World Archives Project

I have just recently started keying in documents for the World Archives Project on Ancestry. I had joined in January 2009, but life obviously had gotten in the way. Last night I began keying in my first documents. I decided to start on the Pennsylvania U.S. Naturalization Records with the hope that perhaps I would come across some information I might need.

Sadly, the only immigrants I have encountered thus far are mostly of German and Russian descent.The earlier records must have already been keyed in as I am only transcribing records from the 1920's. On a bright note, I am anxiously awaiting the release of these records as I might be able to find some much needed information that I have been looking for.

They are currently sponsoring a World Record Challenge. Apparently volunteers have keyed in and arbitrated over a million records every ten days for the last month. Impressive! They have a Facebook group for those who frequent the social network site.

To join the project, click on the link above. One will need to download software, but it is definitely worth the time and effort to do so. The more records transcribed, the more information that will be available for all of us.

Mysterious Quinn Children

Whilst researching the Quinn family, I came across the 1860 census for Cherry township where Elizabeth Farrell Quinn is living with John Farrell and Mary Farrell. Whether or not these two were married, I do not know yet. However, I find it interesting that Elizabeth is enumerated as Farrell though she is most definitely a Quinn. All of her children are enumerated in the household as well. There are also two children, Eliza, age 7, and William, age 2, both born in Ireland, also enumerated in the home. Who are these mysterious Quinn children? Are they Elizabeth's grandchildren? I cannot find them on the 1870 census, and they are obviously too young to be on the 1850 census. Are they even Quinns? It is not uncommon for mistakes to be made by the enumerator. Obviously Elizabeth was enumerated with her maiden name. It seems more than likely that John Farrell is her brother. So that presses the question... are the children really Quinns or are they Farrells?

Another exciting breakthrough!

I have definitely been on a role lately. I just uncovered an obscure book by Samuel T. Wiley called Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania that absolutely confirms my thought Elizabeth Cullen, the daughter of Thomas and Bridget Mary Burke Cullen, was married twice.

On my trip back east, I visited the Sullivan County Historical Society in Laporte. The information on the Irish Settlement families is fairly slim there. However, they did have some information on the Cullen family including documentation of a letter written to Bridget Mary Burke Cullen by an Elizabeth Haggerty. The letter is addressed to "Mother" and is dated 22 Feb 1866 sent from Tuscarora, Schuylkill county. In another letter by James Cullen written a few years earlier, he mentions he is pleased to hear Hugh Haggerty missed the draft. I surmised Hugh Haggerty must have been the second husband of Elizabeth Cullen.

The 1860 census confirms a Hugh and Elizabeth Haggerty in Tuscarora, Schuylkill county. Living with the family are Murphy children. It has long been established Elizabeth Cullen had married a Murphy.

Wiley's book contains a biography of Walter E. Murphy, the son of Elizabeth Cullen and Edward Murphy. In the biographical sketch, which is rather detailed, Wiley explains how Edward Murphy died at the age of twenty-four years and Elizabeth remarried Hugh Haggerty. The sketch also confirms Murphy was from County Wexford. This did not surprise me in the slightest. It seems more than likely he is connected to the Murphy family who later settled in and around Dushore. The Wexford families of the Irish Settlement are woven together in so many ways.

The Haggerty connection now opens up the possibility that Edward Haggerty, who is enumerated in Schuylkill county in 1840, is most likely related to Hugh Haggerty. It is also rather interesting to me Edward relocated to Wilmot township in Bradford county by 1850 especially since it seems to be the pattern of many of the Wexford families including the Cullens, Murphys, Kinsleys, Quinns, Burns, and O'Neills.

Another interesting point of this find is the use of the name Walter. It has been claimed Thomas Cullen had a son named Walter, but I have yet to find any documentation to support this. The fact Elizabeth named her son Walter may be a starting point.