John Riordan - son of Ellen Keohane Riordan

We first saw John Riordan in the 1911 Irish Census of Horse Hill More North - he was the youngest child of Edward Riordan and Ellen Keohane.  He was 5 years old and was not yet going to school.

I have heard that John Reardon was active in the Irish War of Independence - this would not be surprising - after all, Kinsale was a military stronghold and Bandon on the other side of Dunderrow was also a garrison for  British troops. County Cork has long been called the Rebel county, and local citizens were involved in the fight against the British. My great uncle Jim Keohane of Dunderrow told my father that he, Jim Keohane, was a scout for the Irish forces. 

John Riordan comes to America in 1926 with James McCarthy and Patrick O'Leary - all come from Dunderrow. They leave Cobh (Queenstown) 17 April 1926 on the S.S. Westphalia and arrive in Boston on 26 April. The manifest lists the Westphalia as a German United American Line. 

The passenger manifest line # 15 lists John Riordan/Reardon ( take a look at his name) as a 20 year old single farmer who is able to read and write English. He is a citizen of Ireland. His last address in Ireland was Kinsale. His nearest relative was his mother Ellen Riordan of Dunderrow, Kinsale, Co. Cork.

John has a ticket to his final destination of Watertown that he bought himself. He has $40. These travelers have a lot more money than some of our earlier emigrants who were lucky to have $5. 

John is going to join his cousin - John Keohane, 17 Adams St., Watertown, Boston, Massachusetts. He does not intend to return to Ireland; he plans to stay in the United States indefinitely and become a US citizen. He is 5'9" and has a fair complexion. His hair is sandy, and his eyes are hazel. He has no marks of identification. His birthplace was Kinsale.

'United American Lines, the common name of the American Shipping and Commercial Corporation, was a shipping company founded by W. Averell Harriman in 1920. Intended as a way for Harriman to make his mark in the business world outside of his father, railroad magnate E. H. Harriman, the company was financed by the younger Harriman's mother. Entering into the shipping world with little experience, Harriman's United American Lines entered into agreements with the Hamburg American Line, which was determined to recover after the financial disaster that befell the German company as a result of World War I ...

His inexperience ... and the almost complete end of immigration to the United States drained millions of dollars from the company and led Harriman to sell the company ... in 1926. 

James McCarthy (not our Jimmy McCarthy) is 37 years old - there is a check mark through his age so it is difficult to be exact. He is a single farmer also and is able to read and write English, His mother Margaret McCarthy lives in Ballyregan, Dunderrow. He bought his ticket to his final destination of Boston where he will join his sister Mrs. Patrick O'Keefe of 51 Harrison Street, Somerville, Boston. He has $25. He plans to remain in the US permanently and become a US citizen. He is 5'9" with a fair complexion. He has brown hair and grey eyes. He was born in Kinsale.

Patrick O’Leary is a 19 year old single farmer – he is able to read and write English. His father Denis O’Leary lives in Clogheen, Dunderrow, Kinsale.  He also bought his own ticket and is going to join his aunt Miss Nellie Walsh, 99 Chelsea Street, East Boston. He has $30. He does not intend to return to Ireland but plans to remain in the US permanently and become a US citizen. He is 5’6” with a dark complexion. He has dark hair and grey eyes. He was born in Kinsale. 

John Riordan/Reardon wasted no time declaring his intention to become a U.S. citizen. I found the index to his naturalization papers. He was admitted as a United States citizen on Nov 23rd, 1931 in the U.S. district Court of Boston. He was 25 years old and living at 89 Fayetter Street in Watertown. Petition #135114. 

The Reardon family made copies of his naturalization papers for me when we were planning the family reunion in 2006.

