Here is my “brick wall,” my great-grandmother Elizabeth Gorman who was born in Ireland and came over to the USA as a child. Here is what I know, mostly from family word of mouth and census information.
Full name at birth: Elizabeth (“Lizzie”) Gorman. birth date: December 1865. birth place: Ireland (She listed “Irish Free State” on 1930 census). death date: She is not listed in the 1940 census. death place: New Jersey USA. parent's names: unknown HOWEVER, she had at least 2 or 3 sisters, named Ann, Maggie and Tully?? spouse: John Henry Borgquist. spouse's birth date: August 1862. spouse's birth place: New York, New York. spouse: death date:About 1953. marriage date:19 February 1884. marriage place: St. Ambrose Church, 222 Tompkins Ave., Brooklyn, NY . Married by Rev D. J. Sheehy. Marriage witnesses: Thomas O’Connor, Maggie Gorman. Certified by Rev. Cletus G. Kerns, CPPS, July 22, 1939. immigration/emigration (date and details, did they come together?): all I have is a date: 1873 (or possibly 1883 census records have both dates). religion:Catholic Family attended Our Lady of the Valley at Valley Road, West Orange NJ. If immigrated, residence in US: unknown but probably New York City or Brooklyn before she married and lived in New Jersey (West Orange per 1930 census). Children with birth date and place: Ambrose Timothy Borgquist 18 October 1887 New York City. Josephine Borgquist November 1888 New York. Margaret Agnes Borgquist (McCrea) 28 March 1891 Mitchell Street, West Orange NJ. Mary Elizabeth Borgquist (Kipple) 1893 New Jersey. John W. Borgquist 14 August 1898 West Orange NJ. Sylvester Borgquist 2 November 1900 West Orange NJ. Joseph David Borgquist 10 February 1903 New Jersey.
That seems like a good deal of information, but I cannot find her parents’ names, nor where she was born in Ireland, the name of her ship, nor where she lived (with her parents?) when she arrived in the US. Information about her siblings would also be very welcome. Another blank is her death date. As many of you know, there was a fire that destroyed so much census information, and I believe this might be how her information was lost. I now live 650 miles from the old home place so research is difficult. Unfortunately, I have no memories of her, and all her children and grandchildren have passed now. However, I have very fond memories of her husband. Any and all help would be very appreciated. Thank you so much.
