William Joseph Carrigan (1887)

Born 6 Sep 1887 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

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Biography

William was born September 6, 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts.^[1] He is the son of William Carrigan and Bridget Fury.

In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, William is found as a boarder in the home of Fred Dane. He is living in Enfield, Massachusetts along with James Carrigan, his younger brother. ^[2]

Ten years later, in the 1910 Census, William is found still living as a board in the Enfield, although his occupation has changed from "at school" to "Farm Labor." He is no longer on the farm of Fred Dane; he is on a farm run by Mrs. Rachel Gray. He is 23 years old, listed as single, and able to read and write, according to the census.^[3]

William registered for the World War I draft on September 12, 1918 in Amherst, Massachusetts. According to this document, he was living in Enfield and working as a Wood Chipper for Charles Austin. William listed his brother James, then living in the Globe Village section of Southbridge on Union Street, as his nearest living relative.^[4] While his birth date is listed as September 6, which matches other records, his birth years is listed as 1885, two years earlier that his birth record shows.

A 1930 Census record for William has not been found. In the 1940 U.S. Federal Census, William is found living in Prescott, Massachusetts, in "that portion of Prescott town which is to be Annexed to New Salem."^[5] Enfield and Prescott — both town where William lived — were two of the four towns in Massachusetts that were unincorporated and ceased to exist after the Massachusetts District Commission took land for the creation of Quabbin Reservoir, a municipal water supply in central and western Massachusetts that services Boston.^[6]

William's occupation in 1930 is listed as Laborer for the Lumber Company; however, this information is crossed out. The column asking if the person worked yesterday (or the last regular work day) says "No." Perhaps William had recently been discharged from work.

In addition to asking each person their marital status, the 1930 Census asked people their age at the time of their first marriage. In the line for William Carrigan, who is listed as single (not divorced or widowed), this column is left blank, implying he never married. No marriage records have been found, and the census information supports that William did not marry.

William registered for the World War II draft on April 27, 1942 in Athol, Massachusetts, listing his residence as Petersham, Massachusetts.^[7] Parts of Prescott, Massachusetts were annexed to Petersham when Prescott was unincorporated, so William had likely not moved far.^[8]

The 1942 draft record is the last record found for William Joseph Carrigan. To date, no record of death has been found.

Sources

1. ↑ Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915
2. ↑ 1900 United States Census
3. ↑ 1910 United States Census
4. ↑ World War I Draft Registration Cards
5. ↑ 1910 United States Census
6. ↑ Wikipedia, Quabbin Reservoir
7. ↑ World War II Draft Registration Cards
8. ↑ Wikepedia, Prescot

• Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915
• 1900 United States Census
• World War II Draft Registration Cards