In the Declaration of Intention that follows, 

"I, John Reardon, aged 20 years, occupation laborer, do declare on oath that my personal description is: Color white, complexion light, height 5 feet 9 inches, weight 170 pounds, color of hair brown, color of eyes hazel, other visible distinctive marks none. 
I was born in Kinsale, Co Cork, Ireland on the 24th day of May, anno Domini 1906; I now reside at 81 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, Massachusetts.
I emigrated to the United States of America from Queenstown, Ireland on the vessel Westphalia; my last foreign residence was said Co. Cork; I am not married.
It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to George V King of Great Britain and Ireland of whom I am now a subject; I arrived at the port of Boston in the State of Massachusetts, on or about the 26th day of April, anno Domini 1926; I am not an anarchist; I a not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States of America and to permanently reside therein; SO HELP ME GOD.
                                                          John Riordan
                                                     (Original signature of declarant)

Subscribed and sworn to before me in the office of the Clerk of said Court at Boston Mass., this 30th day of November anno Domini 1926."

I can't make out the name of the Deputy Clerk of the District Court of the United States.

John Reardon renounced any allegiance to King George V ,who was first cousin with Tsar  Nicholas as well as Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany.

John Reardon's Certificate of Arrival #1-65830 certifies that he arrived at the Port of Boston on April 26, 1926 on the SS Westphalia - it is signed June 6, 1931 by Raymond Crist, Commissioner of Naturalization. The stamp shows that the district director of the naturalization service received it July 1, 1931.

United States of America Petition for Citizenship No. 135114 was filed in U.S. District Court of Boston. John Reardon is residing at 89 Fayette St., Watertown, Middlesex County. His occupation is a laborer. He was born in Kinsale, Cork, Ireland on May 24, 1906. His race is Irish. He declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on Nov. 30, 1926 in the U. S. District Court of Massachusetts at Boston. 
John is married. The name of his wife is Bertha; they were married on Sept. 26, 1928 at Auburndale, Mass; she was born at Galway, Ireland on 1905 and entered the United States at Boston on 1925 for permanent residence. She resides with John. They have two children: Edward born March 1929 in Boston, and John born May 23, 1930 in Waltham - both live with John in Watertown. 
His last foreign residence was Kinsale, Ireland. He emigrated to the United States of America from Queenstown, Ireland. His lawful entry for permanent residence in the United States was at Boston, Mass under the name of John Reardon on April 26, 1926 on the vessel Westphalia as shown by the certificate of his arrival attached hereto.
He renounces allegiance to King George V of Great Britain & Ireland. He intends to reside permanently in the United States. He speaks the English language. He has resided for five years at least immediately preceding the date of this petition, to wit, since April 26, 1926 and in the County of Middlesex.
He has NOT heretofore made petition for citizenship.
Attached hereto and made a part of this, his petition for citizenship, are his declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States, certificate from the Department of Labor of his said arrival, and the affidavits of the two verifying witnesses required by law. 
"Wherefore, I, your petitioner, pray that I may be admitted a citizen of the United States  of America ... I, your aforesaid petitioner, being duly sworn, depose and say that I have read this petition and know the contents thereof; that the same is true of my own knowledge except as to matters herein stated to be alleged upon information and belief, and that as to those matters I believe it to be true; and that this petition is signed by me with my full, true name.
                                                                    John Reardon"

The witnesses are Thomas Keohane (my grandfather's brother,) a laborer residing at 42 Madison St., Somerville and Edward (Ned) Shea, another laborer, of 43 Cypress St., Watertown. Each being severally, duly, and respectively sworn, deposes and says that he is a citizen of the United States of America, that he has personally known and has been acquainted in the United States with said Reardon, the petitioner above mentioned, since April 1926 and that to his personal knowledge the petitioner has resided in the United States continuously preceding the the date of filing this petition, of which this affidavit is a part, to wit, since the date last mentioned, and at Belmont and Watertown in the county of Middlesex in this State, in which the above-entitled petition is made, continuously since April 1926, and that he has personal knowledge that the petitioner is and during all such periods has been a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States, and that in his opinion the petitioner  is in every way qualified to be admitted a citizen of the United States.
Signed by Thomas Keohane and Edward Shea.

"Subscribed and sworn to before me by the above-named petitioner and witnesses in the office of the Clerk of said Court at Boston, the 20th day of August, anno Domino 1931. I hereby certify that certificate of arrival No. 1-65830 from the Department of Labor, showing the lawful entry for permanent residence of the petitioner above named, together with declaration of intention No 190015 of such petitioner, has been by me filed with, attached to, and made a part of this petition on this date. 
                                                              James Allen, Clerk"
 I can't make out the Deputy Clerk's name.

