We knew from family history that John Keohane eventually went to work for the Boston Elevated Railway. We have seen from his WWI draft registration that he was in Belmont living and working at McLean Hospital in 1917. Then we learn from his marriage registration that he was living in Brighton and working for the Boston Elevated Railway by 1918.
A quick word about the Boston Elevated Railway. Boston is the birthplace of American mass transportation - it emerged in the city in 1631. At that time Boston was a peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land called Boston Neck - that strip is now the South End. Because there were no bridges and only limited access to the mainland, it was a 2 day journey to haul goods by ox cart from Chelsea to Boston - merchants would have to travel through Malden, Cambridge, Brighton, and Roxbury. Residents could travel within the city but rarely traveled outside the city boundaries because they could not afford horses or wagons. As Boston grew, landfilling projects began, and bridges were built to surrounding towns. A stagecoach operated between Cambridge and Boston and later between Boston and other New England cities. An omnibus operated within the city - it was larger than a stagecoach and the seats were lengthwise along the sides of the bus instead of horizontal.
https://bostonintransit.com/collections/coaches-omnibuses-horse-drawn/products/omnibus-in-downtown-boston-circa-1860s-70s
In 1865 the first horsecar line ran from Central Square in Cambridge to Bowdoin Square (near the present City Hall Plaza) in Boston. Tracks had been laid along the streets, and horses pulled the coaches along the tracks. Omnibuses could go anywhere even in winter, but horses could haul larger or heavier loads of passenger in coaches more smoothly and comfortably over rails. At one point the West End Street Railway, which consolidated all the horsecar lines, had 8,000 horses.
I found a picture of a self-propelled center-entrance car in Watertown - it is a double-ended streetcar that can be driven from either end. I don't know if this is what John Keohane was driving but it might be!! That looks like Lewandos on the right.
My mother said John Keohane had found the apartment in Newton Corner, but he did not know that they could not have children in the apartment. She said he and Ma were not there long before they found an apartment at 17 Adams Street in East Watertown.
These pictures are from May 1979. I love the old detail on the house.
The building below in the back is the above house - it now has siding.
Below is a picture of the house out front which now says it is #11 Adams Street.
The red icon on the left shows 17 Adams Street as the building in the back. Adams Street runs from Mount Auburn Street to Nichols Avenue. It is a couple of blocks from Coolidge Square.
The 1920 US Census for part of Precinct 2 in Watertown is taken on January 13 & 14. John and Margaret Keohane are renting apartment 3 at 17 Adams Street. He is 30 and she is 25. He has taken out papers for naturalization; she is an alien. They both immigrated in 1912. John Keohane works as a motorman for the Street Railway. They both speak English.
Shortly after the census was taken, Jim Keohane was born. The birth certificate that I found online at www.familysearch.org is a little different:
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Office of the Secretary #184
Division of Vital Statistics Watertown
Canvasser's Return of A Birth
Place of Birth: St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Boston, Suffolk County
Registered #55
Name of Child: James Patrick Keohane
Sex of Child: Male Not a twin Born alive DOB: Feb. 4, 1920
Father: John Keohane - 17 Adams St., Watertown - White - 30 years old - Birthplace: Co. Cork, Ireland - Occupation: Motorman
Mother: Margaret Moriarty - 17 Adams St., Watertown - White - 25 years old - Birthplace: Co. Kerry, Ireland - Occupation: Housewife
Attendant at birth: Joseph Stanton - Physician or midwife: Physician - 520 Beacon St., Boston - Personally attended birth: Yes
Informant: Margaret Keohane - 17 Adams St., Watertown - Mother
Name of canvasser: Louise Clark Filed: Jan. 17, 1921
Date return was obtained: Jan. 17, 1921 Wm P McGuire
I remember going to St. E's when I was a kid - one of my aunts was probably having a baby, and children weren't allowed to visit. We would be outside with my father probably - rolling down the grassy slopes on the Cambridge Street side.
This looks like where we would be rolling down the grass - we'd stop before falling off the wall on Cambridge Street.
My family has used and continues to use the facilities at St. Elizabeth's. My PCP is at St. E's - I have had surgeries there. I did a clinical rotation at St. E's when I was in nursing school at Boston College, and I worked there a couple of times during my working career.
The website -
https://www.semc.org/article/St-Elizabeths-Medical-Center-celebrates-its-100th-anniversary-in-Brighton#:~:text=The%20hospital%27s%20roots%20date%20back,in%20the%20field%20of%20gynecology. -
reports that:
"The hospital’s roots date back to 1868 when five Catholic women started St. Elizabeth’s Hospital to care for sick immigrant women and as a place of shelter for retired and feeble women in domestic service." It started out in downtown Boston.
My mother said the landlord of 17 Adams Street died while Ma was at St. E's having Jim. John Keohane never told Ma until she came home. My mother said Ma was very upset - maybe she was afraid a new landlord would not want to have children in the apartment. The neighbors in #17 Adams Street were Irish, Scottish, Sweden, American, Canadian. My mother said one of the woman in the building was very good to Ma.
I suppose Ma was in a ward like this when she had Jim.
I went down to the Sacred Heart Church in East Watertown and obtained Jim's Baptismal Certificate on October 14, 1998. James Patrick Keohane, child of John and Margaret Moriarty, was born 4th February 1920 and was baptized on the 22nd day of February 1920 by Reverend Richard Rogers. Sponsors were Martin McHugh and Helen Moriarty. Father Paul McEntee signed the certificate.
We saw Martin McHugh before - he was a witness for John Keohane and Ma's wedding. My mother said he was a brother-in-law of John Keohane's cousin. I guess I never asked what cousin!!
Remember that Sacred Heart is one of the churches where Father McDonough had his healing services.
"1893 - 1993
"This Church building stands as a monument to the people - to their faithfulness, their unswerving loyalty and devotion. And it is a sacred place where they worship their God and pray together as a community. It is to these people of Sacred Heart Parish, the founders, builders, supporters, worshippers, workers, those enjoying eternal glory with their God and those still on their journey of faith or struggling with it, that this edifice is rededicated."
John and Jim Keohane
Ma and Jim Keohane
Jim Keohane
John and Jim Keohane
John Keohane is still working as a motorman for the Boston Elevated Railway. My mother and my aunt Hannie said that their father drove the streetcar back and forth from Harvard Square to Watertown Square. When he passed Adams Street at 10 or 11 pm, he rang the bell so his family would know he is passing. The trolley travels back and forth on one rail and has a steering wheel and controls at each end. When he reaches each Square, he flips the back of the passengers' seats so they face the opposite direction, and he drives the trolley from the opposite end of the car. We had his hat for years that we kept with the Halloween costumes - I don't know where that ended up.
Years ago - in the late 70s and in the 80s - I spent hours at the National Archives in Waltham looking up passenger lists for John Keohane and Margaret Moriarty and their families - I didn't have any dates at the time and just scrolled through roll after roll of microfilms until I found them. Then I was scrolling for naturalization papers. I did find John Keohane's Petition for Naturalization - I have a copy of it right here beside me. John Keohane signed it in 1920. When the records finally came online, it made research so much easier. But I still never found John Keohane's Declaration of Intent to become a United States citizen. Until this morning - 10 July 2021. I was looking up his Petition on www.ancestry.com to download it into this blog - because the copy I have is too big to scan - when I found the Petition and then the Declaration. I am going to include a bit of the Declaration in this blog but will have to go back to the previous blog post and include it there.
On the Declaration John Keohane reports that he is a teamster living at 259 Portland Street in Cambridge! This is where his brother Tom Keohane and his wife were living in the 1920 US Census! John Keohane signs the Declaration on 5 April 1918. We have already seen that John Keohane was living on Brackett Street in Brighton when he got married in September of 1918. So did he live in Cambridge at some point with Tom or did he just use Tom's address in case he moved? We may never know.
John Keohane petitions for naturalization on 24 September 1920. According to the petition, he is living at 17 Adams Street and still working as a motorman. He lists his birth date as 10 December 1889 (which we have seen is the day he was baptized), and he was born in County Cork, Ireland. He emigrated from Queenstown, Ireland on or about the 16th day of April in 1912 and arrived in the port of Boston, Massachusetts on the 25th of April 1912 on the vessel Laconia.
"I declare my intention to become a citizen of the United States on the 5th day of April 1918 in Boston, Mass in the US District Court of Mass Dist(rict.) I am married. My wife's name is Margaret; she was born on the 18th day of March 1894 in Ireland and now resides with me. I have one child James P. born February 4 1920 in Boston, Mass and lives in Watertown, Mass."
