my mother and her sisters that Catherine married Tim Cronin. I found Boston Street Directory listings for 1913 and 1914, and there are 2 Timothy Cronins - and both are rooming at 85 Albion Street!! This is where Jeremiah and Mary Walsh are living from 1912 through 1914. Since writing about Mary Walsh, I found that there is another Albion Street - in downtown Boston.

Timothy Cronin is a porter, but it does not say where. He rooms at 85 Albion Street. Jeremiah Walsh is also a porter working at 518 Washington Street in Boston - which is R.H. White's department store, I think. There is a Washington Street in Brighton and another in Dorchester, but the directory does not indicate that it is either of these. The interesting thing is that this other Albion Street is several blocks from R.H. White's. It runs from Castle Street to Dover Street which is now called East Berkeley Street. # 85 would be near Dover Street.

Timothy M. Cronin is a clerk at D. M. Donovan & Company of 9 Avery Street, which is one of the streets on the left of Washington Street before you get to R.H. White's, but I haven't been able to find out what kind of a company it is.  Timothy M. rooms on Albion Street. Avery Street is even closer to this Albion Street.

Is this how Catherine meets Tim Cronin? When he is living in the same building as her sister Mary Walsh? Did the men know and work with each other? And if one Timothy Cronin is ours, who is the other Timothy Cronin?

In 1915, 1916, and 1917 Timothy M. is still clerking at 9 Avery Street but is now boarding at 65 Emerald Street. There is no Timothy listed as a porter – there are Timothy Cronins listed as  clerk, laborers, a driver, and a sampler (whatever that might be!)

I found a WWI draft card for Timothy M. Cronin who is living at 65 Emerald Street in Boston – same as the listing in the Boston Street directory. Can you make out what it says for Date of Birth?  “does not know.” He does not know when he was born! He has made a declaration for naturalization. He was born in “Kery, Melis, Ireland England” He is a citizen of England. He is working as a bar porter at Harrington’s Bar, 739 Washington Street. He has no one who is solely dependent on him. He is a single Caucasian. He has no military experience and does not claim exemption from the draft.

On the second page, he is medium height and medium build. He has gray eyes and dark hair. He is not bald or disabled. The registrar notes that “he appears to be about 30 years of age.” I can’t tell if it is Jan. or June 5, 1917.  

Emerald Street runs parallel to Albion Street between Castle and Dover Streets.  I searched throughout the 1913 Boston Directory. It listed Albion Street in the Station A postal area running from Castle Street to Dover Street. It listed Albion Street in the Dorchester postal area running from Dudley Street to Clifton Street.   Hyde Park also had an Albion Street running from Beacon Street to Highland Street. So where does that leave us? I guess we need a little more research into these streets. And if they were living in the downtown Station A district, how did they end up in Roxbury?

From the information on the WWI draft registration card I found a 14 year old Timothy Cronin in Meallis, Churchtown, Killarney living in house 3 with his 3 sisters and 2 brothers - 60 year old Michael Cronin is the head of the house and 50 year old Maggie is his wife. Interesting that Michael is a farm laborer. Most of the children are still attending school, but 20 year old Hannah is a farmer's servant/domestic servant. That gap in age between Hannah and Timothy probably indicates other children who may already be out working.

1911 shows Timothy as an agricultural worker just like his father and younger brother.  Maggie/Margaret has had 10 children but 9 children are still living. And notice that the 10 year age difference between Michael and Maggie has decreased to 2 years! Michael is now 71; Margaret is 69! And Timothy has gone from 14 years to 27 years in the passing 10 years! Just shows that you can never count on ages being accurate.

I did not find Tim's immigration record, but did find a 20 year old Nellie (?) M Cronin leaving Queenstown on the SS Franconia on 30 April 1913 for Boston. Nellie is a servant - her last address is Beaufort. Her nearest relative in Ireland is her father, Michael Cronin, of (?) Malus, Beaufort, Co. Kerry. Her destination is Boston. If we look above to the 1911 Irish Census form, Tim Cronin had a 21 year old sister Ellie.

Nellie's brother paid for her ticket; she has $10. Her brother, Tim Cronin, lives at 85 Albion Street in Boston, Mass. Nellie has  fair complexion with brown hair and brown eyes. She was born in Beaufort. So this Nellie is coming to one of the Tim Cronins on Albion Street!!

