Arrival of Anne Meenan Rowan

Sailing vessel in the 19^th century

182 years ago today my paternal 3x great-grandmother Anne Meenan (Rowan) arrived in the Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!  

What was that like for her?

print by John Casper Wild

This print was done about the same time period and I wonder if this is what it looked like when Anne’s ship first came in to the harbor?

92 ships reportedly arrived in Philadelphia that year

6 ships arrived on Aug 4^th

 Anne arrived, listed as a Spinster at the age of 25, in Philadelphia on the 4^th of August 1837 onboard the British Ship Emmanuel. The Master of the ship was John Dearness. She left from Londonderry, Ireland (Northern Ireland today) and the trip took 45 long days (leaving on 21 June 1837).

What was happening at the time:

·        In 1837 an oratory by Daniel O’Connell to the British Parliament helped focus Europeans’ attention on Ireland stating, “The Irish poor-a third of the population-had no food except the potatoes they grew, and not enough clothing to cover themselves.  They went hungry for two months of the year, and half-naked for all the year.”  Yet this would be their last “good” decade before more than a million of them would vanish into unmarked graves in the 1840s.

·        4 March 1837 Martin Van Buren became the 8^th President of the United States

·        10 May 1837 (Panic of 1837)  NY Banks fail and unemployment reaches record levels

·        20 June 1837 -Queen Victoria gained the British throne

How did this affect Anne’s decision to leave Ireland and how would this affect Anne’s new life in America?

Originally an Emigrant Savings Bank Record (See post- SUCCESS!! Emigrant Savings Bank-Ann Meenan Rowan) stated that Anne had arrived in 1837 from County Monaghan, Ireland.  An Immigration card for Anne documented her arrival in Philadelphia, not New York as I had believed:

Eventually the ship’s passenger was discovered:

Transcription from the top of the Passenger List:

Transcription from the top of the Passenger List:
Report or Manifest of all the Passengers taken on board the Ship Emmanuel whereof John Dearness, is master, from Londonderry, Ireland, burthen 430 tons and owned by ____________ of _____________ and bound to Philadelphia.

• Further investigation showed that the ship was from the port of North Shields, England and the owner of the ship was E. Taylor.

Columns represent: Names, age, occupation, the country to which they severally belong, the country of which they intend to become inhabitants, and baggage

• All passengers came from Ireland and intended to reside in the United States.
• Passenger List contained 172 names

On an earlier manifest from July 1837 for the Emmanuel I found the following statement by the Master of the ship. I assume he would have declared the same for the arrival on the 4^th of August:

*I, John Dearness, do solemnly, sincerely, and truly swear, that the within REPORT and LIST, subscribed with my name and now delivered by me to the Collector of the District of Philadelphia contains, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the Names, Age, Sex, and Occupation of all Passengers, together with the name of the Country to which they severally belong, and that of which they intend to become Inhabitants, which were on board the Ship Emmanuel whereof I am at present Master, at the time of her sailing from the Port of Londonderry or which have at any time since been taken on board said vessel. And I do likewise swear, that all matters whatsoever in said Report and List expressed are, to the best of my knowledge and belief, just and true.

From book Lloyd’s Register of British and Foreign Shipping. From 1^st July 1837 to the 30^th June 1838. Established 1834. Published London 1837 Page- 128
From Key to the Register:
Ship Master: John Dearness

Tons: 424
Build: Where - Timber of ship-S nd rld- S-Spruce, nd-new deck, rld-?
           When - September 1835
Owner: E. Taylor
Port belonging to: North Shields

Destined Voyage: Sld.N.Brns
                               Sld (Sunderland) N. Brns.-?

Character for Hulls & Stores: vessel last surveyed 1 (Jan) 35 (1835)

Lingering questions:

• Still no idea of the connection of Biddy, Patrick and Michael to Anne, if any? (See post Who were Biddy, Patrick and Michael Meenan?)
• What town/village in Ireland is Anne from?
• Who were her parents?

Learning about the ship and what was happening at the time Anne arrived in America gave me so much more of a feel for what it must have been like for her.  Oh, how I wish there was a diary or letters to tell of her daily experience on the ship.  I know she made it safely from great poverty in Ireland to a fresh beginning in America 182 years ago today.

