Bridget (Griffin) Meagher (abt. 1797 - 1859)

Born about 1797 in Inisheer, Aran, Galway, Ireland [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 13 Apr 1859 at about age 62 in Medford Street, Charlestown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA

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Biography

According to her record of death, she was the daughter of Patrick Griffin (or possibly Griffy) and married at the time of her death. She was born in Ireland, possibly on the island of Inisheer (Inis Oirr), the easternmost of the Aran Islands. If she was indeed born on Inisheer, she almost certainly spoke Gaelic as her first language.

It is possible, though not certain, that Bridget used the nickname Biddy.

The date of birth entered here is an estimate based on her stated age (62) at death. This birthdate, however, makes her age at the birth of her last known child 47 years, which seems unlikely.

There is another possible source for Bridget, her age, parentage and family. The 1821 Ireland Census records a family by the name of Griffy living on Inisheer headed by Pat Griffy, age 61. Also included in the family are Pat's wife, Biddy, age 56; their sons John Griffy, age 20 and Bryan, age 16; an orphan grandson named Micheal Kean, age 10, two house servants, and the family of Pat and Biddy's daughter, also named Biddy. This family is headed by John Maher, age 36. Pat and Biddy's daughter is now called Biddy Maher, and her age given as 29. This would put her year of birth at 1792. John and Biddy have a three-year-old son named Tom Maher. ^[1]

Bridget died 13 Apr 1859 at Medford Street, Charlestown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Cause of death was disease of the spine and she was 62 at the time of death. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Bridget and her husband John were both buried at Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA. She was buried 16 Apr 1859, and he was buried 6 Jul 1862. ^[5] Bridget's residence at time of death was 353 Medford Street, Charlestown. Her age at the time of death was 62. Burial location is on Cross Avenue or West Avenue (not far from the cemetery entrance on Heath Street), graves 125-127. Cemetery deed # 91086 dated 16 Apr 1859, owner Meagher, John, care Perpetual. Interred in this section containing graves 125-127 and 128-130 are: ^{[6] [7] [8]}

• Bridget Meagher, age at time of death 62, date of interment 16 Apr 1859.
• John Meagher, age at time of death 79, date of interment 6 Jul 1862.
• Bridget A. Fitzgerald (daughter of Catherine), age at time of death 3, date of interment 27 May 1863.
• John Dunn, age at time of death 41, date of interment 11 Jul 1873.
• Bridget A. Meagher (daughter of Stephen), age at time of death 10, date of interment 13 Sep 1874.
• Joseph Meagher, age at time of death 1, date of interment 25 Dec 1879.
• Cath. L. Fitzgerald, age at time of death 72, date of interment 9 Jan 1898.
• John Agnes, age at time of death ["C"?], date of interment 2 Dec [1877?].
• Delia A. McPeake, age at time of death 74, date of interment 18 Apr 1917.

[As of July 2018, unknown in the list above who John Dunn, Joseph Meagher, and John Agnes were. Please edit or delete this note if you know who they were and added hyperlinks to them. Based on the age at time of death, John Dunn was born about 1832.]

Other persons named Bridget Griffin or Bridget Meagher born in Ireland about 1797

There was a Bridget Griffin in the 1850 US Census of Hanover, Chautauqua County, NY, born in Ireland about 1797, ^[9] but she is not the same person, as Bridget Agnes Griffin married John Augustus Meagher in 1814.

Bridget Griffin, age 53 (so born about 1797).

P. Griffin, age 23.

James Griffin, age 20.

John Griffin, age 19.

Bridget Griffin, age 14.

There was a Bridget Meagher in the 1860 US Census of Malden, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, born in Ireland about 1797, ^[10] but she is not the same person, as Bridget Agnes Meagher died in 1859 and her husband's name was John, not James.

James Meagher, age 65.

Bridget Meagher, age 63 (so born about 1797).

Hannah Meagher, age 16.

Bridget Meagher, age 13, attending school.

All were born in Ireland. James and Bridget could not read and write English. In the next house were:

Patrick Meagher, age 35, born in Ireland, could not read and write.

Mary, age 25, born in Ireland, could not read and write.

John, age 8, born in Ireland, attending school.

James, age 3, born in MA.

Mary, age 1, born in MA.

Miss Watson, age 60, nurse, born in MA.

There was a Bridget Meagher in the 1870 US Census of Franklin, Somerset County, NJ, born in Ireland about 1797, ^[11] but she is not the same person, as Bridget Agnes Meagher died in 1859.

Bridget Meagher, age 73 (so born about 1797).

Edward Meagher, age 32.

Patrick Meagher, age 32.

Sources

1. ↑ 1821 Census of Ireland, County Galway, Barony of Arran, Townland of Innisheer, http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1821/Galway/Arran/Innisheer/, house 58.
2. ↑ Massachusetts Death Records, 1841-1945, deaths registered in the city of Charlestown for the year 1859, line 484, Apr 13th.
3. ↑ Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, deaths registered in the city of Charlestown for the years 1843 to 1873, line 485, Apr 13th.
4. ↑ US Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885, Persons who Died during the Year ending 1st June 1860 in Charlestown, line 20 (Bridget's death in Apr 1859 recorded 26 Jan 1860).
5. ↑ Email correspondence between Greg Meagher and Erik Maher in Sep 2008.
6. ↑ Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, deaths registered in the city of Charlestown for the years 1843 to 1873, line 55, Jul 4.
7. ↑ Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910
8. ↑ Letter from Kathie Grueter of Holyhood Cemetery Association dated 27 Jun 2018, sent to E.M. in response to inquiries. Davis Administration Building, 990 LaGrange Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132, phone 617-327-1010.
9. ↑ 1850 US Census, Hanover, Chautauqua County, NY, USA.
10. ↑ 1860 US Census, Malden, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA.
11. ↑ 1870 US Census, Franklin, Somerset County, NJ, USA.