Beauty99 - -
As always with genealogy research there are a few surprises and yours
is no exception. So read on because we have MORE than a couple for
you!
First, your grandfather is listed in the 1930 Census as Joseph P.
Fitzgibbons, age 40, a homeowner at 409 Lyndhurst Street, Baltimore,
MD. The estimated value of the home is $5,400 and they own a radio (a
question asked for the 1st time in 1930). He is a foreman for a steam
railroad.
He was born in Maryland - - and as you’ll see in a minute it was
almost certainly in Baltimore. Here’s what else we know about him:
* the 1930 Census information on him is in ED 341, page 3A, taken
April 3, 1930. If you have access to census microfilms (and I’ll
explain more in a minute), it’s roll T626-864.
* he was born in Maryland and both of his parents were born in Irish
Free State.
* he married for the 1st time at age 39.
* his wife is Agnes Cole Fitzgibbon, age 32. She married for the 1st
time at age 21. Her mother, Susanna R. Cole is 65, widowed and living
with them. Susanna was born in Maryland; so too were her parents.
* the children are:
-- Mary A., 10
-- John J., 8
-- Joseph P. J., 4
All of this information comes from the census microfilms at the
National Archive Records Administration (NARA). What comes next is
more interesting.
I hopped back to 1910 to see if we could find Joseph P. Fitzgibbons.
The only Fitzgibbons that I can find in the 1910 Census close to his
age is listed as Patrick J. Fitzgibbons, 21. He’s working in the
machine shop for a railroad and living with his parents.
While we can’t be certain that this is your grandfather, several
things lead me to believe that it is:
1. my own family experience often sees names reversed in documents.
My grandmother is alternately listed as Mae Maude or Maude Mae and
it’s so confused my cousins that we can argue for hours about her
given name.
2. his age and the origin of parents match.
3. there are only two Fitzgibbons families in Maryland in the 1910
Census and this is the only potential match. Plus we know that your
grandfather was born in Maryland.
4. he’s working for the railroad in 1910 and 1930.
Here are the details on the family that would be your GREAT
grandfather’s, from the 1910 Census. This information is on microfilm
roll T624-559; ward 19. It is ED 320, page 2B and was taken on April
15, 1910:
** John J. Fitzgibbons, 44, married for 25 years, born in
Ireland-England of parents from Ireland-England. Occupation: moulder
for a railroad; rents the house at 1520 W. Pratt Street. He can read
and write.
** Johanna T. Fitzgibbons, 40, wife and also married for 25 years,
born in Ireland-England of parents from Ireland-England. She’s had 8
children, 7 of whom are living. She’s not employed; she can read and
write.
The children are all living at home, they’re all born in Maryland and
all are single at the time of :
-- Mary A., 24, cashier in an office
-- Patrick J., 21, working in the railroad machine shop
-- John J. Jr., 18, a laborer for street maintenance
-- Danie A.E., 17, apprentice with the railroad
-- Jeremiah M., 14, student
-- Katherine C., 12, student
-- Thomas W., 10, student
There is one other person in the household too: a nephew, Patrick J.
Murphy, 20, who’s working as a laborer for the railroad. Patrick was
born in Maryland of parents from Ireland-England.
There is a bit of a surprise in the Fitzgibbons 1910 Census records -
- they don’t indicate date of emigration nor even whether or not the
parents are U.S. citizens. In some communities it was tracked
carefully; in this community the pages are blank for those categories.
The Google search strategy for this was to use Census microfilms for
1910 and 1930, knowing were he lived in 1930 and guessing that he’d
also be present at age 20 in Maryland. You can duplicate some of this
same research and include different years using any of three online
services:
1. http://www.ancestry.com (a fee-based service)
2. AncestryPlus, a service available via many public libraries. The
database lookup capabilities for AncestryPlus are generally weaker
than Ancestry.com
3. Heritage Quest, an online service also available via many public
libraries. The same limitations in the database apply here - - it’s
proven not to be complete.
You can also use the facilities of NARA, which has regional offices.
I used the Seattle NARA office to do these searches:
National Archive Records Administration
"Research Room"
http://www.archives.gov/research_room/index.html
My next recommendation would be to get your grandfather’s birth
certificate from the state or city:
State of Maryland
"Vital Records"
http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/html/vitalrec.htm
Several researchers suggested using the Social Security death index to
try tracking Mr. Fitzgibbons. You'll find about three entries with
first name John which could be him; another three under Joseph (based
on an 1889-1891 birthdate).
I hope that you’re as excited about finding this information as this
researcher was when it turned up!
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA |
