Friday, March 6, 2009

My Irish Ancestry

Today a friend sent a copy of the 1930 census gathered on my maternal grandparents' street.His family & my family lived there, so we have some common interests.The picture of my 17 yr old 'Gramma' below is with my grandpap who was 11 yrs older than she.The baby on his lap was the firstborn, John, and the first of 13 children.He was a coalminer in Larksville, PA.I had to laugh at the census info~ their rent was $9.00/month!HAHAHA! But, all things are relative.They always had a hard life.My grandfather died long before I was born , when my mom was only 17.But I remember Gramma! These were hard working Irish.I can remember her washing clothes in the wringer washer in the cold water kitchen .Water had to be heated on the stove first before use.Her hands were red & shiny from the hot water & strong soap and the veins of her hands were puffy and distinctive. More than once her fingers were caught and dragged through the wringer.
Their first 3 sons also became coalminers at the tender age of 9 .Breaker boys or mule boys (James).My Grandfather Patrick,below ,was orphaned and adopted my Mary Moore McTague,his future wife's maternal grandmother.I suppose that's how they met.He married Margareat when she was 16.(The dress she is wearing in the picture below was her wedding dress.)He also hit the mines at age 9 and continued in that dangerous vocation until he retired .


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