Lots of New Stuff- Ahern immigrated in 1887!

As I said, I'm going through documents I had previously found looking for new clues. I also managed to stumble across some new documents at the same time. For example, I finally found my birth index entry. It is misspelled Catherin (no e at the end) and mom's maiden name is missing the a becoming McQuery. But I am sure it is mine.

I decided to add in that both my sister and I were born at the French Hospital. My sister however was immediatly moved to the Children's Hospital because of a collapsed lung. All of her birth index info is correct. (Those are, if needed, California Birth Index, 1905-1995)

The CA Marriage Index shows that Thomas Earl Smith (22) married Beverly Ann McQueary (20) in the city of San Francisco, 24 Sep 1966. On the Nevada Marriage Index, Jackie Lee Mitchell (name from previous marriage) wed Angelo A Mantia in Reno, Wahoe County, 26 Mar 1971. The service was prepared by "religious celebrant".

I found some phone and address listings for my Uncle Patrick, which of course I won't share here in case any of them are still accurate. These basically just show all of the years he's been in Cincinnati which I think is his whole life.

Looking back at the 1920 US Census for Virgil McQueary brought light to some new facts. The owned the home they lived in and Dennis Morgan, Bessie's orphaned brother lived with them. I learned that both sets of parents, McQueary and Morgan, were all born in Kentucky. Virgil was a farmer.

Going to the other side of the family, Norma Jean Ballou's memorial notice has been in the photos I have for her, well the only photo. From that I made note that her interment is at Sunnyside Mausoleum. This was Grandpa Buster's first wife.

From Edwin C Smith's obituary, I learned that he was a teamster for 30 years and a member of the Railway Express Employees Association. Our family, at least back to Nicholas, was all involved in the Railroad. Edwin died at home.

The 1920 US Census for Isabelle Ahern showed that they lived in the "Ocean Township". I only make not of that because I'm enjoying all of the township names. Her husband Charles Smith was born in CO. Isabelle's dad was born in Ireland, this document confirmed that fact on his profile. Charles worked for the railroad.

A random fact popped up on http://www.ancestry.com/, "Did you know that most Ahern immigrants to the US came from Liverpool, England and Queenstown, Ireland?"

The 1930 US Census for Isabelle Ahern brought many new tidbits of information. They lived in San Jose at the time. Their ages at first marriage, not necessarily to each other, were Charles 26 and Isabelle, 17. Maybelle has no number for first marriage. They had a lodger by the name of Susie J Kelley.

What is most exciting of all is that this census proved something I've suspected all along. Other trees have Maybelle Ahern under the list of siblings for Isabelle. She is not, however, an Ahern. She must've married in. Her parents were born in Denmark (father) and Sweden (mother).

From this I also have that Charles' parents were born in New York. Also, that Isabelle's mother was born in California which makes her birth information on my tree incorrect. I'm basing this on other census information show CA as the birthstate as well.

In 1930, Charles and Isabelle had 4 children living with them, Elmer J (1), Robert P (9), Richard E (7), and Mary F (3). Some of those initials were new info. They also had living with them at the time sister-in-law Maybelle (25) and nephew Austin (9). Edwin did not live with them. Maybelle was a waitress.

The CA Death Index show the correct spelling, as long as they didn't typo, for Isabelle at the time of death to be Oliveira. This would be the Charles that she married later in life. She apparently had a thing for the name Charles. From the Social Security Death Index, her last residence was in the 95401 area of Santa Rosa, CA.

From the math, whether Charles was her first husband or Edwin O'Niell, whichever she married at 17, the year would have been abt 1915. I have no confirmation either way.

The 1910 US Census is a little harder to find because of the spelling error "Akern". Having this census show California as Mary's state of birth just reconfirms the incorrect date of death on the tree. They also misspelled Nicholas, leaving the "h" out. This form showed that they had 11 children together and that only 9 were living at the time. Living in the home with them were Richard (16), George F (14), Isabelle (12), Thomas (9), Leroy (5), and Leland (3). The couple had been married for 22 years at this time. I also learned the origin of Mary's parents to be Missouri (father) and Tennessee (mother). Nicholas and Richard worked for the railroad and William was a teamster. They rented the home.

I've removed Maybelle from the family tree completely until I can figure out where to put her. Unfortunately, having photographic evidence of her doesn't give me much. Other trees have her married to Garrett, but I need to figure out who he is as well.

The 1930 Census for Nicholas Ahern showed he now owned their home. Those living with them were Roy J (24), Robert R (19), Mae E Reeder (40), and Edwin C Smith (13). To help with the confusion... Mae E Reeder is listed as "daughter". Where she was for the other census, I'm not sure. However, Reeder would be her married name and I have at least one picture of her. Edwin was Isabelle's son, my grandfather.

To further the confusion, Edwin's father is listed as born in Colorado. This would be true if his father is Charles. However the story is that Edwin O'Neil is the father. So I don't know if it was a cover up or a fairytale. Because there is so much stigma around my grandfather having another father, I'm tempted to believe that even back then they were taking measures to cover it up. I really want to get my hands on his birth certificate.

The birth states of Mae's parents also confirm that she and Maybelle are not the same person and that Mae is definately an Ahern.

An exciting bit of new information from this document is that Nicholas Ahern's year of immigration is 1887. This has not helped me find anything as of today, but I am hopeful.

As far as work goes, Nicholas was the foreman of something at the railroad, Roy was a mail carrier for the post office, and Robert was a truck driver doing county work. Neither Nicholas or Roy was a veteran, but there is nothing in the box for Robert as he was only 19 at the time.

I found a 1920 US Census for George Ahern, which was confirmed by another family tree. He was then married to Hazel C whose parents were from California (father) and Italy (mother). She herself was born in California. George was a towerman for the Railroad and they lived in San Rafael.

In 1930, the census shows that they now have a daughter, Francis L who was born in California abt 1925. The family tree entry that led me to this gave her actual birth and death. George and Hazel were married when they were 21 and 18 years, respectively. That would be abt 1917. They still lived in San Rafael and he was still a towerman for the railroad. He was a veteran of the World War.

By the way, to keep track of people you find in the military for looking up later, there is a handy form at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/. It is the Military Records Checklist.

The CA Death Index shows that Frances Lorraine Gardner (married name) was born 22 Dec 1925 and died 17 Aug 1993 in Sonoma County.

To start off today, I was very lucky to get new contact information out of my Aunts Mary and Jackie; both different sides of the family. Also, I added pictures from Pachal McQueary's funeral. Back to work!