John Reardon took the oath of allegiance on the 13th/23rd day of November 1931. The petition was granted, and certificate #3543165 was issued.

John Reardon's family used this picture on their name tags at our family reunion in 2006.

As we saw in the witness affidavits, John Reardon lived in Belmont and Watertown since his arrival in Boston. The S. S. Westphalia manifest lists John heading to my grandfather at 17 Adams Street in Watertown. But my grandfather had moved to Concord Avenue in Belmont by this time. We just saw that John Reardon's sister Hannah used to come to Belmont on her days off. I suppose John stays with my grandfather until he finds a job.

John moves to Watertown - he is working as a laborer. This 1928 directory shows him boarding at 16 Cross Street which is off Main Street across from the Fire Department in Watertown Square.

According to John Reardon's naturalization papers he and Bridget/Bertha McHugh marry on Sept. 26, 1928 at Auburndale, Massachusetts which is a village of Newton. I remember it as the home of Norumbega Amusement Park - I think I was in 4th grade when my class at St. Patrick's Grammar School went there for an end of school outing. I remember riding through a house of horrors with my cousin Chris Navin - I was scared stiff!

The above newspaper clipping's caption states "Those Were The Days - Area residents took to the water in canoes back when the Charles River, which meanders through Watertown, was a major recreational resource. The scene above shows canoeists at Newton's Norumbega Park on the shores of the Charles in the early part of this century. (Photo courtesy of MDC.)" This was in the Watertown Press or Tab.

There was also the Totem Pole Ballroom near Norumbega Park - I know my aunt Hannie went dancing there - I suppose my mother went there as well. 

I think Corpus Christi Church is the church where John and Bridget marry. I haven't been able to find a marriage certificate.  The parish began in 1922. According to the parish website, "the first Mass was celebrated on June 25, 1922 in Norumbega hall above the former Keyes Drug Store ... on Auburn Street in Auburndale. A meeting was held that same day to discuss plans for a new church. The Rev. Thomas McManmon had been assigned as pastor on June 19th and on July 2nd the parish was named Corpus Christi Parish."

"On April 8, 1923, plans were submitted for a new church, and the blessing of the ground and the turning of the first sod took place on April 15th. By the following November, the basement chapel was completed and ready for the first Mass." 

The parish has been joined with St. Bernard's parish.

This 1934 Newton Directory shows Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church was located at 39 Ash Street in Auburndale.

I have no address for the Reardons after their marriage until 1930.

In the meantime, Edward is born March 1929 in Boston, and John is born May 23, 1930 in Waltham. If we obtain their birth certificates, they may list an address. 

The 1930 Watertown Directory shows our family at 63 Church Street. John is still working as a laborer.

The 1930 U.S. Census of Watertown holds a few more clues. It was taken April 7 by Patricia Ferriter. The Reardons are renting an apartment at 89 Fayette Street - they are paying $25 monthly rent. They must have recently moved from Church Street.

The owner is 37 year old Antonio Dinardo, and the house is worth $10, 000. He, his wife, and his 11 year old daughter were born in Italy - they immigrated in 1920. It is interesting that Antonio is listed as a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces. Does that say he was in the WW (World War I?) He is naturalized. He is working as a laborer/refiner at a rubber company - probably Hood Rubber in East Watertown. He has three other daughters and 2 sons who were born in Massachusetts.

John and Bertha Reardon are both 24 years old - they were 22 years old when they married. It says John immigrated in 1925; Bertha in 1924. They have both taken out citizenship papers. John is working for the town in the Water Department. Their son Eddie is 1 years old.

The 1931 and 1933 Watertown directories have John and Bertha Reardon living at 89 Fayette Street. John is a laborer.

By 1935 The Reardons have moved to 15 Hill Street. He is still a laborer. 

Bridget Mchugh's Certificate of Arrival #1 - 159730 is issued on Jan. 24, 1936. It shows that she entered New York, N.Y. on Feb. 14, 1925 on the S.S. President Roosevelt.

