Legends and Legacy: an Irish Immigration Story

In memory of my thrid Great Grandparents, Ellen Barrett and Dennis McCarthy

Ireland

Ellen Barrett was born in 1872, in Innishannon, and was baptized at Kilmeen and Castleventry parish in County Cork, Ireland. Ellen was born about 23 years after the potato ‘famine’, and Ireland was still struggling against British rule and the resulting horrific poverty. The Barrett family were working class people, laborers. They did not own land, so they moved from neighborhood to neighborhood within the Corah (Caheragh) parish structure. Her parents were Richard and Bridget Sullivan.

Ellen had an older sister, Mary, who married Jerimiah Murphy from Drimoleague, and they stayed in the parish. The Murphys were well known shoemakers and traveling salesmen. On my travels in Ireland, I met Mary’s granddaughter Noreen, who generously shared the photographs of the family and provided an informative guided tour of the ancestral sites.

Ellen had a younger brother, William James Barrett, born in 1886. William was the youngest child in the family. When he was born, the family had settled in Bishopsland, a humble farming town in the parish.

They lived in a small home, which is still in the family today. It’s been extended and modernized, but in the photo below, Noreen points out the original structure. We also explored the remains of the cemetery and the church.

In 1862, in the nearby town of Derreeny, Skibbereen, we find the McCarthy’s, Cornelius and his wife Mary (maiden name Daly), who gave birth to a son named Dennis J McCarthy.

There is reason to believe that Ellen’s father Richard grew up in Derreeny. Therefore, it’s possible that the Barrett’s and the McCarthy’s were old family friends and that their children, Ellen and Dennis, knew each other before they immigrated to America. Or that Ellen befriended Dennis’s younger siblings, as she was 9 years his junior. Families tended to cross to America in small groups, with older siblings traveling first and sending funds back home for their younger siblings to make the trip.

Her Majesty’s Ship

Based on a photo of Dennis, the uniform he is wearing, and the hat he is holding indicate that he served in the British Royal Navy, on Her Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Cleopatra. The Cleopatra was a comus-class screw corvette built in 1878. The comus class was a class of steam warships that exemplified the transition of the late Victorian navy from traditional wooden sailboats to modern metal steam cruisers. I have yet to find a record of Dennis on the ship to confirm exact dates in which he may have served.

During his service in the navy, Dennis McCarthy was listed on the crew for the HMS Sultana in 1886. He’s listed with Dennis Daly. It’s possible the boys were cousins because Dennis McCarthy’s mom’s maiden name was Daly, Dennis is a family name, and the boys were born the same year, but that is not confirmed. I like to picture the two, handsome Irish cousins from a humble town, joining the navy together and sailing the seas side by side, in order to earn enough to make a new life for themselves.

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

We know Dennis and Ellen arrived in Rhode Island by 1888, and while it’s likely, I’ve yet to confirm if they came on the same ship. When Dennis filed for naturalization, he stated that he immigrated to Boston in 1888 on the vessel Atlass. He indicates that he has resided in RI since May 15, 1888.

There is record of the couple filing for their marriage license, for a wedding on January 25, 1892 in Providence. Dennis was 28, and Ellen was 19. Dennis lists his occupation as “operative.” They were married by Pastor Farrell O’Reilley.

Later that year, they had their first child, Cornelius John McCarthy, born at 31 Julian Street in Providence, RI. He only lived to be two years old, and I have yet to locate his death record or cause of death. He was buried at Saint Francis cemetery, likely in an area for children, and then was moved to the family plot when it was later established.

In the 1900 census, the couple is renting an apartment at 64 Putnam Street in Providence, and they have four daughters: Margaret age 6, Mary age 4, Elizabeth age 3 and Nora age 1. Ellen’s brother William is living with them. It’s not confirmed whether Ellen made the journey with William in her arms (he would have been two years old), or if she sent for him later, when he was older.

In 1903, Dennis and Ellen gave birth to a daughter they named Agnes. Agnes did not live more than a year. Her death record indicates that she died of puerperal eclampsia at Lying-In Hospital, meaning she likely had complications from a premature birth. Agnes was also buried at Saint Francis cemetery, and then moved to the family plot when it was later established.

Dennis filed a petition for naturalization in 1905. His description is 5’8 with blue eyes and brown/gray hair (it’s been said that Dennis was very handsome). His neighbors Frank L. Conroy and John F Burran signed as witnesses.

In 1910 the census records Dennis is identified as a “laborer/iron worker” and William is still with the family. In the 1920 census, Dennis is 58 years old, his occupation is “cabinet construction,” and they are still settled on Putnam Street.

Another daughter has been born, Catherine, who is listed as the youngest member of the family. And we can see that their oldest daughter, Margaret, is no longer living at home because she married John Hughes in 1914 and started a family of her own (this brand leads to yours truly).

A short time after this census recording, William dies. His death record shows that his occupation was “laborer” and his cause of death, “carcinomatosis primary in prostate,” or prostate cancer. Ellen is listed as the relation to the deceased, “Mrs D J McCarthy, Sister.” It’s at this time that Dennis purchases the only land he will own in America, the family burial plot, at St. Francis Cemetery.

In 1925 and 1930 census recordings, the family had moved from Putnam Street to 37 Erastus Street and Dennis was a “watchman” at the “woolen mills.” Four of their children live with them at this time.

Their oldest son, Richard is no longer listed at this address because he chose a wife named Josephine and moved to Warwick. In 1928, Richard and Josephine gave birth to a premature baby on Christmas Day. Sadly, he only lived for about 6 hours, and they named him Richard.

Their daughter Elizabeth died in 1921. Her occupation was “stenographer,” and she was 24 years old. Her death was caused by a septic pulmonary embolism following an appendectomy.

Dennis passed away in 1942, his age recorded at 78 years old. His occupation was “gateman” at the Atlantic Mills.

The cause of Dennis’s death is difficult to decipher on the record but appears to be a cerebral embolism. The home address at the time of his death was 258 Manton Ave in Providence.

Ellen passed away in 1951, her age was 62 years old, and her occupation is humbly written as, “home.” Her daughter Mary is listed as her relation; they lived together. Ellen’s cause of death is coronary artery disease and hyperuricemia, which she had for 10+ years.

Dedication and legacy

After learning that the family was buried at Saint Francis in Pawtucket, I set out to locate their graves. After a couple of failed attempts, I found that many of the family members were buried together, in one plot, but it was unmarked. No stone was ever installed.

With a bit more research, some fact checking and support from relatives, collaboration with the The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, Saint Francis Cemetery, and the knowledgeable folks at Caron Memorials, a McCarthy family memorial stone was installed in May 2024 (lot 45, plot 22) to honor Ellen and Dennis who immigrated from Ireland to America and started a family that is deeply rooted in local history and thriving to this day. Be sure to pay them a visit!

Sources

Ancestry.com

Providence Public Library

Out of Ireland: The Story of Irish Emigration to America. By Paul Wagner and Kerby Miller.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence: https://www.dioceseofprovidence.org/

RootsIreland.ie: https://www.rootsireland.ie/ 

Rhode Island State Archives: https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/state-archives

Rhode Island Historical Society: https://encompass.rihs.org/immigration-to-rhode-island/immigration-to-rhode-island/

Skibbereen Heritage Center and Geneology Service: https://skibbheritage.com/home/skibbereen-history/

US Census Records

Wikipedia