Con Butler - what is the missing link?

So should we review again? Charles Pierce/Pearce of Dunderrow marries Mary Leary on 9 May 1829 in Kinsale's Catholic Church. 

We found that they had at least 3 children - Cornelius born in 1835, Ellen born in 1843, and Mary Pierce. 

Ellen Pierce first marries Patrick Cooney – their son is Patrick Cooney and their grandson is Timothy “Timsy” Cooney who marries his cousin Judy Keohane.

Ellen Pierce Cooney then marries Patrick Hogan who was also married before. 
Patrick Hogan's first wife was Julia Cahalane –their children are: 

1) Ned Hogan who marries Annie McSweeney - he settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts - several relatives came out to him.

2) Ellen Hogan whose first husband was Denis Driscoll - their son was also Denis Driscoll.
Ellen Hogan Driscoll's 2nd husband was John McCarthy - their children are: Jerry, Nora, Ellen, Margaret, Minnie, and Jimmy. Two of their daughters had a sweet shop in Inishannon. Jimmy McCarthy emigrated to Watertown where the John Keohane family eventually lived.

Then Ellen Pierce Cooney and Patrick Hogan married and went on to have 5 children - David, William, Minnie, Michael, and Charlie.

Meanwhile, Ellen Pierce's sister, Mary Pierce, marries Jack Keohane in 1858 and may have had 8 children – 1) Mary, 2) Patrick, 3) Ellen, 4) Hannah, 5) James, 6) John, 7) Charles, and 8) Kate. 

Their son James Keohane - #5 - came out to his cousin David Hogan in Somerville in 1895 - he brought his cousin Michael Hogan's two young sons with him. Sadly he died of sunstroke in 1896 - so soon after he arrived. 
Their son John Keohane - #6 - may also have emigrated to work on the railroad in the U.S. 
Their daughter Ellen Keohane - #3 - has Ellie Hurley who emigrates to Boston.

Ellen Keohane then marries Edward Riordan. They have Mary, Hannah, Edward, and John. Hannah comes out to her sister Ellie Hurley in Boston but eventually turns to Deunderrow. John Riordan/Reardon emigrates to Watertown, Massachusetts.

Patrick Keohane - #2 - marries Hannah Kiely and has Minnie, my grandfather John Keohane, Tom, Nellie, Hannah, and Jim.  After Hannah Kiely’s death, Patrick Keohane marries Julia Murphy. Their daughter is Judy Keohane who marries Timsy Cooney. We will talk about this Keohane family a little more in depth, but I want to pause for a minute.

We have talked about Pierces, Keohanes, Reardons, Hogans – we mentioned Jimmy McCarthy. But what about Con Butler - another relative.  Where does he fit in? Aunt Nellie Keohane said she and Con Butler were cousins. Con’s mother was Mary Ellen Pierce – so it would seem that the Pierces are the logical connection.  Perhaps Mary Ellen Pierce was a granddaughter of old Charles Pierce – we know he had at least 2 daughters – Ellen and Mary – and at least one son - Cornelius no less! Charles likely had more children.

Our Cornelius J. Butler was born 21 May 1898. His daughter Helen told me that he was born in Bawnleigh townland which is in Ballymartle parish.

The blue shaded area above is Bawnleigh.

I looked up Bawnleigh in Griffith's Valuation of the 1850s and found that it contains 365 acres. Then I found a Mary Butler listed in Bawnleigh. She is renting a house and garden from Jeremiah Keliher who is renting from John Hewitt Wheatley, Esquire. Mary Butler is paying 8 shillings for the land and the house. Maybe she is a relative of Con Butler.

I had heard that Con's father was Tom Butler. Family legend was that his mother was Mary Ellen Pierce. Aunt Nellie Keohane told me that some of Con’s sisters died along with his mother in the flu epidemic of 1916-1918. Con’s father and mother and 2 sisters were hospitalized. Mary Ellen Pierce and the 2 girls died in the hospital. Tom Butler watched the funeral procession as it passed the hospital.

