Thursday, November 16, 2006

McCaffery, Keller, Gallagher

Collum McCaffery was born in 1860 in Ireland. In 1875, he immigrated to the Philadelphia area and by 1890 was a citizen of the United States. Both of Collum's parents were born in Ireland.

According to all the census records, Collum had three children. Anna was the eldest followed by John then Collum Jr. (Uncle Coll)

In 1920, Collum lived with his daughter Anna McCaffery Pester and her family on 148 Hermitage Street in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia. Anna was 28 years old as was her husband Robert. They had two children Margaret age 3 years old and Robert age 2 years old. Robert was a Mechanic in a Garage.

Post Note; I still cannot trace either John McCaffery in any of the census records. I am not even sure if there were actually one or two different John McCafferys, one being the older son of Collum McCaffery, the other one being the father of my grandmother.

In 1910, there is a family of brothers that is questionable because the eldest brother is a policeman and his name was Edward. The second youngest brother is John who would be at the same age as grandmom's father. However, he is listed as working in a Dye Factory. Family History, known by Word of Mouth said grandmom's father worked in a stable. This same Family History also stated that grandmom's father had several brothers and one was known as a policeman. Other brothers listed in this family were Thomas (Box Factory) and was married to a woman named Bertha, Dommick (Mirror Shop) and the youngest Harry who also worked in a Dye Factory. This family of brothers had parents who were born; Father in Ireland and Mother in Scotland. If this is the family I am looking for then it changes history as we know it because this would make my grandmom not 100% Irish but a mixture of Scot and Irish.

Then there are those names, John and Anna. Collum McCaffery named his only daughter Anna and his first born son John. My grandmom's name was Anna and her father's name was John. I really think that my grandmom's paternal grandparents were named John and Anna McCaffery. Of course I have not found evidence to verify this. But it is a clue to begin research.

In 1930, Collum McCaffery is no longer listed. But of course I could not find records of his daughter's family neither. But I did find records about his son Collum who from this point on is known in all records as simply Coll McCaffery. He lived at 4135 Terrace Street in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia. According to records, he purchased this house for 3,000 dollars. He was married to Anna Gallagher McCaffery and had two children Coll age 5 years old and Mary age 2 years old. Living with them was my grandparents William and Anna Gallagher. In addition, my great grandparents William and Mary Gallagher lived there too.

Some interesting facts about the family living at 4135 Terrace Street. Coll was 30 years old. His wife Anna was 22 years old. Coll was a Locomotive Engineer at Midvale Steel. My grandfather was 23 years old and was listed as also working in a Steel Mill. My grandmother was 17 years old. My great grandfather William was 45 years old and was also listed as working in a Steel Mill. My great grandmother was 43 years old and was listed as a Scrub Woman in the Hospital. Though Coll worked at the Midvale Steel Mill, I am not sure what Steel Mill (Pencoyd or Midvale) that the grandparents worked at.

Down the street at 4141 Terrace Street lived John and Sally Gallagher Keller. John purchased this house for 2500 dollars. John was 48 years old and worked in the Steel Mill too. His wife was 43 years old and had listed as her legal first name Sarah. John Keller was Mary Keller Gallagher's brother. Sarah (Sally) Gallagher Keller was William's (Mary's husband) sister.

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