Virtually all of us have wondered why virtually none of us have been able to find documents in the possession of our ancestors that one might have expected: emigration papers, passenger ship tickets, immigration papers, naturalization papers, insurance documents marriage certificates, etc. Well, and you're not going to like this, but I just learned what happened to them. I'm watching EWTN Catholic Television and they are interviewing the priest who is responsible for collecting the information on Father Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, Catholic men's fraternal order. The KCs would love to see him canonized as a saint of the Catholic Church. But much research needs to be done on his life before that can happen. The priest being interviewed said that he discovered that it was the habit of the Irish in Connecticut (Father McGivney was from New Haven) to keep all their important family papers beneath the upholstery of their family furniture. But he never did discover what happened to the McGivney family furniture. Now, put down that hatchet if you are heading into your dining room. Use a sharp knife and be careful as you disassemble those 140 year old chairs. And good luck. I don't know what happened to my grandparent's dining room furniture. We got their kitchen table, Zenith console radio and 17" TV set, I know. My dad who was Polish and had different traditions, kept all of our important papers in a green fishing tackle box in the cupboard over the kitchen sink. They were treated like gold. And now my sister has it. Or, she better have it!

Good Morning Ray et al: The EWTN program presented [evidently] part of the explanation for the difficulties of contemporary family history searchers. Of course the behavior of our ancestors were influenced by the personalities and character of the original residents of the places those Kerryfolk made their "American home". Connecticut's original residents were solid Yankees [not The Bronx sort] and they originated the use of flammable storage places that must be esthetically pleasing to the eye and indicative of superior status. Wanting to "fit in" the Kerryfolk adopted the impractical habits and timeless delusions of their new Connecticut neighbors. Of course the Kerryfolk who settled in New York City had the example of resident New Yorkers who used various bank services. Thus, The Emigrant Savings Bank's safety deposit box vaults was the repository of matter deemed to be important to save, safely. It seemed apt to throw in a bit of clarification for our "AU & NZ" brothers and sisters. Love, Jack Sweeney in bright & cool Palmer, Pennsylvania.

Just a note on Father McGivney, since he was mentioned in Ray Marshall's post - he was born in Waterbury CT, though his priestly service in New Haven is what he is well known for. There was a recent biography published on his life. "Parish priest," by Douglas Brinkley and Julie Fenster, was published in 2006. It is an interesting read and includes much material on several Irish American families of New Haven who were involved with McGivney in the founding of the K of C. I was invited to submit some research I had prepared on one of these families (Downes), which is included in the book. This family, at least, was literate and enterpreneurial so there was no difficulty finding documentary evidence for them. Paul Keroack Ray Marshall <raymarsh@mninter.net> wrote: Virtually all of us have wondered why virtually none of us have been able to find documents in the possession of our ancestors that one might have expected: emigration papers, passenger ship tickets, immigration papers, naturalization papers, insurance documents marriage certificates, etc. Well, and you're not going to like this, but I just learned what happened to them. I'm watching EWTN Catholic Television and they are interviewing the priest who is responsible for collecting the information on Father Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, Catholic men's fraternal order. The KCs would love to see him canonized as a saint of the Catholic Church. But much research needs to be done on his life before that can happen. The priest being interviewed said that he discovered that it was the habit of the Irish in Connecticut (Father McGivney was from New Haven) to keep all their important family papers beneath the upholstery of their family furniture. But he never did discover what happened to the McGivney family furniture.