Hi again, I don't remember if this has already been mentioned. But I'll offer it anyways. There are some events coming up at the "Massachusetts Historical Society," including this week: http://www.masshist.org/welcome/ http://www.masshist.org/events/ Betty (near Lowell, MA)

Hi Sandra, I can't answer your specific question, but I can suggest that you write to the "Boston Historical Society." I just went to their web site, and did a "search of site" feature and found a page mentioning the Charles Street Jail: http://www.bostonhistory.org/?s=neighborhoods&p=histmarkers&sub=m_westend Built in 1851, the Charles Street Jail is the culminating work of Gridley J.F. Bryant, the city's foremost architect of monumental granite forms (now known as the Boston Granite style). Pioneering prison reformer Rev. Louis Dwight collaborated with Bryant on plans for the new facility -- a cruciform with four wings radiating from an octagonal center. Dwight's humanitarian approach toward prisoners called for rooms large enough for communal work and exercise as well as individual cells. This location on the Charles River produced additional benefits as well -- fresh air and ample natural light through wall and cell windows. The jail served the county until 1990. http://www.bostonhistory.org/ And, here is the web site for the "Massachusetts Historical Society" which might respond to questions about the Jails. http://www.masshist.org/welcome/ Betty (near Lowell, MA) FYI: Here are some other sites which come up in the search: http://southbostonhistory.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Street_Jail There seems to be conflicting information on what the old jail now holds: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-7665110.html http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2006_4th/Oct06_CharlesJail.html OH .. this explains it: http://journalism.emerson.edu/jr610/spring03/cit/beaconhill/jail.html

I'm trying to find records for the Charles St. Jail and Deer Island jail in Boston for an individual incarcerated at those 2 places in 1923. Could anyone offer me any guidance in finding possible existing records? Thank you! Sandra S.Portland, Maine

Hello, Betty and List,   If you would like an actual historical account -- rather than fictional (The Big Wind) -- of the conditions in Ireland in the 1830s and 1840s, you might pick up my book from UMASS Press, Ballykilcline Rising / From Famine Ireland to Immigrant America. Two chapters of seven deal with conditions in Ireland that contributed to the rent strike, evictions, and forced emigration of hundreds of tenants from Ballykilcline in Kilglass Parish, near Strokestown, in County Roscommon. The rent strike began in 1834-35 and ended in 1847-48 when the people were sent to New York City.   Among other aspects, I considered the seasonal labor migration to England and Scotland; the existence of newspapers, banks, and a postal system; the presence of British military in Irish townlands; the existence and roles of the secret societies; the anti-tithe war of the 1830s; the influence of Daniel O’Connell; and more generally the British land policies in Ireland and the famine itself. My investigation of conditions starts in the 1700s and focuses on the operations of the Mahon estate in Strokestown, where the Famine Museum is now located. The Mahons were middlemen landlords to the people in Ballykilcline from the 1790s until 1834. In 1847, Landlord Denis Mahon evicted and sent nearly 1,000 people to Grosse Ile, Quebec; half of them died en route, in quarantine, or in the island's hospitals. We know of at least one family evicted from Ballykilcline whose daughter and grandchildren were sent to Grosse Ile and died.   Nearly 20 percent of the Ballykilcline evictees in the U.S. went to or through Rutland, VT, where they took jobs in the marble quarries. Some of them lost their homes a second time there due to strike activity in pursuit of fair wages and working conditions.   Some evictees and/or their children settled in several places in Massachusetts as well. Family historians may want to check the surnames of the townland’s residents on the Ballykilcline web site at www.ballykilcline.com to see if their names are listed.   FYI, GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s immigrant Irish ancestor, Michael Sheeran, also came from Kilglass parish, from the townland of Knockhall, across a country road from Ballykilcline. I found his Rutland naturalization record saying so in the database I developed during my book research.   And Irish President Mary McAleese had ancestors in Strokestown. The family name was Lenihan. When Mahon estate records recently were turned over to a new research center at Maynooth, one was a document stating that her ancestress, Mary Lenihan, had sought food during the famine from the Mahons.   Best, Mary Lee Dunn

Seeking help with a ten-year roadblock. We have a lot of information on John O’Connell, b ca 1825 in Ireland, son of Jeremiah O’Connell and Bridget (?) but we've  been unable to connect John to parents named Jeremiah and Bridget in Ireland. We can't find his birthplace!! This is what we do know: John emigrated to Lawrence Massachusetts ca 1846, married Mary Horan in Lawrence in 1850 and settled in Andover Massachusetts. (Reportedly John emigrated with four brothers but I have found no record of any of them.) Mary Horan was born ca 1825 in Buttevant, County Cork, Ireland and was the daughter of Charles and Mary Horan. John and Mary had eight children including Bridget (Abercrombie), Charles J., William, John A., David, Arthur, George and Mary Jane (Warden). The family lived in Andover Massachusetts until John and Mary’s deaths in 1896.  Please contact blaine_oconnell@alumni.holycross.edu

Dear Betty, I have already corresponded with the Archives and received a response, but I was seeking information on baptisms, and I don't know if the Archives would have burial information on someone. If you do drive to Waltham, I think you might be able to check at the cemetery office. When I've done that at other MA cemeteries, the information is on file there and a map to help find the location is usually available. You might try writing directly to the person in charge of the cemetery whose address is 259 High Street, Waltham, MA 02453. I think you could Google the cemetery or the city of Waltham and find out who that person is. Good luck in your search. Mary-Sue ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: "Mary-Sue Gardetto" <umass59@sbcglobal.net>; <genMassachusetts-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 9:18 AM Subject: Re: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Archdiocese of Boston > Hi Mary-Sue, > > Do you know if we can correspond with them again? > > Or, do we still have to "deal with" the "Catholic Cemetery Association?" > (official name?) > > Betty (near Lowell, MA) > > > (I would like to find the gravesite for my husband's great-grandparents in > the Calvary Cemetery in Waltham. But, I am not willing to pay $35 to > find out where the stone is.) >

Hi Mary-Sue, Do you know if we can correspond with them again? Or, do we still have to "deal with" the "Catholic Cemetery Association?" (official name?) Betty (near Lowell, MA) (I would like to find the gravesite for my husband's great-grandparents in the Calvary Cemetery in Waltham. But, I am not willing to pay $35 to find out where the stone is.) (In the "late" spring, I'll try to drive to Waltham and find out what the cemetery is like.) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary-Sue Gardetto" <umass59@sbcglobal.net> To: <Pbersacola@aol.com>; <genmassachusetts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2009 7:24 PM Subject: Re: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Archdiocese of Boston > Paula, they re-opened on January 5. > > Mary-Sue > > > Subject: Re: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Archdiocese of Boston > > > Does anyone know when the Archdiocese of Boston Archives are going to > reopen > after the move? > > Paula > > > >

Hello, I belong to several Lists for Ireland because of my ancestors. Last month on one List someone reminded people that it was the anniversary of "The Big Wind" in Ireland. I'm taking this from an old posting on the Ireland List: The Night of the Big Wind is the name given to the night of January 6/7, 1839. It has been well researched and documented, and is the subject of a couple of books. http://pwaldron.bess.tcd.ie/roots/gaothmor.htm The Roman Catholic Church of Killedan Parish, located in Kiltimagh town, was badly damaged during The Big Wind, 6 Jan 1839. Four windows were blown in and destroyed. A large portion of the roof on the western side was blown off and the damage was estimated at £100 - far beyond the means of its impoverished parishioners. http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/IRELAND/2001-01/0978799999 What was mentioned this month was there is an "historical novel" which is based on that. It is called "The Big Wind." Surprisingly, I was able to borrow it from my library yesterday. On the back cover it says: "The Ireland of 1840-1870 that Beatrice Coogan unveils in her .. novel is an Ireland that would be inconceivable to most Irishmen ... today. Then, ruthless landlords could throw the sick, the aged, the dying out of their homes; hundreds of thousands .. were allowed to die of hunger; a man could be sentenced to 20 yrs. of hard labour for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his children. ......." Just offering this as an FYI for researchers who had an ancestor in Ireland in the mid-1800's. My KERR / HENDERSON ancestors left Ireland in the 1820's, so they missed it. But no one has been able to find out about the relatives they left in Ireland, so they might have had relatives who experienced "The Big Wind" ~15 yrs. after they left. Betty (near Lowell, MA, USA) Remember to check the archives of all the Lists and Boards for your surnames and place-names. And, please remember to check the on-line auctions for for your surnames and place-names.

These are book(s) we have just added to EveNDon.com: Census Page: Town Vitals, Pub 1850: New Ashford, New Braintree, Newburyport, Newton, Oakham, Oxford, Palmer, Pelham, Peru, Petersham, Phillipston http://www.evendon.net/PGHLookups/CensusUS.html These are additional book(s} we just added: Directory Page: 1883 Albuquerque NM Directory Directory Page: 1858 Baltimore MD Directory Military Page: Illinois Civil War V2 Military Page: Union Casualties - National Cemetery Interments Yearbooks Page: 1766-1916 Rutgers University Alumni Directory Military Page: Salem MA Civil War Roll of Honor Yearbooks Page: 1797-1906 University of Georgia Alumni Directory Yearbooks Page: 1868-1914 University of Maine Alumni Directory Yearbooks Page: 1807-1907 University of Maryland Alumni Directory These are some of the other book(s} we have added in the past 9 days: Census Page: 1883 Pensions Vols 1,2 ME NH VT MA RI CT NJ NY PA http://www.evendon.net/PGHLookups/CensusUS.html#Pensions Directory Page: 1860 Episcopal, 1919 Lutheran, 1898 Presbyterian Directories http://www.evendon.net/PGHLookups/Dir.shtml#Intl Directory Page: 1914 Harvard Alumni Directory http://www.evendon.net/PGHLookups/Yearbooks.shtml#MA Directory Page: 1867 New Haven Directory http://www.evendon.net/PGHLookups/Dir.shtml#CT Directory Page: 1870 Essex County MA Directory http://www.evendon.net/PGHLookups/Dir.shtml#MA Directory Page: 1885 Railroad Directory http://www.evendon.net/PGHLookups/Dir.shtml#Intl Don Eve and Don Krieger http://www.evendon.com Everything on our site is free and permanent. Loading is very fast. Our search is very powerful. We are constantly adding new material. Regimental histories, musters, casualties. Census books, tax and pensions rolls, vitals records. Yearbooks and alumni books.

Paula, they re-opened on January 5. Mary-Sue Subject: Re: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Archdiocese of Boston Does anyone know when the Archdiocese of Boston Archives are going to reopen after the move? Paula

Does anyone know when the Archdiocese of Boston Archives are going to reopen after the move? Paula In a message dated 2/7/2009 3:11:49 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, genmassachusetts-request@rootsweb.com writes: Today's Topics: 1. Politically Active Women early 1900's (LUSCOMB) (Betty) 2. LUSCOMB families (Betty) 3. "Irish American Catholic Genealogy Lecture" at Pollard Library, Lowell, MA, Feb.21 (DEAN & KAREN TREARCHIS) 4. Dartmouth, Massachusetts 1934 High School Basketball Team Photo (old news) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 08:23:23 -0500 From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> Subject: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Politically Active Women early 1900's (LUSCOMB) To: <genMassachusetts-L@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <9CECC96374E447ACA151D1604FCB089F@LivingRoom> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Hello, In this morning's "Mass/Moments" e-mail there is story of another politically active woman in MA in the very early 1900's. http://www.massmoments.org:80/moment.cfm?mid=44 Betty (near Lowell, MA) Remember to check the archives of all the Lists and Boards for your surnames and place-names. And, please remember to check the on-line auctions for for your surnames and place-names. ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 08:51:37 -0500 From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> Subject: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] LUSCOMB families To: <genMassachusetts-L@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <824A247E76AF432CB6303E458B042E7F@LivingRoom> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Hi again, I thought the LUSCOMB name sounded familiar. I checked my previous postings to this List and was reminded that .. that was the last name of my husband's grandmother's step-father - back in London, England, ~1900. I just found that out a few months ago. I did a quick check at census information, and it's not a popular name. There were only about 45 people with the name in MA in 1900, and less in 1910 and 1920. A few of them born in England. Betty (near Lowell, MA) (I have not been able to find out whether Annie Mary Magdalene McLOUGHLIN / McLAUGHLIN had any relatives in MA when she migrated here from London. Or whether she had any relatives come over here after she did. From memory, she had 3 older sisters, and I don't know whether they all remained in England. Her father had died when she was a baby. She married in Waltham to James GAVIN.) ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 18:16:49 -0500 From: DEAN & KAREN TREARCHIS <dktrearchis@comcast.net> Subject: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] "Irish American Catholic Genealogy Lecture" at Pollard Library, Lowell, MA, Feb.21 To: MAMIDDLE@rootsweb.com, GENMASSACHUSETTS@rootsweb.com, newengland-societies-request@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <1BE4B9EB-8277-428E-A9C9-64FB2B1BC33B@comcast.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed I received a notice today that the Pollard Library, Lowell,MA is presenting Michael Brophy,"Irish American Catholic Genealogy Lecture" on Sat., Feb. 21, 2009, 10 AM. If anyone wants a copy of the flier (via email), let me know. http://www.lowellevents.info/cgi-bin/calendar.pl?calendar=library click on Feb. 21 http://www.lowellevents.info/cgi-bin/calendar.pl? calendar=library&view=Event&event_id=781 Karen ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2009 01:09:51 -0600 From: "old news" <oldnews@genkeys.com> Subject: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Dartmouth, Massachusetts 1934 High School Basketball Team Photo To: <genmassachusetts-L@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <E4C730B4047F493F9D6771608836033A@LEOPARD> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Dartmouth, Massachusetts 1934 High School Basketball Team http://www3.familyoldphotos.com/photo/massachusetts/9544/dartmouth-massachuset ts-1934-high-school-basketball-team In the photograph: Harold Moffatt, P. Bailey, Harold Crompton - Capt, Mark Knowlton, H. Platt, Coach Horton, Richard Sisson, T. Hawes, R. Davies, Payson More Massachusetts Old Photos http://www3.familyoldphotos.com/category/united-states/massachusetts ------------------------------ To contact the GENMASSACHUSETTS list administrator, send an email to GENMASSACHUSETTS-admin@rootsweb.com. To post a message to the GENMASSACHUSETTS mailing list, send an email to GENMASSACHUSETTS@rootsweb.com. __________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GENMASSACHUSETTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body of the email with no additional text. End of GENMASSACHUSETTS Digest, Vol 4, Issue 44 *********************************************** **************Great Deals on Dell Laptops. Starting at $499. (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1217883258x1201191827/aol?redir=http://ad.doubleclick. net/clk;211531132;33070124;e)

Hello, The marriage record for Alonzo Decker in 1879 in Alford, Berkshire, Mass. Volume 460, page 39 image not available. Would it be possible to get a look up? With appreciation and thanks, Susan M.

Dartmouth, Massachusetts 1934 High School Basketball Team http://www3.familyoldphotos.com/photo/massachusetts/9544/dartmouth-massachusetts-1934-high-school-basketball-team In the photograph: Harold Moffatt, P. Bailey, Harold Crompton - Capt, Mark Knowlton, H. Platt, Coach Horton, Richard Sisson, T. Hawes, R. Davies, Payson More Massachusetts Old Photos http://www3.familyoldphotos.com/category/united-states/massachusetts

I received a notice today that the Pollard Library, Lowell,MA is presenting Michael Brophy,"Irish American Catholic Genealogy Lecture" on Sat., Feb. 21, 2009, 10 AM. If anyone wants a copy of the flier (via email), let me know. http://www.lowellevents.info/cgi-bin/calendar.pl?calendar=library click on Feb. 21 http://www.lowellevents.info/cgi-bin/calendar.pl? calendar=library&view=Event&event_id=781 Karen

Hi again, I thought the LUSCOMB name sounded familiar. I checked my previous postings to this List and was reminded that .. that was the last name of my husband's grandmother's step-father - back in London, England, ~1900. I just found that out a few months ago. I did a quick check at census information, and it's not a popular name. There were only about 45 people with the name in MA in 1900, and less in 1910 and 1920. A few of them born in England. Betty (near Lowell, MA) (I have not been able to find out whether Annie Mary Magdalene McLOUGHLIN / McLAUGHLIN had any relatives in MA when she migrated here from London. Or whether she had any relatives come over here after she did. From memory, she had 3 older sisters, and I don't know whether they all remained in England. Her father had died when she was a baby. She married in Waltham to James GAVIN.)

Hello, In this morning's "Mass/Moments" e-mail there is story of another politically active woman in MA in the very early 1900's. http://www.massmoments.org:80/moment.cfm?mid=44 Betty (near Lowell, MA) Remember to check the archives of all the Lists and Boards for your surnames and place-names. And, please remember to check the on-line auctions for for your surnames and place-names.