Bridget is making her petition for naturalization in the U.S. district Court of Massachusetts at Boston. She is living at 15 Hill Street in Watertown; her occupation is listed as at home. She was born June 10, 1904 in Menlough, Ballinasloe, Galway, Ireland. Her race is Irish.  Her declaration to become a citizen of the United States was omitted pursuant to Act Sept. 22, 1922 as amended. Her husband was naturalized in U.S. District Court, Boston, Mass. Nov. 23, 1931 - certificate #3543165.

Bridget states she is married - husband's name is John. They were married on September 16, 1928 in Newton, Mass; he was born in Co. Cork, Ireland in 1906. He entered the United States at Boston in April 1925-1926 for permanence residence.

Bridget Hughes took the oath of allegiance on 28 September 1936. Certificate of citizenship #4119915 was issued.

By 1937 the Reardons had moved to 83 Morse Street on the south side of Watertown.

We next see the Reardons in the 1940 United States Census of Watertown which was conducted on April 15 by Marion C. Healey. They are still living at 83 Morse Street - they own the house which is worth $4000.

33 year old John finished 9th grade; Bridget is 36 and finished 9th grade also. They are both U.S. citizens. John is a town worker - he worked 40 hours in the week March 24-30, 1940. He worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $1400. He did not receive income of $50 or more in other than wages. Bridget was engaged in house work - she had no income - wages or otherwise.

Edward is now 11 and has completed 6th grade; John is 9 and has completed 4th grade. They both attend parochial school. 

But there are several more children now. Theresa is 8 and has finished 3rd grade - she is also attending parochial school.

James, 5, has not yet started school; Ellen is 3, and Mary is 1.

The family lived in Watertown 5 years ago but not in this house.

Bridget's 33 year old brother, Dennis McHugh, is also living with the family. He is single and finished 9th grade. He was born in Eire but is an American citizen. He lived in Watertown 5 years ago. He worked 40 hours the week of March 24-30, 1940. He is a laborer on the railroad. He worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made more money than his brother-in-law - $1600. I wonder if he paid rent - John and Bridget didn't claim it if he did.

I have very little more about John Reardon. I know John Reardon was involved with the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 14 in Watetown. There is a picture of him hanging in the Club.

I know his family married and remained in the local area. My kids were surprised when they found out that they were related to some of the friends with whom they went to school.

John Reardon died in 1969.

Bridget Reardon died in 1970. Her death certificate is difficult to read. It says Bridget A. (McHugh) Reardon of 11 Eliot Street in Watertown, Massachusetts died on February 13, 1970 at home. She was a white female. she was the wife of John J. Reardon. She was 68 years old. She was a housewife. She did not have a Social Security Number. She was born in Galway, Ireland Her father was Michael McHugh who was born in Galway; her mother was Nora Connolly who was also born in Galway. Immediate cause of death was metastatic carcinoma of cecum. The informant was her son John Reardon of 41 Gilbert Street in Watertown. She was pronounced dead by Francid (Francis) D. Donovan M.D. Place of burial was St. Patrick's Cemetery in Watertown. This is record #10; date of record is February 17, 1970. It is signed and sealed by town Clerk of Watertown George B. Wellman.

Bertha's obituary is difficult to read in places.

"Page Two

Many at Funeral Mass For Bridget A. Reardon

The funeral of Bridget A. (McHugh) Reardon, 68, of 11 Eliot st., Watertown, was held Tuesday morning from the William H. Thomas Memorial funeral Home, 75 Galen St., followed by a Solemn Requiem Mass in St. Patrick's Church at 9 a.m. Rev John M. Donelin, pastor, was the celebrant. Rev. James J. Daly was deacon and Rev. Alfred F. butler was sub-deacon.

Seated in the sanctuary was Rev. John Mark Hannon of St. Edward's Church, Medfield. Miss Emma R. Roche was organist nd choir director.

Among those attending the funeral Mass were Police Chief Joseph P. Kelly, Capt. Joseph C. Harrington, retired Captain Herbert A. MacDonald,  Sergeant Walter O'Laughlin, and officers Edward Maloney, Benedict Central, Francis P. Mullahy, Edmund Forbes and Harold Bloomer.

