I have been curious about my maternal ancestry for quite a long time now, because so many of of them came from Ireland. Questions abound: why did they come? Where in Ireland did they come from? Were they driven by famine, bad economics, or just hearing from others about how America's roads were paved with gold? There are so many tantalizing questions I have regarding my Irish immigrant ancestors. In particular, I've wondered about one set of great-great grandparents from Ireland, Edward and Elizabeth Long. I guess there was some sort of scandal involved or something that caused them to emigrate to America and I may have found some small hint in census records. It would appear that Edward married a woman almost twice his age, and I could see where that might cause a scandal in the 19th century. From what I have learned about these two, Edward, at age 18, married Elizabeth, age 31. There's a 13 year difference in their ages. One wonders why a 31 year old woman married an 18 year old boy almost half her age. What is that about? They apparently came here in 1865 and possibly married here in 1866, according to the 1900 census. Another weird puzzle is that according to the 1880 census, they had five children, Mary, Eugene, John, Thomas and Hannah, but in the 1900 census Elizabeth is listed as having had four children. In 1900 two of them, 24 year old Hannah and 22 year old Thomas, are listed as still living at home. By 1910, Hannah, listed as Johanna, age 34, and Thomas, age 32, are still living at home with their father, and Elizabeth has passed away by this point. I have to wonder why these two younger siblings are still living at home and have not struck out on their own. And what happened to John, who seems to vanish from census records? Did he die young? On the 1910 census record, Edward is listed as having emigrated from Ireland in 1856, but that would have made him 6 years old at the time. I suspect there must have been a dyslexic census taker or something because it would make more sense for him to emigrate in 1865 when he would have been 17. Or since he allegedly married in 1866, perhaps he came over after his rather controversial marriage, since the story has it that he was supposed to train to be a doctor but something appears to have caused him to emigrate to America where he became a millhand in a woolen mill. The story about his being a millhand is true because it's in the census records. What happened back in Ireland is a great mystery, but my guess is that it has something to do with marrying a woman who was almost twice his age. Had she divorced? Was she from "the wrong side of the tracks"? I would sure love to know more about this part of my family story. I really don't know much about my maternal ancestry aside from some really fascinating stories that have been passed down, but for all the stories I do know, there are many, many more I do not know and want to learn more about. After all, I love a good story!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Unraveling a family mystery
I have been curious about my maternal ancestry for quite a long time now, because so many of of them came from Ireland. Questions abound: why did they come? Where in Ireland did they come from? Were they driven by famine, bad economics, or just hearing from others about how America's roads were paved with gold? There are so many tantalizing questions I have regarding my Irish immigrant ancestors. In particular, I've wondered about one set of great-great grandparents from Ireland, Edward and Elizabeth Long. I guess there was some sort of scandal involved or something that caused them to emigrate to America and I may have found some small hint in census records. It would appear that Edward married a woman almost twice his age, and I could see where that might cause a scandal in the 19th century. From what I have learned about these two, Edward, at age 18, married Elizabeth, age 31. There's a 13 year difference in their ages. One wonders why a 31 year old woman married an 18 year old boy almost half her age. What is that about? They apparently came here in 1865 and possibly married here in 1866, according to the 1900 census. Another weird puzzle is that according to the 1880 census, they had five children, Mary, Eugene, John, Thomas and Hannah, but in the 1900 census Elizabeth is listed as having had four children. In 1900 two of them, 24 year old Hannah and 22 year old Thomas, are listed as still living at home. By 1910, Hannah, listed as Johanna, age 34, and Thomas, age 32, are still living at home with their father, and Elizabeth has passed away by this point. I have to wonder why these two younger siblings are still living at home and have not struck out on their own. And what happened to John, who seems to vanish from census records? Did he die young? On the 1910 census record, Edward is listed as having emigrated from Ireland in 1856, but that would have made him 6 years old at the time. I suspect there must have been a dyslexic census taker or something because it would make more sense for him to emigrate in 1865 when he would have been 17. Or since he allegedly married in 1866, perhaps he came over after his rather controversial marriage, since the story has it that he was supposed to train to be a doctor but something appears to have caused him to emigrate to America where he became a millhand in a woolen mill. The story about his being a millhand is true because it's in the census records. What happened back in Ireland is a great mystery, but my guess is that it has something to do with marrying a woman who was almost twice his age. Had she divorced? Was she from "the wrong side of the tracks"? I would sure love to know more about this part of my family story. I really don't know much about my maternal ancestry aside from some really fascinating stories that have been passed down, but for all the stories I do know, there are many, many more I do not know and want to learn more about. After all, I love a good story!
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