McAvoy Family History 1827-1915 The Newry River, Newry, Ireland
It was 1827… What did they leave? And Why?
• In 1801 the Acts of Union went into
• In 1802 the Irish Nationalist, Robert
effect which allowed the Kingdom of
Emmet attempted to seize Dublin Castle
Ireland to unite with Great Britain,
(known as the Second United Irishmen
forming the United Kingdom of Great
Rebellion.) As these McEvoys were
Britain and Ireland. The Act of Union
growing their families, they likely saw
disestablished the Irish parliament
little future in remaining in Ireland.
and integrated Irish representation
America was the new frontier.
into the parliament of the United Kingdom. This maintained English and Protestant control within Irish politics.
County Down
Today, County Down Ireland is part of the United Kingdom (or as we generally say, Northern Ireland) but in 1827 it was just Ireland, and Newry is one of the oldest cities in Ireland and sits on the River Clanrye, which divides County Down and County Armagh.
Their ship, The Princess Charlotte, left from Newry. Based on documents from the Immigrant Bank, our McEvoy’s came from the areas identified below, Ballydrumman, Cabra, and Rathfriland.
Mountainous, coastal Co. Down was named for its county town, Downpatrick. Downpatrick, meanwhile, was named for its most famous resident, St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Patrick is purportedly buried in the cemetery at Down Cathedral, a 14th-century spired cathedral that overlooks the town from atop Cathedral Hill. It is believed the saint said his first mass at the humble Saul Church in Saul, east of Downpatrick, and eventually died there on March 17, 461, which is why St. Patrick's Day is now celebrated each March 17.
• Recorded as McAvey, McAviy, McAvoy, McEvay, McEvoy, McEabuoy, MacGilloway, McElwee, MacVeagh and others, this is an Irish surname of great antiquity. • The names derive from the pre 10th century Gaelic Mac giolla Bhuidhe meaning the son of the follower of the fair haired one! • The faired haired one being almost certainly a Norseman, is clear evidence that this was a clan which if not Norse in origin, were supporters of the Norse -Vikings during their occupation of Ireland in the 9th to 11th centuries.
Ship Princess Charlotte
In the Port of Newry, County Down, Ireland, Thomas McEvoy boarded a ship bound for America, along with his wife Sarah (nee Hennan) and two young sons (John 4 and James 2). The year was 1827 and the ship was the Princess Charlotte. County Down was where most McEvoy’s were in Ireland.
There were 23 McEvoy’s and McAvoy’s on the ship from the ages of 2 months to 45 years, and among them were Tailors, Weavers, Stone Masons and Laborers. As tradesmen some probably worked in Newry, about 13 miles from Cabra. Since they arrived 20 years before the famine, it is likely that they were seeking a new way of life, opportunity and freedom. Clearly some of these folks were family and/or extended family. But I have only been able to connect two groups.
Newry Canal
In 1828 we find the family living on Grand Street in Manhattan in the parish of St. Mary. This is just North of Five Points, the most dangerous area of NY at the time, but close to what is now the Tenement Museum. It was a popular neighborhood for Irish immigrants. By 1933 they were in Irishtown (now Vinegar Hill and Dumbo)
1827 New York City
St Mary’s Church Grant St. Manhattan
• The seventh Presbyterian Congregation had fallen on hard times and was obliged to sell its church on Sheriff Street. The Catholic Church purchased the small brick-faced frame building in April 1826 for $7,000. It had a tower and bell, making the new St. Mary’s Church the first Catholic church in New York with a bell. (Bells in chapels were prohibited by law in Ireland and the habit seems to have carried over.) • Bishop DuBois dedicated the church on March 25, 1827. Church records would record “Nearly every priest in the city was present.” • Religious prejudice against both Catholics and Irish in New York was strong and often violent. Armed Catholic defenders would have to fight back an angry rabble in 1844 intent on burning St. Patrick’s Cathedral. But more than a decade before that incident, St. Mary’s would be the target. • Unlike the attack on the cathedral, it was a lone person who broke into St. Mary’s Church on November 9, 1831. Although the church diplomatically blamed "a burglar," The Evening World later pointed at the Irish Protestants. It wrote "respectable Catholics kept out of their way, while the fighting Catholics went out to meet them. There were riots, murders and occasional burnings." • The church was set on fire and completely destroyed; only the heavy iron safe remained in the smoldering ruins. The pastor, Rev. Luke Berry who had established the school in the basement of the church, fought the blaze valiantly. Injured and exhausted, he died on December 7. • Two weeks later, on November 23, 1831, land was purchased at Grand and Ridge Streets from Peter Allen for $9,000 and ground was broken in January 1832. The cornerstone of the new St. Mary’s Church was laid on April 30 by Bishop DuBois.
