Cluster Research & Single-Name Study Project, Part 4: The 1870’s

If you have been following along from the beginning you understand that the goal of this project was to determine if there was a biological connection between the Healy families found living in Columbia County, New York during the early to mid-1800’s. Each entry of this project has focused on a different decade. Utilizing the St. Mary’s Catholic Church baptismal records, the US Federal Census, the New York State census, city directories, and land records, the families have been tracked and much has been learned about them.

During the period between the 1865 New York State census and the end of the 1870’s, most of the Healy immigrants had naturalized, some were purchasing their own land or homes, and many of the first-generation American children were now working within the community.

1870 Federal Census, Columbia County: Greenport, Thomas Haley [sic];[1] Hudson, Ward 4, Martin Haley;[2] Hudson, Ward 1, Patrick Haley;[3] Claverack, Martin Haley;[4] Clermont, Maria Healy;[5] Clermont, Ann Healy;[6] Copake, William Haly.[7]

By 1870 Thomas Healy had become a naturalized citizen living in Greenport, with real estate valued at $2,000 and personal property at $1,500.[8] The family had grown to six children, daughter Ann being born and baptized in February of 1867.[9] Her baptismal sponsors were John Brennan & Margaret Shaw.[10] The other children, Mary (age 15), Maurice (age 14), Margaret (age 11), and Kate (age 9) all attended school. Francis (age 6) was at home.

Figure 1: Greenport – 1866 Deed, Sarah Sanford to Thomas Healy [11]

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By 1870 Martin and Catharine Healy moved from Claverack to 58 N. Third Street in the 4^th ward of Hudson.[12] Martin was a laborer and naturalized citizen.[13] Their daughter Margaret was sixteen years old and working as a laborer, and their 14-year-old son James was a laborer and boarder at the farm of Benjamin Saunders in Claverack.[14]^,[15] Their other children, John and Thomas, were attending school. In addition to their own children, a seven-year-old Irish girl named Mary Brennan was living in this household in July of 1870.

The 1872 and 1873 Hudson City Directories list Martin, and presumably his family, living at “Third, ab. Rope Alley.”[16]^{, [17]} By 1874-75 and 1876-77 the directories list their address as 60 N Third.[18]^{, [19]}

[20]

This 1873 map of Hudson’s 4^th ward identifies an M. Haley living in an unnumbered home on North Third Street. It does not abut Rope Ally as the 1872-73 city directories indicate their residence to be. This discrepancy is unresolved at this time.

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1870 was the first US Federal census for Columbia County that enumerated Patrick Healy. He was living in the 1^st ward of Hudson and had not naturalized. He was a laborer and Marcella kept house. They had one child named Margaret. Margaret was born in August of 1867 and her baptismal sponsors were Joseph Walsh & Margret Guthrie.[21]

The St. Mary’s baptismal register indicates that Patrick and Marcella had a son named William that was born in May of 1869.[22] His sponsors were Patrick Ryan and Bridget Lynch.[23] Since he was not included in the 1870 enumeration, he must have died between May of 1869 and before the enumeration in June of 1870. Additionally, The City of Hudson Burying Ground Interments records identify a four-month-old child named Clarissa, born in Hudson to a father named Patrick Healley [sic] that died of Cholera on December 12^th,1869.[24] Further research is necessary to reconcile this discrepancy.

Patrick was listed in the 1872 and 1873-74 Hudson City Directories living at “S Front cor Pennoyer.”[25]^{, [26]}  Patrick was not listed in the 1874-75 directory and there are no records for Patrick Healy in the Hudson Deed Index.[27]^, [28]

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The second Columbia County man named Martin Haley was born in Ireland about 1841; he was a naturalized citizen.[29] He was living in Claverack and working in a hosiery mill. He may be the same Martin Haley that was working and living as a servant in Hudson in 1860.[30]  He was married to a woman named Ellen and they had one child named Ella A Haley. Ella was born in January of 1870. There was no baptismal record for Ella at St. Mary’s.

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In 1870 there were two young woman, Maria and Ann Healy, living and working as domestic servants in the home of William Wilson of Clermont. Both women were born in Ireland and were probably sisters or cousins.[31]

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A William Haly was enumerated in Copake with his wife Mary. William worked in an Iron furnace and Mary was keeping house. Both were born in Ireland, about 1830 and 1835 respectively. William was a naturalized citizen.

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Joseph Healy and his family, who had been enumerated in the 1855 and 1860 census for Hudson, and the 1865 census for Troy, were not found in the 1870 Federal census in either Columbia or Rensselaer counties. However, Joseph was included in the 1870 city directory and the 1875 state census for Troy.[33] Using the names listed in the household and earlier census records that identified his occupation as “carpenter,” Joseph was located in the city directory living at “Hoosick ab. Eight”. There were no other Haley or Healy individuals listed in the directory living at this address.

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The descendants of John Haley from the 1840 Chatham census and the 1850 Kinderhook census were not found in Columbia County in the 1855 New York State census, nor the 1860 or 1870 Federal census. They sold their Columbia County land holdings in two separate real estate transactions recorded in the 1840’s, and there is some evidence that indicates the family may have left Kinderhook after 1850 to participate in the California Gold Rush.[34]^{, [35], [36]}  It also appears the family returned to New York and was enumerated in the 1860 Federal census for Brooklyn.[37]

John and Catherine (Smith) Healy were buried in the Chatham Rural Cemetery.[38] John died in Brooklyn in 1866 and Catherine died in Brooklyn in 1876.[39]

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1875 New York State census: Greenport, Thomas Haley [sic];[40] Hudson, Martin Haley;[41] Hudson, ED 1, Patrick Haley;[42] Stockport, Martin Healy;[43] Troy, Joseph Haley.[44]

