Bert Flaherty’s father Hugh was born in Sacriston, Durham, England on September 5, 1880. Sacriston is a small village located in northern England approximately 3 miles north of Durham and 15 miles south of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Hugh (1880-1932) was the fourth of eight children born to Patrick Flaherty and Mary Burke (see birth record below).
Hugh and his three older siblings were all born in Sacriston while the four youngest children were born in Scranton, PA as a result of the family immigrating to America in 1883. Specifically, two years after Hugh’s father Patrick came to America, his mother Mary and her four children (including Hugh) leave Liverpool on February 14 1883 aboard the SS Helvetia (see below) and arrive in New York on February 27th. They appear to travel alone.
Hugh is first found living in America in the 1900 US Census where he is living with his family at 1015 West Linden St, Scranton working as a coal laborer. Hugh, his father Patrick and his brother John work in the coal mines near this location (i.e., the Diamond Mine shaft originally owned by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company). It is likely that the family lived for a portion of time in housing owned by the coal company. It is also interesting to note that the Irish miners tended to live in neighborhoods at the southern end of the mine while Eastern European families (including Bert’s future wife) lived at the northern end. More information on coal mining in Scranton can be found here and on the Nazar Family Page.
Hugh marries Margaret Winifred McGuire on September 18, 1907 (they lived ~ 0.5 miles apart from one another per the 1900 Census). The couple honeymooned in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Cleveland (see below article from September 27, 1907 Scranton Republican).
Hugh and Margaret live at multiple addresses over the years including Park Place, 49 Carbon St, 427 North 9th Ave, 518 North Chestnut Ave, 2507 Jackson, 1011 W Linden St, and 955 Johler Ave.
Hugh had several occupations besides coal mining. The April 1910 US Census shows Hugh as a “streetcar motor man.” The following article describes a misfortune he had while operating a streetcar later that year (The Scranton Truth, November 10, 1910):
Subsequent censuses show Hugh working for the fire department as a fireman, hydrant inspector, and lieutenant. The following article from the February 21, 1921 Scranton Republican describes a fire where Hugh attempted to save the life of a 5 year old boy.
On August 26, 1932, shortly after taking command of Engine 9 (located on North Main Ave), Hugh dies while fighting a fire at E. H. Schlesser’s Paint Shop at the corner of Scranton St and Chestnut Ave. Paint soaked rags spontaneously ignited a fire shortly before 8 am that morning resulting in a wall collapsing on responding fireman. The collapsed wall killed Hugh and injured 11 other fire fighters which was the worst accident in the Fire Department’s history at the time. As described in the following articles from the Scranton Tribune and a poem by a family friend, Hugh left behind his wife and 9 children.
Below is a picture of the Ben Franklin Firefighter Memorial in Scranton which includes the name of Lieutenant Hugh Flaherty.
The remaining story of Hugh’s wife Margaret and their children is told on the McGuire/Hynes page.
A summary of what has been found for key family members of Hugh Flaherty’s paternal ancestors is provided below. To assist in following the family tree, Bert Flaherty’s section is organized into separate pages for the following surnames (including surname color scheme): Flaherty, Burke, McGuire and Hynes (more information can also be found on the Family Tree page).
Note that the following discussion uses phrases such as “Hugh Flaherty’s Aunt”, “Patrick Flaherty’s Sister,” etc. While in most cases there are no official records which positively show these relationships due to available Irish records prior to 1864, based on the analysis of over 200 DNA matches, shared living locations, death and marriage records, etc., these relationships are very likely to be accurate. As such, to avoid confusion and make this easier to follow, this lack of documentation is only highlighted when there is significant lack of information to make a relationship connection.
Flaherty Family
As described below, the Flaherty family was from Annaghdown Parish, County Galway, Ireland. They leave Ireland after the Potato Famine with part of the family traveling to England before emigrating to Pennsylvannia while others go to Iowa, Massachusetts, and New Zealand. The family’s location in Ireland is discussed in more detail on the Annaghdown page.
Durham, England and Pennsylvannia
The family first appears in England in the 1861 English Census in Durham County (area south of Newcastle upon Tyne, England as seen on Fig 1). The family most likely came to England beginning in the early 1850s based on the following:
- The census is conducted every 10 years and there is no evidence of the family in the March 30, 1851 Census.
- The earliest family birth in England is in July 1851 in Pity Me, Durham, England.
In the 1861 Census, Hugh Flaherty’s Aunt Julia and Bridget are found in Sacriston, while his Aunt Hannah is found in Quarrington Hill which is approximately 10 miles SE of Sacriston (Hugh’s father Patrick does not appear until the 1871 Census). Prior to 1861, the family may have initially lived slightly north of Sacriston as the marriage records of Bridget and Hannah are from the area of Gateshead immediately across the River Tyne from Newcastle upon Tyne (see Fig 1).
Based on the census, the men in the family all work in the local coal mines (more information on the coal mines in the area can be found here). Of interest from the 1861 Census:
- The census enumerator (i.e., recorder) for Sacriston/Witton Gilbert is the only recorder within the county of Durham to list the actual Irish parish and county of birth (this directly contributed to the ability to determine the family’s location in Ireland). In total, the census shows that there are a total of seven (7) families from Annaghdown Parish in Sacriston/Witton Gilbert. This includes: Michael Brown/Bridget Burke, Thomas Burke/Bridget Flaherty, Michael Murphy/Catherine Glynn, Michael Goaly, Hannah Flynn/Burke, Patrick Cuncannon/Mary Glynn, and Patrick Cox/Bridget Flaherty.
- There are over 500,000 individuals listed as being born in Ireland in the 1861 England Census, of which over 6,000 further identified themselves as from County Galway (over 100 in Durham County). The only other families specifically listed as from Annaghdown Parish in the 1861 census are Patrick Cosgrove/Julia Healy in Islington, England (London) and Thomas Scully in Cheriton, Kent, England. However, no direct connection to the Flaherty family for these 2 families has been made.
As described below, Patrick and his three (3) sisters immigrate to Pennsylvania between 1873 and 1883. Patrick travels to Scranton, Julia to Washington County (outside Pittsburgh), while Hannah and Bridget settle in Parsons (Wilkes-Barre).
Patrick Flaherty (Bert Flaherty’s Paternal Grandfather)
Per census and marriage records, Patrick was born ~ 1846 (i.e., in middle of the Irish Famine) in Annaghdown Parish, County of Galway, Ireland. This is based on the following:
- The 1871 England Census shows Patrick as a 27 year old (i.e., born in 1844) coal miner from Ireland living in Sacriston with his sister Judith Flaherty Burke and within 3 blocks of his sisters Bridget and Hannah .
- Patrick’s 1872 marriage certificate to Mary Burke lists him as a 24 year old (i.e., born in 1848) bachelor coal miner living in Sacriston. His father is shown as Michael Flaherty who was a laborer (no mother is listed). His 1914 death record in Scranton also lists his father as Michael with his mother as Mary (this record was completed by his son-in-law). However, her name was most likely Margaret as his sisters Hannah and Bridget’s marriage records show their parents as Michael and Margaret Flaherty.
- The 1900 and 1910 US Census’ show birth years of 1848 and 1855, respectively.
- No birth record in Ireland has been found.
In the 1870s, Sacriston was a coal town with most families (including Patrick and his future wife Mary) living in the area of “Cross Streets” (area in middle of the 1888 map below across from the Sacriston Colliery Inn). The St Bede’s Roman Catholic Church shown on the map was not built until 1881; however, its historical website page states that prior to it being built, there was a “Gaelic-speaking Catholic community” in the village who would walk to Durham to hear mass. The Sacriston Colliery shown near the top of the map opened in 1838 and operated until 1985.
On August 10, 1872, Patrick marries Mary Burke at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Birtley (~ 7 miles north of Sacriston). One of the witnesses to their marriage is Hannah Dolan who marries Judith Flaherty Burke’s son Patrick (i.e., Patrick’s nephew) 3 months later.