****

***I did find a baptismal certificate for a Thomas Butler of Camp Hill on www.irishgenealogy.ie - he was baptized in Kinsale's Catholic Church on 12 September 1875  - the same day he was born. His parents were William Butler and Catherine Wholey. The sponsors were John Leary and Honesty Hayes.

Then I looked back and found a marriage certificate for these parents - William Butler and Catherine Wholey. They are married by Father J. Keleher on 17 April 1864 in Kinsale. There is some notation by William's name that I cannot make out - it looks like 27 something. Witnesses are Michael Wholly and Ellen Driscoll. 

It looks like this couple had several other children:
Mary Ellen Butler of Camp Hill born 4 May 1865 - sponsors are Michael Hooley and Mary Keeffe.

I found another another child born 21 March 1867 and baptized 22 March. Unfortunately, it is difficult to read the name - I thought it was Johannah or Jeremiah.

The transcriber on ww.irishgenealogy.ie thought it was Anne Jane Butler. 

Sponsors are Michael McCarthy and Johannah Wholley. If you look at the way Johannah Wholley is written, I think the child's name looks like that Johannah.

  

Next I found a Michael James Butler born 20 June 1874 and baptized in Kinsale the next day by Father Murphy. Now the family are living on Barrack Street in Kinsale. 

Sponsors are Denis Hayes and Mary Hayes. I remember seeing a Denis Hayes marrying Anastasia Hooly on 28 May 1854 in the Kinsale Catholic Church as I was researching. No residence is given, but they are living in Camp Hill when their son Denis Hayes is born on 20 May 1859. As we just saw, the Butlers also lived in Camp Hill.

The other interesting thing about the above Kinsale register is Maryanne Butler of Barrack Street born 25 May 1874 and baptized June 14. Her parents are Martin Butler and Bridget Ryan.  

So the next thing is to look at the 1901 Irish Census. I didn't have much luck in the 1901 census. I found a Kate Butler on Hogan's Row in Kinsale. She is the widowed head of the family. She is a 58 year old housekeeper. Her widowed daughter and her children live with Kate. 31 year old Anne Allen is a lace worker. Interesting that Anne was born in Kent, England - that would be about 1870. I wonder if this could be our family - they would be living in England between living in Camp Hill and Hogan's Row.

Two of Anne' children are going to school - 6 year old Denis and 4 year old Christy. Kate is 2.

The following is an ad for a rental property on Hogan's Row - I'm not sure if it is the same house Kate Butler lived in. 

Kate Butler and her family are living in house #6 - it is a 2 room house with 2 windows in front. The form below does not say who the landowner is. 

The above list of neighbors living on Hogan's Row includes another Butler family - they are one of two families living in house #7 - I wonder if this is next door to Kate Butler? 

#7 has 4 rooms with two windows in front. There are 7 Butlers living in 2 rooms, and the Thomas Kelly family has 7 family members living in another 2 rooms. Wow!

William Butler is 28 years old, and his wife Mary Ellen is 29. They are both able to read and write - both were born in Ireland. From the census I would think that William was born about 1873 and Mary Ellen about 1872.

Two of their children, William who is 9 and Catherine who is 7, are going to school. Mary 4, Thomas 2, and new baby Hannah who is 1 month old are all at home. 

Thomas Kelly's family is a little older. He is a 50 year old carpenter. His wife Mary is 54. Son Patrick is a 24 year old carpenter. 20 year old daughter Hannah is a lace worker, while 18 year old Elizabeth is a teacher in a national school! Thomas Kelly is 16 and still going to school. 10 year old Patrick Lehane is Thomas Kelly's ward - he is going to school. All were born in County Cork.

All these people living in 4 rooms in the same building - 14 of them. I wonder if there was a relation between the Kellys and Butlers? Are these Butlers related to Kate Butler? And are any of them related to us? 

The 1911 Irish Census does not shed a lot of light on the Butlers.
Mary Ellen and William Butler were the only ones I could find in the Kinsale area. They are both 39 and have been married for 20 years. William is now 19, Catherine is 17, Mary is 14, Hannah is 9, Patrick is 7, John is 5, and Thomas is 3. All were born in Cork. Mary Ellen had 8 children with 7 living. 

I don't know what to say about the Butlers - I guess I don't know enough about the family to make an educated guess.