Thomas Healy’s family was the 72^nd family enumerated in the Greenport, New York State census. They lived in a framed house valued at $800. Thomas was a land-owning farmer. Thomas and Ann’s oldest daughter, Mary, was living and working as a servant at the Morgan House in Poughkeepsie.[45] Their remaining seven children, Maurice, Margaret, Kate, Francis, Anna, Thomas E. and Joseph were all at home. Thomas Edward was born in November of 1870 and Joseph was born in October of 1873. [46]^{, [47]} Thomas’s baptismal sponsors were John Hall and Margaret Clark; Josephs were John Cullen and Ellen Hall.[48]^{, [49]} 

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Martin and Catherine Healy were not enumerated in the 1875 census for Columbia County. However, Martin was found in 1875-76 Hudson City Directory living at 60 N .Third Street.[50]

On the 10^th day of February 1876, Martin and Catherine purchased their home located in the “second ward of the city of Hudson in the County of Columbia aforesaid on the north westerly corner of Third Street and Rope Alley” for $1,600.[51] Less than a month later, on 6 March 1876, Martin died at the approximate age of 62.[52] He was buried at Cedar Park Cemetery (Hudson City Cemetery).[53] Martin did not leave a will.[54]

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“Pennoyer Street was the continuation of Union Street on the west side of Front Street”
(https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2010/11/hudsons-lost-historic-distict.html) [58]

The 1875 Hudson City Directory identified Patrick and his family living at the “N. side of Franklin Square.”[59] This is the same section of Ward 1 and may be the same home as identified in the 1872, 1873-74 directories. Additionally, the 1876, 1877, and 1878 directories indicate that he lived at, and ran a saloon at this same address.[60]^, [61]^{, [62]}

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In 1875 Martin and Ellen were living in mill housing in Stockport. Martin was working as a spinner in the Charles Stott Woolen Mill. Ellen cared for the children: Ellen, Margaret, and William M. Margaret was baptized Margaret Eveline on 16 May 1872 and her sponsor was Margaret S McC___.[63] William was baptized William Michael on 18 June 1874 and his sponsors were Thomas O’Neil Nopkins [sic] and Mary Mooney.[64]

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Joseph Healy, and his family were found in the 1875 New York state census for Troy, Rensselaer County. The household consisted of Joseph, a carpenter who was 72 years old; his wife Mary; their son Martin who was a “widow” and a “peddler”; and their daughter Mary who most likely was at school.

Missing from the enumeration was their daughter Bridget, and their sons James and Michael. Bridget would have been 28 years old in 1875 and had either died, married, or was living and working somewhere else.[65]  There are several listings for men named James and Michael Haley/Healy but none have the same address as Joseph and there are no specific identifiers to prove the relationships. Future research will include an extensive address analysis to track each James and Michael Haley in Troy, find them in the census, and compare them to the known details of their lives.

Joseph and Mary appear to have died sometime between the 1875 census and when the 1876 and 1877 Troy City Directories were published.[66] Both are enumerated in the 1875 census, Joseph appeared in the 1876 directory, but neither of them were in the 1877 directory. If Mary was still living, she would have been listed as a widow. Future research will include cemetery records to determine if the family is buried somewhere in Troy or the surrounding communities.

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[1] 1870 Federal Census, New York, Columbia County; pop. sched. Greenport, pg. 12-13, family 85, Thomas Haley family; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; Family History Library Film: 552419; NARA microfilm T132, roll: M593_920; Page: 290A. 

[2] 1870 Federal Census, New York, Columbia County; pop. sched. Hudson, Ward 4, family 446, Martin Haley, digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015) Provo, UT; Family History Library Film: 552420; NARA microfilm roll: M593_921; Page: 406A.

[3] 1870 Federal Census, New York, Columbia County: pop. sched., Hudson, Ward 1,pg 34, family 266, Patrick Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; Family History Library Film: 552420; NARA microfilm, roll: M593_921; Page: 318B.

[4] 1870 US Federal census, New York, Columbia County; pop. sched., Claverack, pg. 68, line 7,  Martin Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; NARA, Washington, D.C., microfilm pub. M593_920.

[5] 1870 US Federal census, New York, Columbia County; pop. sched., Clermont, pg. 22, line 40, Maria Healy in entry for William Wilson; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2017); NARA, Washington, D.C., microfilm pub. M593_920.

[6] Ibid, Ann Healy in entry for William Wilson.

[7] 1870 US Federal census, New York, Columbia County; pop. sched., Copake, pg. 40, line 4, William Haly; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2017), Provo, UT; NARA, Washington, D.C., microfilm pub. M593_920.

[8] Research note: Final naturalization documents were not found online or during an in-person search at the Columbia County Clerk’s Office.

[9] New York Columbia County, Hudson; St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” unpaginated, 3 Feb 1867, Ann Healy; viewed in person by Tricia Healy Mitchell, 28 Oct 2015.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 2015), “Deed records, 1786-1870, deed records of the city of Hudson, 1785-1825, and index, 1772-1925,” Deeds v. 25-26 1865-1866, vol. 25, pg. 529, Thomas Healy in entry for Sarah Sanford;  film # 431513, image group #007120606, image 274 of 678.

[12] U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, New York, Hudson, 1870 & 1871, pg. 47 & 50, entry for Martin Healy; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2016), Provo. UT.

[13] Research note: The 1865 New York State census enumerated Martin Healy as a naturalized citizen. There is no record for Martin’s naturalization in the Columbia County naturalization index, viewed in person at the Columbia County Clerk’s Office by Tricia Healy Mitchell.

[14] 1870 Federal Census, New York, Columbia County, Hudson, in entry for Martin Haley.

[15] 1870 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia County; pop. sched., Claverack, pg. 139B, line 38, James Haley in entry for Benjamin Saunders; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2017), Provo, UT; NARA microfilm publication, M593, Washington, D.C.

[16] Hudson Area Library (www.hudsonarealibrary.org : accessed May 2021), “Hudson Directory 1872,” pg. 83.

[17] “Hudson Directory 1873-74,” pg. 82.

[18] “Hudson Directory 1874-75,” pg. 57.

[19] “Hudson Directory 1876-77,” pg. 59.

[20] U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, New York, Columbia County, 1873, entry for M. Haley, digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2018), Provo, UT; Various publishers of County Land Ownership Atlases. Microfilmed by the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., collection no. G&M_7, roll no. 7.