John Keohane renounced absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to George, King of Great Britain and Ireland. He has resided continuously in the United States for the term of five years at least since 25th day of April 1912 and in the state of Massachusetts continuously since 25th April 1912.
The petition was signed John Keohane. Declaration of Intention No. 78455 filed 24th day of September 1920.
Then John Keohane signs an affadavit that the above information was true.
Charles Hogan, teamster, residing at Cambridge, Massachusetts and David Cosgrove, teamster, residing at Waverly, Massachusetts depose and say that John Keohane is a citizen of the United States of America, that he has personally known said Keohane to have resided in the United States continuously since 1914 and in the state continuously since 1914 and that he has personal knowledge that the said petitioner is a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and that the petitioner is in every way qualified, in his opinion, to be admitted a citizen of the United States.
Signed by Charles Patrick Hogan and David Cosgrove 24 September 1920 in the office of the clerk of said court at Boston, Mass. The petition is signed by Thomas A. Gilling, clerk.
We know Charlie Hogan is John Keohane's cousin - Charlie's mother was Ellen Pierce - Ellen was a sister of Mary Pierce - mother of Patrick Keohane, John's father - in other words Mary Pierce was John Keohane's grandmother. Charlie Hogan was the cousin who had been trying to find John Keohane a wife.
So who was this Dave Cosgrove? He swore that he knew John Keohane since 1914 - is that when John Keohane left Hood Farm in Lowell to work on the farm at McLean Hospital in Belmont? I did a search on www.ancestry.com with just Dave's name and Waverley, Massachusetts. Bingo! I found his WWI draft registration.
His registration card lists his serial number as 561. His name is David Cosgrove. His address is McLean Hospital, Belmont, Middlesex, Massachusetts. He is 33 years old - he was born December 31, 1884. He is white - he is a naturalized citizen. He is a farm teamster at McLean Hospital, Pleasant (?St.), Belmont, Middlesex, Mass. Nearest relative is Mrs. Elizabeth Clark, 845 Fenno, Revere, Suffolk, Mass. Dave signs the form verifying that the information is correct.
Page 2 tells us that Dave is tall, slender build, blue eyes, dark brown hair, no physical disabilities. Kate Field is the Registrar - the date is Sept. 7, 1918. Local Board Division 31.
So I guess Dave Cosgrove may have worked with my grandfather at McLean's.
I'd like to know about Dave Cosgrove because my mother told me that Aunt Nellie and Aunt Hannah together saw him at Park Street in downtown Boston, and they called him a "bum". I don't imagine he was a bum when he stood up for my grandfather's naturalization. But we'll come back to Dave.
I checked the 1919 thru 1923 Watertown Directories, and the Keohanes are only listed in 1921. There is no directory for 1920. "Keohane John (Margaret) motorman h 17 Adams."
The next event to occur is my mother's birth. The birth registration is the same form as Jim's. My mother is registered #432. Ellen Mary Keohane was born at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Boston - she was female - not a twin - born alive on Sept. 14, 1921.
Her father is John Keohane residing at 17 Adams Street in Watertown. He is white - 31 years old - was born in Co. Cork, Ireland - and works as a motorman.
Her mother is Margaret Moriarty residing at 17 Adams Street in Watertown. She is white - 27 years old - born in Co. Kerry, Ireland - and her occupation is housewife.
As with Jim, Dr. Joseph Stanton was present at Ellen's birth. He is still at 520 Beacon Street in Boston. And again Margaret Moriarty was the informant. The canvasser was Ethel E. Osborne who obtained the return on Jan. 20, 1922. It was filed the same day. It looks like Wm. McGuire was again the Registrar.
Ellen Keohane
Jim in a knit suit.
Jim in the same suit outside.
John Keohane took the oath of allegiance to the United States on 20th February 1922 and became an American Citizen. Ma became a citizen when John Keohane did.
At the bottom of the page it is difficult to read but my mother, Ellen Keohane, was added to the form - she was born September 14, 1921 in Brighton, Ma and resides with John.
Below is the index to John Keohane's naturalization.
Original Keohane family portrait - Ma holding Jim - John Keohane holding Ellen.
I enlarged the family portrait for a closer look at their faces and tried it in black and white.
I don't remember why Ma and my grandfather moved to Belmont - maybe to save money to buy a house? But move they did. And that is for the next chapter!