I found the correct spelling for Mealis on the Beaufort website - http://www.beaufort-parish.com/asp/section.asp?s=329. Time for a trip back to Ireland?

I found a marriage certificate for Catherine Moriarty and Timothy Cronin on ww.familysearch.org. They are #59 in the Registry of Marriages in the City of Boston for 1917. It is the first marriage for both of them. Timothy M. Cronin is a 34 year old wine clerk residing at 65 Emerald Street - so that is definitely his WWI draft card above.  Catherine Moriarty is a 28 year old waitress. She is living at 117 Smith Street, which you might remember is the address for her sister Mary Walsh from 1915 to 1918. They were both born in Ireland. Tim's parents are Michael Cronin and Margaret Coffey. (So it looks like that is Tim in the Irish census above, and Nellie Cronin is likely coming to our Tim Cronin.) Catherine's parents are Miles Moriarty and Ellen Leary. They were married by George L. Schneider of 1545 Tremont Street. I presume the "Pr" after his name means priest.

So Catherine and Tim were married at Mission Church. It was a short walk from Mary's home on Smith Street which runs directly behind the Mission church complex. 

Actually “Mission Church” is the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 1545 Tremont Street in Roxbury.  After hearing the Redemptorists at his parish mission, Bishop James Healy, the first bishop of African descent in the United States, recommended to Bishop Williams that the Redemptorist order establish a mission in Boston. When the Church was built in 1870, it was not a parish church but only a mission staffed by the Redemptorist Fathers. Their chief work was preaching missions. For these reasons, people promptly called it “the Mission Church.” Six years later the present church was built – except for the twin spires which were not added until 1910.

According to the booklet “Boston’s Beautiful Basilica” by Reverend Joseph E. Manton, CSSR, “…above St. Patrick’s altar is a curious adornment. It is, of all things, the enlargement of an Irish Air Mail stamp.” Also in the Shrine to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, there are “crutches and canes and casts. For this is the hallowed spot where cripples have left crutches, and the blind have found their sight.” 
“Only the Pope can designate a church a Basilica, and when he does so, it becomes, as it were, “his” church. And custom requires that an ornate Umbrella of red and gold be always kept half-opened in the church as a sign that priests and people are ever eager to welcome His Holiness, should he come … 

“At the opposite end of the sanctuary stands … the portable Belfry. This is a graceful frame of gilded wood mounted on a staff covered with wine-colored velvet. In the center swings a tiny bell whose thin note symbolically summons the faithful to meet the approaching ‘Pontiff.’ ”
In 1954 … “on December 8^th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, through the intercession of Cardinal Cushing, His Holiness Pius the XII raised the Mission Church to the regal status of a Bascilica.”

The purple little icon on the map above shows Mission Church on Tremont Street in Roxbury located between Brigham Circle on the left and Roxbury Crossing on the right.

In the 1918 Boston Street Directory, there are incomplete listings – Cronins are missing, but we know from the following birth certificate that the Cronins were now living at 10 Faxon Street in Roxbury. And this is where my mother remembered visiting the Cronins.

Marguerite Hellen Cronin, #19520 on page 238 of The Births Registered In The City of Boston For The Year 1918, was born August 20 to Timothy M. and Catherine Moriarty. There is a notation that the record was corrected 9/6/50 - the record listed Marguerite as a male! 

Marguerite was born at home on Faxon Street - the doctor was C.W. MacDonald. Both parents were born in Ireland, and Tim was working as a bartender but it does not say where.

Dr. Colin W. MacDonald had his office and home at 1 New Heath Street in Roxbury which is not far from Roxbury Crossing - the building must have been on or near the corner of Heath and Centre Street.

A year later Mary C. Cronin was born - I couldn't find the listing of her birth but found an index to the births of Boston 1916-1920.

There is no directory for 1919 but in 1920 we have Timothy M. Cronin - now a rubber worker - still living at 10 Faxon Street. I wonder where he is working? I know there was a lot of industry in the area. 

In the 1920 U.S. Census of Roxbury taken 19 January, Timothy M. Cronin is listed as a factory worker. He and Catherine are renting the third apartment at 10 Faxon Street in Roxbury. Tim is 34 and immigrated in 1910. Catherine is 30 and immigrated in 1906. Tim has taken out papers to be naturalized. They have 2 children – Helen M who is 1 5/12 and Mary C who is 3/12. 

