Saturday, March 1, 1941. "Eleanor & I went dancing. We had a swell time. I saw Joe Cahill there & we had a lot of dances together. He wanted me to go out with (him) etc. but I refused."
Poor Joe Cahill!!
Also on March 1, 1941 Heinrich Himmler inspected the Auschwitz concentration camp and ordered it to be expanded to hold 30,000 prisoners.
Sunday, March 2, 1941. "Hannie, Madeline & I went walking. We met Paul's brother pushing a baby carriage. We were laughing at him but didn't know at the time who he was.
Paul & I, Charles & his girl went out Sunday night. We almost died when we discovered who Charles was. He said he knew that it was me when he saw us in the afternoon even though he had never met me. We had a lot of fun but didn't get home till one o'clock."
Charles Navien was Paul's younger brother. We saw that he was born Charles Ignatius Navien on July 31, 1923 to Thomas A Navien and Alice F Hoey Navien. They were living at 180 Main Street in Waltham.
I found his 1941 high school yearbook post on www.ancestry.com. Charlie is on the left - 2nd from bottom.
"Charles I Navien - Practical Arts Course - 'Charlie' is an inquisitive lad who frequently asks 'What cha do last night?' Expects to be a chef or baker in a Boston hotel. Hobby is collecting pennants and his pet like is traveling."
Charlie registered for the draft the year after he graduated high school.
He was living at 180 Main Street in Waltham. His phone number was Wal 1878. He was 18 years old - he was born 7/31/23 in Waltham, Mass. Thomas A Navien of the same address would always know his address. His employer was Joseph Sandler in Somerville, Mass. Charlie worked at 995 Watertown St., West Newton, Mass.
The top of the card noted Honorable Discharge 3/11/46. Charlie really was a kid when serving in WWII - like so very many others. He enlisted in the army on 21 April 1943 according to a notation on www.ancestry.com.
Page 2 of the draft registration reported that Charlie was white - 5'9" 140 lbs - he had brown eyes and brown hair with a light brown complexion. He registered at Local Board 150 in Waltham on June 30, 1942.
Charlie might have married in 1944 while in the service - I found a note on www.ancestry.com. He was a corporal in the army - his occupation was a radio operator for a Liberator Bomber at West-Over Field. His spouse was Margaret Elizabeth Cain.
By the 1950 US Census for Waltham, Charlie and family were living at 49 Everett Street. Charlie was 26 on his last birthday. He worked 56 hours last week as a paint and wallpaper salesman in a retail hardware store. His wife Margaret was 25 and was keeping house. Their two sons were Charles F who is 2 and David I who was born in July - the census was taken on April 6.
In the 1950 Census there were certain individuals on "sample lines" who had more questions to answer on the bottom of the census sheet. Charlie Navien was on sample line #6. Charlie was not living in this house a year ago. He was not living on a farm a year ago but was living in the same county. His mother and father were born in the USA. Charlie completed high school. He had not attended school since February 1. He worked 52 weeks last year and made $3000 which was crossed out and replaced with $30. Charlie did not make any other money. His relatives in the same building had no income. Charlie served in the US Armed Services during WWII.
The red icon on the upper left is 49 Everett Street.
The door on the left is #49 and #47 - the other door on the right has #45 and #43.
Monday, March 3, 1941. "Went to bed at 8:30."
Tuesday, March 4, 1941. "- Church -"
On March 4, 1941 "the Boston Bruins took 83 shots on goal during a 3–2 win over the Chicago Black Hawks. Two NHL single-game records were set that still stand: number of shots on goal by one team, and number of saves by a goaltender (Sam LoPresti with 80).
Wednesday, March 5, 1941. "Paul came down & we went in to Roxbury. Came home early - had a good time."
Did they go in to Roxbury to visit Aunt Catherine and/or Aunt Mary? Or what?
Thursday, March 6, 1941. "Madeline & I went to the show. It was terrible."
I wonder what show it was?
Friday, March 7, 1941. "Church - Stations of the Cross. Walked home with Eleanor & Madeline (Hannie & I)"
Also on March 7, 1941 German submarine U-47 went missing west of Ireland. The sub's fate remains unknown.
I am liking this Arthur Carroll! He seemed rather serious about my mother, don't you think? I always found it very exciting to receive flowers - especially when I had no idea who was sending them!
The United States Senate passed the Lend-Lease bill by a vote of 60–31.
"Sunday night I went to church & then Paul came down. Annie came in for a while & we gabbed. Paul & I had a wild time socking each other with pillows, etc. until Hannie broke it up. He left at 11:30. "
Initially I thought that Mary Elizabeth and Baby Alice lived in the triple decker at 12 Green Street. I found a 1940 Census for the Ryans who were in the triple decker. Walter Ryan was the 33 year old head of the family - he was born in New York. He lived in the same place in 1935. He was a machinist for a shingle factory.
His wife Alice was 31 - she was born in Massachusetts. She lived in the same place in 1935. Baby Alice was a newborn when the census was taken in April. Mary Elizabeth was not listed?
So I thought about it some more. Dennis "Bunny" Callahan lived at 4 Green Street in 1940 - downstairs from the Keohanes. Bunny was 38 - he was a chauffeur for the Watertown Highway Department. His wife Mary was 32. They had one daughter - Mary E who was 1 in 1940. Maybe this was Mary Elizabeth? I remember their other daughter Margaret Ann Callahan.
It would have been easy for Hannie to babysit for both Mary E Callahan and baby Alice Ryan who were her neighbors. Anyone have any ideas or know who these babies were?
My mother's sister Rita Keohane and Mary Elizabeth Callahan sitting on the wall in front of Mary Courtney's.
German aircraft bombed London and damaged Buckingham Palace. The Café de Paris nightclub was also heavily damaged and did not re-open until after the war.
Tuesday, March 11, 1941. "- Church -
"Annie & I went up to Peggie's afterwards. Had some fun."
President Roosevelt enacted H.R. 1776, the Lend-Lease Act and the next day asked Congress for $7 billion in Lend-Lease Aid.
Wednesday, March 12, 1941. "Paul & Charlie came down & we played Chinese Checkers & raised cain. Charlie & I lost & had to do a forfeit. Squat down & carry a glassy (marble) on a spoon from the front room to the kitchen. Wow!
"We had root beer & cake & Charlie put salt in Paul's & mine. What a time. They left at 11:15 & almost woke the whole neighborhood going out. Paul pretended he was drunk & Charlie rang the bell & started yelling for the Good Humor Man."
Monday, March 17, 1941. "Madeline & I went to see 'Gone with the Wind.' It was pretty good. Boy was it cold but we got a ride up & back from Mr Vaughan. 
Next I found the Petition for Citizenship on www.ancestry.com. It was presented in the US District Court of Boston. James Edward Carty was residing at 12 Green Street in Watertown, Mass. His occupation was Stat Engineer - I'm not sure what that is. He was born in Co Roscommon on December 21, 1908. His race was Irish. He declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on July 11, 1931 in the US District Court of Massachusetts at Boston.
Page 2 of the registration reported that Jim was white - he was 5' 8 1/2" and 168 lbs - he had brown eyes, black hair, and a light complexion. He registered on October 16, 1940 at Local Board #155 at the Grant School Building on Whites Ave, Watertown.
I babysat a couple of times for Patricia Carty's children after she was married - I think she was living on Bancroft Street as well. I think it was her mother that Hannie went to visit in a Waltham Hospital. I know there were two hospitals in Waltham - the Waltham Hospital up off Main Street and the TB Hospital on Trapelo Road. Ma was in the TB Hospital at some point for quite a few months - Aunt Nellie came and stayed with the kids. My mother and Hannie would walk up to the hospital and bring Ma a little money to buy yarn so she could knit while she was there. I think she was going to come home for Jim's high school graduation, but Aunt Nellie put an end to that. I'm sure that must have been an awful disappointment for Ma - to miss her only son's graduation. I seem to think that Ma was at that hospital for at least 9 months if not longer. I don't know which hospital Mary Carty was in.
I looked up the 1901 Irish Census for Ned Shea - I found an entry for the Poor Law Union of Kinsale, Leighmoney Electoral Division, Townland of Clogheen, Barony of Kinalea, Parish of Leighmoney, Bandon Constabulary District, Sub-District of Innishannon. In house #1 Mary Shea was listed as head of the family - she and her family were Roman Catholics - she could not read or write - she was 48 years old - she was farming - she was a widow - she was born in Cork - she spoke Irish and English.
I wonder if Ned Shea was working around Kinsale until he left Cobh on 11 October 1925 on the SS Franconia? He arrived in the port of Boston on 18 October 1925. He was #11 on the ship's manifest. He was a 33 year old laborer and single. His last permanent address was Kinsale where his nearest relative was his brother Willam Shea of Clogheen, Dunderrow, Kinsale. His final destination was Cambridge, Mass. I wonder why Ned waited so long to emigrate - what was he doing until then?
Page 2 reports that Ned had a ticket to his final destination and had $25 - he had never been to the US before. He was joining his sister Mary Connolly at 196 Sidney Street in Cambridge. Ned did not plan to return to Ireland - he planned to remain permanently in the US and to become a US citizen. He was 5' 11" - he had brown hair, fair skin, and blue eyes. He received his immigration visa - #11833 - in Cobh on August 19, 1925.
I found a marriage certificate for John Joseph Conley to Mary E Shea. They were married on October 22, 1905 in Cambridge. John was 32, and Mary was 28. John was living at 167 Brookline Street, Cambridge; Mary was living at 4 Hubbard Park, Cambridge. John was a laborer. Mary was a dressmaker. They were both born in Ireland. John's parents were Dennis Conley and Katherine O'Brien. Mary's parents were William Shea and Mary Carney. John and Mary were married by Lawrence J Glynn, priest, of 31 Buckingham Street, Cambridge. I think from research on the Murphy family that this address was the rectory for St Peter's Church on Concord Ave.
Do you remember this picture? This is Cross Street - the door on the left is #14 and then #16 - towards the right are 2 more doors - #18 and #20. Ned was staying at # 16.
Page 2 reports that Ned was white - 6' 2" - 189 lbs - he had blue eyes - gray hair - a light complexion.
50 Capitol Street is on the south side of Watertown Square.
50 Capitol Street is the White House in the center near the driveways - it looks like a single family home.
And here's a picture from the house in Arlington that John Keohane bought.
I guess Ma didn't say anything that night either!
Thursday, March 13, 1941. "Nothing doing. Went to church, to the bank & came home.
"Goodnight all."
Friday, March 14, 1941. "Went to Stations of the Cross and afterwards walked home with Eleanor."
Saturday, March 15, 1941. "Hannie & I went dancing and had a swell time. We saw Joe there & of course we fought all night. He almost killed me in Bumps-adaisy. He walked down to the station with us & asked me to go out with him. I said no."
I am feeling sorry for Joe Cahill!
The Allies began Operation Savanna, with the goal of landing Free French paratroops into German-occupied France to ambush and kill as many pilots of the Kampfgeschwader 100 as possible.
Sunday, March 16, 1941. "I went to see 'The Mikado' in the afternoon, & Paul & I went to Eleanor's party Sunday night. We had a good time & met some nice kids. We played Spin the Bottle & Forfeits, danced, etc. Paul & I left about 11:30."
"~~~~~Cold~~~~~"
I'm a little surprised that there was no mention of St Patrick's Day!
Tuesday, March 18, 1941. Ma's birthday.
"Went to church with Annie.
