BronxRoots-L Archives

From: maureen godar <>
Subject: NY Libraries, Ellis Island and url correction
Date: Mon, 02 Nov 1998 19:00:16 -0800

When I took up genealogy again a few years ago and decided to take a
class, our teacher (who is well respected in genealogical circles here
is Northern California), said, "Don't start with New York, especially
New York City!" [I have to admit she also mentioned Chicago.] I raised
my hand and said, "Excuse me, what if NYC is all you have (except for
Ireland)?" She smiled with great pity on her face and has been trying
to help me ever since I love the Bronx and all of NYC; however, many
days I would give anything to be from ANYLITTLETOWN, USA. My friends
who are working in the South and the Midwest are having a much easier
time with records. Consider how large NYC is and has been since the
middle l9th century; I think the NY Times estimated that there were some
3.5 million in the five boroughs in the 1890's. Consider that many of
the new immigrants were wary of the government and hid when the census
man came around. (At least that's what I think Grandpa Kavanaugh
did!!!) I have also come to believe that NY and particularly NYC
personnel do not have to be helpful when we come with our heartfelt
requests. First of all, they are probably busy enough with the easier
questions. . Secondly, they probably don't know how to find the info
either or perhaps don't want to put forth the effort. (I am not trying
to be nasty; I really "feel" for these public officials and think that
sometimes the tasks we ask of them are either overwhelming or next to
impossible.} I have found over the years that the National Archives and
the Mormon Library records have been godsends. We here in the Bay area
also have some local and state libraries that are excellent. The
absolute best thing is to be in the City and to attack the NYPLibrary
and the various depositories of records personally. I haven't yet
managed that and I have found that it is hard to ask relatives to do it
for you.

About Ellis Island, remember that immigrants only arrived there starting
in 1892. I know that because all MY relatives came before that; in
fact, a number of mine came in a nebulous period between 1875 and 1890
which (so far) does not have easily accessible ship's manifests (at
least for NYC)!!! I have the exact date my great grandfather said that
he arrived in the USA when he applied to the Court of Common Pleas for
citizenship, but I have not yet found a ship that lists him. He has a
very plain name, James Harr, and says he came from Ireland. According to
my Harr relatives who went back to Ireland, there are NO Harrs there.
So what did he change his name from O'Hare, O'Hara, Haire,
Haore......and why? He was a literate man; my mother said he could read
and write, so it shouldn't have been that they changed it for him at
Castle Garden (which was before Ellis I.) OR did he land at Castle
Garden or Baltimore or Philadelphia or ?? Genealogy is such an
exciting and challenging pastime, especially when you have relatives
like mine who didn't keep any records and took few pictures, and mostly
didn't buy property (until my parents' generation), so didn't pay taxes
on property [another wonderful source of records!]. But I have to say
I'm having a blast chipping away at these mysteries and my challenging
predecessors. I have come to believe that we are all very lucky to be
here, when we consider what many of our ancestors went through to come
to this country.

Barbara's url about the Mormon article should read www.lds and so on,
not lsd as it does. "lsd" doesnt' work.

I don't write often, but I do enjoy reading about the old days in the
Bronx. As I've said before, I left the South Bronx when I was nine, so
I don't remember a lot. But when people write, as the recent memories
of WWII, it does bring back some memories. Thanks for that!!

Sincerely, Maureen (Kavanaugh) Godar from San Jose, CA

This thread:

• NY Libraries, Ellis Island and url correction by maureen godar <>