Wednesday's Child: Walter D. Hughes

Walter D. Hughes, the son of Walter John Hughes and my 2nd-great-grandmother's sister Mary "Mollie" Dyer, was born about 1885 in Tennessee. He died at the age of 13, on 13 November 1898, in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. The cause of death was inanition. He was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville.

Davidson County, Tennessee Death Registers. Entry no. 1396, Walter D. Hughes, 1898, p. 170. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. 

Davidson County, Tennessee Death Registers. Entry no. 1396, Walter D. Hughes, 1898, p. 170. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. 

 Nashville American, 14 Nov 1898, p. 3.

Nashville American, 15 Nov 1898, p. 5.

Conclusions about the Maiden Name and Family Relationships of Mary, Wife of Michael Dyer and John Cox

When I traveled to Nashville, Tennessee last September, I did some research on my 3rd-great-grandmother Mary, the wife of Michael Dyer and John Cox. After examining my findings and doing additional research, I have come to some conclusions about her maiden name and family relationships.

In a deed registered on 25 June 1868, Mary, wife of Michael Dyer, conveyed land to "my Sister Bridget Long wife of John Long". (1) In a deed registered on 19 August 1868, Bridget Long conveyed land to "my Sister Mary Dyer". (2) These deeds establish that Mary and Bridget were sisters.

Bridget Allen married John S. Long on 17 November 1861 in Davidson County, Tennessee. (3) He was not her first husband. In 1860, 22-year-old Bridget Allen and 4-year-old Martin Allen lived in the household of Thomas and Sarah Fagan. (4) Thomas Fagan and Sarah Reynolds had married in 1857. (5) Bridget's first husband was probably Michael Allen, who declared his intention to become a United States citizen on 23 March 1853 in Davidson County, Tennessee. (6) Mary's husband Michael Dyer declared his intention to become a United States citizen on the same date and in the same place. (7) Michael Dyer was from County Roscommon, Ireland. (8) Michael Allen was also from County Roscommon, Ireland. (9) A  Martin Allen also came from County, Roscommon, Ireland. (10) He was probably the brother of Michael Allen and the uncle of the younger Martin Allen. He was probably the father of Michael Allen, the nephew of Mrs. Bridget Long, who died at age 16 on 18 November 1874. (11)

In her will, Bridget left property to her nieces Elizabeth Slowey and Sarah Gatlin. (12) Mary Elizabeth Slowey was the daughter of Thomas Fagan and Sarah Reynolds. (13)  Sarah Gatlin's maiden name was Dyer (14), and she was the daughter of Bridget's sister Mary. (15) Bridget and Mary must have been the sisters of either Thomas Fagan or Sarah Reynolds. Additional sources support that conclusion. A newspaper article on the death of Tom Fagan, the son of Thomas and Sarah Fagan (16), states that Tom Cox was a cousin of Tom Fagan (17); Tom Cox was Mary's son (18) from her marriage to her second husband John Cox. (19) Another newspaper item provides additional evidence. A report of the death of Sarah Fagan stated that Mrs. McDonough was notified of the death of her aunt, Mrs. Sarah Fagan, and that the mother of Mrs. McDonough and Tom Cox had left the courtroom for this reason. (20) Mrs. McDonough was Mary's daughter Nellie Cox (21), who had married Owen McDonough. (22) Although this news item alone does not provide enough information to conclude that Sarah was Mary's sister rather than her sister-in-law, an additional source supports the theory that Sarah and Mary were sisters. Mary's daughter Sarah "Sadie" (Dyer) Gatlin had a son named John R. Gatlin (23); according to John's World War II draft registration card, his full name was John Reynold Gatlin. (24) It therefore seems more likely that Sadie's mother's maiden name was Reynolds. Additionally, John Grenham's Irish Surnames web site shows that the surnames Dyer, Allen, and Reynolds are all found in Boyle Parish, County Roscommon, Ireland; the surname Fagan was not found to be associated with the surnames Dyer and Allen in County Roscommon. (25)

I therefore believe it is likely that Mary's maiden name was Reynolds and that she was the sister of Bridget and Sarah Reynolds.

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1. Davidson County, Tennessee, Deed Book 39: 443-444. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

2. Davidson County, Tennessee, Deed Book 39: 554. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

3. Davidson County, Tennessee, Marriage register, 1861, p. 355, record no. 4254, Jno S. Long and Bridget Allen. Ancestry.com. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

4. 1860 United States census, Nashville Ward 6, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, p. 124, dwelling 824, family 956. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.

5. Davidson County, Tennessee, Marriage register, 1857, p. 225, record no. 2698, Thomas Fagan and Sarah Reynolds. Ancestry.com. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

6. Davidson County, Tennessee, Declaration of intention no. 148, Michael Allen, 23 March 1853. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

7. Davidson County, Tennessee, Declaration of intention no. 149, Michael Dyer, 23 March 1853. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

8. Harris, Ruth-Ann M., Donald M. Jacobs, and B. Emer O’Keeffe, editors. Searching for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in “The Boston Pilot 1831–1920”. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989, p. 114.

9. Harris, Ruth-Ann M., Donald M. Jacobs, and B. Emer O’Keeffe, editors. Searching for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in “The Boston Pilot 1831–1920”. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989, pp. 373-374.

10. Harris, Ruth-Ann M., Donald M. Jacobs, and B. Emer O’Keeffe, editors. Searching for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in “The Boston Pilot 1831–1920”. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989, pp. 373-374.

11. Death notice, Michael Allen and Michael Dougherty. Republican Banner (Nashville, TN), 19 Nov 1874, p. 4.

12. "Mrs. Long's Will: Leaves Houses and Lots to Nieces, Misses Slowey and Gatlin." Nashville American, 29 March 1907, p. 12.

13. Tennessee Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Statistics. Death certificate no. 1262, Mary Elizabeth Slowey, 1943. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

14. Davidson County, Tennessee. Marriage license and return, William M. Gatlin and Sarah C. Dyer, June 1881. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

15. 1870 United States Census, Nashville Ward 6, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, p. 20, dwelling 170, family 196. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.

16. 1880 United States Census, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, enumeration district 36, p. 1, dwelling 3, family 3. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

17. "For Killing Tom Fagan." Nashville American, 25 Feb 1896, p. 5.

18. 1880 United States Census, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, enumeration district 43, p. 38, dwelling 288, family 428. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

19. Davidson County, Tennessee. Marriage license and return, John Cox and Mary Dyer, April 1871. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

20. "Mrs. Sarah Fagan Dead." Nashville American, 14 Feb 1904, p. 12.

21. 1880 United States Census, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, enumeration district 43, p. 38, dwelling 288, family 428. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

22. Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X81Z-9ZY : 21 December 2016), Owen Mc Donough and Nellie Cox, 06 Mar 1899; citing , Davidson, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 200,300.

23. Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. City Health Department. Division of Vital Statistics. Affidavit for correcting a record, John R. Gatlin. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

24. World War II draft registration for John Reynold Gatlin, serial no. 1326, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards for Fourth Registration for Illinois, 04/27/1942 - 04/27/1942; NAI Number: 623284; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

25. Irish Surnames. <https://www.johngrenham.com/surnames/>

Illinois, Archdiocese of Chicago, Cemetery Records, 1864-1989

FamilySearch has added the database Illinois, Archdiocese of Chicago, Cemetery Records, 1864-1989 to their collection. It contains records from cemeteries that are under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The majority of records are burial index cards, but the collection also includes some burial registers, burial logs, and lot owner registers. The cemeteries are located in Cook and Lake Counties, Illinois.

When I searched this collection, I found burial index cards for my 3nd-great-grandmother Sadie (Dyer) Gatlin and some of her children. For me, the biggest find was the burial card for Sadie's daughter Anna Elizabeth (Gatlin) Doying. Until I found her burial index card, I did not know where she was buried. Her burial date (2 September 1964) also helps me to estimate a death date for her. I know that she died in August 1964; she probably died at the end of August.

Illinois, Archdiocese of Chicago, Cemetery Records, 1864-1989, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2HF-5Q4M : 31 October 2016), Anna E Doying, 02 Sep 1964; citing River Grove, Cook, Illinois, United States, St. Joseph's, Archidiocese of Chicago; FHL microfilm 1,493,420.

Black Sheep Sunday: Keeping a Disorderly House

In August 1869, my 3rd-great-grandmother Mary Dyer was charged with keeping a disorderly house.

Davidson County, Tennessee. Criminal Court minutes, 1869, p. 501. Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

A "disorderly house" typically meant a brothel. On the same page of the Davidson County, Tennessee criminal court minutes, others will charged with "keeping house of ill fame." I am not sure what the difference was. Maybe a "house of ill fame" had a larger number of prostitutes. Or perhaps in this case, "disorderly house" meant something else. According to Duhaime's Law Dictionary, a disorderly house could also mean a gambling house. However, no one was charged with gaming at the same time that Mary was charged.

"Dyer," who was also charged, must have been her husband Michael Dyer. Since his first name is not given, perhaps he was not present when Mary was charged, but was also charged because the house was his residence.

On 26 January 1870, the Attorney General for the State of Tennessee entered a Nolle prosequi ("be unwilling to pursue"/"do not prosecute"). Davidson County, Tennessee paid the costs of the prosecution.

Davidson County, Tennessee. Criminal Court minutes, 1870, p. 45.  Metropolitan Government Archives, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tennessee.

Republic of Connacht

On 31 August 1798, General Jean Joseph Amable Humbert proclaimed the Republic of Connacht (also spelled Connaught), a French client republic. It was established by French Revolutionary Army and the United Irishmen during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The United Irishmen wanted Ireland to separate from Great Britain. Humbert appointed John Moore as President of the Republic of Connacht.

A Collection of State Papers Relative to the War Against France Now Carrying on by Great Britain and the Several Other European Powers. J. Debritt, 1799. Pages 361-362. Available from Google Books.

The Republic of Connacht only lasted until 8 September 1798, when the French and the United Irishmen were defeated by Great Britain at the Battle of Ballinamuck in County Longford.

Connacht consists of five counties: Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo. My 3rd-great-grandfather Michael Dyer was from County Roscommon. Although he had not yet been born at the time the Republic of Connacht was established (he was born about 1829), his family may have been in the area.

References
A Collection of State Papers Relative to the War Against France Now Carrying on by Great Britain and the Several Other European Powers. J. Debritt, 1799. Available from Google Books.
Connacht
Irish Rebellion of 1798 
Jean Joseph Amable Humbert 
John Moore (Irish politician)
Republic of Connacht | World Public Library

Surname Saturday: Dyer

According to Irish Ancestors' Surname History, the surname Dyer is an anglicized version of Ó Duibhir (grandson of the dark brown [man]) or Mac Duibhir (son of the dark brown [man]). This variant is found in counties Sligo and Roscommon.

Irish Ancestors also includes information from the surname dictionary Sloinnte na hÉireann. According to this dictionary, the surname Dyer is found in county Mayo, Belfast, and scattered other areas. Dyer is an English occupational name. It is also a form of the Irish name Mac Duibhir, and is also found as MacDyer.

My known Dyer ancestors are:

2nd-great-grandmother: Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer
born 8 October 1863, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennesssee
married John William Morton Gatlin 26 June 1881, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee
died 20 January 1945, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois

3rd-great-grandfather: Michael Dyer
born about 1829, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
married Mary
died 3 June 1870, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee

Sunday's Obituary: John Cox

Daily American (Nashville, TN), 3 August 1878, page 4

DIED.

  COX –On the 2d of August, JOHN COX.
  The funeral will take place from the residence o T. Fagan, North Vine street, at 2 o'clock P.M. to-day (Saturday), to which friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited.

John Cox was the second husband of my 3rd-great-grandmother Mary, the widow of Michael Dyer. They married on 10 April 1871 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Nashville, Tennessee. They had four children: Annie (born about 1872); Thomas (born 6 March 1875), William, (born about 1876), and Nellie (born October 1877). He died on 2 August 1878. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Nashville (Section 10, Lot 3, Space 2).

Black Sheep Sunday: William D. Gatlin Robs His Own Family

Nashville Tennesseean and Nashville American, 22 September 1912

After my great-grandfather' brother William D. Gatlin escaped from jail in Bloomington, Indiana, he went to Nashville, Tennessee. He broken into the home of Walter J. Hughes and stole jewelry and $5. Although the above clipping states that W. J. Hughes was his cousin, he was actually William's uncle by marriage. Walter J. Hughes married Mary "Mollie" Dyer (William's mother's sister) on 11 February 1882.

52 Ancestors: Week 50 "Naughty": Michael J. Dyer

Many members of my family would be good choices for this week's 52 Ancestors theme, "Naughty." I have written about many of them already. I keep finding more and more "black sheep." This week I will focus on my 2nd-great-grandmother's brother Michael J. "Mike" Dyer, who only recently was added to the "naughty list" of relatives after I did more research in newspapers.

Mike was born about 1868 in Tennessee, probably Nashville (his family's place of residence). He was the son of Irish immigrants Mary and Michael Dyer. In 1870, Mike's father committed suicide. His mother remarried John Cox in 1871, but was widowed in 1878.

In 1884, Mike and his friends Patrick Kane and David Hanley (or Harley) ran away from home. Mike stole $40 from his mother's grocery store and got on a train in Nashville. They stopped at Louisville, Kentucky to buy revolvers, and then got off the train in Cincinnati, Ohio. They wanted to go West. They had been reading about Jesse James and Buffalo Bill, and wanted to scalp Indians and experience the Wild West. But they were hungry and broke, so they tried to sell their guns, and were arrested. Telegraphs were sent to their families.

Daily American (Nashville, TN), 17 April 1884, page 4

The "Bound for the Plains" article, which was published in the 17 April 1884 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer,was reprinted in the Nashville newspaper Daily American, 18 April 1884.

 

Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 April 1884, page 4

In May 1888, Mike was charged with assault with intent to kill.

Daily American (Nashville, TN), 8 May 1888, page 4

In February 1892, Mike shot at William Dunn, who was engaged in a fight with Dave Farrell, and one of the bullets hit Dunn's thigh. Mike's half-brother Tom Cox then whipped out a knife and cut Dunn's neck.

Daily American (Nashville. TN), 27 February 1892, page 3

Shortly afterward, Mike appeared in City Court on the charges of assault with and carrying a pistol and shooting in corporate limits.

 Daily American (Nashville, TN), 1 March 1892, page 3

In 1893, Mike was charged with carrying weapons.

Daily American (Nashville, TN), 6 September 1893, page 4

In September 1894, Mike was arrested for gaming and was fined $10.

Nashville Daily American, 11 September 1894, page 6

On December 12, 1895, Mike and Charles Neyman got into a fight.  Charles, who claimed that Mike started the fight, hit Mike on the head with a hammer. Mike's skull was fractured, and several pieces of bone had to be removed. It was reported that he would recover.

Nashville American, 14 December 1895, page 6

However, on 24 December 1895, Mike died at his mother's home.

Nashville American, 25 December 1895, page 5

Two days after Mike's death notice was published, an item appeared in the newspaper which provided more information. Mike died of "congestion of brain."  He must have died as a result of the blow on his head. I wonder if Charles Neylan was charged with murder. He should have been.

Nashville American, 27 December 1895, page 5

Mike's half-brother William Cox died on 2 March 1896. When William was buried, Mike's body was removed from a vault and buried at the same time.

Nashville American, 3 March 1896, page 4

Black Sheep Sunday: Mike Dyer Arrested for Gambling

In early September 1894, the Nashville, Tennessee police officers visited gambling rooms at least twenty-five times within a week. They made some arrests, and one of the men arrested was my 2nd-great-grandmother's brother Mike Dyer.

Nashville Daily American, 10 September 1894, page 5

On 10 September 1894, Mike Dyer was fined $10.

 Nashville Daily American, 11 September 1894, page 6

This was not the first time that Mike Dyer had been arrested for gambling. On 28 August 1890, he was fined $10 for gaming.

 Daily American, 29 August 1890, page 5

52 Ancestors: Week 37 "Large Family": Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer

Since this week's 52 Ancestors theme is "Large Family," it is a good time to write about my 2nd-great-grandmother Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer, who was the mother of ten children.

Sadie was born in Nashville, Tennessee on 8 October 1863. She was the second child of Mary and Michael Dyer. Her older sister, Mary E. "Mollie" Dyer, was born about 1860. Mollie and Sadie had a younger brother, Michael J. Dyer, who was born about 1868.

Sadie's parents had a troubled marriage. Her father physically abused her mother. When Sadie was six and a half years old, her father committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.

Sadie's mother Mary married John Cox in 1871. Mary and John had four children: Annie Cox, born about 1872; Thomas "Tom" Cox, born on 6 March 1875; William Cox, born about 1876; and Nellie Cox, born October 1877. John Cox died in 1878.

On 26 June 1881, Sadie married John William Morton Gatlin (usually known as William M. Gatlin).

Davidson County, Tennessee marriage license, William M. Gatlin and Sarah C. Dyer. 25 June 1881. Nashville, Tennessee: Metropolitan Government Archives.

William and Sadie were the parents of ten children:

Mary Florence Gatlin (born 1 September 1882): She was probably named after William's sister Mary Florence Gatlin, who died in 1881. Also, William and Sadie's mothers were both named Mary.

Henry Brown Gatlin (my great-grandfather, born 28 June 1884): In the 1890s, Sadie's brother Michael worked for a man named Henry Brown. My great-grandfather may have been named after this man. He may have been a relative, but if he is, I have not yet discovered the connection.

William D. Gatlin (born 10 December 1866): He was probably named after William's father William Dow Gatlin. Also, his father was named William, and Sadie's half-brother was named William.

John Reynold Gatlin (born 10 April 1889): His father was enumerated in the 1860 United States Census as "John W. M. Gatlin." Sadie's stepfather and William's paternal grandfather were named John.

Anna Elizabeth Gatlin (born 3 December 1890): She may have been named after Sadie's half-sister Annie Cox.

Walter Raymond Gatlin (born 16 October 1893)

Michael Joseph Gatlin (born 9 April 1896): He was probably named after Sadie's brother Michael J. Dyer. He may also have been named after Sadie's father.

Clarence Joseph Gatlin (born 9 September 1898): He was probably named after William's brother Clarence Bateman Gatlin.

Bruce E. Gatlin (born 26 December 1900): He was probably named after Andrew Marshall, who was one of the founders of Marshall & Bruce (William's longtime employer).

Marshall J. Gatlin (born 24 June 1903): He was probably named after J. H. Bruce, who was one of the founders of Marshall & Bruce (William's longtime employer).

Sadie's son Henry and his wife had moved to Chicago, Illinois by 1910. William and Sadie and most of their children followed them there shortly afterward. Florence and her husband were living in Bloomington, Indiana, and William D. was in the Southern Illinois Penitentiary. Most of Sadie's siblings had passed away by the time that the family left Nashville  (Michael in 1895, William in 1896, Annie in 1898, Mollie in 1902, and Tom in 1905 (he committed suicide to escape execution for killing a police officer). William's father died in 1911. They may have wanted to make a fresh start elsewhere and be near their grandson Henry Cornelius Gatlin (my paternal grandfather.)

My grandfather was raised Catholic. I don't think his mother was Catholic before her marriage, and his father, who had bigamously married his mother, does not seem the religious type. I suspect that Sadie may have insisted that her grandson be raised Catholic; she was from a Catholic family.

When Sadie's son Henry filed for divorce from his first wife, Sadie testified in court on his behalf. (She did not mention that he had already remarried and had a son.)

Superior Court of Cook County, Illinois. Henry B. Gatlin vs. Rose Gatlin, case no. 320403. Certificate of Evidence. Testimony of Sadie C. Gatlin, 18 March 1916.

Sadie outlived four of her children. Her son Michael died of bronchopneumonia in 1918. In 1919, her son William was shot by a guard in the Illinois State Prison (Joliet) after he attempted to attack another guard and refused to obey orders. Her son Marshall died of tuberculous peritonitis in 1923. Sadie's husband William died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1933, and their daughter Florence died of organic heart disease in 1944.

According to the 1940 United States Census, Sadie had completed eighth grade.

1940 United States Census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, population schedule, enumeration district 103-2845, sheet no. 12A. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Sadie died of myocarditis on 20 January 1945 in St. Joseph's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. She had also been suffering from arteriosclerosis. Her parents' names were listed as "unknown" on her death certificate (which was very disappointing to me, since I am still searching for her mother's maiden name.) The informant was "hospital records." I wonder why none of her children supplied information.

Certificate of death, Sadie C. Gatlin. State of Illinois, Department of Public Health. No. 2015. 20 January 1945.

Chicago Tribune, 21 January 1945, page A6

Sadie was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery in River Grove, Cook County, Illinois.

World Suicide Prevention Day

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day.You can make a difference by reaching out to those who are considering suicide. By doing so, you may save a life! Having someone who will listen in a non-judgmental way can make a person feel less alone.

It is also important to reach out to those who have lost a loved one to suicide. These people experience a range of emotions, and may blame themselves for the death of their loved one. They need nonjudgmental support.

In many family trees, there will be one or more people that have committed suicide. One member of my family that committed suicide was my 3rd-great-grandfather Michael Dyer. It is obvious that alcohol played a role in his death. He may have dealt with his problems by drinking heavily.

Nashville Republican Banner, 5 June 1870, page 4

Nashville Union and American, 5 June 1870, page 4

For more information on suicide prevention, look at the World Suicide Prevention Day PDF and the World Suicide Prevention Day Facts and Figures PowerPoint presentation.

Sunday's Obituary: Mary E. "Mollie" (Dyer) Hughes

Nashville American, 13 August 1902, page 7

From the August 13, 1902 issue of the Nashville American:

HUGHES – Tuesday morning, at 7:45 o'clock, Aug. 12, 1902, at her residence, 318 Peabody street, Mollie Dyer Hughes, wife of Walter J. and mother of Miss Lady and Barney Rood Hughes.
   Funeral from residence as above Thursday morning, Aug. 14, 1902, at 8:30 o'clock. Services at St. Patrick's Church at 9 o'clock, with requiem high mass.
   Interment at Mt. Olivet.
   Carriages from Wiles & Karsch.
                                                 ________________________________

Mary E. "Mollie" Dyer Hughes was the oldest child of my 3rd-great-grandparents Mary and Michael Dyer. Census records give three different birthplaces for her: Missouri, Kentucky, and Louisiana. She was enumerated with her parents in St. Louis, Missouri in the 1860 United States Census when she was a baby (age 1/12 according to the census), so she was probably born in St. Louis, Missouri. On 11 February 1882, she married Walter J. Hughes in Davidson County, Tennessee. Their daughter Helen M. "Lady" Hughes was born in December 1882, and their son Barney Rood Hughes was born on 25 October 1889. Mollie died of uterine cancer on 12 August 1902 in Nashville, Tennessee.

52 Ancestors: Week 26 "Halfway": Annie Cox

The theme for Week 26 of the 52 Ancestors Challenge is "Halfway." I have chosen to write about Annie Cox because she was my great-great-grandmother Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer's half-sister, and because her life was short (actually, less than half the length that she could have lived).

Annie was born about 1872 in Tennessee (probably Nashville, since that is where her family lived). She was the first child that my 3rd-great-grandmother Mary had with her second husband John Cox. Annie lost her father when she was about six years old; John Cox died in 1878. In 1880, Mary Cox headed the household. Annie was then known as Nannie. She and her older half-brother Mike Dyer were attending school.

1880 United States census, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, enumeration district 43, page no. 38. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 

The 1895-1897 Nashville city directories list Annie as an operator working at 180 N. College. While researching my Tarkington relatives (on another line), I learned that this was the Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph Co. Annie and my other relatives were telephone operators. Annie lived in the household of her mother, who was a grocer. They were listed at a different address in each directory.

Nashville City Directory, vol. 31, 1895. Joel Davis, comp. Nashville: Marshall & Bruce. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Nashville City Directory, vol. 32, 1896. Joel Davis, comp. Nashville: Marshall & Bruce. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Nashville City Directory, vol. 33, 1897. Joel Davis, comp. Nashville: Marshall & Bruce. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. 

Annie lost two siblings during this time. Her older half-brother Michael J. Dyer died of congestion of the brain on 24 December 1895, and her younger brother William Cox died from abscess of the lungs on 2 March 1896.

Annie died in Nashville, Tennessee on 19 July 1898. She was only 26 years old. Her cause of death was pulmonary tuberculosis. Her funeral was held at the Cathedral of Nashville (now St. Mary's Catholic Church). She was buried in Calvary Cemetery,  Section 10, Lot 3, Space 11 on 20 July 1898.

My great-great-grandmother Sadie (Dyer) Gatlin's daughter Anna Elizabeth Gatlin may have been named after Annie (whose given name was probably Anna.)

Annie Cox death record. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Tennessee City Death Records Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis 1848-1907. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Annie Cox death record (2nd half of page.) Ancestry.com. Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Tennessee City Death Records Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis 1848-1907. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives.

 Nashville Banner, 20 July 1898, page 7

St. Patrick's Day

Since today is St. Patrick's Day, I am posting newspaper items from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle that were published on St. Patrick's Day between 1851 and 1870. My 4th-great-grandparents Hugh Winters and Mary Bennet and their children arrived in New York in 1849 and settled in Brooklyn. Their son John, my 3rd-great-grandfather, left Brooklyn (he was in Tonawanda, New York by 1859), but Hugh and other members of the family remained in Brooklyn. They had come from Leith, Scotland, but Hugh was born in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, Ireland, and Mary was also born in Ireland.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 17 March 1851, page 3

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 17 March 1860, page 2

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 17 March 1865, page 2

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 17 March 1870, page 13

Other Irish ancestors of mine are Anna "Ann" Walker and her mother Ann, Mary Nevins, and Michael Dyer (from County Roscommon) and his wife Mary.

52 Ancestors: Week 3 "Tough Woman": Mary (Unknown) Dyer Cox

For Week 3 of the 52 Ancestors Challenge, Amy Johnson Crow's optional theme is Tough Woman: "Who is a tough, strong woman in your family tree? Or what woman has been tough to research?" My 3rd-great-grandmother Mary is both. Although have had some success researching her, I still do not know her maiden name, her date of birth, her birthplace in Ireland, or the date and place of her first marriage.

Mary was born about 1835 according to the 1860 United States Census, the earliest record of her that I have found. Her date of birth varies in records and she seems to have gotten younger as the years passed!

In 1860, Mary lived with her husband Michael Dyer and their baby daughter Mary in St. Louis, Missouri. Another family also lived in their household: Martin and Anne Wallace and their children Sarah, William, Ellen, and James. Martin and Anne were both born in Ireland. Based on the women's ages, country of birth, and the names of family members, I think that Anne may have been Mary's sister. Unfortunately I have not been able to locate the Wallace family in later records.

According to the 1860 and 1900 United States censuses, Michael and Mary's daughter Mary (also known as Mollie) was born in Missouri. However, according to the 1870 United States census, she was born in Kentucky, and according to the 1880 United States census, she was born in Louisiana. The Dyer family may have lived in these states. They were in Nashville, Tennessee by the time that my 2nd-great-grandmother Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer was born on 8 October 1863.

In January 1866, Michael Dyer left Nashville, and left his family. Mary placed an advertisement in the Boston Pilot, beginning 6 October 1866, in hopes of locating him. Michael eventually returned to his family. Michael and Mary's son Michael was born about 1868.

On 20 June 1868, Mary was bound over for appearance before Justices Smith and Mathews for using abusive language toward Ellen Foley. The costs were paid on 26 June 1868.

On 21 October 1869, Mary's husband Michael was arrested for badly beating her. On 22 October 1869, Mary filed for divorce. On 25 October 1869, Michael stabbed Mary in the face, breast, and shoulders. She was so badly injured that it was not known if she would recover. A Kentucky newspaper actually reported that she had died! She did not go through with the divorce, but her marriage ended on 3 June 1870, when her husband committed suicide. Later that month, Mary and her three children were enumerated in the 1870 United States census in the household of Jasper Cohen.

On 10 April 1871, Mary married John Cox at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Nashville. They had four children: Nannie, later known as Annie, born about 1872; Thomas, born 6 March 1875; William, born about 1876; and Nellie, born October 1877. In the 1880 United States census, Mary was listed as a widow.

Mary ran a grocery and saloon. On 19 May 1892, she applied for a building permit for a fence.The cost was $20.

Mary outlived all but two of her children. Her son Michael Dyer died from congestion of the brain on 24 December 1895. Her son William Cox died of abscess of the lungs on 2 March 1896. Her daughter Annie Cox died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 19 July 1898. Her daughter Mary "Mollie" (Dyer) Hughes died of uterine cancer on 12 August 1902. Her son Thomas "Tom" Cox was convicted of murder and sentenced to death, but on 3 May 1905, before he could be executed, he committed suicide in the Davidson County Jail in Nashville.

By 1900, Mary was living alone. She died of capillary bronchitis in Nashville, Tennessee on 10 November 1906. Her funeral was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, and she was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Nashville on 11 November 1906.

Nashville Union and Dispatch, 21 June 1868, page 3

Nashville Union and Dispatch, 27 June 1868, page 3

Nashville Union and Dispatch, 23 October 1869, page 4

 Pulaski Citizen, 5 November 1869, page 4. Another example of a premature obituary!

Davidson County, Tennessee marriage license, John Cox and Mary Dyer. 10 April 1871. Nashville, Tennessee: Metropolitan Government Archives.

Davidson County, Tennessee marriage license and return, John Cox and Mary Dyer. 10 April 1871. Nashville, Tennessee: Metropolitan Government Archives.

 Nashville City Directory. Vol. 26, 1890. Compiled by Joel Davis. Nashville, Tennessee: Marshall & Bruce, 1890. Page 225. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Mary Cox death certificate, 10 November 1906. Tennessee City Death Records: Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis 1848-1907. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Available from Ancestry.com. Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. 

Nashville American, 11 November 1906, page 17