Monday 27 April 2009

The Fitzhenrys of Maam, Ireland to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

It's been a bit of break since my last posting, but here's the promised article about the family history sent by Lenard Baldy
Lenard's maternal tree are Fitzhenrys. As he describes them, they are an extended but close knit group who have pooled their family knowledge to make a comprehensive tree back to 1830 in Ireland but that's where they have hit their wall.
For family privacy, I have not included any details of the current three generations of the family, but if anyone reading thinks that they may be related and want to contact Lenard, you can do so by sending him an an email

This is what they know.
Edward Fitzhenry (born about 1830 in Maam Ireland) married Catherine Shaughanessy (also about 1830, probably in Maam as well).

They had at least two children that are documented but there were probably more.
William Fitzhenry born 8 August 1856 and died around 1913.
Mary Fitzhenry born 1859

William married Bridget Lydon on 24 May 1885 in Maam.
Bridget (born 1867 and died in 1953) was the daughter of William Lydon and Theresa Graham. They had 11 children:
Patrick Fitzhenry born and died 1885
* Mary Fitzhenry born 1886
* Bridget Fitzhenry born 22 April 1890 died 1971
Martin Fitzhenry born 1892 died 1973
Thomas Fitzhenry born 1893 died 1911
* Stephen Fitzhenry born 7 December 1896 died 1968
* Sabina Fitzhenry born 1898 died 1995
John Fitzhenry born 7 May 1900 died 1982
* Edward Fitzhenry born 24 March 1902 died 1957
* William Joseph "Billy" Fitzhenry born 9 June 1904 died 1985
* Myles Fitzhenry born 9 September 1906 died 1989

All of the members of this generation who have a * next to their name made the move to the USA. Mary came out first in 1909. Her immigration documents showed she was going to visit her cousin Mary Coyne. She married John J Coyne within the year and stayed in Pittsburgh.

Bridget followed in May 1910. The ship's manifest stated that she was going to stay with her sister Mary Fitzhenry. Bridget married Anthony Coyne in 1920. It is thought that Anthony and John J were brothers.

Stephen emigrated to the USA in July 1920 and was listed as visiting his sister Mary (Fitzhenry) Coyne. He married Bridget who was born in Ireland. If anything more is known about this couple, please let us know.

Sabina emigrated on or before 1925, as in that year she married James O'Donnell in Pittsburgh.

Edward emigrated before 1936, the year he married Nora Staunton. They had four children. He worked in the steel mills.

William Joseph ("Billy") emigrated in or before 1924 as by then he had married Bridget Joyce from Galway, Ireland. He also worked in the steel mills. Billy and Bridget had nine children, the fourth being Lenard's grandfather Regis Fitzhenry.

Myles originally moved to England when he was about 17 (around 1923) but after a few years joined his brothers in the steel mills in Pittsburgh. Myles married Helen Teresa Lally in Pittsburgh in 1935 and they had 3 children.
Myles and Billy were very close. Together they made the trip back to Ireland to visit their mother about 20 years after they had originally left home.

Martin and Thomas stayed behind in Maam. Martin took over the running of the family farm.

John moved sideways into England. In 1943, he married Ethel Johnson of Wetherby,Yorkshire and they then lived in London.
We'd really like to know more about these three brothers and their families in Ireland and England


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