This is Faxon Street on 22 February 2014 - the building in back with the red roof is on Smith Street. Originally Faxon Street went through to 12 Smith Street. The building on the right is the Roxbury Knights of Columbus. The 1920 Census only lists even numbered houses - so perhaps the 10 or so houses were all located on one side of the street. #10 might have been the 4th house from this end here on Tremont Street.

Parker Street is the next street over to the right - this is where the A. J. Houghton/Vienna Brewery (where Jeremiah Walsh had been working) and the Burkhardt Brewing Company are located. But remember that by 1920 Prohibition has begun and the local breweries are either closed or used for another purpose.

It is hard to make out in this picture but Faxon Street is circled just right of the lower center of picture. To the left of Faxon and on the other side of Tremont is Burney Street where The Walshes lived. A little further up Tremont Street I circled St. Alphonsus Street where the Walshes also lived. Faxon Street used to go through to Smith Street which is where the Walshes were living when Catherine got married. On the far right I circled the area where A. J. Houghton's Brewery was located - Jeremiah Walsh worked there.  So much of the lives of these two families was spent within a couple of blocks. And of course Mission Church was right there on Tremont Street - between Burney and St. Alphonsus Streets but on the opposite side.

Tim Cronin was naturalized 1 March 1920 – that means his whole family became naturalized American citizens. Interesting that he is listed as a wine clerk when in the census the same year, he is listed as a factory worker. Maybe he was a wine clerk when he took out papers for naturalization. I found the index so now I have to contact the National Archives or visit them some Saturday in Waltham for a copy of his naturalization papers. 

On page 190 of The Births Registered in the City of Boston in 1920, line #17576 lists Geraldine Cronin who was born 21 November at home on Faxon Street. Timothy is working as a clerk.  James P. A. Nolan is the doctor. He is listed at 73 Heath Street in Roxbury and also at 433 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain. He lives on Centre Street so is his office on Heath Street or does he have two offices? He is a single 48 year old medical physician in general practice. His widowed sister, Lucy Van Dalton/Von Delten, is living with him so may be looking after him. She is 40 years old - her 19 year old son is living with them - Victor has no occupation.

The Boston directories list Timothy M. Cronin as a rubber worker in 1921, but then he is back clerking - in 1922 and 1923 at 79 Broadway - no address is given in 1924. 

1925 to 1929 Tim is working as a laborer still living at 10 Faxon Street.

The 1930 U. S. Census was taken 9 April. Catherine and Tim have 6 children, and Tim is a laborer doing odd jobs – remember it is the Depression now, and jobs for men are scarce. They are still renting the third apartment at 10 Faxon Street - they are paying $15 monthly.  Marguerite is now 11, Mary is 10, Geraldine is 9, Kathleen is 8, Timothy is 6, and little Anne is 5 – all attend school, and all but Timothy and Anne are able to read and write.
Interesting that Catherine is listed as also immigrating in 1911 - I suppose she wasn't the one filling out the form.

My aunt Hannie Keohane Huliston talked about going to Roxbury to stay with Aunt Catherine’s family when Ma had Rita in March 1930. My mother, Hannie, and Peggy - all under 10 at the time - stayed with Aunt Catherine while Jim stayed with John Reardon’s or Jimmy McCarthy’s family. Hannie said Peggy liked Uncle Tim, but Hannie didn’t like him – especially when he was rubbing his beard on her face. She thought Peggy must be missing their father, John Keohane, who had recently died.

Hannie said it was just like in Belmont or Arlington on Saturday nights. Aunt Catherine pulled a big tub into the kitchen and filled it with hot water. One by one the Cronins and Keohanes took their baths – in the same water!!!

My mother Ellen Keohane Manning talked about how much she enjoyed going to visit her aunts and cousins in Roxbury. Her family would take the streetcar to Mission Hill. As we have seen, the Walshes and Cronins lived near Mission Church where there was a large playground, and there were “loads and loads of kids to play with.” My mother used to like to visit Aunt Catherine because she was so jolly. She said that during the Depression her aunts used to go out to work. One or both of them worked at the bathhouse on L Street in South Boston.