~~~~~~~~Freezing out.~~~~~~"
The Luftwaffe bombed Liverpool and Birkenhead.
Wednesday, March 19, 1941. "Paul came down & we went to church & then came (home.) We wanted to go to the show but we had seen all the pictures around so we stayed home & had a wild time - fighting & fooling. He left about 11:15.
~~~~~~~Still cold~~~~~~~"
Thursday, March 20, 1941. "Madeline called for me & we went to church & said the stations. Went down the square afterwards.
"First day of spring & ~~~~~~still cold~~~~~~~"
Friday, March 21, 1941. "Took care of Mary Elizabeth."
Saturday, March 22, 1941. "Hannie & I went dancing. Had a swell time. Hannie danced all night with some swell looking kid. I danced with Joe, Buddy & a lot of others. Peachy time."
Vichy French President Philippe Pétain signed a bill to construct a trans-Saharan railway, which was to be built by prisoners of war and Jews
Sunday, March 23, 1941. Madeline's birthday.
" Hannie & I walked up to Madeline's & then went for a walk up towards Waltham. Hannie went into the ???? Hospital to see Mary Carty & Madeline & I walked around till she came out. We had an ice cream at Howard Johnson's & came home.
"Hung around Sunday night for a while & then went up to Peggie's. Eddie Gallagher tried to put my mittens on some big old dog."
I think Mary Carty was a neighbor of the Keohanes. On www.ancestry.com I found a Declaration of Intention for Citizenship for James Carty in the District Court of Boston. James Carty was living at 43 Mont Vernon Ave in Brighton. He was a laborer. He was 22 - he was male, white - he had a medium complexion - blue eyes, black hair - 5' 8 1/2" - 170 lbs. He was of the Irish race but British nationality. He was born in Co Roscommon on December 21, 1908. He was not married; he had no children. His last foreign residence was Co Roscommon. He emigrated from Queenstown, Ireland. His lawful entry for permanent residence was at Boston, Mass under the name of James Carty on May 25, 1930 on the vessel Carinthia. This information was sworn by James Carty before James Allen, Clerk of the US District Court on 11 July 1931. Certification No 1 - 61050 from the Commissioner of Naturalization showing the lawful entry of the declarant for permanent residence was received by the Clerk of Court.
Next I found the Petition for Citizenship on www.ancestry.com. It was presented in the US District Court of Boston. James Edward Carty was residing at 12 Green Street in Watertown, Mass. His occupation was Stat Engineer - I'm not sure what that is. He was born in Co Roscommon on December 21, 1908. His race was Irish. He declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on July 11, 1931 in the US District Court of Massachusetts at Boston.
He was married - the name of his wife was Mary - they were married on April 9, 1934 at Brighton, Mass. She was born in Co Mayo, Ireland on December 22, 1910. She entered the US at Boston, Mass on October 22, 1928. She resided at 12 Green Street, Watertown, Mass. He had one child, Patricia Mary, born October 2, 1934 in Waltham, Mass and resided in Watertown, Mass.
Jim Carty's last foreign residence was Co Roscommon, Ireland - he emigrated to the United States from Queenstown, Ireland - his lawful entrance for permanent residence was at Boston, Mass under the name James Carty on May 25, 1930 on the vessel Carinthia as shown by the certificate of his arrival attached here. He renounced allegiance to King George V. He had resided continuously in the United States for five years since May 25, 1930 and in Middlesex County of this state since July 1934. James Edward Carty signed the Petition.
Affadavits from 2 witnesses were signed by Patrick J Grady, a rubber worker, residing at 31 Irma Street in Watertown, Mass and Martin A Clynes, a Stat Engineer, residing at 667 Cambridge St, Brighton, Mass. They swore that they had known James Edward Carty since May 1930 and swore that he had lived in Watertown, Mass continuously since July 1934. They swore that Edward Carty was a person of good moral character, was attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and should be admitted as a citizen of the United States. Signed by James J Grady and Martin A Clynes in the US District Court of Boston before Deputy Clerk James S Allen on 29 November 1935. The Deputy Clerk certified that the certificate of arrival No 1 - 61050 from the Department of Labor showing the lawful entry for permanent residence and the declaration of intention of No 234735 of the petitioner was filed with, attached to, and made a part of this petition on this date.
The yellow triple decker is where the Cartys were living - my mother lived in the tan building to the left in the back.
The Cartys were listed at 12 Green Street in the 1935 Watertown Street directory. Jim was an engineer in Cambridge.
Jim was admitted as a US Citizen on March 2, 1936 - he was 27 years old and was living at 12 Green Street in Watertown. The certificate was issued on Mach 2, 1936 by the US District Court at Boston, Mass - Petition No 165534.
By 1940 the Cartys had moved a couple streets over to 17 Middle Street. They were paying $25/month rent. Jim Carty was 31 years old - he was born in Eire - he was a naturalized citizen. He lived in the same place (Watertown) in 1935. He worked 42 hours the week of March 24-31 - he was a stationary engineer for a paper factory. He worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $1650.
His wife Mary was 29 - she was born in Eire but was listed as an alien - she lived in the same place in 1935. Jim and Mary had 2 children by this time: Patricia was 5 and was not yet going to school - son James was 2.
The red icon shows 17 Middle Street - Green Street where my mother lived was 2 streets over.
#17 Middle Street is the house on the left and the door on the right.
Later in 1940 Jim Carty registered for the WWII draft. I found his draft registration in www.ancestry.com. James Edward Carty of 17 Middle Street, Watertown - which was later crossed out and replaced with 9 Bancroft Street in Watertown - was 32 years old - he was born in County Roscommon on December 21, 1908 - he was a US Citizen. His wife Mary Ellen Carty of 17 Middle Street, Watertown would always know his address. His employer was Middlesex Produce Corporation at 111 Putnam Ave in Cambridge, Mass. James Edward Carty signed the form.
