Bridget (O'Callahan) Baker (1840)

Born 1840 in Ireland

Wife of George Baker — married 5 Nov 1860 in Boston USA

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in City of Lynn, County of Essex, Massachusetts USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Val Goss [send private message]

Biography

Bridget O'Callahan was born in Ireland c.1840 and arrived in USA in 1850. Bridget's parents were noted as James and Hannah [on her Wedding record] At the age of 20 years she married George Baker who was born on Raoul Island part of the Kermedic Islands, and lived for a number of years in New Zealand, was a Mariner and sailed to USA where he settled. George was 21yrs at the time of his marriage which was 5 Nov 1860 Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. ^[1]

The marriage produced five chidren: Sarah J. Baker(Aug 1861- Dec 1948); William F.Baker (1863- Sep 1885); Mary L.Baker (Feb 1865- Sep 1865); Stillborn (Nov 1866); and George H Baker (Jan 1869- Feb 1869). The first four were born in Boston; George H. was born in Lynn.

At the age of about 58yrs Bridget was living with her daughter Sarah who was 39yrs and her son-in-law Augustus Hennesey who was 48yrs and her grandchildren: Lillian E Hennesey Female 11yrs Augustas W Hennesey Male 10yrs Lester B Hennesey Male 7yrs Mary Hennesey Female 2yrs all born in Massachusetts.

Bridget was not buried with George, who was laid to rest in the Dorchester District of the City of Boston, where others of his issue were reported to follow him. Bridget is buried in the City of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, alongside Sarah's brother-in-law and his wife. There is no headstone, but there is a stone set in the ground that states "A.A.Hennessey" - the name of her son-in-law. There are ten graves, which I surmise were originally intended for Augustus Hennessey, Sarah nee Baker Hennessey, their four children and three spouses thereof, and Bridget. Augustus died unexpectedly within a few years of his mother-in-law, which may account for his negligence in erecting a formal memorial; Sarah, on the other hand, outlived her mother by three decades. As I heard in my youth, Sarah had a phobia about dirt: after the demise of my great-grandfather, she was said to experience nightmares about him lying in the ground; thereafter, she erected a mausoleum in his principal memory but a short distance away and had him reinterred therein. The mausoleum is one of the two largest in the City, and the aforementioned nine Hennesseys and spouses have found their rest inside - and above ground - names inscribed within. Subsequent generations have been slowly filling the outside precincts, with their names and vitae carved into the outer wall. - Bruce Hughes

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:M6NX-V5Q : 10 March 2021), Entry for George Baker and Bridget O'Callahan, 5 Nov 1860; citing Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,433,018.

• A descendant of George and Bridget Baker from USA made contact with me. He said "Bridget is buried in the City of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, alongside her daughter Sarah's brother-in-law and his wife"