This newspaper clipping always reminded my mother of Mission Hill where she would visit her aunts and cousins.  

Tim continued to be listed as a laborer living at 10 Faxon Street through the 1933 Boston Directory. In the 1934 to 1939 directories, Catherine was also listed.

In 1940 the U.S. Census is taken on 13 April. The Cronins are still paying $15 monthly for the 10 Faxon Street apartment. And who filled out this information? Both Tim and Catherine are listed as aliens even though we know they are naturalized!
The four oldest kids have not attended school since March 1, 1940, and I think it says that they all attended 4 years of high school.  
21 year old Marguerite worked 40 hours the week of March 24 - 30, 1940. She is a telephone operator.
Mary is 20, Geraldine is 19, and Kathleen is 18 years old - all are new workers looking for work. None have previous work experience.
52 year old Tim Cronin is doing public emergency work - WPA, NYA, CCC, etc. He is a laborer on road construction.

This 1941 directory and  the 1942  directory show a move to 48 Calumet Street in Roxbury.
Marguerite H is a telephone operator living at the rear of 48 Calumet Street.
Timothy M. (Catherine) is a laborer with  house at 48 Calumet Street.
Interesting that Mary C. Cronin is a secretary for Dr. William A. Walsh and lives at the rear of 48 Calumet Street.

Calumet Street runs off Brigham Circle up the hill and takes a turn left going further up the hill. #48 was right at this bend. # 40 was just before the bend and # 50 is just past the bend - there is an empty lot between them that could have held a house. Most of the surrounding houses are triple deckers.

1942 WWII draft registration card for Tim shows the move to 48 Calumet Street in Roxbury. Do you remember on Tim’s WWI draft registration that he did not know his birth date? Now it is listed as June 11, 1883.

Tim was working for the WPA as an asphalt raker out of the Highland Street yard in Roxbury.

He has nice penmanship where he signed his name.

Highland Street is closer to the opposite end of Calumet Street than to where the Cronins live - it is across Columbus Avenue - it runs between Centre Street and Eliot Street.

This map shows some of the places we have been mentioning - look around for Calumet Street, St. Alphonsus Street, Hillside Street, Faxon Street, Smith Street, Heath Street - Highland Street is on the far right about a third way from the bottom of the map - it starts there on Centre Street. Mission Church is shown as "Cath Ch" near the green "play ground" which is two parcels. Station and Halleck Streets are above the black "Roxbury Sta." See how compact this was. All we are missing is Albion Street!

The second page of the draft registration tells us that 56 year old Tim is 5 feet 6 inches - he has a slight build at 128 lbs. He is getting older - his hair is gray - he wears glasses. He has a light complexion with blue eyes.

Registrar Eleanor Quinlan signed the card on April 26, 1942 at Local Board No. 23.

The Encyclopedia of American History, 7^th edition states: 

“The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a relief measure established in 1935 by executive order (of President Franklin Roosevelt) as the Works Progress Administration, and was redesigned in 1939 when it was transferred to the Federal Works Agency. Headed by Harry L. Hopkins and supplied with an initial congressional appropriation of $4,880,000,000, it offered work to the unemployed on an unprecedented scale by spending money on a wide variety of programs, including highways and building construction, slum clearance, reforestation, and rural rehabilitation. So gigantic an undertaking was inevitably attended by confusion, waste, and political favoritism, yet the ‘pump-priming’ effect stimulated private business during the depression years and inaugurated reforms that states had been unable to subsidize.

By March, 1936, the WPA rolls had reached a total of more than 3,400,000 persons; after initial cuts in June 1939, it averaged 2,300,000 monthly; and by June 30, 1943, when it was officially terminated, the WPA had employed more than 8,500,000 different persons on 1,410,000 individual projects, and had spent about $11 billion. During its 8-year history, the WPA built 651,087 miles of highways, roads, and streets; and constructed, repaired, or improved 124,031 bridges, 125,110 public buildings, 8,192 parks, and 853 airport landing fields.”

1947 is the last online directory until 1961.  Tim is working as a janitor, and the family is still on Calumet Street.

1961 below shows a move to 11 ½ Wait Street in Roxbury. Tim is a janitor at Old Colony Development. I think young Tim is listed as working in the composing room of the Herald Traveler newspaper; he is living in the rear of 11 Wait Street in Roxbury.

