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52 Ancestors: Anna Keating Walsh is one Tough Woman

Amy Johnson Crow, of No Story Too Small, has challenged us this week with tough women. She asked “Who is a tough, strong woman in your family tree? Or what woman has been tough to research?” My 2x great grandmother Anna Keating Walsh is indeed a tough woman. 

She is a tough woman to trace and I believe she was a tough woman in her time as well. Anna (everyone past my grandparents get actual names; it is the only way I can keep people straight) was born around 1855 in Ireland. According to my grandmother, she was born in County Mayo.  

My grandmother had told me that Anna had immigrated with her siblings and that she was the youngest Her parents – Patrick and Knapy Penelope Keating - had stayed behind and she settled in Ringtown which is just a stone’s throw from Shenandoah (assuming of course you can throw a bit)! 

She married Michael Walsh and the lived in Shenandoah. The 1910 Census stated Anna had 11 children, with only six living in 1910. I would venture to take an educated guess and say that the other five had either died very young or were stillborn. 

By 1910 Anna was a widow living on Lloyd Street in Shenandoah. I have no clue when exactly or how Michael, her husband, died or even where he is buried.

Sometime after 1910, Anna moved to 218 Marshall Street, Phoenixville. She died there on 23 June 1920, according to her death certificate. She was buried 28 June 1920 at St Mary's Cemetery in Phoenixville. 

Filling in the blanks for Anna, determining when exactly she immigrated, confirming which port she came into and who those other children are, has been tough. However, that is not the only reason Anna is my Tough Woman this week! 

A cousin – two actually, both of my mom’s generation (so Anna is their great grandmother) – recall mention that Anna was a Molly Maguire! 

The Molly Maguires were a secretive group of Irish who fought against the deplorable working conditions of the mines, especially in Pennsylvania. I realize I may never know for sure but you bet I am going to try every angle and hunt down every clue to try and confirm or deny that she was a member. 

I did find documentation of a William Keating involved with the Molly Maguires but I cannot, with certainty, connect him to my Anna. One reference does list William having a sister Catherine and a brother John but no reference to any Anna.  

So my search continues on this tough lady and an even tougher line!
 

 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a weekly genealogical challenge issued by Amy Johnson Crow, of No Story Too Small. Look for my weekly posts each Thursday!
 
© Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Comments

  1. Wow... we have "Molly Maguire" pubs around here, and I had no idea what that meant! Thanks for the story! And, I hope you are able to get proof of Anna's involvement some day.

    Yours is the first 'week 3' I've read... you're fast! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Dana. She is one of my goals this year. I hope to either confirm or deny any family involvement. As for being the first ... it's still January! Let's see if I'm on time (let alone still first) come mid year!

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  3. Have you thought about contacting the United Mine Workers of America? They might be able to help you with the history of the Molly Maguires. Also, I'm sure you've thought of this, old newspapers from the areas in Pennsylvania where anthracite coal was mined. Geographically, it's a pretty small area.

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  4. Yes I am hoping to get to the County's Historical Society sometime in February and scour through the papers and other archives there.

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  5. I enjoyed this post. I grew up in Carbon County and somewhat familiar with the "Molly MacGuires." My parents still live in Jim Thorpe, PA. I knew of the tale of the "handprint on the wall" at the Jim Thorpe Prison, but never had seen it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I, too, am searching for a possible Molly Maguire connection for one branch of my family who were Irish miners: the Donnelly family of Gilberton and Mahanoy Plane. I'll be interested to see where your research leads you this year. Please keep us posted!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I, too, am searching for a possible Molly Maguire connection for one branch of my family who were Irish miners: the Donnelly family of Gilberton and Mahanoy Plane. I'll be interested to see where your research leads you this year. Please keep us posted!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I will. Thanks, Lisa. I will also keep my eyes open for any Donnellys.

    ReplyDelete

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