Keeping a family together
It would seem that Thomas’s wife Sara Hennan died sometime after Catherine was born in 1833. But the children named in his will include a Rosannah (born between Lawrence and Catherine) and then Thomas (his namesake) and a Sarah Jane, presumed after her mother.
His will states his wife is named Ann, so she is probably a new wife, with 2-month-old Edward. That would also explain Rosannah, who may have been her child from a previous marriage.
Thomas McAvoy’s children
John W
Laurencius
1822–1854
1828
1826–1874
Catherine
1833–1908
1830
James
Rosannah
1826-1874 our GGGF
1830 presumed child of Ann
Sarah Jane
1842
1835–1875 Thomas James
1844 Edward Child of Ann
It was the tradition to name your first-born son after the paternal Grandfather, second born after maternal Grandfather and the same with daughters, after the paternal Grandmother, then maternal Grandmother. Based on this it is likely that Thomas’ father was John, and his mother was Catherine. Also, that Sarah’s father was James and mother was Sarah Jane. Although this may not be the case, but the tradition was strong and followed frequently.
Thomas McAvoy 1805-1844
Thomas is our 4th Grandfather His wife's is listed as Ann instead of Sara.. either his first wife Sarah Hennan died, and Ann was a second wife, or Sarah may have been Sarah Ann, and went by her second name. There is a gap in the children’s ages, so this could be a second wife. It is probable that Ann is a second wife. It is likely she brought the daughter Rosanna to the marriage and had the last child Edward (2 wks old) with Thomas. Once Thomas died, and the estate was settled, there is no Ann to be found…however the children pop up in census records as they are older.. but never with their mother or stepmother. Ann (or Sarah Ann) probably remarried.
Additional Information is Discovered…
Newspaper Notice to sell the property • It would appear that Thomas’s wife Ann was forced to sell some of the property. I am unable to find her last name, or what happened to her following the death of Thomas McAvoy. We have documents showing that the executor went to Tarrytown NY to meet with her and sign the duties to Henry Brewster, Attorney. • What is interesting is that later we find that 50 Tallman St is still in the family!
James McAvoy 1826-1874
• James was 2 years old when his family immigrated with his older brother John. • Although we have records of his siblings and their offspring, James is the man we are following. When his father died in 1844, he was 19 years old and his younger half brother Thomas was 8. • In 1845 James married Margaret McCuen, and in the 1850 census below, we see his two young sons, James and Thomas, as well as his younger half brother Thomas who is living with him. James is a Ship Carpenter, and his half brother is a Sail Maker. • These occupations make sense, as the transport from Brooklyn increased substantially during this period after Fulton invented the steam powered ferry in 1814 to transport folks from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Due to this Brooklyn became the third largest city in the US in less than 50 years. By 1870 the ferries were transporting 50 million passengers annually. • Although the steam ferry didn’t require sails, all the other shipping remained dependent on sails.
John McAvoy 1822-Dec 1, 1854 .
James McAvoy is living at the family home at 50 Tallman Street when his older brother John died. Even though the newspaper story had indicated a sale was necessary, possibly this one property was not included. Throughout research, names are spelled McEvoy, McAvoy, McElroy, or merely Evoy… between census workers and heavy accents or illiterate participants, mistakes occurred. These McAvoys began as McEvoys.
Between 1840 and 1845, the population of Brooklyn doubled to nearly 80,000. This marked the first major wave of European immigration that would transform Brooklyn into the third-largest city in the United States by 1860. Irish peasants escaping famine and Germans fleeing the disruption of a failed revolution poured into the city around the middle of the century. In 1855, nearly half of Brooklyn's 205,000 residents were foreignborn; about half were Irish, with the rest evenly divided between Germans and Britons. A second wave of immigration began in the late 1880s. People from Eastern Europe, including Russian Jews, Italians, and Poles, along with a mixture of Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, and Finns, filled the city. More than one million people lived in Brooklyn at the end of the 19th century -- and more than 30% of them were foreign-born.
In 1860, 40% of Brooklyn's wage earners worked in New York City, and ferries carried more than 32 million passengers a year. However, they could not keep up with demand for transport. To ease some of the congestion and link the two great cities, plans to build a bridge were proposed. The New York Bridge Company was founded in 1865 and constructed the Brooklyn Bridge, which opened in 1883. The bridge brought a new wave of people into Brooklyn: immigrants seeking relief from the high rents and small apartments of New York City. The city of Brooklyn expanded to accommodate the new population, eventually swallowing up all of Kings County, and itself being annexed by New York City in 1898.
Census Records
1855 1860
1865 Brick home at 96 York Street is valued at $3000
Balance Dry Dock Co • The patent was granted in 1840 and construction completed in 1854, it was the first Dry Dock in NY • James was listed as a ship’s carpenter but was later referred to as Superintendent of The Balance Dry Dock Co, NY. This was one of the first dry docks in NYC.
James McAvoy 1825-1874
• James was also a mason! A member of Lodge of Antiquity, No 11 A. F and A. M. (ancient free and accepted masons) which is now located near Central Islip on Long Island.
