Recently I was researching the family of Michael and Margaret McCormick, who lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the early 1900s. Michael was born in Ireland in August 1869 and worked as a laborer; the family lived at 332 Cantrell Street.
1900 U.S. census, Philadelphia Co. PA, pop. sch., Philadelphia, ED 991, p.4, dwell.78, fam. 80, M. McCormick household; citing NARA microfilm T623, roll 1479.
DNA test results and matches led me to discover that Michael had an older brother Thomas McCormick and younger sister Delia McCormick, who also lived in Philadelphia during the same time period. The death certificates for all three of these McCormicks named their parents as John McCormick and Mary Morgan.
I found their census records and marriage records; the three couples were married in Philadelphia between 1893 and 1900.
I found their census records and marriage records; the three couples were married in Philadelphia between 1893 and 1900.
"Pennsylvania Marriages, 1852-1968," database, Ancestry, (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 4 May 2020), McCormick-Lyons, 1895.
"Pennsylvania Marriages, 1852-1968," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 4 May 2020), McCormick-Murphy, 1893.
"Pennsylvania Marriages, 1852-1968," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 4 May 2020), Kelley-McCormick, 1900.
Now before I go tearing off to look at Irish records, first I want to know more about these people's' lives in Philadelphia. One of the questions in the back of my mind is, "Why did Thomas, Michael and Delia come to Philadelphia? Why not New York City, or Boston, or Baltimore?" Perhaps they had someone - friends or family members - waiting for them.
First I decide to plot their addresses in 1900 on Google maps. Delia McCormick (just before her marriage to John Kelly) was a domestic servant in a household on 1811 Walnut St. Thomas and Margaret McCormick were living at 204 Mifflin St., and Michael and Margaret McCormick were living at 332 Cantrell St. They lived fairly close together, near the waterfront on the Delaware River.
First I decide to plot their addresses in 1900 on Google maps. Delia McCormick (just before her marriage to John Kelly) was a domestic servant in a household on 1811 Walnut St. Thomas and Margaret McCormick were living at 204 Mifflin St., and Michael and Margaret McCormick were living at 332 Cantrell St. They lived fairly close together, near the waterfront on the Delaware River.
The next step in research is to find their marriage records, in hopes of finding out where they were married; since most family members were buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, I would assume that I'm looking for Catholic records. Catholic marriage and baptismal records usually list sponsors - who may be extended family members.
FamilySearch (familysearch.org/search/catalog/217392) > Marriage licenses no.64200-64799 1893 > image 1026 of 1941, marriage certificate no. 64518, McCormick-Murphy (1893).
FamilySearch (familysearch.org/search/catalog/217392) > Marriage licenses no.81100-81699 1895 > image 619 of 1927, marriage license & certificate no. 81289, McCormick-Lyons (1895).
FamilySearch (familysearch.org/search/catalog/217392) > Marriage licenses no.122800-129399 1900 > image 108 of 1962, marriage lcertificate no. 122831, Kelley-McCormick (1900).
Thomas McCormick and Maggie Murphy were married by Rev. John J. Ward; Michael McCormick and Maggie Lyons and John Kelley and Delia McCormick were married by Rev. Anthony J. Zeller. On the last marriage record is a notation: "Sacred Heart". That may be a clue to the name of the church. Is it possible they were all married at Sacred Heart?
I decide to look at newspapers to find out more about these priests, in order to verify what church they were with. I found two articles that verified both Rev. Ward and Rev. Zeller were priests at Sacred Heart.
I decide to look at newspapers to find out more about these priests, in order to verify what church they were with. I found two articles that verified both Rev. Ward and Rev. Zeller were priests at Sacred Heart.
“Votes are Coming In,” Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer, 13 May 1900, p.2, col. 4; digital image, Newspapers.com (http://www.newspapers.com: accessed 4 May 2020).
“Solemn High Mass,” Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer, 9 April 1896, p.4, col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (http://www.newspapers.com: accessed 4 May 2020).
My next stop was to visit the Catholic Heritage Archives of Philadelphia, to look at marriage registers.
Their parish registers for Sacred Heart of Jesus church in Philadelphia South begin with 1871 and go through 1919. Sure enough, I find the entries in the parish register for all three marriages, along with the names of witnesses.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, parish register of marriages, 1871-1919, p.189, no. 60, McCormick-Murphy (1893); digital image, Catholic Heritage Archive (https://www.catholicheritagearchive.com/: accessed 2 May 2020).
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, parish register of marriages, 1871-1919, p.213, no. 44, McCormick-Lyons (1895); digital image, Catholic Heritage Archive (https://www.catholicheritagearchive.com/: accessed 2 May 2020).
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, parish register of marriages, 1898-1908, p.95, no. 47, Kelley-McCormick (1900); digital image, Catholic Heritage Archive (https://www.catholicheritagearchive.com/: accessed 2 May 2020).
All three couples had witnesses, which need to be explored further.
What's more, in browsing through these marriage registers, I found another McCormick: John McCormick married Sarah Bernadette Boyle at Sacred Heart in 1895. Could he be related?
What's more, in browsing through these marriage registers, I found another McCormick: John McCormick married Sarah Bernadette Boyle at Sacred Heart in 1895. Could he be related?
“Sacred Heart Marriages, 1871-1898,” Catholic Heritage Archive (http://www.catholicheritagearchive.com: accessed 4 May 2020), p.211, no. 36, McCormick-Boyle (1895).
When I search for a family tree on Ancestry for this couple, I see that John McCormick was born in Pennsylvania about 1883, the son of Dennis McCormick and Ellen Murray.
When I check on the creator of this tree, he's not a DNA match. However, he administers no less than SIX Ancestry DNA kits that are a match!
So yes, I think that John McCormick, son of Dennis McCormick, is probably a relative.
The focus on my next segment of research will be to look through the parish registers for Sacred Heart. The McCormick/Kelly families I'm researching had a combined total of fifteen children between 1894 and 1915; with all those baptisms there should be some extended family members as sponsors. I'll look through the marriage registers, as well.
And just as I suspected, it looks like our McCormicks had family here - waiting for them.
I was amazed at how much more information I found about these families by moving away from Ancestry to other websites and databases. In this research, I used FamilySearch, Google Maps, Newspapers.com, and the Catholic Heritage Archive. And as I always tell my audience at the end of every single presentation I do:
There is always something more to find!
The focus on my next segment of research will be to look through the parish registers for Sacred Heart. The McCormick/Kelly families I'm researching had a combined total of fifteen children between 1894 and 1915; with all those baptisms there should be some extended family members as sponsors. I'll look through the marriage registers, as well.
And just as I suspected, it looks like our McCormicks had family here - waiting for them.
I was amazed at how much more information I found about these families by moving away from Ancestry to other websites and databases. In this research, I used FamilySearch, Google Maps, Newspapers.com, and the Catholic Heritage Archive. And as I always tell my audience at the end of every single presentation I do:
There is always something more to find!
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