Patrick may have been involved in election protests while in Sacriston based on the below article from the Durham County Advertiser on February 20, 1874 (note that Patrick is the only male Flaherty in Sacriston at this time):
Patrick and Mary have 4 children in Sacriston before he immigrates to America most likely aboard the SS Republic which leaves Liverpool, England in March 1881 and arrives in New York on March 25, 1881. This is based on the fact that Patrick is not listed with the rest of his family in Sacriston in the April 1881 England Census. Mary arrives in America in 1883 with the four oldest children and she and Patrick have 4 more children in Scranton. Their children are: Michael (1874-1931), John (1876-1918), Mary (1878-1957), Hugh (1880-1932), Hannah (1883-1943), Margaret (1886-1950), Bridget (1888-1953), and Julia (1892-1976).
Patrick is first found in Scranton in the 1883 City Directory where he is living with his brother-in-law Timothy Burke (i.e., brother of his wife Mary Burke) at 511 Pleasant St as a laborer. He is subsequently found in other city directories and the 1900 and 1910 Censuses living at 1015 W Linden St working as a coal miner. It is presumed that the availability of work in the coal mines is what brought Patrick and other family members to Scranton.
Below is a picture of Patrick Flaherty most likely taken ~ 1900 as provided by a descendant of his youngest child Julia.
Patrick dies on August 12, 1914 at ~ 68 years of age (obituaries from August 13 and 18, 1914 Scranton Republican).
Judith (Julia) Flaherty (Bert Flaherty’s Paternal Great Aunt)
Note – Based on analysis of over 20 DNA matches with descendants of Julia, she is most likely Patrick’s sister with a smaller chance of being his aunt (less likely by a factor of 10). Even though there is a relatively large age gap between them of ~ 24 years, prior to the Irish famine, the typical Irish woman married at 18 years of age (earlier if very poor) and gave birth to 14+ children over 28 years.
Per census and marriage records, Julia was born ~ 1822 in Annaghdown Parish, County Galway, Ireland. This is based on the following:
- Julia is first found in the 1861 England Census where she is listed as 39 years old (i.e., born in 1822) from “Galway, Anadown, Ireland.” Her oldest son Michael is also listed as being born there while her husband Thomas Burke is shown as being from “Galway, Kilocoony, Ireland.” Note that there is no evidence that Thomas Burke is an immediate relative of Mary Burke.
- The 1871 and 1881 England Censuses show Julia as being born in 1821 and 1823, respectively while the 1900 US Census shows her being born in 1817.
- No birth record in Ireland has been found.
Julia and Thomas Burke marry in Ireland (no record found) and have one son before arriving in England. They ultimately have 11 children: Michael (1845-1865), Patrick (1851-1932), Mary (1853-1853), Mary (1854-1936), Bridget (1854-1929), Margaret (1856-1857), Hannah (1856-1862), Catherine (1858-1926), John (1860-1950), Thomas (1861-1862), and Thomas (1864-?).
Thomas dies on December 17, 1880 in Sacriston after possibly being injured in the coal mines (see below).
Around the time of his death, Julia and Thomas’ children begin immigrating to America (primarily to the Pittsburgh area) as follows:
- Mary marries Patrick Long and immigrates in August 1880 settling in Union, PA (outside of Pittsburgh).
- Bridget marries William Dooley and immigrates in ~ 1881 settling in Mount Carmel, PA.
- Catherine marries John O’Neil and immigrates in April 1881 setting in Hempfield, PA (outside of Pittsburgh).
- John immigrates in ~ 1881 and marries Jennie Hawkins in America while settling in Sewickley and then Donora, PA (outside of Pittsburgh).
- Thomas and his mother Julia immigrate in June 1883. Thomas marries Maggie McFaulds and they settle in Allen, PA (near present day Fallowfield Township outside of Pittsburgh).
Julia dies on August 1, 1907 at age 85 at the Western Pennsylvannia Hospital for the Insane at Dixmont, Killbuck Township near Sewickley, PA.
Bridget Flaherty (Bert Flaherty’s Paternal Great Aunt)
Per census and marriage records, Bridget was born ~ 1833 in Annaghdown Parish, County Galway, Ireland. This is based on the following:
- Bridget is first found in the 1861 England Census were she is listed as 29 years old (i.e., born in 1832) from “Galway, Amerdown, Ireland.” Her husband Patrick Cox is shown as being from “Galway, Ireland.” Their marriage record shows her being born in 1835.
- The 1871 England Censuses show Bridget being born in 1833 while the 1880 and 1900 US Census show her being born in 1835 and 1837, respectively.
- No birth record in Ireland has been found.
Bridget marries Patrick Cox in Stella, Gateshead, Durham England on February 17, 1855. Her father is listed as Michael Flaherty (a farmer) with one of her witnesses being her sister Hannah (see below).
Bridget and Patrick have 5 children before immigrating to America: Margaret (1856-?), Charles (1858-1931), John (1860-1940), Mary (1862-1900), and Patrick (1868-1951).
Patrick Cox most likely arrives in America aboard the SS France in April 1870 (note that his is not shown with his family in the 1871 English Census). Bridget follows in September 1873 aboard the SS Greece along with her 5 children. It is not known why they chose Pennsylvania other than availability of work in the coal mines.
Bridget and Patrick are first found in America in the 1880 US Census living in Parsons (Wilkes-Barre), Luzerne, PA where Patrick is listed as miner. In the 1900 US Census, Patrick and Bridget are living without their children with Bridget’s sister Hannah and their family at 12 Woodward Ave in Parsons. The census shows that Hannah had given birth to 5 children, 3 of which were living in 1900. It is unknown as what, if any, communication or visitation occurred between Bridget/Hannah and their brother Patrick in Scranton (~ 19 miles away).
Following the June 1900 Census, a terrible tragedy strikes the family. In November, Bridget and Patrick’s daughter Mary was having a difficult pregnancy in Butte, Montana so they travel by train to help her and her family. On November 29th, Mary dies at age 38 of “insanity” while being pregnant with her fifth child (Mary’s picture is below).
Eight days later, Patrick became ill and also dies in Butte. Both Patrick and his daughter Mary were buried in Butte (obituary from December 10, 1905 Wilkes-Barre Record).
Bridget eventually returns to Parsons while her sons Charles, John, and Patrick remain in Butte where they raise families. Bridget dies on August 17, 1905 at the home of her sister Hannah (obituary from August 19, 1905 Wilkes-Barre Times Leader).
Hannah Flaherty (Bert Flaherty’s Paternal Great Aunt)
Per census and marriage records, Hannah was born ~ 1839 in Annaghdown Parish, County Galway, Ireland. This is based on the following:
- The 1861 and 1871 England Censuses show Hannah as being born in 1841 and 1839, respectively while the 1880 and 1900 US Census show her being born in 1838 and 1844, respectively.
- No birth record in Ireland has been found.
Hannah marries James McCabe in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England on April 28, 1855. The church record lists her father as Michael Flaherty (a farmer) with her mother as Margaret.
Hannah and James live in Quarrington and Sacriston, Durham County and have at least 8 children before immigrating to America: Catherine (1858-1872), Michael (1860-1937), Margaret (1862-1863), John (1869-1879), Patrick (1867-1880), Hannah (1869-1872), James (1873-1951), and Thomas (1876-1905).
Hannah, James, and their 4 sons which survive infancy depart Liverpool and arrive in New York aboard the SS Montana on November 18, 1879. They are first found in America in the 1880 Census living in Parsons, Luzerne, PA where James is listed as a miner. They are also found in the 1900 Census living at 215 Woodward Ave in Parsons along with Hannah’s sister Bridget and her husband. The census shows that Hannah gave birth to 11 children total, only 3 of which were alive in 1900.