Above is the Mission Hill neighborhood where our relatives lived. Far left is Wait Street. 48 Calumet Street is on the bend as the street comes up from Brigham Circle and turns up the hill. The house is no longer there. The Walshes house on St. Alphonsus Street is next. The purple icon across the street is Mission Church. Then Burney Street is circled. The Walshes also lived on Smith Street above Burney Street and on Hillside Street below Burney - both are circled. Just down Tremont we come to Faxon Street and just past that Station and Halleck Streets where the Vienna Brewery was located. Although some of the neighborhood is gone, Some streets still give an idea of what it must have been like when our relatives lived there.

Timothy M. Cronin died in 1962. Catherine died in 1973.

"Cronin - Formerly of Mission Hill.  
Nov. 2. Catherine J. (Moriarty) beloved wife of the late Timothy M. Cronin, devoted and loving mother of Marguerite H. Marble of West Roxbury, Mary C. Coughlin of Squantum, Geraldine M. Montgomery of Dubois, Penn., Kathleen J. White of Canton, Timothy F. of Dorchester, Anna F. Cronin of Mattapan. Sister of Mary Walsh of Brighton, Margaret Keohane of Watertown, Lawrence and Patrick Sullivan of New Jersey, also survived by twelve grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Funeral from the David J. O'Connor Funeral Home, 1558 Tremont St., Mission Hill, opp. Mission Church Rectory, Monday, Nov. 5 at 9 a.m. Mass of the Resurrection in Mission Church at 10 o'clock. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. Visiting hours Sunday 2-5, 7-10 p.m. Internment Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden. Parking in rear of Funeral Home."

Marguerite Keohane is a cousin on my mother's Keohane side. Mae Keohane lived with my mother’s family for a while after her mother died. Fr Mellone was our parish priest at St. Patrick's Church in Watertown. 

www.ancestry.com has the U.S. social security Death Index which shows Catherine Cronin born 24 November 1890 and dying November 1973 in Mattapan, Suffolk, Massachusetts -                SS# 022-22-3570

Below is a wedding invitation for Anna Cronin and Robert Shea. It is interesting that they were married in the Priest House/Private Chapel. I wonder if this was because Catherine had died within the year. They visited Loughane at some point – maybe they went to Ireland on their honeymoon. Our cousins in Loughane always asked about Anna - they couldn't understand why I didn't know anything about her.

"Miss Anna Frances Cronin 

and 

Mr. Robert Stephen Shea 

request the honor of your presence 

at the celebration of a Nuptial Mass 

asking the blessing of God upon their union 

on Saturday, September twenty-first 

nineteen hundred and seventy-four

at six o'clock

Mission Church

Priest House (Private Chapel)

1545 Tremont Street

Roxbury, Massachusetts"

"Reception

immediately following ceremony

Parker House

60 School Street

Boston, Massachusetts"

The following notice was posted on a message board on www.rootsweb.com in 2001 before I had learned about this website:

"Board:
Message Boards > Localities > United Kingdom and Ireland > Ireland > Kerry > GeneralURL: 
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.ireland.ker.general/7219.7266/mb.ashxSubject: Sneem
Author: Elaine Allen
Date: Friday, June 08, 2001
Classification: Query
Surnames: Moriarty, O'Sullivan, Leary

My grandmother, Catherine Moriarty, born 11/24/1890 and died 11/1973, was born in Sneem. Her mother was Ellen Leary of Kerry. Her family had a farm on the Ring of Kerry. Her siblings were Mary, Margaret,James (policeman in N.Y), and Nellie. All emigrated to the U.S., but Nellie was sent back because of possible TB. Catherine had one half sister, Hannah O'Sullivan, and two half brothers, Patrick and Mike O'Sullivan. All emigrated, but Mike went back to work on the farm. If anyone has any other information on Catherine or her parents, I'd appreciate it. Thanks."

In 2007 I saw a post from Robert Motgomery who was researching Geraldine Cronin's family. So I emailed him and introduced myself and my side of the family to him.