So lets move on to what we do know.

Here is an email dated Tuesday, August 30, 2005 from Mary Butler, Con’s daughter:

“Hi Mary Ellen,

I have talked to Helen and my daughter Anne ... We would love to be part of the reunion. Your proposed plan sounded fine to us. In fact, I have been wanting to see the family tree for years. I wonder if anyone will know (I doubt it) if my father was from the town of Kinsale or one of the outlying villages. I know Jack Reardon was from Dunderrow.  I don't remember hearing my father talk about the exact place. It was always Kinsale. When I look at a map of Cork I recognize the many names of towns and villages that I heard my mother and father talk about.

I have gone on-line to check genealogy re Kinsale and the name Butler. My father's mother's name was Mary Ellen Pearce. I'm not sure if this is the correct spelling of the last name. It could be Pierce. Your great-great Aunt Nellie knew my grandmother and said she was one of the prettiest young women she ever saw. It was my grandmother who died, with two daughters, during the influenza epidemic in 1916-18. I know there is the story in the family of her calling to my grandfather to come to her when she was sick, but he was sick and in hospital also. He watched the funeral procession from the hospital window.  I always felt great sorrow in my father and knew that his growing-up years were marked by tragedy. He was also incarcerated for being in the IRA. He used to tell me about it when I was a child.

Of course I wish I had asked questions when my parents were alive, or even when their friends were still alive. Jack Reardon and my father were cousins. There was great affection between them. I loved Bertha Reardon and used to stay with the Reardons during the summer, some times.

Any chance to relive the old days and research and investigate family ties would be wonderful. Count us in!"

20 October 2019
I just found a marriage certificate for Thomas Butler and Mary Ellen Pierce in 1897!!

Superintendent Registrar's District
1897 Marriage solemnized at the Roman Catholic Chapel of Kinsale in the Registrar's District of Kinsale in the Union of Kinsale in the County of Cork.
The first entry is #192. The marriage took place on July 10, 1897 of Thomas Butler to Mary Ellen Pierce. They were of full age. He was a bachelor; she was a spinster. Thomas was a laborer and resided in Ballinhassig. Mary Ellen resided in Mellifontstown, Kinsale. His father was Thomas Butler; her father was John Pierse; they are both laborers.
thomas and Mary Ellen were married in the Roman Catholic Chapel of Kinsale according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church by Thomas Barrett, C.C.
Thomas and Mary Ellen signed the register with their marks in the presence of William Kelleher and Bridge Foley.

I also found death certificates for this Mary Butler and her daughter Christina.

Superintendent Registrar's District of Kinsale, Registrar's District of Ballymartle. 
1918 Deaths Registered in the District of Ballymartle in the Union of Kinsale in the County of Cork.
Line 119. Date and place of death: 1918 (?) Ninth November in Shanbally. Mary Butler - female - married - age 39 years - laborer's wife - probable cause of death is Influenza for 4 days Pneumonia for 3 days - no medical attendant - Thomas Butler signed his mark as present at death - he lived in Shadbally.

Line 120. Date and time of death: 1918 third November in Shadbally. Christina Butler - female - spinster - 3 years - laborer's child - cause of death is anemia (pernicious) for 18 months and exhaustion that was certified. Thomas Butler signed his mark as present at death - he lived in Shadbally.

I could not find Shanbally but did find Shanavally townland in Ballymartle - there were no Butlers living there in the 1911 census.

Here is another email sent Friday, September 2, 2005 by Mary Butler with more information about her family:

“Hi Mary Ellen,

Thank you so much for your letter which I received and read....on my father's background. It's exciting to think that anyone knows any part of the story.  You asked about my mother...she was from Bantry.  She was the only one of her siblings to emigrate.  I have first cousins, a gang of them spread all over.  Just my mother's brother, Thomas Donovan, had 11 children.  I know the first four pretty well but not the others.  Another of my mother's siblings, Margaret Mahoney, had 8 or 9 children, most of whom I've met.  The youngest of my Donovan cousins still lives on the family property in Bantry. We are thinking of visiting them next fall. The big mystery has always been my father's side because he didn't talk much about the past.  He had a brother Bart who lived in Kinsale until his death.