Hannah dies on February 23, 1907 at age 67 in Parsons 2 years after her sister Bridget and 2 weeks after her husband (obituary from February 25, 1907 Wilkes-Barre Record):
There is one other interesting aspect to Hannah and Bridget’s story. In the June 1900 Census, an 18 year old Mary Ford from Ireland is listed as living with them as a servant after being in America for only 1 month. Based on research, Mary was born on October 12, 1881 in Grange, Annaghdown, Ireland to Patrick Forde and Sarah Flaherty. Mary came to America along with her older brother Michael in May 1900 following in the footsteps of their brother John who arrived in Parsons in 1893. However, Michael dies in a mining accident 15 days after their arrival such that only Mary is found in the Census records. Mary marries Joseph Zoeller in 1910 and raises a family in Wilkes-Barre.
Mary, Michael, and John’s mother Sarah arrive in Parsons in 1911 following the death of her husband in Ireland along with her two youngest children James and Bridget Delia. Sarah dies in Parsons in 1920 at age 75 while Bridget marries James Mollahan and raises a family. James dies in 1917 after being struck by a train while John dies in 1939 without having any children. No DNA connections exist tying Sarah Flaherty’s descendants to ours.
Kentucky and Iowa
Based on analysis of shared DNA, at least three siblings (James, Thomas, and Bridget) of Bert’s Paternal Great Grandfather Michael immigrate to America and ultimately settle in Louisville, Kentucky and Newton, Buchanan, Iowa. Their stories start in the early 1850s in Maysville, KY which is a small city on the south bank of the Ohio River approximately 60 miles upstream of Cincinnati. Bridget and possibly James Flaherty are married in Maysville in 1852. There are additional Flaherty marriages in Maysville at this time including a Catherine Flaherty/Patrick Graney in September 1850, Patrick Flaherty/Catherine Flaherty in July 1853, and Catherine Ann Flaherty/Patrick Cosgrove in July 1853.
While no significant information can be found relative to Flaherty/Graney and Flaherty/Flaherty families, Catherine Ann Flaherty is most likely a sibling of Bridget and Thomas Flaherty as she and her husband Patrick Cosgrove also move to Newton, Buchanan, Iowa and raise a family. However, there is no shared DNA relative to this branch proving a connection. Catherine and Patrick’s 6 children include: Bridget (1860-?), Mary Ann (1865-1938), Patrick (1868-1940), Martin (1869-1880), John (1873-1949), and Catherine 1875-?). Catherine’s March 1900 death record indicates that she was born in County Galway, Ireland in 1831.
Finally, a gravestone is found just outside Maysville for a Michael Flaherty born in Annaghdown, Galway in ~ 1809 and who dies in 1879 (see below image from FindaGrave.com). However, no additional information could be found relative to him.
James Flaherty (Bert Flaherty’s Paternal 2nd Great Uncle)
Bridget Flaherty (1847-1907) was born in Ireland and lives in Cincinnati, OH and Louisville, KY and has multiple shared DNA connections with the Flaherty family. A descendant of Bridget has provided information that her father’s name was most likely James and that he and Bridget come to America in the early 1850s. It is unknown whether Bridget’s mother travels with them but it is rumored that James married a woman named Agnes in America. There is a July 1852 marriage record in Maysville for a James Flaherty and Agnes Davis. Agnes dies in 1870 in Louisville, KY but no further information on James could be determined.
Based on the 1880 and 1900 US Censuses, Bridget arrives in America ~ 1853 and marries a man with a surname of Manning in ~ 1865. They have one daughter Margaret born in Dec 1867 in Cincinnati, OH before he dies. Bridget subsequently marries Thomas Gibbons in 1871 in Jefferson County, KY and has 11 children with him. Bridget dies on November 11, 1907 in Louisville, KY (obituary from 1907 Kentucky Irish American).
Bridget Flaherty (Bert Flaherty’s Paternal 2nd Great Aunt)
Based on the 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900 US Censuses, Bridget was born in Ireland ~ 1830. She first appears in US records when she marries Bernard (Barney) Burke in Maysville, OH in April 1852. The attached marriage bond shows that Barney would pay Patrick Greany “Fifty pounds current money” if he failed to marry Bridget.