"rnmontgomery@alltel.net April 10, 2007 3:10 PM To: Mary Ellen Murphy <irishmomma4@yahoo.com>
Re: Catherine Cronin

Mary Ellen,
No, I've not been to Ireland but,we were in England last September to meet for the first time my wife's 2nd. cousin.We took a three day trip to Scotland but that was all. I should go to Ireland some day if I live long enough. You see, my ancestors were Scots from North Ireland. I imagine my ancestors would disown me for marrying the first time to a Catholic Irishwoman Geraldine Cronin. Then after she passed away I,shudder,married and Englishwoman. I hope I'm forgiven.
Thanks for writing and let's keep in touch.
By the way, Anna Cronin Shea's phone number is: 617-471-0124. Does she live somewhere near you?
Blessings,
Bob Montgomery"

Next I received an email form Elaine Allen who lives in Florida. She wrote the above posting on roots web. She said that she was researching her side of the family as well. I was so excited to make contact with this side of my family!!

"From: "Bob and Elaine Allen" <bobnelaine@comcast.net>

Subject: Moriarty Genealogy
Date: April 22, 2007 11:11:12 PM EDT
To: <irishmomma4@yahoo.com>

Hi Mary Ellen,
I received an email from my uncle who said you had done some research
on the Moriartys.  I'm just starting, so I'd appreciate anything you
can give me.  I am the oldest granddaughter of Catherine Moriarty and
Timothy Cronin. My mother is Marguerite.  I remember being with
Grandaunt Mary and Uncle Miah at family wakes as well as your
grandmother Margaret.  I think my grandmother was closer to Margaret.

 I've tried to find Loughane and Bohocogram on maps of Ireland, but no
luck.  Are they in Kerry or Cork??  I've also got two birth years for
Catherine, 1890 and 1892.  Do you know which is correct?  I have two
arrival dates in the US, 1906 and 1911.  Any help here?

Do you know of any good websites I can research?

My husband and I have lived in Florida for six years now and love it
here.  We don't miss the New England winters at all!  Where are you??
Love to hear from you.

Elaine" 

So I sent off the information that I had and also sent some pictures. Elaine replied April 23, 2007:

"Hi Mary Ellen,

Those pictures and the information are fantastic!  I've left a message with
my aunt Anna, the youngest child of Catherine and Tim.  She's 82 and lives
in Quincy with her husband Robert Shea.  All of the others died.  Buddy
(young Timothy) died first of heart failure.  Then Geraldine died of cancer.
As a matter of fact, her daughter Susan is retiring here with her husband in
August.  Kathleen died of cancer shortly after.  Mary died of alzheimers.
My mother Marguerite died of natural causes at the age of 84.

I'm hoping Anna will send me some pictures of Catherine and her sisters.
I'll make copies for you if she does.  I have a digital camera, but I'm
ignorant to its use with the computer!!!

All of your information is news to me.  Anna and my mother had very little.
Neither of them were interested in researching the family tree. I'm really
excited to learn anything I can.  Thanks,
Elaine"

Elaine wrote back with some questions re Tim Cronin's immigration.  I sent her a website and she wrote back April 25:      "Hi,  Catherine remained in Mission Hill in a variety of apartments for most of her life, until Tim died.  Then Anna moved with her to Mattapan.  In her later years she became quite senile.  All of the sisters took turns during the week to keep her company until Anna came home from work.  At the very end, Kathleen took her to Canton.

Thanks for all your help.  Did you go back any further than Myles and Ellen?
Elaine"

As happens so often, Elaine and I lost touch.

While I was researching the Moriartys, a member of the Kerry List emailed me this information that Robert Montgomery had posted. I had forgotten that I had it until I was recently going through my old emails.

Children of Catherine Moriarty and Timothy Cronin:

"1. Marguerite Cronin b: 20 Aug 1918 in Boston,
Suffolk County, MA. c:1918 in Boston, Suffolk County, MA.
2. Mary Cronin b: 24 Oct 1919 in Boston,Suffolk County, MA. c: 1919in Boston, Suffolk County, MA.
3. Geraldine Marie Cronin b: 21 Nov 1920 in
Boston, Suffolk County, MA. c: Dec 1920 in Boston, Suffolk County, MA.
4. Kathleen Cronin b: 1921 in Boston, Suffolk County, MA. c: 1921 in Boston, Suffolk County, MA.
5. Timothy Francis Cronin b: 1924 in Boston, Suffolk County, MA. c:1924 in Boston, Suffolk County, MA.
6. Anna Cronin b: 1925 in Boston, SuffolkCounty, MA. c: 1925 in Boston, Suffolk County, MA."