I will check some of the places you suggested for birth or death certificates.  I am intrigued about my grandmother, Mary Ellen Pierce.  You gave me some valuable information.  Re Aunt Nellie....I'm not sure how many generations there are between us.  I will have to research.  I know she was related to Mary Ellen Pierce, my grandmother. I would venture a guess and say that she was probably a first cousin to my grandmother.  I think we called her "Aunt" but she was really a cousin.  The way I think we are related to the Reardons is through my father's grandmother and Jack Reardon, Sr.'s grandmother.  I think they were sisters. That would make my father and Jack second cousins and me and my siblings and the Reardons third cousins.  I look forward to seeing the family tree and have wanted to contact you for years.  At last I have the opportunity ...

This is a wonderful thing you're doing.  We are very lucky to be a part of a community that offers so much to its people.  And we are very lucky to have someone like you to lead the way.

Anything I can do to help I will. Just let me know.  Thanks for all your work.”

I did find a baptismal record for a Mary Ellen Pierce of Camp Hill - she was born and baptized on 14 January 1879. Her parents are John Pierce and Mary Quinn. Looks like sponsors are Timothy Quinn and Ellen Flynn. Interesting, isn't it, that these Pierces are living in Camp Hill where the Butlers were living in 1875 when Thomas Butler was born?

I couldn't find any more information about this John Pierce. But as we said before, old Charles Pearse and Mary Leary very likely had more children than Ellen, Mary and Cornelius. We know both Ellen and Mary Keohane were married and having children in the early 1870s. Maybe John was a brother. There are other John Pierces married to other women.

So we just heard that Con Butler fought with the IRA during the Irish War of Independence. He spent 18 months in a British prison before coming to the United States.  

Con leaves Cobh (the former Queenstown) July 4, 1926 on the S.S. Cedric and arrives in Boston on July 11. (Remember that John Reardon emigrated in April of 1926.) He is a 23 year old farm laborer; he can read and write English. His last residence was Kinsale, Co. Cork. His nearest relative in Ireland is his father, Thomas Butler, of Shippool, Dunderrow, Kinsale, Co. Cork. His final destination is Roxbury.

         I took this picture of Shippool Castle in the early 1980s.

Page 2 of the ship manifest tells us that Con has a ticket to his final destination, and he has $25. He has never been to the United States before. He is joining his cousin, John Murphy, at 71 Hillside Street in Roxbury. Con does not intend to return to Ireland; he plans to remain permanently in the United States. It looks like he is 5 feet 9 inches with a light complexion, light hair, and blue eyes. He obtained his visa #10051 in Cobh on 21/6/26.

I couldn't find a John Murphy at 71 Hillside Street in the 1926 or 1927 Boston Directories. 1925 had John F. Murphy, mgr (manager), res (residence)146 Hillside Street, Roxbury. I don't know if this is the correct Murphy.

75 Hillside is on the left and 67 Hillside is on the right of this light colored triple decker which likely is 71 Hillside Street in Roxbury.

Hillside Street may sound familiar - my grandmother's sister, Mary Moriarty Walsh lived there in the early 1940s.

So Con Butler comes out to his cousin in Roxbury in 1926. I don't find him in any directories until 1928 - and then he is in Watertown!! He is a laborer boarding at 16 Cross Street. We just saw that his cousin John Reardon is boarding here at the same address. Did John Reardon get him a job?

16 Cross Street is this white building - #14 is on left, #16 is next and then #18 and #20 on the right. Main Street is to the right - that is the fire station in Watertown Square. 

Con declares his intention to become an American citizen in 1929. In Massachusetts District Court he declares:
"I, Cornelius Butler, aged 30 years, occupation laborer, do declare on oath that my personal description is: Color white, complexion fair, Height 5 feet 9 inches, weight 160 pounds, color of hair light, color of eyes blue, other visible distinctive marks none.
I was born in Co. Cork, Ireland on the 21st day of May, anno Domini 1898; I now reside at 16 Cross St., Watertown, Massachusetts.
I emigrated to the United States of America from Queenstown, Ireland on the vessel Cedric; my last foreign residence was said Co. Cork; I am not married ...
It is my bonafide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to George V, by the grace of God of Great Britain & Ireland & the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India of whom I am now a subject; I arrived at the port of Boston in the State of Massachusetts, on or about the 11th day of July, anno Domini 1926, I am not an anarchist; I am 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.
                                                             Cornelius Butler"

Con swore this in the office of the clerk of court in Boston on the 11th day of February 1929.