Hello, I belong to 2 NY Lists, and one of them mentions a "German Genealogy Group" in NY on a regular basis. I'm curious whether there is one in New England. I thought I had seen mention of one last month, but I'm not finding it on-line this morning. I did find a lot of information on genealogy in regards to Germany on Cyndi's List: http://www.cyndislist.com/germany.htm This is the web site for the Group in NY. Looking on-line I'm seeing there are similar groups in PA, OH, etc. http://www.germangenealogygroup.com/ On one site I see that in NY the German Group works with the Italian Genealogy Group to get more "data" on-line. I also don't know if there is an "Italian Genealogy Group" in New England. But, I just found this site which lists a few societies: Massachusetts Cape Cod Genealogical Society, Inc Central Massachusetts Genealogical Society, Inc. Falmouth Genealogical Society Friends of the National Archives - Pittsfield Genealogical Roundtable, The Greater Lowell Genealogy Club Italian Genealogical Society of America Massachusetts Genealogical Council Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc. New England Historic Genealogical Society Peabody Essex Museum South Shore Genealogical Society The Irish Ancestral Research Association USGenWeb Project, The http://www.fgs.org/membership/members.php Betty (near Lowell, MA) FYI: My ancestors and extended family were "all British" - until - the people of my generation started marrying ! Actually, my uncle who was only ~8 years older than me joined the Army and was stationed in Germany. While he was there, he met a young lady, and he brought her back to the US and married her. So, I've had an Aunt Ursula since the 1950's.) (FYI: I have 2 uncles on opposite sides of tree, who were both less than 10 years older than me, and who were both born on -- Feb. 14th !!) :o) And, my EX's father was half-German. And, I know of a man who was also stationed in Germany while in the Army, but a generation before my uncle. And, he fathered a child while he was there, but did not marry the mother of the baby. Remember to check the archives of all the Lists and Boards for your surnames and place-names. And, please remember to check the on-line auctions for for your surnames and place-names.

Hello, The "National Heritage Museum" in Lexington is a museum I've only been to twice. And, I don't often think of it. But, a member of the Chelmsford Genealogy Group who posts information for the members just posted about the latest event going on in the Museum. Augustus Frederick Sherman: Ellis Island Portraits 1905-1920 October 11, 2008 through April 26, 2009 Ellis Island, our nation's foremost immigration station, processed an average of 5,000 immigrants per day during the peak years from 1905-1907. Augustus Frederick Sherman entered public service as a clerk with the Immigration Division at Ellis Island in 1892, the year that the "Golden Door" was established. An accomplished amateur photographer, Sherman's position enabled him to take an astonishing body of portraits of over 200 families, groups, and individuals while they were being detained either for medical reasons or for further interrogation. "Augustus Frederick Sherman: Ellis Island Portraits, 1905-1920" brings together for the first time a collection of these striking photographs, presenting an unprecedented historical document. The exhibition is on view at the National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA, October 11, 2008 through April 26, 2009. Admission is free. Check out the web site at www.nationalheritagemuseum.org Betty (near Lowell, MA) P.S. The museum is very easy to get to. It's right on Massachusetts Avenue, and not that far from the Arlington line. And, you can easily get to it via Rt. 2. Please pass this information along to other Lists which might be interested.

I would like to thank everyone for all there help in fining this family... it was really appreciated... Thanks Again, Marcia

Greetings Listers, Thought I would put out a reminder that there may still be index images that were not digitized and added to either the State Archives database or the NEHGS Massachusetts Vital Records 1841-1910 on-line database ( www.newenglandancestors.org). Leah Smith found another one today concerning 1896-1900 births for O'Leary. The preceding index page stops at Daniel O'Leary and the next entry in the database begins at Maurice O'Leary. If you were to call up 1896-1900 O'Leary births, you would notice the gap. If you aren't finding an entry and I've haven't already said that I checked the index, please email me. There are three possible reasons. One, the event wasn't recorded. Two, there was a scanning issue and the middle name for one entry, i.e. John Samuel Smith, became the first name for the next five or six entries (Samuel Steven Smith, Samuel W. Smith, instead of John Steven Smith or John W. Smith.) Three, a missing index page or two. I can't do anything about the first problem, but do appreciate the help in fixing the other two. Sam Sturgis, database webmaster, is now aware of the problem and the missing entries will be added soon. Sue Richart NEHGS Volunteer