John Clair (abt. 1859 - 1910)

Born about 18 Aug 1859 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 18 Aug 1910 at about age 51 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Derlin Clair [send private message]

Biography

John Clair was born in New Orleans to Irish immigrant parents, Garret Clare and Martha O'Neil. He gave his birth date as August 1859 on his 1900 census entry, but does not appear on his parents' census return for 04 June 1860, so he was quite likely born shortly after that census in August1860.

The June 1870 census has John aged 11 with his parents Garrett and Martha in the 8th ward of New Orleans: G. Clair (33, male, born Ireland, laborer), M. (28, female, born Ireland, keeping house), and five children, all at home and born in Louisiana. They had three sons, J. (11), J. (9), M. (7) and two daughters, C. (4), M.A. (2 months).^[1] Their firstborn son, Henry, is not listed, believed to be deceased. We know John is the eldest surviving son, with younger brothers Joseph and Michael, and sisters Catherine and Mary Ann.

In the census of 03 Jun 1880, John was living with his widowed mother at 532 Rampart Street: Martha Clayer (40, wash woman), John (20, candy maker), Joseph (17, laborer), Kate (13, at school), Mary (8), Garret (6)^[2]

John married Margaret Coyle about 1883 (according to their 17 years of marriage in 1900). The family is recorded in the census of 14 Jun 1900 living at 3119 Royal Street in the City of New Orleans:^[3] John Clair (age 40, born Aug 1859), Margaret (age 40, born Jan 1860), Pauline (age 15, born Jun 1884), John L. (age 12, born Jan 1888), Elizabeth C. (age 11, born Apr 1889), Edward W. (age 8, born Oct 1891), Joseph (age 6, born Jan 1893), Olivia C. (age 1, born Feb 1899). Margaret and John had also had a seventh child who had died before the census.

Note: The ages and birth dates John and Margaret gave the census taker were their best guess, about half were right. See list below for actual birth dates, from birth registration records.

John and Margaret had one more child by the time of the census of 23 Apr 1910, but were still living at 3119 Royal Street.^[4]: John Clair (49), Margaret (49), John L. (22), Lizzie C. (20), William E. (18), Joseph J. (16), Catherine G. (11), Albertine E. (9). John's brother in law Thomas Moran, a 52 year old painter, lived with them. John and his namesake eldest son were both laborers on odd jobs; Lizzie was a servant with a private family; William worked for a jeweler as an errand boy; Joseph was a check boy at a department store. Margaret and the two youngest girls were at home.

Children of John Clair & Margaret Coyle:

• Mary Pauline Clair, born 06 Jun 1885 ^[5]
• John Louis Clair, born 22 Jan 1888 ^[6]
• Elizabeth Cecelia Clair, born 16 Apr 1890 ^[7]
• Wm Edward Clair, born 16 Oct 1891 ^[8]
• Joseph Clair, born 28 Jan 1894 ^[9]
• Catherine Olivia Clair, born 13 Feb 1899 ^[10]
• Albertine Clair, born 16 Apr 1901 ^[11]

John Clair died 18 Aug 1910 at the age of 51 and was buried the next day.^[12]

New Orleans Public Library has two obituaries for John:^[13]

• Daily Picayune, 19 Aug 1910, Page 6, column 4
• Daily Picayune, 21 Aug 1910, Page 6, column 1, section 2

Sources

1. ↑ Garrett & Martha Clair & family in 1870 census of New Orleans 8th ward, page 81, line 23. FamilySearch.
2. ↑ Martha Clayer and children in the 1880 census of New Orleans, Supervisor's District 1, Enumeration District 57, page 16, line 22
3. ↑ John & Margaret Clair & family in 1900 census of the 9th Ward of the City of New Orleans, 3rd precinct, Supervisor's District 1, Enumeration District 84, Sheet No 19 in the Parish of Orleans, Louisiana. Available online at Ancestry.com. (This record has not yet been indexed on familysearch.org as of last check on 30 Jul 2021).
4. ↑ John & Margaret Clair in 1910 census, family 211 of the 9th Ward of the City of New Orleans, 3rd precinct, Supervisor's District 1, Enumeration District 135, Sheet No 10B in Orleans County, Louisiana. National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication T624, (Washington, D.C.) available on familysearch.org, image 20 of 30 of ED 135, New Orleans 1910 census. Also as FHL microfilm 1374535.
5. ↑ Mary Pauline Clair birth registration: certificate 741, born 06 Jun 1885 in Orleans, Louisiana, to John Clair & Margaret Coyle. Available on FamilySearch.org, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish, Birth Records, 1819-1906" database, accessed 30 Jul 2021.
6. ↑ John Louis Clair birth registration: certificate 741, born 22 Jan 1888 in Orleans, Louisiana, to John Clair & Margaret Coyle. Available on FamilySearch.org, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish, Birth Records, 1819-1906" database, accessed 30 Jul 2021.
7. ↑ Elizabeth Cecelia Clair birth registration: certificate 4, born 16 Apr 1890 in Orleans, Louisiana, to John Clair & Margaret Coyle. Available on FamilySearch.org, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish, Birth Records, 1819-1906" database, accessed 30 Jul 2021.
8. ↑ Wm Edward Clair birth registration: certificate 4, born 16 Oct 1891 in Orleans, Louisiana, to John Clair & Margaret Coyle. Available on FamilySearch.org, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish, Birth Records, 1819-1906" database, accessed 30 Jul 2021.
9. ↑ Joseph Clair birth registration: certificate 636, born 28 Jan 1894 in Orleans, Louisiana, to John Clair & Margaret Coyle. Available on FamilySearch.org, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish, Birth Records, 1819-1906" database, accessed 30 Jul 2021.
10. ↑ Catherine Olivia Clair birth registration: certificate 704, born 13 Feb 1899 in Orleans, Louisiana, to John Clair & Margaret Coyle. Available on FamilySearch.org, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish, Birth Records, 1819-1906" database, accessed 30 Jul 2021.
11. ↑ Albertine Clair birth registration: certificate 747, born 16 Apr 1901 in Orleans, Louisiana, to John Clair & Margaret Coyle. Available on FamilySearch.org, "Louisiana, Orleans Parish, Birth Records, 1819-1906" database, accessed 30 Jul 2021.
12. ↑ John Clair 19 Aug 1910 burial in New Orleans interment register, FamilySearch
13. ↑ John Clair obituaries in the Daily Picayune on 19 and 21 Aug 1910: John Clair died 18 Aug 1910, age 51.

Additional sources:

• Family history information provided by Derlin Gerard Clair for AJ Jacobs and the Global Family Reunion, 2014.