[21] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 26 Aug 1867, Margaret Healy.

[22] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 27 May 1869, William Healy.

[23] Ibid.

[24] Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Genealogy Department; City of Hudson Burying Grounds: Interments 1829-1873, call no. U.S./CAN, 974.739/HI V3ka, pg. 173, 1869, 12.12, Healley, Clarissa; digital image held by Tricia Healy Mitchell Genealogical Research, LLC.

[25] “Hudson Directory 1872,” pg. 83.

[26] “Hudson Directory 1873-74,” pg. 82.

[27] “Hudson Directory 1874-75,” pg. 57.

[28] Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 2015), “Deed records, 1786-1870, deed records of the city of Hudson, 1785-1825, and index, 1772-1925,” Index, grantees Surnames E-K 1772-1925, vol. 4, pg. 999;  film # 431468, image group # 007120561, image 121 of 527.

[29] Research note: The 1870 US Federal census enumerated Martin Healy as a naturalized citizen. There is no record for Martin’s naturalization in the Columbia County naturalization index, viewed in person at the Columbia County Clerk’s Office by Tricia Healy Mitchell. It is possible that he naturalized in another county.

[30] 1860 US Federal census, New York, Columbia County; pop. sched., Hudson, ward 4, pg. 184, stamped 997, line 6, Martin Haly in entry for Chas. King, pg. 183; FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCQJ-BTM : 18 February 2021)

[31] 1870 US Federal census, New York, Columbia County, Clermont, Maria Healy and Ann Healy in entry for William Wilson.

[32] 1850 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia Co.; pop. sch., Kinderhook, pg 721, stamped 361; line 14, William in entry for John Heeley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; NARA , record group 29, microfilm publication M432, roll 492; National Archives, Washington, DC.

[33] U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, New York, Troy; The Troy Directory for the year 1870; pg. 67, entries Guyon – Hall, published by WM.H.Young & Blake, Booksellers and Stationers; digital image 40, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2019), Lehi, UT.

[34] Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 2017), “Deed records, 1786-1870, deed records of the city of Hudson, 1785-1825, and index, 1772-1925: 1842, vol FF, pg. 232, John & Catherine Healy to David W. Rice; film #431490, group #7120583.

[35] Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 2017), “Deed records, 1786-1870, deed records of the city of Hudson, 1785-1825, and index, 1772-1925; 1846, vol. MM, pg. 438, John & Catherine Healy to Charles E. Hicks; film #431493, group #7120586.

[36] 1852 California State Census, Calaveras County; pop. sched, pg. 130; line 1-5; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2022), Provo, UT; California State Library, Sacramento, repository collection #C144:1, roll #1.

[37] 1860 US Federal census, New York, Kings County; pop. schedule, 1^st dist., 10^th Ward, Brooklyn, pg. 130, line 27; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2022), Provo, UT; Family History Library Film: 803769; NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 769.

[38] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/122419286/john-healy : accessed 14 January 2022), memorial page for John Healy (1809–1866), Find a Grave Memorial ID 122419286, citing Chatham Rural Cemetery, Chatham, Columbia County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Kathy Jennings Brown (contributor 47272624) .

[39] Ibid.

[40] 1875 New York State census, Columbia County; pop. sched., Greenport, page 8-9, line 45-8; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[41] Research note: Martin and Catherine Healy were not found enumerated in the 1875 New York State census.

[42] 1875 New York State census, Columbia County; pop. sched., Hudson, ED #1, pg. 17, line 110; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[43] 1875 New York State Census, Columbia County; pop. sched., Stockport, pg. 24, line 39; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[44] 1875 New York State census, Rensselaer County; pop. sched., Troy, Ward 10, page 11, line 6, Joseph Healy family; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[45] 1875 New York State census, Dutchess County; pop. sched., Poughkeepsie, ward 3, pg. 36, line 29, in entry for the Morgan House; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2016), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[46] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 20 Nov 1870, 1 weeks old, Thomas Edward Healy.

[47] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 10 Oct 1873, Joseph Healy.

[48] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 20 Nov 1870, 1 weeks old, Thomas Edward Healy.

[49] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 10 Oct 1873, Joseph Healy.

[50] U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, New York, Hudson, 1875-76, pg. 59, entry for Martin Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2016), Provo. UT.

[51] Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 2015), “Deed records, 1786-1870, deed records of the city of Hudson, 1785-1825, and index, 1772-1925,” Deeds v. 55 1875-1876, vol. 55, pg. 233-234;  film # 431469, image group # 7125517, image 121 of 306.

[52] Find a Grave, memorial page for Martin Healy (1813–6 Mar 1876), memorial ID 155094048, citing Hudson City Cemetery, Hudson, Columbia County, New York .

[53] Ibid.

[54] U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, New York, Columbia County; Index-Wills and Letters, 1788-1966, unpaginated, entry for “H”, year range 1874-1879.

[55] Research note: Patrick Healy/Haley is not listed in the Columbia County naturalization index viewed in person by Tricia Healy Mitchell, October 2015.

[56] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 8 Feb 1871, Maurice Healy.

Research note: The baptismal record indicates the spelling of his first name to be Maurice.

[57] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 14 Sept 1873, Bridget Healy.

[58] U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, New York, Columbia County, 1873, Ward 1, digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2018), Provo, UT; Various publishers of County Land Ownership Atlases. Microfilmed by the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., collection no. G&M_7, roll no. 7.

[59] U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, New York, Hudson, 1875-76, pg. 59, entry for Patrick Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2016), Provo. UT.  

[60] “Hudson Directory 1876”, page 59. 

[61] “Hudson Directory 1877”, page 57.

[62] “Hudson Directory 1878”, page. 59.

[63] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 16 May 1872, Margaret Eveline Healy.

[64] “St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1879,” 18 June 1874, William Michael.

[65] Research note: Statewide vital record collections did not occur until 1880-1881 and full compliance didn’t occur until 1913. Catholic church records for Troy have not been accessed at this time. There are other women named Bridget Healy living and working in Troy but proving they are the research subject is not possible with the available online records.