Page 2 of the registration reported that Jim was white - he was 5' 8 1/2" and 168 lbs - he had brown eyes, black hair, and a light complexion. He registered on October 16, 1940 at Local Board #155 at the Grant School Building on Whites Ave, Watertown.
#9 Bancroft Street is the red icon shown in relation to Middle and Green Streets as well as Watertown Square.
#9 Bancroft Street is the white house in the center beside the red house on the left. #9 is the door on the right.
I did find a 1966 Boston listing for James E Carty (Mary) manager at the Washington Essex Building - residing at 11 Bancroft Street in Watertown.
I babysat a couple of times for Patricia Carty's children after she was married - I think she was living on Bancroft Street as well. I think it was her mother that Hannie went to visit in a Waltham Hospital. I know there were two hospitals in Waltham - the Waltham Hospital up off Main Street and the TB Hospital on Trapelo Road. Ma was in the TB Hospital at some point for quite a few months - Aunt Nellie came and stayed with the kids. My mother and Hannie would walk up to the hospital and bring Ma a little money to buy yarn so she could knit while she was there. I think she was going to come home for Jim's high school graduation, but Aunt Nellie put an end to that. I'm sure that must have been an awful disappointment for Ma - to miss her only son's graduation. I seem to think that Ma was at that hospital for at least 9 months if not longer. I don't know which hospital Mary Carty was in.
I am interested in Eddie Gallagher because there was a Gallagher Funeral Home on the corner of Green and Main Streets when I was growing up at 4 Green Street - I think the undertaker was John Gallagher but I'm not positive. Then there was Ann Marie Gallagher and her brother David on Church Hill Street. Paul Gallagher and his sister Sharon lived on Hawthorne Street. I have no idea if any of them are related to this Eddie Gallagher or to each other!
I found a couple of Eddie Gallaghers in the 1940 US Census. One lived on Union Street - I kind of ruled him out - why would he be at Peggie's store on the other side of Watertown Square? The other Eddie Gallagher was living at 9 Cuba Street which was almost across the street from Peggie's store. He seemed to be more logical although there is nothing logical in family history!
Francis Gallagher was the head of this family and was renting 9 Cuba Street for $32/month. He was 42 years old - he lived in the same house in 1935. He was working as a watchman for a WPA sewer construction project. He worked 52 hours in 1939 and made $676.
Francis' wife was 41 year old Alice who was a housewife. They had 4 children living with them. 17 year old Frances had completed her 3rd year in high school. 15 year old Edward had completed his first year of high school. Although it is noted that they were not looking for work and were attending school, they were still listed as new workers. 6 year old John was listed as not attending school. Baby Anne was 2.
There is a quite noticeable 9 year gap between Edward and John. I wonder if there had been other children?
We know that Cuba Street is the next street over from Green Street where my mother lived. #9 Cuba Street is the door on the left. That is the side of Donald MacDonald's Funeral Home on the right.
I plugged this Francis Gallagher into www.ancestry.com and several documents popped up. One was a birth certificate for October 26, 1896 - Francis Dominic Gallagher was born in Watertown to John J Gallagher and Maggie Collegian. The parents were living in Watertown. John was a wood moulder. John and Maggie were both born in Watertown!
I couldn't find the Gallaghers in the 1900 US Census so I looked up the 1901 Watertown Directory and was quite surprised at all the Gallaghers in Watertown!! There were several on Cuba Street, a couple on Cross and Waltham Streets. John Gallagher, wood moulder, was living at 6 Brook Street.
I had no idea where Brook Street was. I was surprised that it was down near Sasaki on Pleasant Street - the red icon. I know the area - there is a drive near Sasaki to the parking lot for the Watertown Pool. This is down near the bicycle path - when I lived on Main Street, I often walked along this path around the Charles River. So Brook Street looks like it was on the other side of Sasaki which is all industrial now.
Unfortunately the 1901 Watertown Directory did not include a list of streets with the names of residents on them - so we don't know how many houses had been on Brook Street.
In the 1901 Watertown Street Directory, Brook Street was described as running from opposite 25 Pleasant Street to the Charles River.
The Gallaghers were living at 108 Main Street in the 1910 US Census. John J Gallagher was the head of the family - he was 54 years old - he was married for the first time. He was born in Massachusetts but both his parents were born in Ireland. He was a wood moulder for house trimming. He was not out of work in 1909. He was renting their home.
His wife Margaret was 52 years old - this was her first marriage also - she and John ha been married for 27 years. She had had 5 children and all were living. She was born in Massachusetts but both of her parents were born in Ireland.
Their son John P Gallagher was 26 and single. He was an iron moulder for a foundry.
Their son Edward Gallagher was 22, single, and not working. He was out of work on April 13, 1910 and was out of work for 52 weeks in 1909.
Their daughter Grace M was 19, single, and not working.
Their son Frank was 13 and attending school.
In the photo below, Bling is #104 Main Street - the Crown Cafe is #106 Main Street. The Talk Restaurant in the Salusti Building is #116 Main Street. The building with #104 and #106 was there on Main Street when I was growing up - the Salusti Building is newer. I suppose #108 Main Street was a house where that building is now.
The Gallaghers were renting 156 Main Street in the 1920 US Census of Watertown. Margaret Gallagher was listed as the head of the family even though she was listed as married. She was 61 years old - she was born in Massachusetts - her parents were born in Ireland. She was not working.
Page 2 of the census form listed 37 year old son John P Gallagher - he was single - he was a moulder for a stove manufacturing company.
32 year old Howard Gallagher was single - he was not working.
23 year old Francis D Gallagher was single - he was a chauffeur for a cleaning house? clearing house? some kind of house.
36 year old David Robillard was Margaret Gallagher's son-in-law. He was born in Massachusetts - his parents were born in Canada. He was the owner of a meat store.