A copy of this picture was hanging in the cottage in Ballythomas, Dunderrow, Kinsale.
Before we move on, let's just follow up on Dave Cosgrove - the witness for John Keohane's naturalization papers.
The 1920 U.S. Census lists Dave as a 35 year old single farm laborer for McLean Hospital. He and his parents were born in Ireland. He immigrated in 1904 and was naturalized in 1913.
I was interested to see where Dave came from so I searched for his passenger listing, and I found it. He sailed on the SS Saxonia from Queenstown on 11 May 1904 for Boston. No date of arrival given. He is on line 28 - his contract ticket # is 18801. He is 18 and single - he is a laborer - he reads and writes - he is of Irish nationality - he is from Ballymookera - he is going to Revere, Mass - he has a ticket to his final destination - his uncle paid for the ticket - he has $5 - he has never been in the US before - he is joining his uncle Patrick Clarke at 405 Fenno St., Revere - he is in good health and is not deformed or crippled.
I have never heard of Ballymookera, but I know there is a Ballymakeera in the Gaeltacht area of County Cork near Ballyvourney. Perhaps this is where Dave came from. I tried looking him up in the 1901 Irish census - there were 3 David Cosgroves aged 16 in Cork, but I don't know if our Dave is one of them.
From the name and address of Dave's uncle in Revere, which we just saw in the ship's passenger list, I was able to find Patrick Clarke and his wife Elizabeth in the 1920 census at 405 Fenno Street. Patrick is a 51 year old farmer who immigrated from Ireland in 1895 and has taken out papers for naturalization. His wife Elizabeth is 50 years old and was born in Ireland. They own their home and have 5 children living with them as well as a boarder. Their daughter, who is also Elizabeth, is a 20 year old grammar school teacher.
With this information from the census, I'm sure this is the Mrs Elizabeth Clarke listed on Dave's WWI draft registration.
I used all the information so far to find his naturalization index and then his Declaration of Intent to become an American citizen. It is a little difficult to read in places, but the index says that Dave was living at 405 Fenno St. in Revere. He was born December 31st, 1884 in Co. Cork, Ireland. He is a milkman. He is unmarried. He was admitted as a citizen April 21st, 1913. Petition #7234. The Declaration provides the same information.
20 year old Michael Cosgrove came out on the S.S. Franconia in April 1911 - Dave bought his ticket. As I looked at Michael's address in Ireland, I realized it was Ballynookera, Whitegate - not Ballymakeera. I thought I was so smart - Ballymakeera is in West Cork. Whitegate is in East Cork.
Edmond Cosgrove, 24, came out on the S.S. Laconia in May 1913 - Dave bought his ticket.
Then Daniel came out to his brother Dave in 1914 - Dave also bought his ticket. So that is Edmund, Michael, and Daniel that Dave brought out. I wonder why he left his job as a milkman in Revere and went to work at McLean's Hospital in Belmont?
I looked for Dave in the 1930 U.S. Census but he was no longer in Belmont. I found him at 20 Chauncey Street in Boston. He and 8 others are boarding with 2 Swedish brothers named Carlson who rent the apartment. He is 46, single, and able to read and write English. He immigrated in 1904 and is a naturalized citizen. He works as a laborer - it looks like on ships.
I found several David Cosgroves in Boston Directories - some were listed with just an address and no job. They might have been our Dave, but I don't know for sure.
I have a note from my mother saying that she remembered Aunt Nellie and Aunt Hannah Keohane talking about meeting Dave Cosgrove at Park Street in Boston - she said that they called him a bum. This made me so sad. And this is why I wanted to learn a little more about him.
But his WWII draft registration is even sadder. See for your self. He is unemployed at the moment, and there is no one who would always know his address. But does this mean he is a bum as the Keohane aunts called him? What happened to his three brothers - he paid to bring them out from Ireland - couldn't they help him?
I found a David Cosgrove on - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200126962/david-cosgrove.
It states that date of birth: Unknown; date of death: 1955. Burial is in St. Joseph's Cemetery in West Roxbury - Plot: Section GAL1, Lot 54, Plot 1. I don't know if this is our Dave, but apparently not much was known about him - no birth date, no family listed. Such a sad ending.
I believe David Cosgrove's brother William Cosgrove received a Victoria Cross for his bravery during WW1, he survived the war and he is buried in Aghada Old Cemetery in Aghada, Midleton, Co.Cork. Ireland.
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