Friends in high places?
1880 Brooklyn, NY
In 1880 we see above that Thomas is married to Margaret Gibson and they have three children: May, Herbert and Ella. Thomas is working as a clerk and they live at 126 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn. The Gibson's (Margaret’s family) and the Wades (her sister family) live nearby at 122 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn. Note: Margaret’s mother was born in Scotland…
126 Franklin is on the corner, two to the right is 122 Franklin painted cream and brown… photo 2022
Life in the 1890’s
•According to the 1870 Census, Thomas is living in a Boarding House as a 24-year-old, at 122 Franklin Ave., and working as a clerk. Conveniently, he is living two doors away from his future wife, Margaret Gibson. •They married February 4, 1874, and they had their first child in 1875. •It would appear that young Thomas was raised in a comfortable environment. After all, his father James inherited property from his father Thomas, and James had a good position and hob-knobbed with the likes of Mr. Tilden and Mr. Green. •Thomas attended some college and worked as a clerk. •Thomas became an insurance man, was successful enough to have help in the home, go on vacations and eventually purchase one of the first automobiles and buy a summer home on Trinity Lake in Pound Ridge, NY.
Thomas McAvoy 1846 - 1909 Thomas is our 2nd Grandfather, or Our Great, Great Grandfather.
1900
Thomas and Margaret Gibson had five children:
1875 - 1958 Minnie (m. Henry Laramee):
Herbert Laramee
1876 – 1882 Herbert 1880 – 1961 Ella (m. Charles Brewer) :
Charlie Brewer
1881 – 1918 William Thomas (m. Emma L. Adams): William T McAvoy; & a Baby died 1883 – 1929 Harold Joseph (m. Ellen E. O’Brien): Walt McAvoy; Rose (Arnold) 1885 – 1954 Walter Herbert (m. Rose M. O’Brien): Joe McAvoy Helen (McEniff)
A new century, a new generation…. 1901 1902
1907
1912
A HOME WEDDING Miss Minnie E. McAvoy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. McAvoy of 360 Throop Avenue will be married to Harry C. Laramee at her home on Wednesday evening, September 25. The wedding of Miss Ella A. McAvoy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. McAvoy, of Vernon Ave. and Charles Sl Brewer took place on Wednesday evening at the home of the bride’s parents. The bridesmaids were Miss Margaret Wade and Miss Ella Puff. Miss Bertha Brewer, sister of the bridegroom acted as maid of honor. Frank Gardiner was best man. The ushers were William T. McAvoy and Harry C. Lawrence, brother-in-law of the bride. The ceremony was followed by a reception.
Name: Joseph H. McAvoy Gender: Male Marriage Date: 9 Jan 1907 Marriage Place: Kings, New York, USA License Number: 1561 Spouse: Elizabeth O’Brien Name: Walter H. McAvoy Gender: Male Marriage Date: 14 Jun 1912 Marriage Place: Kings, New York, USA License Number: 7000 Spouse: Rose M. O’Brien
Pound Ridge
1905 State Census Pound Ridge • The summer of 1905 must have been fun with most of the family present. • Father: Thomas J. Agent for Life Insurance • Mother: Margaret (Gibson) • Son: William T, a train dispatcher • Willie T’s wife: Emma • Daughter: Minnie E. with grand son Hubert • Son: Jospeh H., Machinist • Son: Walter H., Clerk in Bank • In this census only Ella (Brewer) is missing
Lifestyle and Pound Ridge • Margaret Gibson McAvoy’s sister Mary Ellen Gibson married Michael Wade who was raised in Mt Vernon before moving to Brooklyn. It was probably his family connection there that prompted the McAvoy's to find vacation property in Westchester County. The home was close to Trinity Lake, and they had a car for transport. • The distance with today’s roads is some 55 miles from their home in Brooklyn, and the wholesale cost of a car in 1909 was $1252. In 1910 there were 5 cars per 1000 people. Thomas J McAvoy died in 1909, so he had purchased the car between 1899 and 1909. But the Model T was first available in 1908, prior to that time there were other cars available, but not that many.
The house above was built in 1820, they removed the porch and built an addition.
The Current Look
The barn was demolished, and this “Carriage House” was built on the original footprint in 1930. During the 1990’s this was the summer house for Jane Pauly and her family. #1 and #3 Old Mill River Rd., Pound Ridge, NY.
1846-1909 Thomas was our great grandfather
Margaret Gibson McAvoy 1853 -1925 • McAVOY---MARGARET GIBSON, Widow of Thomas J. McAvoy and Mother of Mrs. Henry C. Laramee, Mrs. Charles S. Brewer, Joseph H. McAvoy and Walter H. McAvoy, Services from the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Charles S. Brewer, 1122 Hancock St., Sunday afternoon at 4 o’clock.