This same year - 1929 - Cornelius J. Butler of Watertown marries Sheila Donovan in Boston - I have a note that she was born 18 September 1903. Notice the other Cornelius Butler from Boston who married the same year.

In 1930 the Butlers are living at 185 Summer Street in Watertown. Con is working as a laborer.

The 1930 U.S Census was taken 11 April. As we just saw, the Butlers are living at 185 Summer Street. They are renting an apartment for $25 monthly. Cornelius J. is a 26 year old porter in a department store. He was not at work the last regular work day. He immigrated in 1925 and has taken out naturalization papers. Sheala is 24 years old - she immigrated in 1925. Con was 25 when they married; Sheala was 24. Their son Thomas J. is less than a year old - he was born in Michigan.

I don't think this is the original house - I think it is a new condo. Many houses in Watertown are now being converted into condos.

I also found Con listed in the 1930 Boston directory. He is a cleaner at 815 Washington Street in Boston and resides at 185 Summer Street in Watertown.  

Does 518 Washington Street sound any bit familiar? Do you remember my grandmother's sister Mary Moriarty was married to Jeremiah Walsh? He was working at 518 Washington Street before he went to work at the brewery in 1917. This was R. H. White's Department Store - seen below - it was one of the giants like Jordan Marsh and Filene's in Boston's retail district.

1931 shows Con and his neighbors on Summer Street.

There is also progress on Con's naturalization as an American citizen in 1931.

Certificate #73122 was received by the Naturalization Service on Aug 10, 1931. The immigration records show that Cornelius Butler arrived at the port of Boston, Massachusetts on July 11, 1926 on the S.S. Cedric. It was signed August 7, 1931 by Commissioner of Naturalization Raymond Crist.

Petition for Citizenship #136881 is filed in the District Court of Massachusetts in Boston. Con is living at 185 Summer Street in Watertown and working as a laborer. He was born in Cork, Ireland on May 28, 1898 - his race is Irish. He declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen on Feb. 11, 1929 in U.S. District Court in Boston.
His wife is Sheila (no surname given) whom he married on July 23, 1929 in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. She was born in Bantry, Ireland on November 13, 1903. She entered the United States at Boston on Nov. 1929 for permanent residence and now resides with Con. (I think the dates here are a little off!)
Con and Sheila have two children who reside with them in Watertown - Thomas was born May 29, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan - Cornelius was born August 31, 1930 in Brighton. (Probably at St. Elizabeth's Hospital.)
Con's last foreign residence was Cork, Ireland. His lawful entrance to the United States for permanent residence was at Boston, Mass under the name of Cornelius Butler on July 11, 1926 on the Cedric.
Con renounces allegiance to George V and any other foreign power. 
He has resided in the United States for at least 5 years - from July 11, 1926 and in Middlesex County since July 1926.
He has not before made petition for citizenship.
He signed that the information provided is true - Cornelius J Butler.

Witnesses are Mary O'Hara, housewife, who lives at 16 Cross Street in Watertown (where Con and John Reardon previously lived) and Ellen Keohane (my grandfather's sister and cousin of Con Butler) of 69 Waverly Avenue in Watertown.
They swear their affidavits in Boston District Court on 26th October 1931before the deputy clerk of court.

Con takes the oath of allegiance to the United States on 1 February 1932, and certificate of citizenship # 3544974 is issued.

By 1933 Con and his family have moved to 15 New Lexington Street in Watertown. He is still laboring.

#15 is the door on the right of the house with the red car in front of it.
1935 has the same listing except it is now 15 Lexington Street - I guess it is no longer a new street!

The 1940 U.S. Census finds the Butlers have moved to 69 Spring Street in Watertown. They are renting this apartment for $25/month. Con is 41 years old - he completed 8 years of school - we know that he was born in the Irish Free State and that he is a naturalized citizen. He lived in the same place (but not the same house) five years ago. He worked the week of March 24-31, 1940. He is working as a janitor for a rubber plant - probably Hood Rubber. He worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $936. He received no other income over $50.

T. Sheila Butler is 36 years old - she completed 4 years of high school. Sheila provided the information. Their three children are attending school - J. Thomas is 10 and has completed 4 years of school. I wonder if there was kindergarten in those days. Cornelius Jr. is 9 and completed 3 years of school; T. Helen is 7 and completed 1 year of school. 
Dennis Murphy is the Butler's lodger. He is 45 and single; he finished 8 years of school. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen. He lived in Watertown 5 years ago. He is a painter. Interesting that he worked 52 weeks in 1939, but no income is listed. Maybe Sheila didn't know what he made.

                                  Sheila and her two sons.

Sheila Butler died 27 January 1984 in Boston, Massachusetts.

I took care of Con Butler when I worked at St. John of God Hospital in the early 1980s. I visited him several times on Spring Street which was just down the street from where I lived on Marshall Street. Of course, unfortunately, I kept no record of those visits. 

Con died in April 1986 at 88 years of age.

"Cornelius Butler, 87; resided here 67 years.

Funeral services for Cornelius Butler, 87, were held from the Donald J. MacDonald & Son Funeral Home, 270 Main St., Watertown, on Monday, April 21, 1986.

His Funeral Mass followed and was celebrated in St. Patrick Church, Watertown, by the Rev. Thomas Maguire, parochial vicar. Assisting him were Emma Roche, organist; Claudette Brennan, soprano; and Mary Jane Rupert, harpist. Among the musical selections of Irish airs played before Mass by Miss Rupert were: "The Snowy-Breasted Pear(l)" and "The Bold Fenian Men", and at the Offertory was "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." At the Communion, Miss Roche and Miss Rupert played Gounod's "Ave Maria" and at the Postcommunion, Miss Rupert played Shubert's "Ave Maria." 

Also participating in the Liturgy as Lectors were Mr. Butler's granddaughters: Susan Amatangelo and Sheila Butler. The Bearer of the offertory Gifts was another granddaughter, Anna Maria Amatangelo.

Acting as pallbearers were John Reardon, Edward Reardon, Edward McDade, Philip Amatangelo, Charles Wheeler, and Dennis Caulfield.

Mr. Butler ws born in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, a son of Thomas and Ellen (Pierce) Butler. He grew up and was educated in Kinsale and was a member of the Sinn Fein party in Ireland before he came to the United States when he was 20 years old.

Mr. Butler was a great sports enthusiast. He followed the Irish sports events and went to Ireland in 1972 to see the Cork All-Ireland finals in hurling and soccer, and in this country always went to the annual Boston Marathon.

Mr. Butler was a retired employee of the Boston Gas Co., with 25 years of service for the company when he retired in 1965. He was a resident of Watertown for the past 67 years and lived for many years on Spring St. 

Mr. Butler died in St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Brighton on Friday, April 18, 1986, after a long illness.

He leaves two sons, Thomas J. Butler of Cambridge and Nahant, and Cornelius F. Butler of Sarasota, Fla.; two daughters, Helen T. Butler and Mary E. Butler, both of Watertown; a brother Bartholomew Butler of Cork; and five grandchildren: Christopher, Thomas A., and Sheila Butler of Cambridge, and Anne Marie and Susan Amatangelo of Watertown.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife Sheila (O'Donovan) Butler, a brother Thomas of England, and two sisters, Mary Corcoran of Dorchester and Bridget Donovan of Ireland.

Internment was in the family lot in Ridgelawn Cemetery, Watertown. Committal prayers were offered by Fr. Maguire and Irish music was played on the bagpipes by John Lawn of Watertown."

This note was from my mother: "Dad says Con Butler is related thru Pierce - Con told him that after he came back from Ireland - he said the only living relative he had now was by the name of Pierce - Dad thinks it may have been Annie Pierce."

So this is most of what I know about Con - we still don't know the exact connection of Con's Pierces to our Pierces, but we know it is there.