His wife, and Margaret's daughter, Annie Gallagher was 35 years old. They have one child - 10 year old Irene - she was listed as Margaret's granddaughter. She was attending school.
In 1930 Frank Gallagher was paying $45/month rent for 156 Main Street. He was 33 years old and was a milk salesman for a dairy. He was a veteran of WWI. I am presuming that he was the son of John J and Margaret Gallagher. His wife Alice was 31 years old - she and Frank had been married for 8 years. Their daughter Frances was 7 - their son Edward was 5 - they were both going to school.
They have 2 roomers - 25 year old ? Roberts who was born in Vermont - he was single and a bookkeeper for men's furnishings. Catherine Colligan was 69, single - she was born in Massachusetts and worked as a laundress for a private family.
170 Main Street is the building behind the tree - right of center. The brick building beside it is #182 - this is where the McNamaras used to live in a two family house. A dentist used to be downstairs I think.
#156 where the Gallaghers were living would be where the old Store 24 and the parking lot are. Vincent Byrne's dentist office is to the left of the parking lot at #146 Main Street.
If you scroll down this page of the 1930 census you find the McNamaras at 182 Main Street - John and his wife Catherine and their children - 25 year old Alfred and 21 year old Edward - as well as 2 of John McNamara's sisters-in-law - Mary and Nellie Dwyer.
If you keep scrolling, there are other familiar names on the other side of St Pat's Church - Bachmans, Courtneys, John Callahan, Odo Hann.
This brings us back to the 1940 census where we saw Edward Gallagher who was 15 and attending school. I guess I can picture him putting my mother's mittens on an old mutt!!
It doesn't tell me if and how all the other Gallaghers are related - we'll leave them for another day.
Monday, March 24, 1941. "Nothing doing."
Tuesday, March 25, 1941. "Church. Nothing doing."
Wednesday, March 26, 1941. "Paul & I went to the Paramount & saw 'Flight Commond.' It was swell. Had ice cream afterwards & came home."
According to the website - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032477/?ref_=tt_mv_close - Robert Taylor played a rookie pilot in the movie but indeed was a pilot - during WWII he became a Navy pilot and flight instructor.
I seem to remember my mother saying that she thought my father looked like Robert Taylor. What do you think?
Thursday, March 27, 1941. "Went down the square with Hannie & Annie. We went into the new drugstore & had a sundae. They were good."
When I looked up druggists in the 1939 and 1942 Watertown Street Directories - several from 1939 were gone. But Fox's Drug Store at 25 Main Street was not in the 1939 directory but was in the 1942 edition. So maybe it was Fox's that had the good ice cream sundaes.
Fox's Drug Store would have been in the corner of the brick building bordering on Merchants Row. I think the 5 & 10 was located where CVS is now.
When I was in high school at St Pat's, Susan Cook and I would walk down to Watertown Square after school and sometimes go into Fox's but more often Butler's Drug Store - it was on the other side of the 5&10 - for a Vanilla Coke and a brownie - the Coke would come in a tall glass with a straw. I think it was a Peggy Lawton brownie that they sold. Half the time I had no money, and Susan paid for it. Afterwards we would walk home - I would head off for Marshall Street, and she would head up Galen Street.
Occasionally I would bump into Ma (my grandmother Margaret Moriarty Keohane) coming from the trolley in Watertown Square - it would be her day off - she was working with Aunt Nellie for Mr Russell on Marlborough Street in Boston. She would take me into the 5&10 for an ice cream soda. I guess I inherited my obsession for ice cream from Ma and my mother!!
Japanese spy Takeo Yoshikawa arrived in Pearl Harbor. Yoshikawa noticed that battleships were berthed in pairs and that the in-shore ship was protected from torpedo attacks by the outboard one.
Friday, March 28, 1941. "Madeline & I went to the show down at Central Sq & saw 'Virginia.' It was swell."
According to website https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034364/?ref_=tt_mv_close, a New York chorus girl comes home to claim her family plantation and must choose between two men - one rich, one not.
The research group of Glenn T. Seaborg of the University of California, Berkeley demonstrated that plutonium was fissionable and could be used as a weapon.
Saturday, March 29, 1941. "Hannie & I went dancing. Swell time. I saw Joe & Buddy & all the others. I know a lot of the kids in there now."
Sunday, March 30, 1941. "Madeline & I walked over to Belmont to Brigham's & had a sundae. I went to church & then came home."
According to the website - http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/brigham-s-inc-history/:
"Brigham's traces its history to 1914 when the Durrand Company, founded by the Symmes brothers, opened a shop in Boston's Post Office Square to sell candy and ice cream. The man who would lend his name to the company, Edward L. Brigham, opened his own ice cream shop, called "The Little Shop," in the Newton Highlands section in 1924. He made his own candies and ice cream in the backroom, relying on private recipes, including the one for vanilla ice cream that would be passed down to the present age. All that would be revealed about the formula was that it began with vanilla extract imported from Madagascar. In addition to producing delicious ice cream, The Little Shop also became known for serving generous portions of its five and ten cent cones and 20 cent sundaes. On summer weekends, according to company lore, the crowds were so thick around The Little Shop that police were called in to maintain order. Brigham was so successful that after five years, in 1929, he merged his business with the Durand Company to achieve even greater regional growth and form the basis of what evolved into today's Brigham's Inc.
Soon Brigham's opened an ice cream manufacturing plant, which supplied an additional three stores the company opened. By now, candy consumption in America had declined, and the shops focused on ice cream. Despite the Great Depression of the 1930s, the company continued to prosper, opening another 20 stores during the decade. Primarily as a way to add business during the winter months, Brigham's acquired Dorothy Muriel's bakery in 1940, and the shops began selling baked goods as well as ice cream. It was not until the early 1960s that Brigham's began to move into the dining sector. During the interim, it was acquired by Star Markets, which then opened 40 new colonial-style shops that began offering sandwiches. Next, Brigham's was acquired by the Jewell Companies in 1968, and the business was supplemented by the addition of Buttrick's chain of colonial-style restaurants located in Arlington, Massachusetts, which would become the home of Brigham's headquarters."
I remember driving my mother to Arlington Heights to visit Aunt Hannah and Uncle Stephen DeCourcey. We would take Aunt Hannah to the cemetery to my grandfather's (her brother's) grave. She would then treat us to ice cream at Brigham's in Arlington Center.
Later I would walk up over Common Street hill to Brigham's in Cushing Square, Belmont with my cousins to see friends working there.
Hitler held a conference with his generals in which he said that the upcoming war with Russia would be a race war in which communist commissars and Jews would be exterminated by SS Einsatzgruppen following behind the advancing armies. Hitler expected the Soviet Union to be defeated in a matter of weeks and declared, "We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down.
Monday, March 31, 1941. "Ma & I went to church down at St Theresa's to the novena. We went to see Mae Shea afterwards. We walked home. Arrived about 11:45."
St Theresa's parish was established in 1927 in East Watertown due to the increasing number of Catholic immigrants to Watertown.
We mentioned Ned Shea when we were talking about my grandfather, John Keohane - there were pictures of them in Belmont drinking home brew.
Ned Shea was born in Clougheen in the Ballymartle Registrar's District in the Union of Kinsale. His is the second birth listed below. He was born the 15th of April 1892 - his parents were William Shea and Mary Carney of Clougheen. His father was a farmer and was the informant for the birth. The Registrar is William G or R Meade - the Meades owned Ballymartle Castle and over 1000 acres of farm land. We read about the Meades when we were talking about our other relatives in Kinsale.
I looked up the 1901 Irish Census for Ned Shea - I found an entry for the Poor Law Union of Kinsale, Leighmoney Electoral Division, Townland of Clogheen, Barony of Kinalea, Parish of Leighmoney, Bandon Constabulary District, Sub-District of Innishannon. In house #1 Mary Shea was listed as head of the family - she and her family were Roman Catholics - she could not read or write - she was 48 years old - she was farming - she was a widow - she was born in Cork - she spoke Irish and English.
Her son William was 26 years old - he was a farmer's son - he was single.
Her daughter Brigid was 13 - she was a dressmaker - she was single.
Her son Michael was 11; her son Edward was 9; and her daughter Ellen was 5 - they were all listed as scholars. Ned's father, William Shea, must have died sometime within the last 5 years or so - Ellen was 5.
The Housing and Building Return describes House #1 as likely having mud or wood walls and a thatched roof - it has 2 rooms with 2 windows in front - making it a 3rd class house. Mary Shea was listed as head of the family - there were 6 people living in 2 rooms. Mary Shea was listed as the landholder.
In the 1911 census William O'Shea was the head of the family. He was 36 years old - he was able to read and write - he was a farmer. His wife Katie was 35 - she was able to read and write - she had one child who did not survive.
William's widowed mother, Mary O'Shea, lived with them - she was 60 years old - she was a housekeeper. William's 19 year old brother Edward O'Shea, was also living with them - he was able to read and write - he was a farm servant - he was single.
I wonder if Ned Shea was working around Kinsale until he left Cobh on 11 October 1925 on the SS Franconia? He arrived in the port of Boston on 18 October 1925. He was #11 on the ship's manifest. He was a 33 year old laborer and single. His last permanent address was Kinsale where his nearest relative was his brother Willam Shea of Clogheen, Dunderrow, Kinsale. His final destination was Cambridge, Mass. I wonder why Ned waited so long to emigrate - what was he doing until then?
Page 2 reports that Ned had a ticket to his final destination and had $25 - he had never been to the US before. He was joining his sister Mary Connolly at 196 Sidney Street in Cambridge. Ned did not plan to return to Ireland - he planned to remain permanently in the US and to become a US citizen. He was 5' 11" - he had brown hair, fair skin, and blue eyes. He received his immigration visa - #11833 - in Cobh on August 19, 1925.
196 Sidney Street would be where the red icon is located - I think this is Cambridgeport.
This building is where 196 Sidney Street was located - it is opposite a building at 197 Sidney Street.
Ned didn't waste time applying for citizenship. He completed a Declaration for Intention in 1926. Edward Shea - 33 years old - occupation laborer. He was white with a light complexion - he was 5' 11" but this was crossed out and replaced with 6' 1"- he weighed 180 lbs but that was crossed out and replaced with 195 lbs. He had light hair and blue eyes - no distinctive marks. He was born in Clougheen, Co Cork on the 5th day of April 1892. He was residing at 196 Sidney Street in Cambridge. He emigrated from Queenstown on the vessel SS Franconia - his last residence was Clougheen, Co Cork. He was not married. His intention was to renounce King George V of Great Britain and become a US Citizen. He arrived at the port of Boston on the 18th of October 1925. Edward Shea signed the declaration on 16th of February 1926.
Ned was listed in the 1926 Cambridge Street Directory at 126 Sidney Street - he was a laborer.
The 1926 Cambridge Street Directory also listed the Connollys at 196 Sidney Street.
Catherine F Connolly, clerk, resided 196 Sidney Street.
Mary C Connolly, widow of John F, house at 196 Sidney Street.
Mary E Connolly, clerk at 493 Mass Ave, resided 196 Sidney Street.
I found a marriage certificate for John Joseph Conley to Mary E Shea. They were married on October 22, 1905 in Cambridge. John was 32, and Mary was 28. John was living at 167 Brookline Street, Cambridge; Mary was living at 4 Hubbard Park, Cambridge. John was a laborer. Mary was a dressmaker. They were both born in Ireland. John's parents were Dennis Conley and Katherine O'Brien. Mary's parents were William Shea and Mary Carney. John and Mary were married by Lawrence J Glynn, priest, of 31 Buckingham Street, Cambridge. I think from research on the Murphy family that this address was the rectory for St Peter's Church on Concord Ave.
The 1910 US Census for Cambridge showed the Connollys renting 196 Sidney Street. 38 year old John immigrated in 1890 and was a naturalized US citizen. He was working as a teamster at some kind of steel company it looks like. His wife Mary E Connolly was 28 years old - they have been married for 4 years. Mary has had 2 children and both have survived. She immigrated in 1901. They have 2 children - Catherine F was 3 - Mary was the 2nd daughter - her age was listed as 23/12?
John's sister-in-law, Catherine Shea, was living with them - she was 25 - I think it says that she immigrated in 1903 - she was a parlor maid for a private family. Catherine was not in the 1901 Irish Census for the Sheas back in Clougheen - she must have been out working somewhere.
By 1920 Mary Connolly was a widow. She was still renting 196 Sidney Street. She was only 39 years old. She immigrated in 1901 and it's not clear when she was naturalized. How was she managing? She was not working - the kids were too young to work. I wonder if her sister Catherine was helping her out - did they send for Ned to come out to help her? My grandmother received Mother's Aid when my grandfather died in 1929 - was this available to Mary Connolly?
Catherine F was 13, Mary E was 11, Margaret T was 9, Helen J was 7 - they were all going to school. John J was just 4.
I found John Connolly's death certificate. John J Connolly, 196 Sidney Street, Cambridge. Male, white, married. His wife was Mary E. He was 46 years 11 months 2 days old. He was a chauffeur. He was born in Ireland. His father Dennis Connolly was born in Ireland. His mother Catherine O'Brien was born in Ireland. The informant was his wife, Mary E of Cambridge.
John died April 12, 1919. Dr J H Cunningham of Cambridge certified that he attended John from December 7, 1918 to April 12, 1919. The cause of death was tuberculosis of 6 months. John was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden on April 15, 1919. The undertaker was Joseph G Andrews of Cambridge.
So we saw that Ned immigrated to his sister Mary Connolly in 1925. We know that he stayed with her when he first arrived. But he had moved to Watertown by 1928 where he was listed as a laborer in the Watertown Directory for that year - he was living at 16 Cross Street.
Do you remember this picture? This is Cross Street - the door on the left is #14 and then #16 - towards the right are 2 more doors - #18 and #20. Ned was staying at # 16.
Mary O'Hara is also living at 16 Cross Street - she is the widow of Patrick O'Hara. We saw her when we were talking about our Keohane relatives - she took in boarders. She had a young son James who was born about 1924.
But look who else was boarding with Mary O'Hara in 1928 - John Reardon!! Do you remember that John Reardon was my grandfather's cousin from Dunderrow - he found an apartment and guaranteed rent payment for my grandmother after John Keohane died in 1929.
The 1930 census listed Mary O'Hara as the head of the family - she was paying $35/month rent for 16 Cross Street. She was 36 - she was a widow - she was born in Massachusetts. Her son James was 6 - he was born in Massachusetts - his father was born in Ireland - his mother was born in Massachusetts.
Mary had 4 boarders:
Michael Flaherty was 70 years old and was married. He was born in Ireland, immigrated in 1890, and was a naturalized citizen. He was not working.
Ned Shea was 34 - he immigrated in 1925 - he was not a naturalized citizen - he was a laborer for the town of Watertown! I bet John Reardon got him that job! God Bless John Reardon!
Dennis McDevitt was 32 and single. He was born in Ireland and immigrated in 1922 - he was a naturalized citizen. He was a laborer for the town of Watertown. The name McDevitt is very familiar.
James Sullivan was 26 and single - he was born in Massachusetts - his parents were born in Ireland. He was also a laborer for the town of Watertown.
Ned's Petition for Citizenship stated in the US District Court of Boston that he was residing at 16 Cross Street in Watertown. His occupation was a laborer. He was born in Clougheen, Co Cork, Ireland on April 5, 1892. His race was Irish. He declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on February 16, 1926 in the US District Court of Boston. He was not married. He had no children.
His last foreign residence was Cork, Ireland. He emigrated to the United States from Queenstown, Ireland. His lawful entry for permanent residence in the US was at Boston, Mass under the name of Edward Shea on October 18, 1925 on the vessel Franconia. It was his intention to become a citizen of the US and he renounced allegiance to King George V.
He had resided continuously in the US for the term of five years since October 18, 1925 in the county Middlesex. He had not heretofore made petition for citizenship.
AFFADAVITS of WITNESSES:
Katherine Connolly, machine operator, residing at 196 Sidney Street, Cambridge and Bernard D Horan, bookbinder, residing at 11 Peters Street, Cambridge had personally known "said Shea" since October 1925 and that the petitioner has resided continuously in the US since that time in Cambridge and Watertown. Signed by Katherine Connolly and Bernard D Horan. Sworn before Deputy Clerk James Allen in the District Court of Boston on 8th December 1930. The Deputy Clerk certified that certificate of arrival No. 1 39042 from the Department of Labor showing the lawful entry for permanent residence of the above named petitioner, together with declaration of intention No. 180834 of such petitioner, had been filed by the deputy clerk with and made part of this petition on this date.
I found an index to Watertown marriages for 1930 that listed Edward Shea in Vol 68 Page 426, but I couldn't find a marriage record.
I found a Greene Family tree that has Mary McNicholas marrying Ned Shea on 5 April 1931 - there was no marriage certificate attached. According to this family tree Mae/Mary was born 5 August 1909 in Newcastle under Lyme, Straffordshire, England. She immigrated at 14 with her 16 year old brother Thomas Patrick McNichols. The SS Samaria left Liverpool on 23 October 1923 and arrived in Boston on 1 November 1923. Nearest relative in country whence alien came: Their mother Elizabeth McNicholas of 20 Hatnell Street in Newcastle. They did not have tickets to their final destination - their father, James McNicholas, paid for their tickets. They were going to join him - his address was written over but it looks like somewhere in Lexington. I can't tell whether the writing says that the father appeared or not.
Thomas McNicholas was 5' 9" with fresh complexion, blue hair (!!!) and grey eyes. Mary/Mae McNicholas was 5' 3" with a fresh complexion and brown hair and blue eyes.
I found a 1930 US Census for the McNicholas family renting an apartment in a triple decker at 929 East Broadway in South Boston. They were paying $45/month rent. They did not have a radio. 49 year old James McNichols was the head of the family. He was born in the Irish Free State! He immigrated in 1922 and was a naturalized US citizen. He was a stone mason.
His wife Elizabeth was 49 years old and was born in Massachusetts!! Her father was born in the Irish Free State but her mother was born in Massachusetts! I didn't expect that! Elizabeth and James were both 21 when they married - so I guess they were 28.
As I was looking over the names and ages of the children, I noticed a few things. I am going to list the children in the order of their age - not the way they are listed in the census.
Their daughter Helen was 25 and was born in England - the census says she was married at 23 - was naturalized and had no occupation.
Their daughter Katherine was 24 and was born in the Irish Free State - she had no occupation.
Son Thomas was 23 years old and was born in England - the census states that he was married at 21 - he was a draftsman in a machine shop.
Daughter Mary was 20 and was born in England - she had no occupation listed.
Son James was 18 and was born in England - he had no job.
Daughter Winnifred was 13 and was born in England - she attended school.
Daughter Josephine was 8 months old and was born in Massachusetts - her parents were born in the Irish Free State!
John O'Connell was 17 and was James McNicholas' brother-in- law - he was born in the Irish Free State - it does not say when he immigrated but it looks like he was naturalized. He was working as a clerk in a grocery store.
There are some odd reportings in this census.
Daughter Helen was married at 23 but was still using her maiden name of McNicholas?
Daughter Katherine was born in the Irish Free State when most of the others were born in England?
Son Thomas married at 21 but no wife was listed?
Daughter Josephine was 8 months old and born in Massachusetts? Her mother was 49?
Maybe we can come back to this family another time and do more research.
So you might remember that when my grandfather was being buried in 1929, Con Butler was arrested at the cemetery? Well, Mae Shea had been going out with Con Butler - she fainted when he was arrested.
Con Butler married Sheila Donovan. I guess Ned Shea and Mae then got together and were married a year or so later around 1930.
Ned Shea took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States Constitution on 16th March 1931.
The index to his naturalization stated that Edward Shea residing at 16 Cross Street, Watertown was 38 years old. Date of admission to citizenship was March 16, 1931 in the District Court of Boston. Petition #128364.
Later that year a Ned and Margaret Shea were living at 43 Cypress Street in Watertown. Ned was a laborer. Is this our Ned Shea and Mary?
In 1935 a Ned and Mary Shea were living at 151 Arsenal Street - Ned was a laborer.
In 1937 they were living at 11 Hill Street - Ned is still a laborer.
By 1939 Ned and Mary had moved to 74 Putnam Street.
Putnam Street runs off of School Street - it is down the street from St Theresa's Church which was at the corner of School Street and Mt Auburn Street. It was an easy walk for Ma and my mother to visit Mae Shea.
#74 is the door on the right in the green house.
The 1940 US Census of Watertown showed the Sheas were still living at 74 Putnam Street - paying $32/month rent. Ned was now 45 years old - he was a janitor at the US Arsenal - he worked 47 weeks in 1939 and made $710.
May F was now 30 years old. She told the census taker that the family lived in the same house in 1935. So are the above street directory listings for 1935 and 1937 not our Edward and Mary Shea?
Ned and May have 2 daughters - 8 year old Elizabeth and 6 year old Eileen - they are both attending school.
In 1942 Edward Shea registered for the WWII draft. He was living at 50 Capitol Street in Watertown. He did not have a phone. He was 43 years old - he was born May 5, 1898 in Ireland. His wife Mary F Shea of the same address would always know his address. Ned was working at the Watertown Arsenal.
So this is a different birth date for Ned, but I know the Sheas lived on the south side of Watertown - I knew his youngest daughter Linda.
Page 2 reports that Ned was white - 6' 2" - 189 lbs - he had blue eyes - gray hair - a light complexion.
He registered on February 16, 1942 at Local Board #155 at the Grant School Building on Whites Ave.
50 Capitol Street is the White House in the center near the driveways - it looks like a single family home.
The Sheas were still at 50 Capitol Street for the 1950 US Census for Watertown. Ned was now 55 years old - he worked 40 hours the week before the census was taken - he was a general laborer for the Water Department. Mae/Mary was now 40 years old. They had 3 daughters now - 18 year old Elizabeth, 17 year old Eileen, and 8 year old Patricia.
There were also 3 lodgers. 53 year old divorced Arthur Bingham was an insulation salesman for the Rock Wool Insulation Factory.
73 year old John and 66 year old Laura Blakely were the other two lodgers - they were not working.
So not too much information about Mae Shea, but we have information about Ned Shea.
Below are the pictures from the house in Belmont that my grandparents moved into in order to save money to buy a house.
John Keohane pouring home brew into Ned Shea's glass. Ned is holding Hannie. Jim is behind Matty Tuohy who is playing the accordion. My mother is behind the other fellow - I don't know his name but wish I did!
Ma is in the picture below on the left - she is going to get wood to make supper for the crew.
And here's a picture from the house in Arlington that John Keohane bought.
I had a picture of Ned and Mae Shea with two daughters but I can't find it at the moment. I will include it when I find it.
On to April 1941!
No comments:
Post a Comment