Robert Montgomery went on to post: 

 "Name: Geraldine Marie Cronin

Given Name: Geraldine Marie

Surname: Cronin

Sex: F

Birth: 21 Nov 1920 in Boston, Suffolk County, MA.

Christening: Dec 1920 Boston, Suffolk County, MA.

Death: 5 Jan 1975 in Dubois, Clearfield County, PA.

of Lung Cancer 

         Burial: 9 Jan 1975 Dubois, Clearfield County, PA.

Note:
Gerry was the third of five daughters. She had one younger brother, Buddy.
She was working in Washington, DC in 1942 for the Dept. of the Navy, rooming with her sister Mary who preceeded her to DC. She met Robert Montgomery at a dance for "All States" on a Friday night at the Hotel Washington, probably late February. He was working at the Navy Gun Factory training to be an inspector of Naval ordinance. Gerry was at the dance with Mary and Kathleen Cronin who was in town visiting her sisters.

Geraldine became engaged to Cpl. Robert N. Montgomery on        Christmas eve, 1943 at his home in Ashtabula, OH. They married on May 23, 1944 at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. Honeymooned in Minneapolis, MN at the Radisson Hotel. 

She moved back to Boston when Robert was transferred to Ft. Benning, GA for Officers training in August 1944. Geraldine and Robert's mother drove to GA upon Roberts graduation from OCS in December 1944. They returned to Ashtabula for 10 days leave and took a train to Oakland CA and thence to Fort Ord, CA. Bob shipped out to the Pacific and Gerry returned to Boston.

After Bob came back from overseas, He was a patient at Cushing General Hospital in Framingham, Mass. Gerry and he had an apartment in Framingham and she rode the trains back and forth to Boston to work for the Veterans Administration, by North Station.

Gerry was a stay at home mother after her first daughter Ann    was born. She was an excellent mother, wife and companion. Learned and liked to play bridge and golf. Gerry was the life of the party whenever there was a gathering of friends.

Father: Timothy Michael Cronin b: 1881 in Killarney,

County Kerry, Ireland c: 1881 in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland

Mother: Catherine Moriarty b: 1887 in Sneem, County

Kerry, Ireland c: 1887 in Sneem, County Kerry, Ireland

Marriage 1 Robert Nelius Montgomery b: 19 Oct 1921

in Ashtabula, Ashtabula County, OH c: 22 May 1922 in Ashtabula, Ashtabula County, OH

Married: 22 May 1944 in Camp McCoy, WI.

Event: Marriage 23 May 1944 in Camp McCoy, WI.

Note:

Married by Chaplain Hoying in an Army chapel.

Honeymooned in Minneapolis, Minn. Given the Honeymoon suite in The Raddison Hotel.

Change Date: 16 Apr 2002

Children

1.      Living Montgomery

2.      Living Montgomery

3.      Living Montgomery"

Geraldine Cronin – Aunt Catherine and Tim Cronin’s daughter.

She graduated high school in 1938 and probably gave this picture to my grandmother.

This is the only picture that I have of any of the Cronins.

So that is it for the Cronins. Of course, there is a lot more research to be done.  As I was gathering information for  this post, I emailed Elaine Allen again on March 3 - took a chance that she had the same email - and she did!! I told her about the blog and she wrote back.

"Congratulations on your blog!!  I love it. Haven't done any more research. My cousins Bitsy (Elizabeth) and Frances (Kathleen Cronin White's daughters) went on a tour of Ireland last year and hoped to spend a day in Sneem. Unfortunately, they only had a few hours. They found a store called Moriarty's. The owner was wonderful and told them as much as he could. Nothing new though. 
We just had a mini cousins reunion here. Bitsy, my sister Jeanne, Susie (Geraldine Cronin's daughter) and I had a very long lunch at my home. My son Kevin and his family were visiting at the time and was thrilled to meet everyone.
How often will you add to your blog? I can't wait to see what you have on Catherine.  Good luck and I'll forward the link to the cousins.

Sent from my iPad"

I was quite jealous when I heard about their mini reunion! Now I am hoping to stay in touch with these new found cousins - maybe even have a "bigger" reunion!