If you have any corrections, additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Who Were Biddy, Patrick and Michael Meenan

When my paternal 3x great-grandmother Ann Meenan Rowan (see posts A Lot More Questions than Answers-the Life of Ann Rowan and Success!!  Emigrant Savings Bank-Ann Meenan Rowan) immigrated from County Monaghan, Ireland in August 1837 she arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Ann was listed as a Spinster, 25 years of age (1812) but there were 2 children named Meenan that appeared to have been traveling with her.  Biddy Meenan was listed as 2 years old (1835) and Patrick was listed as 4 years old (1833).  Several lines below them I found a Michael Meenan age 20 (1817) who was listed as a Weaver by occupation. 

I wondered if perhaps Ann and Michael were siblings?  Were the two small children another brother’s children?

• I know ‘Biddy’ may have been the nickname for Bridget.

Here’s what I have been able to find:

Patrick

• Patrick Meenan with a birth year of 1833 Ireland dying in Flint, Michigan in 1893, ironically with a mother Ann Meenan and father Francis Meenan.
• Patrick Meenan living in Philadelphia in 1870 with a birth about 1833 Ireland.   He was living with his wife Ann and children Michael, A. Rose, Mary and Emma. 
• Patrick Meenan serving in the Civil War enlisting in Philadelphia February 1864.
• Patrick Meenan death notice in Philadelphia on 6 May 1897

My guess is that the Patrick that lived in Philadelphia may be the Patrick that was on the ship’s manifest with Ann but there is no confirmation of this.  If I obtain the Civil War record for the Patrick who served from Philadelphia, perhaps I would find a connection.

Biddy

• Bridget Meenan listed in the Philadelphia City Directory in 1890, 1893
• Bridget Meenan dying at the age of 34 in August 1897

Is this the Bridget I am looking for or did she die shortly after arriving in America?  I am unable to find Biddy and Patrick on a census record together after arriving.  Perhaps they were cousins and not siblings?

Michael

There are many ‘Michael Meenan’ that could possibly be the one who was on the ship manifest with Ann and the children but no definitive connection to Ann, Biddy or Patrick.

Was ‘Meenan’ Ann’s married name?  Was she really a ‘widow’ and came with Biddy and Patrick, her children?  There is no reference to them being with Ann after she married William Rowan in the 1840s.  Were these children even ‘Meenan’ children or someone else’s children that Ann brought to America for them?  I still have no idea if these 4 people are related.  I believe they are but I have been unable to prove it…so far.  I believe the children came over with Ann and she probably delivered them to one of her brothers but who they were and where they were, I don’t know yet. 

Sometimes the search just doesn’t resolve anything but leave you with even more questions.  Perhaps one day I will find the answers to my many questions and know who Biddy, Patrick and Michael are.

If you have any corrections, additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Wedding Wednesday-John and Sarah Hughes Rowan

Sarah Hughes and John Rowan (see post Civil War Record of John W. Rowan) are my paternal great-great grandparents. 

I found this record of their marriage about 8-9 years ago and from this marriage certificate I learned the names of their parents which were previously unknown, their birthplaces and addresses at the time of their marriage. 

I learned they were married on 1 August 1869.  Their witnesses were Charles A. Colwell and Ellen Cavanagh.  John lived at 239 10th Avenue, NYC and Sarah lived at 306 10th Avenue, NYC.  Sarah’s parents are Patrick Hughes and Susan McKeena.  John’s parents are Ann Meenan and William Rowan.  John was 23 years old and born in Troy.  Sarah was 18 years old and born in New York City.  John’s occupation was Carman.
 


About a year ago when I was reviewing this document I looked again at the church name.  It was difficult to read but it looked like St. Cl...?  I decided to search on-line for churches in New York City in 1869 and found a long list.  Then I looked to see if there was one that was on 25th Street and I found it:  St. Columba’s Roman Catholic Church at 343 West 25th Street in New York City.  When I searched the name of the church on-line I found out the church is still in existence!  A few weeks ago I was actually able to go and see the church for myself. 

Here are a few of the photos I took (click on images to enlarge):

I was told the inside of the church is the same as it would have been 149 years ago when they were married with the exception of a mural above the altar, the finish on the altar and some of the ‘modern’ conveniences like the fans, lights. etc.  The beautiful heavy wood, the intricate carvings and the wooden beams were so interesting to see and really took me back in time. 