These marriage bonds were somewhat common at this time in KY and considered an intention to marry. As the bondsman, Patrick is typically the father or brother of the bride; however, it us unknown what, if any, connection there is between Patrick Greany and Bridget Flaherty. Below are pictures of Barney and Bridget.
In April 1857, Barney purchases 80 acres of land in Newton, Buchanan, Iowa (~ 30 miles north of Cedar Rapids) from the US Government General Land Office. They begin to farm and raise a family of 9 children: Patrick (1853-1947), Thomas (1856-1916), Mary (1858-1939), Ellen (1861-1937), Elizabeth (1862-1953), Jane (1864-1929), Margaret (1866-1952), John (1867-1934), and Andrew (1873-1943).
Barney dies at ~ 66 years old in February 1890. His gravestone shows that he was born in Clonbern Parish, County Galway which is located ~ 12 miles NE of the city of Tuam or 26 miles NE of Annaghdown. Bridget dies on May 11, 1914 at ~ 84 years old (obituary from May 19, 1914 Waterloo Iowa Courier). In all of her available records, Bridget only indicates that she was born in Ireland. However, DNA matches clearly tie her to our family.
Thomas Flaherty (Bert Flaherty’s Paternal 2nd Great Uncle)
Thomas was born in Ireland in ~ 1834 and is first found in America in the 1870 US Census where he is living with his sister Bridget and her family in Newton, Buchanan, Iowa. He does not appear to marry or have any children. He dies on January 17, 1911 and is buried in the same location as Bridget and her husband Barney.
Massachusetts
Based on analysis of shared DNA, the descendant of at least one sibling of Bert Flaherty’s Paternal Great Grandfather Michael immigrates to America and settles in Middlesex County, MA (north of Boston). Specifically, Bridget Goaley was born in November 1962 in Balrobuck More, Annaghdown, Galway, Ireland to William Goaley and Mary Flaherty. Bridget immigrates to America in ~1880 and marries Patrick Greaney in Amesbury, MA (on Merrimack River near NH border) who dies shortly after she gives to their only child Mary (1886-1969). Bridget subsequently marries Bartholomew James Kavanagh in 1890 and has 8 additional children: Julia (1891-1966), Delia (1893-1970), Patrick (1895-1979), William (1896-1901), John (1897-1982), Thomas (1901-1980), Nora (1903-1983), and William (1906-1994). Bridget dies on January 11, 1957 in Methuen, MA.
Bridget has at least 3 siblings: John (1859-1939), Mary (1865-?) and James (1868-?). No additional information relative to the family could be found with the exception that Bridget’s mother Mary dies in the Ballinasloe Asylum in 1901, her father William dies in 1916, and her brother John dies in 1939 (all in Galway, Ireland). However, there appear to be several families from Annaghdown Parish who who immigrate to the Amesbury, MA area in the late 1800s based on available records.
New Zealand
Based on analysis of shared DNA, descendants of at least one sibling of Bert’s Paternal Great Grandfather Michael immigrate to New Zealand in the 1800s. While there are other DNA matches which tie to the Flaherty side of the family in New Zealand, I have not been able to directly tie them to the family tree.
Thomas Flaherty (Patrick Flaherty’s cousin)
Thomas is born on April 5, 1870 in Mausrevagh, Kilcoona, Galway, Ireland to Hugh Flaherty and Bridget Lee (note – Kilcoona is the parish just north of Annaghdown with the townland of Mausrevagh only 2.5 miles from Grange). His grandson Michael O’Flaherty (the addition of the “O'” to Flaherty was a somewhat common occurrence in the early to mid 1900s in Ireland), travels to New Zealand sometime after WW II where he raised a family resulting in multiple DNA matches.
Hugh Flaherty dies in Mausrevagh in 1912 at age 91 with his son Thomas dying in 1941 in Galway City.