[66] Ibid.

Cluster Research & Single-Name Study Project, Part 3

The 1860’s & the Civil War

[1] The earlier census analysis covered a twenty-year period that was noted for the immense influx of Irish Famine immigrants. The next fifteen years saw great changes in America and growth within the families of the Irish immigrants. Between the enumeration of the 1860 Federal census and the 1865 New York State census the country went to war fighting over the power of the national government to prohibit slavery in the territories that had not yet become states.

The Civil War resulted in the first military conscription act in 1863 which allowed President Abraham Lincoln to draft men between the age of 20 and 45, resulting in many Irish immigrants being called to fight for their new country. The draft was divided into three classes:

• Class I – men 20-35 and unmarried men 36-44
• Class II – married men 36-44
• Class III – volunteers

Healy men in the 1860 Federal Census for Congressional Dist. #12	Married	Age in 1863	Draft Class	Found in 1863 Draft Records
Thomas	Yes	36	Class II	Yes. Registered in the month of June. Is a resident of Greenport, is 36-year-old, white, and a laborer. No additional remarks.
Joseph	Yes	60	exempt	–
Martin	Yes	50	exempt	–
Martin	No	22	Class I	Missing*

_{*Ancestry offers a digital collection titled, U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865, New York, Congressional Dist. 12. This should be a four-volume collection with three volumes covering Class 1 and one volume including Class II. The second volume of Class 1 is missing.}

_{U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865, New York, 12th cong. dist.; vol. 3, pg 130, line 10, Thomas Healy; database on-line, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; NARA, Record Group110, Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records), NAI: 4213514, archive volume number 3 of 3; Washington, D.C.}

1865 New York State Census

Columbia County: Greenport, Thomas Haley [sic];[3] Greenport, John Haley;[4] Claverack, Martin Haley;[5] Hudson, Patrick Healy.[6]

Rensselaer County: Troy, Joseph Haley[sic][7]

Thomas Healy’s family was the third family enumerated in the Greenport census in 1865. He was identified as an Irish immigrant farmer living in a frame house along with his wife Ann and their five children: Mary, Maurice, Margaret, Kate, and Francis. Thomas was an alien and neither he nor Ann could read or write. They did not own any land.

Their youngest children, Kate and Francis, were baptized at St. Mary’s church. Kate was baptized Catherine on 18 November 1860, and her sponsors were Thomas Sullivan and Mary Lawless. Francis was baptized Simon Francis on 15 June 1864, and his sponsors were Patrick Clark and Ellen Lynch.

Living immediately next door in dwelling #4, was John Haley and his wife Ellen. John was born in Ireland about 1825 and Ellen was born in Ireland around 1832. It was the first marriage for both John and Ellen. John was naturalized and was the owner of land.

Analyzing this John Haley of Greenport with persons of the same name found in the 1840 Chatham and 1850 Kinderhook Federal census, it is determined that they could not be the same man. The year of birth of all three John Haley’s are too far off from each other to be considered plausible.

The close proximity of the residences of Thomas Healy and John Haley in Greenport indicates it is possible that they are related to each other, but additional research is necessary. It is interesting to note that in the 1860 Federal census for Hudson, there was a John Harvey (YOB 1827) living in the same dwelling with Thomas and Ann Healy.[8] John Harvey had a wife named Margaret who was born around 1837, a daughter named Ellen who was born around 1858, and a son named George who was born in 1860. The similarity between the sound of the names Haley and Harvey, the name Ellen being consistent within the family of the two Johns, and the closeness of the years-of-birth gives reason to pause and wonder if they were the same families, but with tremendous errors in one or both enumerations.

Martin Healy continued to live in Claverack with his wife Catharine. The census stated that Catharine had given birth to four children. Their names were Margaret, James, John, and Thomas. Thomas was born in April of 1863 and his baptismal sponsors were James Geraghty and Bridget Healy. The only Bridget Healy identified during the research to date was the daughter of Joseph. She would have been approximately sixteen years old in 1863.

The family of Joseph Healy is no longer found in Columbia county. They moved to Troy, Rensselaer county sometime after 6 May 1862 and before 21 June 1865.[9] Joseph continued to work as a carpenter and his wife Mary was at home. Their son Martin was a teamster, Bridget did housework, James worked in a paper mill, Michael and Mary were at home. The census states that both Michael and Mary were born in Dutchess county which was an error proven through the St. Mary’s Baptismal records.

Additionally, while Patrick Healy is not found in the 1865 population schedule for Hudson, he is included in the marriage schedule. He married Marsella [sic] Concanon in “the catholic church of Hudson”, on 29 May of that year. Marcella Healy is found in the June 1865 census for Hudson as a servant in the household of Patrick Gerty. She was born in Ireland around 1841.[10]

The cluster research and single-name study project that began with an analysis of baptismal records continues to find neither documents nor indirect evidence that would connect any of the Healy families in Columbia county.
The next installment of this project will cover the 1870 and 1875 census, showing that the surname grew as the county grew.

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[1] http://www.familytree.com/blog/seeking-boston-irish/

[2] A Brief Overview of the American Civil War – A Defining Time in Our Nation’s History, By Dr. James McPherson, http://www.battlefields.org.

[3] 1865 New York State census, Columbia county; pop sched, Greenport, pg 1 line, 20, entry for Thomas Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[4] 1865 New York State census, Columbia county; pop. Sched. Greenport, pg 1, line 17, entry for John Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[5] 1865 New York State census, Columbia county; pop. Sched. Claverack, pg 26, line 33, entry for Martin Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[6] 1865 New York State census, Columbia county; marriage sched., 1^st electoral district, pg 47, line 3, entry for Patrick Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[7] 1865 New York State census, Rensselaer county; tenth ward, pg 85, line 9, entry for Joseph Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2016), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

[8] 1860 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia Co.; pop. sch., Hudson, ward 4; pg 163, line 20, dwelling 913, entry for John Harvey; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Family History Library, film 803738; NARA microfilm M653, Washington, DC.

[9] Research note: The last record for this family in Hudson is from a 6 May 1862 report in the Hudson Daily Star of an accident for their son Joseph. He fell from a second story window on the corner of 2^nd and State Streets. While the article states he was “doing well”, it appears that he later died either due to the accident or by another cause prior to the 1865 New York State census for Troy. (Fulton History, www.fultonhistory.com, Hudson NY Daily Star 1862 – 0437.pdf).

[10] 1865 New York State census, Columbia county; pop. sched., 1^st electoral district, pg 6, line 42, Marsilla Haly in entry for Patrick Gerty; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2015), Provo, UT; New York State Archives, Albany, NY.

Census Analysis with Cluster Research & a Single-name Study Project

In October I introduced a technique called cluster research which involves focused research on a group of people living in a neighborhood, town, or county. Layering onto the cluster research is a single-name study for the Healys in Columbia county, New York.  The record used as the launching point for this project was an old baptismal index from St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hudson. The index identified four distinct Healy families and my research began by analyzing the actual registers for family connections. Each child with the surname Healy was analyzed for their date of birth, baptism date, parent’s names, and sponsors names.

The next step in the multi-step cluster/single-name research project has been to locate all Healy families living in Columbia county in the 19^th century US Federal census’ and the New York State census’. Since one of the goals is to determine if the cluster of Healys found in the records emigrated from the same place in Ireland, the census research is specifically centered on the heads of households that were born in Ireland and living in the Hudson area between 1840 and 1880.

A chronological analysis of the census information
and a comparison of these census against the
baptismal records analyzed in October

1840 Federal census: Chatham, John Healy[1] – There was only one family with the surname Healy in Columbia county in 1840. The head of the household was named John and he was in manufacturing. His age is identified as between 50 and 59 years old, making his birth occurring sometime between 1781 and 1790. Neither the place of birth nor the names of the family members were enumerated in the 1840 census. Living in his household were three other males: one, 5-9 years old; one, 20-29 years old; one, 30-39 years old. There were also three females: one under 5; one, 10-14 years old; one, 20-29 years old. Three hypotheses regarding the family structure were developed: #1, John Healy is widowed with six children; #2, he is the father, two of the remaining adults were his children, the third was a son or daughter-in-law, and there are three grandchildren; #3, he is the head of house with a much younger wife, two adult sons from a previous marriage, and three children from the second marriage.

Hypothesis #1	Hypothesis #2	Hypothesis #3
John – head, age 50-59; YOB 1781-1790	John – head, age 50-59	John – head, age 50-59
Son – age 30-39; YOB 1801-1810	Son – age 30-39 & Daughter-In-Law – age 20-29, or	Wife – age 20-29
Son – age 20-29; YOB 1811-1820	Son – age 20-29 & Daughter-In-Law – age 20-29, or	Son – age 30-39
Daughter – age 20-29; YOB 1811-1820	Daughter – age 20-29 & Son-in-law age 30-39, or age 20-29	Son – age 20-29
Daughter – age 10-14; YOB 1826-1830	Granddaughter – age 10-14	Daughter – age 10-14
Son – age 5-9; YOB 1831-1835	Grandson – age 5-9	Son – age 5-9
Daughter – under 5 years of age; YOB 1836-1840	Granddaughter – under 5 years of age	Daughter – under 5 years of age

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

1850 Federal census: Kinderhook, John Heeley [sic];[2] Ghent, Thomas Healey [sic][3] – John Heeley, 41 years old, of Kinderhook was born in Ireland about 1809. His occupation was a painter. His wife, Catherine was born in New York around 1813. They had three children born in New York: Mariah A., born about 1830; William, born about 1832; Emma, born about 1839.

Thomas Healey was living in the county poor house in Ghent and was born in Ireland around 1812.

Analysis: Comparing hypothesis #2 from the 1840 census for John Healy, and the 1850 census for John Heeley and Thomas Healey, it appears that they could be members of the Healy family of Chatham in 1840.  The John Healy, head of house, from 1840 is not found in later Federal census’ nor in the New York State census’. None of the children born in New York were baptized at St. Mary’s in Hudson.

1840 Hypothesis #2	1850 Hypothesis
John – head, age 50-59	John – Missing, possibly dead
Son – age 30-39, YOB 1801-1810 & Daughter-In-Law – age 20-29, YOB 1811-1820, or	John – age 41, YOB 1809, Ireland   Catherine – age 37, YOB 1813, New York
Son – age 20-29, YOB 1811-1820 & Daughter-In-Law – age 20-29, YOB 1811-1820, or	Thomas – age 38, YOB 1812, n/a
Daughter – age 20-29, YOB 1811-1820 & Son-in-law age 30-39, YOB 1801-1810, or age 20-29, 1811-1820
Granddaughter – age 10-14, YOB 1826-1830	Mariah – age 20, YOB 1830, New York
Grandson – age 5-9, YOB 1831-1835	William – age 18, YOB 1832, New York
Granddaughter – under 5 years of age, YOB 1836-1840	Emma – age 12, YOB 1838, New York

Additional Information: The Family Search collection, New York Land Records, 1630-1975 > New York Land Records, 1630-1975 > Columbia > Deeds 1839-1840, vol CC1-CC2, pg. 174-175 has an entry for John Healy purchasing approximately two acres of land in Chatham in 1838. The 1841 Columbia County Deeds, vol FF, pg. 61 includes an 18-acre land in Chatham purchase by John Healy from Jacob Arnold; 1842 Columbia County Deeds, vol FF, pg. 232 includes Chatham land sold by John & Catherine Healy to David W. Rice; 1846 Columbia County Deeds, vol. MM, pg. 438 includes Chatham land sold by John & Catherine Healy to Charles E. Hicks.

Future Research on the John Healy family: Search for the availability of 1830-1838 catholic church baptismal records for Chatham or a neighboring community.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

1855, New York State census: Hudson, Ward 4, Thomas Haley [sic] & Morris Haley;[4] Hudson, Ward 2, Joseph Haley;[5] Claverack, Martin Haley.[6]

The 1855 New York State census includes the first cluster of Healy families recorded in Columbia county. The Thomas Healy family lived at #219 in Ward 4 of Hudson and included his wife Ann; sister-in-law and niece, Delia & Ann M. Russell; father, Morris Healy. Thomas and Morris were both born in Ireland, about 1827 and 1794 respectively, and had only been in the city of Hudson for one year. Ann and Delia, also born in Ireland, had been in the town for two years. The child, Ann Russell, was one year old and born in Columbia county. The enumeration identified Thomas as the head of the household and Ann as his wife. Both Delia and Morris are identified as married, although neither of their spouses are enumerated within this household. Thomas and Morris were enumerated with alien status.

Thomas Healy and Ann Knight were married at St. Mary’s on 1 October 1854 and the witnesses to their marriage were Patrick Clark & Elizabeth Frances Brennan.[7]  Their first child, Mary, was born on 13 July 1855, after the June 30th census enumeration. The sponsors to her baptism were Maurice and Margaret Foley.[8] The baptism for Ann Russell may have taken place at St. Mary’s but there is no record.

The Joseph Haley family lived at #127 in Ward 2 in Hudson, and included his wife Mary and their four children: Merchant, age 12; Bridget, age 9; James, age 6; Michael, age 1 month. Michael was born in Columbia county and all other members of the family were born in Ireland. Interestingly, the family members arrived in the city of Hudson at different times – Joseph, Mary, and James arrived in 1854 (the same year as Thomas and Morris), and their son Merchant and daughter Bridget arrived around January of 1855.

It is important and interesting to note that also living in this same dwelling are three other Irish families – the Cody’s, Murray’s, and Clansey’s [sic], creating a combined total of sixteen people living at #127. Thomas Cody and Lackey Murry had been residents of Hudson for fifteen years, and four out of the five members of the Clansey family arrived at Hudson in 1854.[9]

Comparing the individuals enumerated in the 1855 New York census, with the sacramental registers for St. Mary’s church, we learn that the correct spelling for all of the families is “Healy,” that Mary’s maiden name is Nealon, and that the baptismal sponsors for Joseph & Mary’s son, Michael, were Thomas Potter and Mary Daly.[10] There is a Mary Daly living at #128 Ward 2, who had been living in Hudson for eight months.[11]

The Martin Healy family lived at #131 in the town of Claverack. Martin and his wife Catherine were both born in Ireland, and their daughter Margaret, 1-year old, was born in Columbia county. Martin worked as a laborer and had lived in the town for ten years. His wife had been in the town for four years. The census enumerator ticked both the “naturalized” and “alien” boxes; however, Mary is marked as an alien which would suggest that Martin is also.

Their daughter Margaret was born in Columbia County in 1854 but her baptism was not recorded in the St. Mary’s Church registry.

Analysis: The chart below identifies the Healys living in Columbia County at the time of the 1855 census and organizes their names and ages by their possible generation.

Gen.	Thomas	Joseph	Martin
1	Morris – 61 yrs., YOB 1794	Joseph – 55 yrs., YOB 1800
		Mary – 35 yrs., YOB 1820
2	Thomas – 28 yrs., YOB 1827		Martin – 35 yrs., YOB 1820
	Ann – 25 yrs., YOB 1830, 1853		Catherine – 28 yrs., YOB 1837
	Delia Russell– 21 yrs., YOB 1834
3	Ann Russell – 1 yr., YOB 1854	*Merchant – 12 yrs., YOB 1843 Bridet [sic] – 9 yrs., YOB 1846 James – 6 yrs., YOB 1849 Michael – 1/12 yr. YOB 1855	Margaret – 1 yr., YOB 1854

* The children of Joseph and Mary are second generation but for the purpose of determining sibling or cousin relationships between the immigrant male heads of house, they are included in generation three.

Year of Arrival to Hudson/Claverack*	1845	1851	1853	1854	1855
	Martin	Catherine	Ann	Morris	Merchant
			Delia	Thomas	Bridet
				Ann (born)	Michael (born)
				Joseph
				Mary
				James
				Margaret (born)

* This does not prove the year of immigration. Those born in Ireland are in bold.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

1860 Federal census: Hudson, Ward 4, Thomas Haley [sic];[12] Hudson, Ward 4, Joseph Haley;[13] Claverack, Martin Haley;[14] Hudson, Ward 4, Martin Haley;[15] Chatham, Hannah Haley.[16]

Thomas Healy lived with his family at #913 of Hudson’s 4^th Ward. He was a laborer. In addition to his wife Ann Knight, their daughters Mary and Margaret, along with their son Morris [sic], lived with them. Also living at #913 is the four-member family of John Harvey, another Irish immigrant.

From the St. Mary’s baptismal records, it is determined that Maurice was born in April of 1857 and his baptismal sponsors were John Bourke [sic] and Eliza Bremman [sic]; Margaret was born in January of 1859 and her baptismal sponsors were Bernard Clark and Ellen Ford.[17]

Maurice Healy, father of Thomas, is not found living with his son or in any household in Columbia County in the 1860 census or any census beyond 1855.

Joseph Healy lived with his family at #266 of Hudson’s 2^nd Ward. He was a carpenter. The members of his household now consist of his son James, 10 yrs., and a son named Joseph, 1 yr. Merchant, Bridget, and Michael are not enumerated in this household.

The St. Mary’s baptismal records indicate that their son Joseph was born in January of 1858 and his sponsors were Thomas Leonard and Bridget Nealon.[18] It appears that he died between his baptism in February of 1858 and before July of 1859 because there is a second son, also named Joseph, that was baptized on 3 July 1859. His sponsors were William Connor and Catherine Daly.[19] Additionally, Joseph and Mary had a daughter named Mary, baptized at St. Mary’s on the 7th of July in 1861. Her sponsors were Michael Gainor and Ann Foley.[20]

Martin Healy and his family lived at #1378 in Claverack. Martin was a farm laborer. He and his wife Catherine had three children: Margaret, age 6; James, age 4; and John, age 7 months.

The St. Mary’s baptismal records indicate that Catherine’s maiden name was Meehan. Their son James was born in February of 1856 and his baptismal sponsors were Joseph & Elizabeth Kelly.[21] In December of 1859, their son John was born, and his baptismal sponsors were Patrick Clavey [sic] and Margaret Ryan.[22]

There is an additional Martin Haley enumerated in Hudson, Ward 4, living as a servant in the household of the Van Vleck family. He was born in Ireland and was 17 years, old making his year of birth about 1843.

Hannah Haley is a domestic living in the home of Daniel Reed of Chatham. She was born in Ireland around 1827.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The 1865 through 1880 census analysis
will be published in a few weeks.
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receive notifications of new blog posts.

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[1] 1840 U.S. Federal Census, New York, Columbia County; pop. schedule, Chatham, entry for John Healy; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Family History Library, Film: 0017184; NARA, record group 29, microfilm publication M704, roll: 277; National Archives, Washington, DC.

[2] 1850 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia Co.; pop. sch., Kinderhook, pg 721, stamped 361; line 14, entry for John Heeley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; NARA , record group 29, microfilm publication M432, roll 492; National Archives, Washington, DC.

[3] 1850 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia Co.; pop. sch., Ghent, pg 313b, line 7; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestryl.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, roll 492; record group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[4] 1855 New York State Census, Columbia Co.; pop. sch., Hudson; ward 4, pg 35, line 26-30, entry for Thomas Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Columbia County Clerks Office, Hudson, New York.

[5] 1855 New York State Census, Columbia Co., pop. sch., Hudson; ward 2, pg. 26, line 40-45, entry for Joseph Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.con : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Columbia County Clerk’s Office, Hudson, New York.

[6] 1855 New York State Census, Columbia Co., pop. sch., Claverack; unpaginated, e.d. 1, line 7-9, entry for Martin Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Columbia County Clerk’s Office, Hudson, New York.

[7] New York, Hudson, Holy Trinity Parish, email to Tricia Healy Mitchell from parish representative “Sally,” 19 August 2014; St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1 October 1854, marriage for Thomas Healy and Ann Knight.

[8] New York, Hudson, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Baptismal records for 1855, entry for 15 July, Mary Healy, unpaginated; viewed in person by Tricia Healy Mitchell, 15 October 2015.

[9] 1855 New York State Census, Columbia Co., pop. sch., Hudson; ward 2, pg. 27, line 1-10, entries for Cody, Murray, Clansey; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.con : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Columbia County Clerk’s Office, Hudson, New York.

[10] New York, Hudson, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Baptismal records for 1855, entry for 5 June, Michael Healy, unpaginated; viewed in person by Tricia Healy Mitchell, 15 October 2015.

[11] 1855 New York State Census, Columbia Co., pop. sch., Hudson; ward 2, pg. 27, line 23, entry for Mary Daly; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.con : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Columbia County Clerk’s Office, Hudson, New York.

[12] 1860 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia Co.; pop. sch., Hudson, ward 4; pg 163, line 15, dwelling 913, entry for Thomas Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Family History Library, film 803738; NARA microfilm M653, Washington, DC.

[13] 1860 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia Co., pop. sch., Hudson, ward 2; pg. 51, line 38, entry for Joseph Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Family History Library, film 803738; NARA microfilm M653, Washington, DC.

[14] 1860 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia Co.; pop. sch., Claverack; pg 194, line 4, dwelling 1378, entry for Martin Haley; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Family History Library, film 803738; NARA microfilm M653, Washington, DC.

[15] 1860 US Federal Census, New York, Columbia Co.; pop. sch. Hudson, ward 4; pg 184, line 7, Martin Haley in entry for Wm. B. Van Vleck; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2013), Provo, UT; Family History Library, film 80738; NARA microfilm M653, Washington, DC.

[16] 1860 US Federal census, New York, Columbia county; pop sch., Chatham, pg 33, stamped 665, line 13, Hannah Haley in entry for Daniel Reed; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed October 2020), Provo, UT; Family History Library film #803738; NARA, microfilm M653, Washington, DC.

[17] New York, Hudson, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Baptismal registers for 1857 and 1859, unpaginated; viewed in person by Tricia Healy Mitchell, 15 October 2015.

[18] Ibid, January 1858.

[19] Ibid, July 1859.

[20] Ibid, July 1861.

[21] Ibid, February 1856.

[22] Ibid, December 1859.

Cluster Research

The Healy Surname in Columbia County, New York

^{Map of Columbia County, New York: from actual surveys. Contributor Names: Otley, J. W.
Created / Published in Philadelphia: John E. Gillett, Publisher, 1851.Library of Congress: https://lccn.loc.gov/2012593653}

Cluster research has long been a tool utilized for family history research. The process is based upon the well documented practice of emigrating families and neighbors clustering together in the same town, street, or even house once they reached the United States. Clustering together makes sense; when the emigrant left their homeland, they would want to live in a community with friends and family that can provide support. This explains why we find such large communities of Irish, Italian, or German people in cities that attracted large groups of immigrants. But this practice wasn’t limited to large cities – smaller communities also had cluster immigration. 

Two types of genealogical cluster research involve identifying and researching everyone with the same surname living in the same community, or researching all the families living next to or around your research subject. The goal is to learn about your ancestor by learning about their neighbors. 

When researching my Irish famine immigrant family, I found them living in Hudson, New York in 1854, and eventually in the neighboring town of Greenport. The family was headed by Thomas Healy, my 2x-great grandfather. He was a well-known member of our family, but for many years we knew absolutely nothing about his birth family or where he came from in Ireland. It seemed reasonable to assume that he would have siblings. After all, they were an Irish Catholic family in the 19^th century. With this in mind, I decided to utilize cluster research techniques to see if there were other Healy families living in Hudson or Columbia county. Ultimately the goal was to determine if any Healy’s living in Hudson around the time of Thomas Healy’s immigration were part of his family.

^{New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Visual Instruction. Instructional lantern slides, ca. 1856-1939. Series A3045-78, No. 10770.}

When conducting cluster research, it is helpful to identify the record collections that will provide the type of information needed for the analysis. For this project I reviewed the following collections: 

• Church records
• Federal & State Census records
• City directories 
• Death records
• Naturalization documents
• Naming patterns 

Church

The very first document I accessed to create a list of research subjects was a 1990’s era computer generated list of baptisms conducted at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hudson. This list was acquired by my sister during her genealogical pursuits of the time. Among other surnames, it included five separate Healy families with children baptized in the church between 1854 (the start of their record keeping) and 1880.  

• Joseph Healy & Mary Nealon  
• Martin Healy & Catherine Meehan   
• Thomas Healy & Ann Knight
• Martin Healy & Ellen Kenny 
• Patrick Healy & Marcella Concannon

Taking this unsourced record as a place to start, I traveled to Hudson to personally view the sacramental records at St. Mary’s Church (they don’t allow the public to view them in person anymore). I combed through the baptismal registers looking for each of the families above, as well as any others with the Healy/Haley surname. The children’s names, dates of the baptisms, and the names of the sponsors were analyzed with the hope of finding some connections. Sadly, the earliest baptisms revealed that none of the Healy adults were sponsors for each others children, and there was only one sponsor with the surname Healy in the earliest records. 

Were they immediate or distant families with fractioned ties?  

Below is the list I created of every Healy child baptized between 1854 and 1880.

Are any of your ancestors named as sponsors?

St. Mary’s Baptism Register, 1854-1880

Baptisms for children with the surname Healy

First Name	Page	Baptismal Date	Parents Names	Age or Born On	Sponsors	Notations
Michael	n/a	June 5, 1855	Joseph & Mary Nealon	May 19	Thomas Potters & Mary Daly
James	n/a	Feb 22, 1856	Martin & Catherine Meehan	3 weeks	Joesph & Elisabeth Kelly
Maurice	n/a	Mar 1, 1857	Thomas & Ann Knight	2 weeks	John Bourke(?) & Eliza Bremman (?)
Joseph (#1)	n/a	Feb 2, 1858	Joseph & Mary Nealon	3 weeks	Thomas Leonard & Bridget Nealon
Margaret	n/a	Feb 9, 1859	Thomas & Ann Knight	6 days	Bernard Clark & Ellen Ford (?)
Joseph (#2)	n/a	Jul 3, 1859	Joseph & Mary Nealon	June 10	William Connor & Catherine Daly
John	n/a	Dec 18, 1859	Martin & Catherine Meehan	2 weeks	Partick Clavey & Margaret Ryan
Catherine	n/a	Nov. 18, 1860	Thomas & Ann Knight	9 days	Thomas Sullivan & Mary Lawless
Mary	n/a	Jul 7, 1861	Joseph & Mary Nealon	5th	Michael Gainor & Ann Foley
Thomas	n/a	Apr. 26, 1863	Martin & Catherine Meehan	14 days	James Geraghty & Bridget Healy
Simon Francis	n/a	June 15, 1864	Thomas & Ann Knight	1 day	Patrick Clark & Ellen Lynch
Ann	n/a	Feb 3, 1967	Thomas & Ann Knight	1 week	John Brennan & Margaret Shaw
Margaret	n/a	Aug 26, 1867	Patrick & Marcella Concannon	2 days	Joseph Walsh & Margret Guthrie
William	n/a	May 27, 1869	Patrick & Marcella Concannon	1 day	Patrick Ryan & Bridget Lynch
Thomas Edward	n/a	Nov 20, 1870	Thomas & Ann Knight	1 week	John Hall & Margaret Clark
Maurice	n/a	Feb 12, 1871	Patrick & Marcella Concannon	4 days	Wm Lane & Kate Collins
Margaret Eveline	n/a	May 16, 1872	Martin & Ellen Kenny	March 33, 1872	Margaret S McC___
Bridget	n/a	Sept 21, 1873	Patrick & Marcella Concannon	Born 14	Daniel Brasmahew & Bridget Healy
Joseph	n/a	Oct 22, 1873	Thomas & Ann Knight	Oct. 10	John Cullen & Ellen Hall
William Michael	n/a	Jun 18, 1874	Martin & Ellen Kenny	May 7	Thomas O’Neil Nopkins [sic] & Mary Mooney
Thomas	n/a	Oct 3, 1875	Patrick & Marcella Concannon	illegible	Jas. Butler & Catherine Marshall
John	n/a	Dec 30, 1877	Patrick & Marcella Concannon	Dec. 25	John Martin & Margaret Foley
Mary Ellen	7	May 16th, 1880	Patrick & Marcella Concannon	May 8, 1880	John Costello & Winifred Keaneny
Martin James	8	July 18, 1880	James Healy & Maria Greenway	July 7 1880	*Thomas Healy & Marg. Healy

^{New York, Columbia County, Hudson, St. Mary’s Catholic Church; viewed in person by Tricia Healy Mitchell on 28 October 2015.} 

*Research indicates that Thomas and Margaret Healy are the siblings of the parent, James Healy.

The only sponsor with the surname was Bridget Healy and she was named twice, both times for children of Patrick Healy and Marcella Concannon. At this point in the research, there are no obvious connections.

In addition to baptismal records, I obtained the marriage record for Thomas Healy and Ann Knight through an email from the parish office. I was very happy to learn that Thomas and Ann were married on October 1, 1854 and the witnesses were Patrick Clark & Elizabeth Frances Brennan. There were no marriage records for the other Healy families identified in the baptismal records. 

So, using the names of the witnesses in Thomas and Ann’s marriage record, I will add the FAN club (Friends And Family) research technique to future endeavors and will research the witnesses of the marriage, and each of the baptismal sponsors for the children of Thomas Healy and Ann Knight. The focus will be on the earliest baptisms.

Could the sponsors or witnesses be friends or family from Ireland?

The next Cluster Research post will focus on the analysis of the 19th century Federal and State census records for every Healy family found in Columbia County. I hope you will check back or subscribe to this blog to learn more.