Our Irish Roots

Our Irish Roots

Bessie Agnes (born Bridget Agnes) Furey was born in Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon, Ireland on May 6, 1881 to William Furey and Catherine Melvin.

William Furey and Catherine Melvin probably married sometime in the early 1870s. William's parents are currently unknown, and he died in Ireland, date unknown.

Catherine was born in 1854 in (presumed) Roscommon. Her parents were Mary Regan and her father was Andrew Melvin a nail maker from Mount Bellen, Galway.

Catherine came to this country in the late 1800's and died in Attleboro, Bristol County, MA. 27 June 1941.

William and Catherine had eight children:

Ellen b. 29th January 1874 Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, Ireland. Baptised in the Parish of Ballaghaderreen, Diocese of Achonry, 1st February 1874.

Mary

Marcella (Madge)

Kathryn (Katie)

Annie

Bridget Agnes (Bessie) b. 6th May 1881 Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, Ireland. Baptised in the Parish of Ballaghaderreen, Diocese of Achonry, 7th May 1881.

Thomas James b. March 17, 1888, Ballymoe, Mayo Co. Ireland.

Patrick (died in infancy)

Searching for Grandma Bessie...

Bessie and her older sister Ellen were born in Ballaghaderreen, Roscommon, Ireland, 7 years apart, but there was NO record there of any of the children in between. I knew from talking to my dad that his grandfather had been a baker, but on Ellen's birth record, he is listed as working for the railroad.

These pieces of information were tied together for me by a local historian of Ballaghaderreen. He said that possibly William was a baker, but for the railroad. This was the time period when they were building the railroad in Ireland and anybody working for it, especially in a position like baker would follow the railroad around taking the whole family with him. He said it was something like--anybody could lay rails and pound, but you had to have someone that you knew could cook. Thus their children were born in different places in Ireland.

Family research sometimes uncovers things you wish you didn't know. Since corresponding with my second cousins, I've since learned that my great grandfather William Furey died as a result of being trapped in side the oven in the bakery where he worked, at the hands of a fellow bakery worker. He was rescued, but not before he suffered terrible injury, and eventually died as a result of the ocurrence. The loss of husband and father may have played some part in the rest of the family emigrating to America.

Immigration

Catherine and her seven surviving children came to America one at a time, so whoever got there first could save until they could bring the next sibling over. I don't know the immigration dates of any of the family, except that my dad said my grandmother came over in 1899. According to her birth record, she was 18 at the time, but she was very "creative" with her age from time to time.

We also don't know when "Bridget" became "Bessie," in fact, we only found out that it WAS Bridget after she died. "Bessie" may have been a nickname from childhood, but I thought it was an English nickname. I guessed she might have changed it when she came over. I don't know about Attleboro, but was in the days of "No Irish Need Apply" in the big cities in New England. You could lose the accent, but if your name was Bridget, you might as well have IRISH stamped on your forehead.

I don't know where they came in by ship, but I'm guessing Boston. I haven't been able to locate anybody on a ship's passenger list. According to a cousin, they had a cousin, John Fuery, who already lived in Attleboro, so I'm guessing that's why they picked that particular place. (She also said that John and Catherine's son Thomas often argued about how to spell their last name.)

Marriage and Professions

Bessie Furey and Irving Caswell married on August 15, 1904 (when Bessie was "20"). The marriage certificate lists her occupation as "Jeweler Op." which is what Irving did for a living, according to my dad. I'm guessing that whoever filled out the paperwork just switched their occupations because all of Bessie's sisters came over as "maids."

Memories of Bessie's mother, Catherine Furey

My dad grew up in North Attleboro, and remembered his grandmother, Catherine Melvin very vividly. She wore very long skirts tied with narrow apron strings, she had a great sense of humor, she smoked a pipe and had great fondness for "moo-jine" her name for Irish whiskey or maybe "home brew." She spoke Gaelic fluently--but the language was reserved for those older members of the family who had been born in Ireland. When she was a young girl, the Irish weren't allowed to go to school. She had to learn her reading and writing in a "hedge school" so she had a hatred of the English that ran Very Strong.

Family Connections

Ellen married a Mr. Purdy and Marcella married a Mr. Edwards and that's all I know about the siblings. Except for Great Uncle Tom, Champion Boxer. That story to come. Stay tuned for an update.

Link back to:

Irving Caswell