Also attending were: Deputy Fire Chiefs Thomas J. Joyce and Robert O'Reilly; firefighter Joseph T. Beirne and retired firefighter Albert J. Mannix; Purchasing Agent William F. Oates; Acting Superintendent of Parks James A. Ryan; Mark E. Madden, Commander of Watertown Barracks, World War I Veterans, and retired Boston Police detective.

Also present were Mrs. Ellen Linehan, chairwoman of the Housing Authority, Mrs. Mary Ryan of the Watertown Democratic Town Committee, Leo Grady, Albert Kelley, Jr., Edward Tolan, and Kevin Forbes, all of the Watertown Council, Knights of Columbus; T. Vincent Gildea, chief ranger of Father Stack Court of Foresters; Patrick McHugh, retired employee of the Water Department; joseph W. Burke, former water commissioner; Joseph T. Coen, past president of St. Patrick's Holy Name Society; Peter Carr, chief auditor of the Boston and Maine Railroad; John T. Maloney, retired sales representative of the Denoyer-Geppert Company of Chicago, Ill; and Martin Glynn and Michael Horan of the Watertown Division of Hibernians.

Internement was in St. Patrick's Cemetery with committal prayers by Fr. Hannon and Fr. Daly.

Mrs. Reardon died Friday, February 13, at her home following a long illness. Wife of the late John J. Reardon, a foreman of the Watertown Water Department who died six months ago, she eaves three sons, Edward P. of Watertown, John J., a Watertown police officer, and James M., an employee of the Watertown Park Department; three daughters, Mrs Theresa Crouse an Mrs. Mary McFarlane, both of Watertown, and Mrs. Ellen McGaffigan of Wayland, 16 grandchildren, and several brothers and sisters in Ireland." 

The following article is probably from the Watertown Press. I don't have the whole thing - my father or mother must have cut this out. I don't know what happened to the next page. There is no date on it.

"Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians have similar stories: of their parents, grandparents, or themselves gathering up their belongings in County Cork or Galway to travel to this country, with similar dreams of American opportunity, prosperity, and companionship swirling through their minds.

Maybe it was the magnet of familiarity, but some of those immigrants found the AOH soon after their arrival. As original tales have faded into the mists of time, sons and daughters have continued the AOH tradition, with the Watertown chapter rising to its statuses one of the largest in the country.

Division 14 of the AOH, located on Watertown Street, displays the shields of every Irish county in its main hall as a testament to the variety of individuals who found their common soul - Ireland - on the streets of the town. Through that core, the organization has grown into a philanthropic mainstay, offering its hall and its money to area charities every year.

With the roots of the organization firmly implanted in 16th century Ireland, the AOH became a natural attractions for immigrants after they arrived in Boston and New York City. Within the walls of the club, the new arrivals could compare notes with their brethren, receive job information and settle into a familiar mood.

On Tuesday, forty year member John Reardon told the story of a steamer that brought his father, John "Red" Reardon, from Kinsale in County Cork to this country in 1927. He immediately joined Division 14 of the AOH. After barely surviving the uprising of 1917 against the British, Red Reardon wanted the "better life" to be found in America, according to his son.

"He said he was glad to get off the ship," recounted Reardon, chuckling as he alluded to his father's arrival in Boston."

Maybe I can find the remainder of this article on microfilm at Watertown Public Library. Wouldn't you love to hear the rest of it? 

One last memory of John Reardon was when we had our first Keohane Family Reunion about 1981. My father and I were trying to get some Irish music for the DJ to play. My father had us searching for "Down by the Glenside" in honor of John Reardon.

"T'was down by the Glenside
I met an old woman
A plucking young nettles
She ne'er saw me coming
I listened a while
To the song she was humming
Glory o glory o, to the bold Fenian men.

It's fifty long years
Since I saw the moon beaming
A strong manly force
Their eyes with hope gleaming
I see then again
Through all my sad dreaming
Glory o glory o, to the bold Fenian men.

Some died by the hillside
Some died with the stranger
And wise men have told us
Their cause was a failure
But they love their old Ireland
And they never feared danger
Glory o glory o, to the bold Fenian men.

I passed on my way
God be praised that I met her
Be life long or short
I will never forget her
We may have brave man
But we'll never have better
Glory o glory o, to the bold Fenian men.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZqpmP0PEOo