Thursday, March 6, 2008

Fabulous Friday's Forever Family Featuring...

My great grandmother Mary Finnicane/Finnochan.

Dear Grandma Mary,

Why are you hiding from me? I feel like I have hit a big brick wall. I'm ready for it come tumbling down!! I see you on the 1880 census with your little family. Then you disappeared.

I have learned a little bit about you from that census. You were living in Chelmsford, Massachusetts at the time, with your husband Jeremiah Crowley and three small children, John, Ann, and Mary E. (Mamie). Ireland was your birth place. Reading and writing were something that you hadn't learned. And you were 5 years older than your husband.

Where did you go? One grandson lists your maiden name as Mary Finnochan on his marriage record. On a daughters death record you are listed as Mary Finnicane. And sadly, on your son's death record the informant, a granddaughter, listed you as "unknown". Why had you been been forgotten? How does that happen? What was your life like?? Did you come to America as a little girl or a grownup? How hard was that to leave your country? Who are your parents?? Did you love being a wife and mother? How did you survive the challenges of life? I'm sure you had them. Did you die a tragic death or a peaceful death?? Where are you buried? Do you know how many Mary Crowley's there were in Massachusetts? How do I find the right one, you?? I want to know YOU!! You are a part of who I am!! When I learn about you, I learn about myself. Please help me find you, I know you are out there....somewhere.

Love,
Cindy

4 comments:

Katie said...

That made me want to cry. It is too bad they didn't keep their last names like the Italians, but then again how many Mary Finnicane Crowleys are there?

Catherine said...

Exactly, I agree with Katie. I think Mary, Maria, Marie is certainly the most usual name in Europe at that time! I'm not a specialist but I'm quite sure Finnicane/ Finnochan is also very common in Ireland.
In later census, does she appear again? Maybe in the press of Chelmsford county? Was her husband irish? Perhaps they arrived together from the same place in Ireland? Or maybe she arrived later like Rosaria? I'm confident in your "detective-side" you will find.
How frustrating it is, this lack of information. I'm also sometimes in this deadlock.How I understand you!
That's the reason why it's better being buried, that leaves a memory trail of our passing on earth.

Aprilyn said...

I never thought of Family History that way. I am going to have an FHE lesson on Family History tomorrow. It's time to start learning about these people!! I think I'll start with my Mom.

Liz said...

Where in MA was she? Maybe sometime we can make a little trip up there for you and do some cemetary detective work?

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...