Honora "Hannah" Burke was born in Ballyoughtra Townland near Loughine in Creagh Civil Parish, County Cork, Ireland about July 1857, and was baptized on July 18, 1857, the third daughter of Timothy Randall Burke and Honora "Norry" Donoghue.
Honora "Hannah" Burke was baptized in Aughadown, near the Skibbereen area in the Diocese of Cork and Ross. Her godparents are Timothy Burke (a cousin of her father), and Ellen Donohue, probably a relative of her mother.
Honora "Hannah" Burke grew up near Lough Hyne/Loughine, one of several siblings:
Honora "Hannah" Burke obtained a marriage license on May 15, 1888 and married Daniel James Reagan, born 1867 on June 3, 1888 in Boston, Massachusetts. Daniel James Reagan/Regan is the son of John Regan and Honora Unknown Regan.
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan and her husband Daniel James Regan had several children:
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan is enumerated on the 1900 United States Federal Census for ED 1419 Precinct 1, Boston City Ward 18, Suffolk County, Massachusetts as age 39, which is four years younger than indicated by her baptismal records in Ireland. She is recorded as having immigrated to the USA in 1884, which is 16 years prior. She is married to Daniel "Reagan", age 32 (born about 1868 according to this census) who works as a Day Laborer. Her occupation is not listed, however, the couple has four children by 1900, so we know she was busy raising her children. Here is how the family is listed on the 1900 US Federal Census:
Household - Role - Sex - Age - Birthplace
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan lost her son William, age 16, to Pernicious Anaema on March 18, 1909. William died in Boston City Hospital after being hospitalized for almost two weeks since March 5, 1909. The family was living at 19 Burke Street in 1909.
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan is enumerated on the 1910 United States Census for Boston Ward 18 ED 1525, Suffolk County, Massachusetts living with the same husband Daniel Regan and some of the same children but she is now 55 years old, which may have been an estimate, as her baptismal records would put her at about 53 years old. Son William is no longer listed with the household, and another child, Anna, has joined the family about 1902:
Household - Role - Sex - Age - Birthplace
Hannah and Daniel live at the same address in 1910 as the Harry Goveran family, at 13 1/2 Burke Street, perhaps in a duplex or two-flat. Daniel Reagan, now age 50, is working as a Building laborer, and they are renting their home. Daniel is a Naturalized Citizen.
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan's oldest daughter Mary C. Regan married on January 17, 1911, less than a year after the 1910 United States Federal Census was taken.
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan is found again enumerated on the 1920 United States Census for Suffolk County, Massachusetts, age 56, another age estimate, living at 14 Sarsfield Street with her husband Daniel, also age 56, and three of their grown children. Both Daniel and Hannah are now Naturalized Citizens, and because of the 19th US Constitutional Amendment, Hannah is also eligible to vote for the first time. Daniel Regan is a Laborer for the City and all three children have jobs. Hannah's role as housekeeper and homemaker is listed as "None", but we know she was still busy with housework.
Household - Role - Sex - Age - Birthplace
Her son James workers as a Chauffer Contractor, her daughter Elizabeth works as a Secretary in an Office and her daughter Annie works as a Telephone Operator in 1920. Elizabeth and Annie are not yet old enough to vote, but will be in a the next few years. The Regan family lived at the same address as the Doyle family, probably in a two-family rental home. The Doyles are not likely to be related, as they are from Nova Scotia in Canada.
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan had six or eight children, including: Mary 1889, William 1892, James 1895, Elizabeth 1899, Annie ~1902 who married Mr. Grant. Her children were spread out in birth dates enough that they do not all appear on the same census.
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan was a big help to her brother Randal Burke's family because sponsored her niece Honora Partricia Burke to come to America in 1905. This sponsorship enabled the family to begin slowly bringing all six of her brother's children to America through chain migration.
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan is not found yet on the 1930 Census, but may be the Hannah Regan, age 80, who is a patient at the State Hospital in Worcester Gardner City, Gardner, Ward 1, Worcester County, Massachusetts as enumerated on the 1940 United States Federal Census, and who was also residing at the State Hospital in 1935. We don't know if she was a ward of the state or if she was receiving the new Social Security payments given to old people. She never had a job outside the home, however her husband had been a worker. This Hannah Regan is listed as Single, however she could be a widow and not able to care for herself. Our Hannah Regan had three deaths in her family in the same month, and this could have been traumatic. But we can not yet proof that is the same Hannah Regan who is in the State Hospital at Worcester, Massachusetts.
Hannah Burke was still alive in 1943 or 1945 during World War II when visited by a nephew , but died soon after 1945.
Hannah Burke Ragan lost her husband one Saturday, her son or son-in-law the next Saturday, and her grandson the third Saturday. We are not sure if the deaths had similar causes, but the 1919 Spanish flu and similar outbreaks of disease are possible causes. The deaths all occurred before 1943. Family disruptions due to these deaths may be the reason we are having trouble finding Hannah on the 1930 US Census for Massachusetts.
Honora "Hannah" Burke Regan passed away December 16, 1947 in Dorchester or Worchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
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B > Burke | R > Regan > Honora E. Ellen (Burke) Regan
Categories: Ballyoughtera Townland, Creagh Parish, County Cork | Massachusetts, Immigrants from Ireland | Dorchester, Massachusetts | Suffolk County, Massachusetts | Ballyoughtera, Burke Name Study