Lennon Family Paisley to New Jersey

[Genetrix]

I've managed to trace some family members on the Ellis Island site as follows:

Patrick Lennon (shown as Lemon) arriving July 26, 1909 going to sister Bridget (brother Philip in brackets) at 53 Searing Street, Newark, New Jersey

Lizzie Lennon and Lucy Lennon arriving January 20, 1910 going to brother Philip at 13 Grant Avenue, Harrison, Newark, New Jersey

Parents Philip Lennon and Bridget Lennon with two youngest children Mary and Annie arriving May 9, 1910 going to son Philip at 108 Second Street, Harrison, Newark, New Jersey.

I can't, however, find any trace of daughter Bridget and son Philip's arrival in the USA. Both are shown on 1901 census for Paisley, Scotland so date has to be after 1901. I thought they may have gone to Canada first and crossed over to USA but can't find any trace of them on the Canadian records other than son Philip joining up in Montreal for WWI service and returning in 1919 to Canada and crossing back to USA.

Any ideas where I can find how they got to America in the first place?

Tricia

[winslowsmom]

Hi Tricia
I have had good luck at Ancestry. They have UK lists showing departures. Most of these have identifying features as well, addresses leaving, etc.
This would be especially helpful if your fellow didn't go through NY. Some went to Boston, etc. My local LDS Family History Center has an Ancestry subscription, you might phone one near you to see if they do.
Cathy

[Genetrix]

Hi Cathy: I shudder when anyone mentions Ancestry. I've just spent ages plowing through all the Lennons and gave up after reaching over 500. Where does it give arrivals in the USA? All I can find is U.K. arrivals. I see all the Scottish Census data for my family and Philip's WWI information but still can't find anything on his arrival in America.

Tricia

[Genetrix]

Sorry Cathy I meant to say where does it show U.K. Lists showing Departures (not U.S. arrivals).

Tricia

[JustJean]

Hi Tricia

I've spent a little time looking and so far like you am drawing blanks. The closest I've come to a date is the data provided by the 1920 US census which gives the following years of immigration for the various family members..

Philip age 58 immig 1908 is not naturalized
Vina (?is this your Bridget?) age 32 immig 1905 is not naturalized
Philip age 30 immig 1905 is not naturalized
Peter age 28 immig 1910 is naturalized
Frank age 24 immig 1910 is naturalized
Lucy age 21 immig 1910 is not naturalized
Anna age 19 immig 1908 is not naturalized
Mary age 14 immig 1908 is not naturalized

And so based on the info that we know to be true you can see they are not accurate years of immigration...but come very close!! I was hoping to nail them in the 1910 US Census but so far am not finding them. Possible they are still buried in some truly dreadful indexing but they also may have been missed entirely.

I wonder if you're aware that there are also New Jersey State Census records during this general time frame. New Jersey State Census was taken every ten years beginning in 1855 and ending with 1915. Most libraries with major genealogical holdings may have copies of the microfilms. Original and microfilm copies of the state census are available at:

Division of Archives
Archives Section
Department of State
CN 307
185 W. State Street
Trenton, NJ 08625

These two might be able to offer further insights but they are not freely available online....

1905 - Contains name, color, sex, month and year of birth, marital status, birthplace, parents' birthplaces, number of years in U.S., citizenship status, occupation, whether literate or fluent in English, and whether home is owned or rented. In urban areas street names and house numbers are provided.
Complete for the state.

1915 - Contains name, color, sex, month and year of birth, marital status, birthplace, parents' birthplaces, number of years in U.S., citizenship status, occupation, whether literate or fluent in English, and whether home is owned or rented. In urban areas street names and house numbers are provided.
Complete for the state.

Sooooo....the next best thing is to find a RAOGK volunteer to have a look for you. Here is a link to one that looks very hopeful....

http://www.raogk.org/dbmailvol.php?vol=331&db=raogk6

Hope this might be helpful for you!

Best wishes
Jean

[Genetrix]

Hi Jean

Thanks so much for the 1920 census information. This is quite intriguing and does seem to be the right family although some of the ages are out. Did it give a home addressor any occupations? When Philip Jnr. joined up in the military he gave his address as 23 Maple Street, Kearney, N.J. but when he returned in 1919 the Border Crossing information said his destination was Newark, N.J. Don't know where Kearney is in relation to Newark. I'll have to look it up.

I've never heard of Vina but it could have been a nickname (how would you get Vina from Bridget though) as I notice both she and Philip Jnr. immigrated in the same year (1905) and Philip Snr. immigrated the same year as Anna and Mary, which is correct (although it says 1908 and not 1910). I see no mention of the mother Bridget but maybe she died before 1920. Didn't know there was a Peter either, although I do have Patrick. According to Scotland's People, the birth years were:

Philip Snr. - 1857 (so in 1920 should have been 62/3)
Bridget (daughter) - 1879 (40/41)
Philip Jnr. - 1883 (36/37)
Lizzie - 1888 (31/32)
Patrick - 1890 (29/30)
Agnes - 1893 (26/27)
Frank - 1895 (24/25)
Lucy - 1897 (22/23)
Annie - 1900 (19/20)
Mary - 1904 (15/16)

I can't find any mention of Frank or Agnes entering the States either. Lizzie and Agnes seem to be missing from the census but they may have married and are under different names. As far as the ages go, they either told a few porkies or else the census taker's mind was elsewhere!

No, I didn't know about the New Jersey State census records and I'll try to pursue that avenue. I'll go and try the RAOGK link now.

Thanks again, Best Wishes,
Tricia

[JustJean]

Hi Tricia

I figured that Peter and Patrick are one and the same since the name is highly interchangeable. The 1920 census is for Kearny Ward 1, Hudson, New Jersey and the Street address from the image is 23 Maple St. Philip Snr is shown as a widower and owns as opposes to rents the house there.

It appears the addresses you've provided from the various records...ie Kearny, Harrison, etc are all located in what is technically 'East Newark' so from a location standpoint it all fits nicely.

Hope the RAOGK volunteer works out for you!

Best wishes
Jean

[Genetrix]

Thanks again Jean.

Definitely the right family then with the address matching. I've sent a request to RAOGK today so we'll see how that works out.

Best Wishes, Tricia

[Currie]

Hello Tricia,

The New York Times, Aug 13, 1925, under the heading of Wills for Probate, has for New Jersey, Hudson County, this entry:
“LENNON, PHILIP (July 19). To a daughter, Bridget Lennon, 23 Maple Street, sole legatee and executrix.”

There’s another Wills for Probate notice in the New York Times, Jul 13, 1927, that mentions a Bridget Lennon, no other particulars, as niece of the deceased Bernard Shevlin of Manhattan. Another beneficiary has surname Devette. Family appears to be Irish Catholic.

Let me know if you want the image.

Hope that’s useful,
Alan

[Genetrix]

Hi Alan: Nice to hear from you again. Your first entry is definitely my Lennons but not sure about the second. I don't have any Shevlins or Devettes that I know of. Still I wouldn't mind seeing both images just in case as I know the family was Irish Catholic.

Thanks a lot, Tricia