WOW!! What an amazing experience to actually stand in the church where Sarah and John were married all those many years ago and imagine them standing there in front of the altar.  The church back then had a predominately Irish congregation and I know Sarah and John each lived within a few blocks of the church.

Next, I need to figure out who the witnesses were (friends or family) and where John was born.  Sarah had an Aunt named Ellen McKeena.  Could Ellen Cavanagh be her married aunt?  John’s birthplace is listed as ‘Troy’.  Is that possibly Troy, NY?

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Who Was The Civil War Veteran?

A family story is always a great source of information about an ancestor, or is it?  How much of the story that has been passed down is based on truth?  We know as demonstrated by the game ‘telephone’ that we played as children that the story changes a little each time it is repeated but the main part continues.  Family stories give us a fabulous place to start but you need to be open to finding the little twists or inconsistencies in a story that has been passed down.

I decided to tackle a family story I heard from my grandmother Agnes King Warner when I was about 12-14 years old.

The family story I had been told was about an ancestor who served in the Civil War.  He was about 13-14 years old and wanted to fight in the Civil War.  He had a man from the neighborhood sign for him saying he was old enough to join the Civil War and he enlisted under an assumed name. He was believed to have been a drummer boy or a flag bearer in the Union Army.  My grandmother died when I was 16 years old so I was unable to ask her any further questions when I decided years later to see if the story was true and to determine who this veteran was in our family.  I wasn’t even sure years later if the mystery man was a direct descendant or the brother of a direct descendant.

I continued to wonder over the years about this mystery man.  I asked family members and was able to get a few more pieces of information which I filed away.  Someday I will have to figure this out.  Time passed but this nagged at me. 

First:  I looked at several lines on my grandmother’s side of the family and thought it might be one of her grandfathers.  I know the Civil War began on April 12, 1861 and the enlistment age was 18.  How old were my grandmother’s grandfathers?  Louis King, her paternal grandfather was born in 1843 so he would have been 18 at the start of the Civil War, so, maybe it was him.  My grandmother’s maternal grandfather John Rowan was born in 1846 so he would have been 15 years old.  That’s a little closer to the family story. Definitely more research needed. 

Next:  I wrote letters to several great aunts and cousins to see what they knew and asked other family members. Several thought it was John Rowan who had served in the Civil War.

Research begins:

• I researched the life of Louis Arthur King because I wanted to rule him out.  (See post Who Was Louis Arthur King)  I couldn’t find any reference to Louis having served in the Civil War.
• I spoke to Civil War experts. and asked how am I going to be able to find someone who enlisted under an assumed name?  I was assured that if my ancestor ever filed for a pension after the War they would link his name with the assumed name. But if he never applied for a pension I’d be out of luck trying to find him.
• I began to research the life of John W. Rowan.  I researched his mother Ann Meenan ( see post - A Lot More Questions Than Answers-The Life of Ann Meenan Rowan) and his father William Rowan (Using City Directories to Find William Rowan).  I know that John’s father and infant brother died when he was 4 years old and it was just he and his mother after that.
• I researched in New York for soldier’s named John W. Rowan that served in the Civil War and found four of them.  All I had were names and what Regiments they served with.  Hard to imagine that there would be 4 John W. Rowans.  UGH!
• I researched the Regiments that the 4 John W. Rowan’s belonged to.  Three of the units were from upstate New York and one was from Staten Island, New York.  Staten Island is a lot closer to Manhattan so, maybe that’s the right one?  Then I found out that the Staten Island Unit disbanded and was absorbed by one of the upstate New York units.  That narrows my list down to 3 possible John W. Rowans (Company H New York Infantry 150th Regiment, Company A 105th New York Infantry, Company D 145th NY Infantry). To get copies of the Civil War records for a soldier you need to visit Washington, D.C. or pay someone to locate them for you and send them to you.  Ordering 3 sets of records would be expensive.  Can I narrow this down further?
• I went back to some correspondence I had gotten years ago from relatives and reread it.  The following is an except from a letter my grandmother’s sister Anna King Earle sent to her niece Barbara who in turn shared with me in 2010:

Transcribed:  John Rowan –Sarah A. King’s father fought in the Civil War, joined at 13 under an assumed name-got a man to sign for him, was shot in the leg.  His family moved from New York to Brooklyn in 1896.

