My Irish Family in Early San Francisco

This is my great-great-great grandmother, Ann McLaughlin Doherty (1835-1915), who lived at 35 Elsie St. We believe that is the location of this photo. She is recorded at this address in the 1907 San Francisco City directory. She lived here until her death. Her son John continued to live there through the mid-1930's. Her daughter, Ann Doherty Coxe, lived next door at 33 Elsie with her husband Edgar and son William. She lived here until her death in 1921. In the 1930 census John is listed at 55 Elsie with his nephew William living next door at 53 Elsie. I am wondering if the street was re-numbered. In 1936, at the time of John's death, he was living with his sister Mrs. Elizabeth Levenberg at 55 Elsie.
Ann was born in Ireland, about 1835.  Her sister Kate also came to the United States and lived in San Francisco as well. Ann and her husband Roger Doherty had arrived in New York by 1861, for the birth of their son, William. Daughter Ann was born in New York in 1865.  Ann and Roger had four more children: Mary, Elizabeth, Lillie and John, all born in San Francisco, CA.  From at least 1880 to
after 1890 the family lived at 823 Harrison. Roger died in 1891 and was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery, which was located between Masonic and Parker, and Geary and Turk.  He was later "removed" to Holy Cross in Colma, (no actual remains were found to re-bury).
Ann and family lived on Harriet St.; I found listings at both 17 and 45 Harriet.  After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the family relocated to the Bernal Heights neighborhood, which is the Elsie St. address shown in the picture above.
Ann's oldest grandchild was my great-grandmother, Claire Davidson Steele, a.k.a. Mammy (1897-1993).
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my Irish family!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

My great grandfather, John Henry Golden (1873-1949) and his siblings were born in Drumacoo, which is a landholding outside of Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, Ireland. Landholders like John Henry's parents were tenant famers, or just tenants, meaning that they didn't own the property they lived on. You can see a map of the area here.
For those of you who thought the family was from Co. Mayo, the county borders changed in 1899, and what was once in Mayo is now in Roscommon. You can see on the map that Drumacoo is also very close to the border with Co. Sligo.  Martha Golden visited Drumacoo a few years back and she sent me these pictures.

If any of you are interested in buying a piece of our ancestral homeland, you might want to check out this property.

I've been trying to expand my information for the Golden family and recently searched and purchased some records from the County Roscommon Heritage & Genealogy Company .  I previously had them conduct a search for records of John Henry Golden's birth, but they didn't find anything, but suggested that there might be records on other family members.  I was able to find the church marriage record for Thomas Golden and Mary Coleman who were married on 1 Dec 1866 in the parish of Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon.  They were Roman Catholic and the witnesses were Thomas and Mary Sharkett.  No other information was recorded.  I found civil birth and church baptism records for John Henry's siblings Winifred (1867), Brigid and her twin, Patrick (1871), and Margaret (1876).  All list the parents as Thomas Golden and Mary Coleman, Roman Catholics from Drumacoo, Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon, although Drumacoo is spelled all different ways (Dremacoo, Dromachro, Drimachoo, Dremecoo); that's just the fun of genealogy!  I can't figure why John Henry doesn't have any records.  If anyone takes a trip to Ireland (or wants to send me), I have a mission for you!  I have sent for John Henry's death record to see if it has any clues. 

Winifred, Bridgid and Margaret all came to the United States, to Montana.  John Henry was listed as the destination on Margaret's ship arrival record, and Winifred, John Henry and Margaret were all living together in Anaconda in 1900.  Brigid married John Francis "Frank" O'Connell, lived in Helena, MT and moved to Oregon between 1920 and 1930.  After the 1900 census I have essentially no records for Winifred or Margaret.  I think Winifred died that year as I saw a mention about the administration of the estate of Winifred Dolan (her married name) in the Anaconda Standard in Sept. 1900.  She did have 3 daughters, Winifred, Mary and Margaret, but I don't know what became of them.  There aren't records available on-line to help figure out these mysteries.  Some library, cemetery and county record searches are the next steps.

Mame Towey's Passport

Ancestry.com has U.S. passport applications dated from 1795 to 1925 including this one submitted by our own Mame Towey! This is what it says:
I, Yonovera Towey, a native and loyal citizen of the United States, hereby apply to the Department of State, at Washington, for a passport. I solemnly swear that I was born at Providence in the state of Rhode Island on the 5th day of October 1878 and that my father, Patrick Towey was born in Ireland and that he emigrated to the United States from the port of Queenstown (Ireland) on or about October 1859; that he resided 42 years, uninterruptedly in the United States from 1880 to 1921 at St. Paul, Minnesota; and that I am domiciled in the United States, my permanent residence being at Chicago in the State of Illinois where I follow the occupation commercial traveller. I am about to go abroad temporarily; and I intend to return to the United States within 2 months with the purpose of residing and performing the duties of citizenship therein; and I desire a passport for use in visiting the countries hereinafter named for the following purpose: pleasure; France, Belgium, Holland, England. I intend to leave the United States from the port of New York sailing on board the S.S. Rochambeau on July 23rd, 1921. An oath of allegiance is signed 30 June 1921.
The reverse has a description and the picture above:
Age: 42 years, Stature: 5' 4", Forehead: high; Eyes: hazel; Nose: ordinary; Mouth: large; Chin: round; Hair: brown; Complexion: medium; Face: oval
The passport is to be sent to 334 Fourth Ave., c/o H.W. Gossard Co., New York City.
There is also a letter from Mame's sister, Dorothy Towey Titus, attesting to Mame's birth in Rhode Island.