MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MALARKEY
VOL XVI NO 1 MARCH 2000
GREETINGS
Welcome to the new century; the new millenium! I suspect now that all the hoop-la is
behind us, so too is the realization that there was no significant change in our daily
lives. Still, it was impressive to follow the dawning of this event thru over 100 nations
and see each nation celebrate life, its own culture and history in a jubilant yet peaceful
manner. Perhaps, for one brief shining moment, the people of the world spoke in unison: We,
the People, want Peace and Freedom; without politicians, bigots, and charletons fueling
hatreds for self promotion, we can and will live in peace! We can only pray in time that
message will sink in to the leaders of the world.
Speaking of peace, it seems almost inevitable that each year as I begin "3M" to report on
the progress of peace in Northern Ireland, some critical event threatens progress.
Immediately the press proclaims ultimate doom, and criticises "phony Clinton policy." In
time, the parties regroup, begin to talk, and further progress follows. We can only pray
the current stumbling block quickly crumbles. Despite the present dispute, the cease-fire
continues. I believe this is the longest cease-fire in a generation. The fact that a
unified governmental body was established representing Protestant, Catholic, and Republic of
Ireland interests and stood - albeit briefly - has always been considered impossible. It
would indeed be tragic to have come this close, only to fail. Incidently, one of ancestral
Mahedy cousins married an Alex Trimble in the 1830s. Who knows?
I assume by now most of you are somewhat aware of the events of the past year of the
editor's life. Among the victims of these misadventures were genealogy research and writing.
I am only up to chapter five in the '98 Bicenntial project. That sounds like a disaster,
but with all the new info on Gillet-Keech and related lines, the first four chapers need
to be revised anyway [again !.]
Nothing new has surfaced on early Mahedy, McKay, or Moran ancestors. However the volume
of Mahedy data coming via Kathy Reid's Mahady website has exploded. I am in the process of
updating that database which currently contains @ 600 records. As of February it is now at
almost 1300, and will no doubt surpass 1500. These are only Mahady/Mahedy records and those
directly related. I believe we helped join three or for different lines and find their
ancestors.
The big "find" of the year was the "missing" David McKay descendants.
Well...enough ramblin'...get out your Guinness, Harp or Irish coffee, turn on the music
& enjoy.
SLAINTE
ERIN GO BRAGH!
-----------------
DAVID MCKAY
David was born at Rockport, Mass, September 1848 to Thomas and Margaret Donahue McKay. In
the 1850 census they are listed at Gloucester where Thomas was engaged as a soap and candle
manufacturer. On 10 March the following year, John Patrick was born. Between then and Nov 1852,
Thomas moved the family to Granby, Quebec, Canada, where he had five additional children.
Grandmother Anna Maxwell Donahue also resided on the farm. Daughter Margaret died in infancy.
Here David grew up, received his education, helped on the farm, and learned the carpentry trade.
Sometime after 1871 left Granby for the American west. We still know little of his journey or
what led him to travel. He appears to have been in Chicago for at least a short while before
moving on to Chillicothe, Mo. Perhaps there were relatives in Chicago.
After settling in Chillicothe, David met and married Bridget, daughter of Michael Angell
of Co Mayo, Ire, and his wife Mary Chlislam. They were probably married by 1883 and had: Louis -
1884; Charles - 1885; Mary Catherine Hortense - 1887; and David Frank - 1889. We still know very
little of the McKays in Chillicothe. Charles died and was buried there in 1888.
Edna Campbell said David owned a business in Chillicothe, perhaps a dry goods store. According
to Edna, the store burned. When David's father heard about the misfortune he sent David his
share of the estate, feeling it was more important to give David the help when needed rather than
waiting for his inheritance after Thomas died.
According to David Jr's obit, the family moved to Kansas City, Mo, when he was two, or @
1891. However, the photos to follow were taken at Chillicothe. Clearly, young David is older
than two. It would therefore seem more likely that David lost his business and moved to KC after
1900. Hopefully some account of the incident or Thomas' will may surface to shed more light on
this story. KC directories may also provide new information.
M C Hortense McKay
Louis & David F McKay
In any event, by 1900, David was a railroad supervisor, still residing at 220 Clay St,
Chillicothe. Besides his wife Bridget and their three children, was Mary Angell, his mother-in-
law, age 59, born in Ireland.
The McKays must have moved to K C shortly after 1900. Mary Catherine Hortense married there
to Louis Arthur Purcell on 31 Dec 1908. They had eight children: Lorraine - 1909; William David
- 1911; Russell A - 1914; Frank W - 1918; M C Hortense - 1920; Ralph - 1921; Charles - 1923; and
Agnes - Mar 1926. Seven months late their grandfather David McKay died. Bridget survived another
ten years. [Wed 11 Nov 1936]
"McKay - Bridget Cecelia McKay, 78, died Monday night at the home of her daughter, Mrs L A
Purcell, 3511 St John Avenue. She leaves two sons, J L McKay and D F McKay both of the home,
and a sister, Mrs T F Ashour, 5506 College Avenue. Funeral services will be held at 9 o'clock
Thursday at the Holy Cross church; burial at Mt St Mary's cemetery."
Considering the relative recency of their deaths, we still know little of David and Bridget.
Not much more is known of their sons. Both were surviving at the time their mother died, but no
other record or memory of Louis has surfaced. However, more has been pieced together on David
Frank by our cousins. It is a bit sad....
" ...David Frank McKay was never married. He was smittened in early life by a lady named
Agness (after which Agness Purcell) Thompson was named.). The story as related to me was that
David Frank was left by Agness for another man. This is said to have led to a life of heavy drink
ing. A younger David Frank was well connected with the Kansas City political machine, as well as
socially and this appears to have helped him throughout his life. Jo Ann even visited Uncle Frank
in his home as a child. By the time I came familiar with Uncle Frank, the down slide had placed
him in a poverty situation. He lived in flop houses and cheap apartments in the slums of Kansas
City. Jo Ann (Purcell) Welling would go down in this area and finding Uncle Frank would bring
him home to the house at 5608 College Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri. He would remain with us for
periods up to six months, doing odd chores around the house and helping mom, then he would just
leave and return to his way of life. Even though his obit says that Uncle Frank died at home at
5608 College, he actually died in the county hospital when he had been taken from the Jackson
County Farm. The St. Louis church mentioned in the obit was the (William David Purcell) family
parish church. My Father, William David, was very found of Uncle Frank and had vowed to place a
marker on his grave site. This wish was fulfilled by Nora Virginia (Welch) Purcell after the
death of her husband and my dad." [Bob Purcell]
Obviously David's line continues today through his daughter Hortense McKay Purcell's children.
I had written Hortense back in 1959, but her response has long since disappeared. Her children
Agnes and William David are mentioned above, as are William's children Bob and JoAnn. I had
hoped to include the whole line in this edition, but am running low on space and time. Hopefully
next year. In the meantime, much is available on both the Purcell and Touse MyFam.com websites.
A very big thanks to Bob and all our Purcell cousins!
*************
MAHEDY
Most of what has been learned on the Mahedy line is broader in scope, rather than our own
specific line. As indicated in the "Greetings," the Mahedy database is most likely to exceed
1500 records. New lines are being added from Longford and Westmeath, Mayo, and Roscommon;
Scotland, Australia, as well as NY, Pa, Illinois and Canada. The ultimate hope is that all these
lines will begin to tie together. Indeed, several already have. Matt Mahady of Australia Mahady
net group continues to expand. Several of our own Iowa clan and their descendants have joined.
The same is true of Kathi Reid's Mahady website. The contribution these two have made to the
body of Mahady-Mahedy knowledge is enormous.
As implied earlier, I have not been able to pursue as agressively as usual. There was one
major contribution to our own clan files. Last spring, cousin Art DeWitt sent the following photo
of some of Pat Mahedy's daughters, taken in 1903. From earlier issues, we knew Jenny, Elizabeth,
Mary Ann, and probably Martha, stayed in fairly close contact. Little was known of daughter Emma
McDonald who went to Pa. Jenny, Lizzie, Mary Ann, and Emma, are all pictured here. The fifth
lady was listed as one of the western Mahedys. The most likely candidate would be Nellie Wolfe,
but the "Boys of the West" say it is not Nellie, though they cannot identify this cousin. Since
we have yet to learn if Emma had any children, it is equally possible she ia Emma's daughter. I
am not sure where the photo was taken, but would guess at Lizzie's in Shefford. Lizzie is in the
center, and Emma to the right.
Mahedy Sisters
There is still little known of Emma. It is not even known if she had children. The notice of
her wedding indicated her husband James was from Pottersville, Pa., and that is presumably where
they lived in Pa. Pottersville is in Bradford County, just south of the state line of western NY.
Emma was still living at the time of her brother John's death in 1911. Perhaps I can search the
census this year.
*****
NEW COUSINS FOUND
When cousin Kent Hays of W Palm Beach, Fl, learned I had moved to Glens Falls, he wrote to
inform me we had two cousins living in nearby Hudson Falls. Judith and Marjory Bronk are retired
teachers who descend from William F Mahedy through his daughter Myrtle. Myrtle was the sister of
Kent's grandmother, Maude Mahedy Richardson.
Readers may recall William was the first Police Chief of Saratoga who fled town under a
suspicious cloud sometime after April 1887 when he posted bail for appearance before the local
judge. According to the late Jean Richardson Hays he later became a Pinckerton detective. But
he had left his family behind to fend for themselves. It was Jean who also had the amazing letter
of 1864 from John Mahedy, Jr, describing his [mis] adventures from Aug 1850 through 1863. John
was William's father, long believed to have abandoned his own family after the death of his wife,
Rosie [O'Rourke.] In fact, he had been shanghaied to Cuba, sentenced to a chain gang, escaped to
Galveston in 1862 only to be pressed into the Confederate army, then captured by the Union army.
He was finally paroled and made his way to California where he became supervisor of railroad
construction.
The sad effect of all these events on the early Saratoga line was that there was little
chance for knowledge of, or identity with, the Mahedy clan.
Myrtle married William H Neilson and had three children, including Edith, who married Frank
Bronk. If I understood correctly, the Bronk ancestry dates back to early colonial NY, and it is
this family from which the Bronx takes its name.
Marjory indicated Myrtle had another sister, "Mattie," was married and lived in Saratoga as
late as the 1930s or 40s. However, in reviewing this information with Scott Hays, it was learned
that "Maddie" was actually the daughter sister of Frances Carr Mahedy - William's wife. Martha
Carr married Albert Ott and had a daughter Martha, better known as "Maddie." Maddie died in 1940
following a hysterectomy.
*******************
GILLETT - KEECH
Last year's "3M" reported several major new findings on our Keech-Gillett ancestry.
Considerably more new information has surfaced in the past year [and I will no doubt forget to
mention half of it.] One thing is clear: the more we learn of these and associated families,
the more intricately they seem to be intertwined.
Cousin Betty Nash initiated another burst of information shortly after the last issue. It was
known that James' sister, Martha Keech, married Jonathan Spencer. After the Revolution they
moved to the Town of Unadilla in Otsego County and settled at Spencer Street, as did Martha's
brother Israel. Betty found that a Jeremiah Burch also movd to Unadilla with the Keeches and
Spencers.
Jeremiah Burch was married to a sister of Jonathan's. Betty found records for at least three
of Jeremiah's children: Jeremiah, Jr; Sarah; and Joseph. Jeremiah, Jr, married Barsheba Allen.
Sarah married Israel Keech, Jr! There were property transactions between these couples. Betty
also found they and Joseph had moved to the Town of Western by 1820. Israel returned sometime
later to Unadilla. Joseph settled in Boonville and married Polly Crouch. Polly was the sister
of Julia who was mentioned last year as the wife of John Keech, son of James and brother of
Elizabeth Keech Gillett. John and Julia moved to Camden, Ont, Can, around 1830 with Julia's
mother, Eleanor McKee W iley who was 98 in the 1861 census.
Joseph and Polly had at least: Israel; Martin; Emily; David; and Freeman. Martin married
Hester Crouch, daughter of Francis - brother of Polly! Emily married Francis Crouch, son of
Hiram, another brother of Polly. David married Julia Fields and moved to Ohio with his parents.
Freeman Burch married Emiline Gillett, sister of Esther Gillett Mahedy, daughters of Ebenezer and
Elizabeth Keech Gillett. [Still following? There's more.] Their son James Burch married Jane
Keech, daughter of James Keech, Jr.
Jeremiah, Jr and Barsheba had at least Darius and Joseph. Darius married Elsie and had
Samantha in 1841. Samantha married Albiron Thornton. Albiron was the son of Julius and Alzina
Haynes Thornton. Alzina was the sister of Nancy who married Albert Keech, another brother to
Elizabeth. A third sister, Desiree, married William Vandewalker. William's brother Barney was
the father of Berlin Vandewalker who married Emiline Gillett, another sister of Esther Gillett
Mahedy. Barney's daughter Lida married Joseph Burch, brother of Darius. Barney was also recorded
as having purchased seven quarts of whiskey at the Brayton Swan store at Westernville on 4 Jun
1804 for 10.6. [Don't know if that was dollars or pounds..] Martha Haynes, probable cousin to
the foregoing Haynes sisters, married Anthony LeClar and had among others: Mary Ann who married
Adin Butler, and Jane who married Patrick Mahedy. And of course Adin and Mary Ann are parents of
Solomon who married Esther, daughter of Michael Mahedy. [head spinning yet...]
In the spring I also heard from Sandra Oakley in Canada. Sandra descends from Albert and
Nancy Haynes Keech through their daughter Catherine. Catherine was their eldest child, born 1822
at Western. She married as his second wife, Albert Stephen Spencer. His ancestry is unknown,
but he is quite likely related to the Spencers previously discussed. By his first wife Albert
had a son Enos who married Maggie Keech. Maggie was born 1842, younger sister to Catherine -
her step-mother-in-law! Sandra also provided the name of one of James Keech's hitherto
unidentified daughters - Catherine, born @ 1794.
A notice came over the "net" concerning Bible pages of a George Keech published in Detroit.
Investigation found George to be the son of Henry and Eunice Gillett Keech, brother and sister
to Elizabeth K and Ebenezer Gillett. George was born at Western in 1815 and moved to Ontario
with his family @ 1830. He first married in 1839 to Sarah Ann Cushman and had at least six
children, all born in Ontario. Sometime after 1852 George moved to Allegany Co, Mich. Sara
died there in October 1880. The following year George returned to Canada. On 25 June he married
Elizabeth Keech, daughter of his Uncle Albert, at Napanee, Ontario. Elizabeth had also been
previously married - to a Mr Spencer! They returned to Mich where George died 25 Nov 1891.
I also heard from William Hall who descends from Almira Gillett Burch through her daughter
Eunice who married Merritt Hall. William descends from there son Lambert Risley Hall, brother of
Anice Eunice, ancestor of Betty Nash! Because of certain past associations I was curious where
the name Risley came from. Later in the year Betty sent an obituary for a previously unknown
daughter of Freeman and Almira. Cordelia Burch, their eldest was born 14 Jan 1833. She married
Andrew Blazier. Through her obituary we learned the married names of her sisters, and the source
of the name Risley
"Mrs Delia Blazier Dies After an Hour's Illness
North Western, March 21 [1904] - Mrs Delia Blazier, 72 years old, died suddenly this morning at
the home of her sister, Mrs Lester Clemmens on Webster Hill. She was taken ill at 4 o'clock
and died one hour later. Death was caused by heart trouble. Mrs Blazier was the widow of
Andrew Blazier who died twenty years ago. She was the daughter of Freeman Burch, was born
in the town of Western and has always lived here. Surviving are four sisters, Mrs Merritt
Hall of Westernville, Mrs Lambert Risley and Mrs George Croup and Mrs Lester Clemmons of
North Western, James Burch and Darius Burch of Hillside.
Eunice Hall was already known. Mrs Lambery Risley was their sister Elizabeth; Mrs George Croup
was the youngest sister, Roseltha; and Mrs Lambert Clemens was Emily. We have yet to learn what
became of the sister Mary.
The brother James was discussed earlier. Darius was first married to Cynthia, by whom he had
four daughters. Cynthia died in 1869 and Darius remarried to Marcia Blazier, apparent sister of
Andrew. Her mother Catherine resided with them in 1870.
Through an Oneida Co weblist I learned there was a book: "Mocosin Tracks to Ski Trails; the
History of Westernville, NY." On page 130 the following passage was found:
"Recollections of Ida Ford
"Mrs. Ida Ford, 86, was born in 1889 in the Town of Western in an oar factory. Her parents
could not find anywhere to live so rented one end of the large sawmill where her father worked.
Her maternal grandparents, James and Caroline Vandewalker Thornton, came to this area from Canada.
Paternal grandparents were David and Arma Gillette. Mrs. Ford lived in her house on Webster Hill
for 65 years and during that time has never spent a night away from it.
Her grandparents made butter down by the 'river flats' by the sawmill. She remembers as a
little girl getting up before daylight and going to Westernville with her grandfather to Byron
Crego's Store, which was across from the hotel. etc..."
"Ida's great-grandmother lived to be 103 and her great aunt died at 102..."
[not true both d @ 91, dt]
David Gillette of course is the brother of Esther G Mahedy. Census records list his wife as
Mahala - "Arma" is new to me, but he only married once. Their son Eugene was Ida's father.
Eugene married Ella Thornton.
It seems doubtful that Ida's maternal grandparents came down from Canada. We have seen
their surnames earlier and know they were pioneers in Western. It is possible her great-
grandparents migrated to Canada in the 1830s with some of our other ancestors and James and
Caroline returned to Western. From Ida's story, I am still not certain which grandparents made
the butter. A later reference in the book indicates Eugene eventually owned a meat shop.
He died at Northwestern in 1943. Ida married Jesse Ford and lived on Webster Hill her whole life.
Pamelia Gillett, her great aunt, married Job Ford. Ida died at Northwestern in 1979.
The big find this year also came via the "net." While Elizabeth Keech's dates have long
been known from her headstone, no other record of her death had been found. It was hoped such a
record would provide more new data. Still, it does confirm where she died. It is interesting to
note none of the known surviving daughters are named. Almira and Emiline were within a couple of
miles of Elizabeth. Esther was in Canada. The final whereabouts of Pamelia and Eunice remain
unknown.
"North Western; Nov. 14, 1887 - The death of Elizabeth Gillett occured on Friday morning
at the residence of her son, Henry Gillett, at Dunn Brook, in her 93d year. She was one of
the oldest inhabitants of the town and a pensioner of the war of 1812. She leaves three sons-
David, Henry and Horace Gilett. The funeral services were held in the M.E. Church on Sunday
at 12 o'clock, Rev. Mr. Crofoot officiating. The bearers were Marcus Van Buskirk, Wilbur
Cummings, Michael Holden, Abel Hall, John G. Grems, and John Rheinhuber."
I received maps of the Town of Western @ 1901 showing the location of several Gillett-Keech
relatives. Some of these are still not unpacked. A couple are posted on the website - though
you need to squint quite strenuously. :-)
Finally [I think,] despite being devastated by early summer floods, Betty found two more
items of interest. The first was the appearance of Charles Gillett on an 1814 list of landowners
in the Town of Western. I am still quite certain this Charles is the father of Ebenezer. The
second item might seems a bit humerous in this day and age, but may be a new clue. The following
appeared in the 11 Nov 1825 Rome newspaper:
"STRAYED from the pasture of the subscriber on the 7th inst. a five year old brown COW,
with a lined back, high horns, long bushy tail, and warty teats. Whoever will return said COW
or give information where she may be found shall be reasonably rewarded and all necessary
charges shall be paid.
Rome, Nov 11, 1825
JAMES T GILLETT."
James would certainly be a contemporary of Ebenezer, and could even be a brother.
A number of Western cemetery records have been posted to the Oneida County Genweb site. Many
of the Gillett - Keech families are included. These records helped to fill in many blanks. A
record for Esther Gillett, daughter of Charles born in 1849, was found. Charles had died in 1859
and Esther was not found in subsequent censuses. Esther married @ 1868 a William H Vandewalker
and had at least Henry in 1869. Esther died in 1911 and was buried in the Carmichael Rd cemetery.
She was a first cousin to Esther Butler and Mary McKay.
********
NOTES
Newcomb, Michael F - 55, died unexpectedly, 2 Mar 2000. Mike was the eldest son of the late
Frank and Lydia Maiorano Newcomb of Auburn, NY. After graduating from Central Mich U in
1966, Mike served as Marine Captain in Vietnam, where he earned several medals. Michael
married Lorraine Hockebom and had son Michael, and daughter Amy. He resided in Fairport,
NY, and had planned to retire this year as Sr VP for ING Barings. Besides his wife and
children, Mike is survived by his mother, brothers Thomas and family of Fairport, and
Bernard and family of Auburn; sisters Susan [Mrs Tim] Murley, and Sheila Newcomb of Auburn;
two grandchildren; three aunts; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. The complete
obituary is posted on Touse-Trees website at MyFamily. com.
I did not know Mike as well as I would have liked. I used to see him and his brothers
when I would go to visit Uncle Frank as a teenager. I next saw Mike in '84 the nite before
the Reunion at his camp he loved so well on Owasco Lake. He was willing to part the waters
or do whatever it would take to make me comfortable and get me in with the group. But that
is just the way Mike was. He was known for his great sense of humor, and his ability to
spin a tale. He also had a heart of gold. Few people know what he gave of both himself and
his finances for charitable causes; they only knew him as a trusted friend. These could be
mere ramblings of a proud relative. Better testimony might come from over one hundred
colleagues who came from Wall Street to attend his funeral; or the many veterans and
fellow marines; or those who waited in line out in the cold for two hours just to pay
their respects. I am told many a grown man - beyond the family - were found sobbing during
and after the funeral. Truly, Mike touched many, and lived a good, full life. Those who
can claim him as family or friend are both saddened and proud. Our deepest sympathy goes
out to Lorraine and Lydia, his children and brothers and sisters.
***
GRADUATION
DAVIS, SARAH - Lowville, NY;
Daughter of Jim and Jeanette Martin Davis, will graduate in June. She plans to attend LeMoyne in the fall.
LEWIS, CASEY - Oneida, NY;
Casey will graduate from Oneida High School this June. Casey has been active in sports, Drum and Bugle Corps [national champions,] and theatre. He plans to attend college this fall, majoring in cognitive sciences.
WEDDINGS
COSTELLO, SEAN - Rashville, NY
Son of John J and Patricia, of Fairport, married 16 Oct 1999 to Charlene at Rashville;
CONGRATULATIONS & BEST WISHES !
****
O'Touse's 20th Annual Unattended St Pat's Festival: 17-19 Mar;
416 Glen-Touse St;
Glens Falls, NY
IRISH BLESSING
May there always be work for your hands to do
May your purse always hold a coin or two
May the sun always shine on your windowpane
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain
May the hand of a friend always be near you
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you
********
ERIN GO BRAGH
HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY
Contributed by Dan Touse