• There was another piece of information that might help me…he was shot in the leg.  Were any of the 3 John W. Rowan’s shot in the leg?  Will that narrow it down for me further?

Online in the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center under the 150th Regiment Unit Roster I found the following:

WOW!  John W. Rowan and wounded in action and another name- James Rowan.  The NY 145th Infantry was from Staten Island and absorbed by the 150th Infantry.  I think I’m ready to take a chance and pay the money and get the records for this John W. Rowan.  I am so hoping he is the right one…

I sent for the records and just received them.  Are they the right ones?  I’ll let you know in my next blog post.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

SUCCESS!! Emigrant Savings Bank-Ann Meenan Rowan

The picture comes from  Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper 1880.

Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC),  Posted by Townland of Origin.

I have searched and searched to find out where my 3rd great-grandmother Ann Meenan Rowan was born in Ireland.  (See post-A lot More Questions Than Answers-The Life of Ann Rowan.)  I knew that Ann reported she was born in Ireland but I didn’t know where or who her parents were.  I was discouraged after all the searching with no answers.  I am unable to even find a death certificate for Ann that might contain her parents’ names.  I decided to try the Emigrant Savings Bank.  I had heard of this bank for Irish immigrants but really didn’t know much about it.  All researchers will tell you to find out about the record collection you are searching and don’t just ‘report’ the information you may find. 

So what was the Emigrant Savings Bank and can it help me?
After some research I learned that the Emigrant Savings Bank records are said to be some of the best records of Irish immigration anywhere.  They contain records of depositors and borrowers.  The Emigrant Savings Bank was established in 1850 by Officers of the Irish Immigrant Society to help protect the Irish immigrants and to allow them a way to send money home to destitute relatives in Ireland.  This time period follows the mass migration of Irish to America following the potato famine in Ireland. 
The Emigrant Savings Bank records are a series of 59 volumes arranged in to seven series:

• I. Irish Emigrant Society-
• II. Deposit Accounts-
• III. Real Estate-
• IV. Real Estate Finances-
• V. Main Branch-
• VI. Bank Buildings-
• VII. Investments-

When a new account was opened it was entered in the following 3 volumes-Index Book (contain names and account numbers), Test Book (contain a wide range of information which could include names of spouses & children, immigration year, name of ship, ports of embarkation and entry, occupations, etc.), and  Deposit-Account Ledger (contain basic banking transactions). 

A 4th volume –Transfer, Signature, and Test Books (contained changes in information such as addresses, account holder and information such as year born, place of birth, etc.).

1) First I looked on Ancestry in the Index Book for your family Surname.  There are 3 books covering 1850-1880.  All last names are grouped together under the same letter but are not alphabetized.

In the Emigrant Savings Bank Index Book records I found:

Rowan Ann Account # 47225

2) Second I looked on Ancestry in the Test Book records.

In the Emigrant Savings Bank Test Book records I found:

19 June 1865- #225.  Ann Rowan (her mark), Residence-623 Washington St, Occupation-Housekeeper, Birth year-1813, Where Born-County Monaghan, and 1837 per __, Relations-Widow of William, 1 ch John W, nee Meenan

SUCCESS!!  This has to be ‘my’ ANN!  The birth year, the husband, the son and the nee (maiden name) all match!!  Now I know the County she was from in Ireland-County Monaghan!!  WOW!!  I didn’t realize until I was transcribing the record that the # listed after County Monaghan was the year that Ann immigrated to America.  Another piece of information I hadn’t yet been able to find.  I also see by Ann’s ‘mark’ that she was unable to sign her name.

3) I looked in Deposit-Account Ledger under Ann’s name and was unable to find anything.  I tried searching by just the account number and again found nothing.  Then I realized the Deposit Account Ledger’s only go up to account 18,000 and Ann’s was # 47, 225.

These collections are housed at the New York Public Library and are available on microfilm there.   The New York Public Library has a User’s Guide to the Emigrant Savings Bank Records which I found useful.   (There is a lot more to the records then I am describing here.)  There are record books that appear to have been lost before being given to the Library.  Some of the records- Index Books, Test Books, and the Deposit-Account Ledgers are now available on line through Ancestry.com (1850-1883).  There is also a great Youtube video entitled Emigrant Savings Bank Records-5 minute Find- Ancestry.  I think I do need to visit the New York Public Library to see what additional information I can find there on my next visit to the East Coast but there may not be any additional information. Perhaps I can find something in the Irish Emigrant Society minutes?  I do not believe Ann ever owned property.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

A Lot More Questions Than Answers-The Life of Ann Rowan

Ann Rowan is my paternal 3rd great-grandmother.  I thought I would do a formal research plan on her to determine where in Ireland she was born and see what I could find out about her parents.  Sometimes I am not sure if the information I have gathered is on the actual person I am researching.  This is especially true when I am researching common names.  If I write it out as a formal research plan I find it easier to weed out the incorrect person when I can see all the information side by side.  I have found several listings for Ann Rowan, William Rowan and John Rowan during the same time period.  The following is the information I believe to be correct about ‘my’ Ann Rowan:

• In the 1850 US Federal Mortality Schedule I find listings for Ann’s husband William (age 35) and 1 month old son William who both died in August 1849.  (see post Using City Directories to find William Rowan).

• I first find Ann in the 1850 US Federal Census living in a multi-family dwelling in Ward 7, District 2 in New York City on the 12th of  September.  Ann is listed as 32 years old (b. about 1818) with her birthplace listed as Ireland.  She is not listed with an Occupation.  She is living with her son John who was 4 years old.  In the building there seem to be a predominance of Irish born occupants as well as some English and Scottish.  Ann is a young mother of a 4 year old who has lost her husband and baby.  How did she live and support her other son?  I am unable to find Ann or her son John in the US Federal Census again until 1880.  Why not? Where were they living?

• In 1868 in the New York City Directory I find Ann Rowan listed as the widow of William L. and living at 239 Tenth Avenue.  Hmm…I had William listed as ‘William Henry’ but the address matches her son’s marriage certificate. 

• In 1869 in the New York City Directory I find Ann Rowan listed as the widow of William and living at 239 Tenth Avenue

• In 1869 on her son John William Rowan’s marriage certificate to Sarah Hughes it lists his address as 239 Tenth Avenue in New York City.  John’s parents are listed as Wm Rowan and Ann Meenan.  Now I have a maiden name for Ann!

• I know that John and Sarah’s first two sons-Joseph and William Rowan were born in Pennsylvania in 1870 and 1872 respectively.  Joseph’s death certificate stated his birthplace specifically as Ridgway, Elk County, Pennsylvania.  Why did John and Sarah move to a small town in the middle of Pennsylvania?  Did Ann go with them? I wonder if  they had family there?  Maybe there was the possibility of work there for John?  I was able in the 1870 census find a family named Meenan living in Rigway, Elk County, PA.  Is Peter Meenan born 6 July 1823 to Mr. & Mrs. Felix Meenan in Monaghan, Ireland a brother or cousin perhaps of Ann?  Peter and his wife Catherine immigrated in 1853 to New York City, then Philadelphia then Clinton County, PA and then to Ridgway, Elk County, PA in 1865.

• In the 1880 US Federal Census Ann is 68 years old, a widow, her birthplace and that of her parents are in Ireland.  She is living with her son John and daughter in-law Sarah (Hughes) Rowan and their children Joseph, William, Mary and Sarah (my great-grandmother).  They are living on 5th Street in New York City on the 10th of June 1880.  In the next 5 years Sarah and John would have 3 more children.  Sarah and those last 3 children would all die by 1885.

• I cannot determine Ann’s date of death or where she died. I can find several death certificates for Ann Rowan in the New York City area.  1 is definitely not ‘my’ Ann and the 2nd one is questionable.  What happened to Ann Rowan?

I use a spreadsheet for my Research Plan.  As I find the information I fill it in on my table.  Then as I start to find information that doesn’t seem to be correct I cross it out.  I like to see the information I have found even if it is incorrect so I don’t waste time later looking over the same information.

click on image to enlarge

I still have no information on where Ann was born in Ireland or who her parents were. UGH!!  Definitely, more searching to be done.  I have some ideas and will let you know what I find.
If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby