Michael McGuire + Mary Callan

Michael McGuire + Mary Callan
From Ireland to New Jersey

Michael McGuire was born in 1829 in northern Ireland, the second son of ploughman Patrick McGuire and Bridget Halpenny of White Mountains, County Louth. Michael was christened at Ardee on 28 Aug. 1829, according to a parish register, with Brigid Calahan as sponsor. Known siblings include: Patrick McGuire, chr. 3 June 1826; Catherine, chr. 4 May 1832 (d. unmarried, 28 Sep. 1888); Thomas, chr. 12 July 1835; and John, chr. 17 Dec. 1837. All five children except Michael are shown in the Ardee parish register as being of Blakestown, suggesting the family may have moved for a brief period between 1826 and 1832. If Michael's death certificate is correct (see below), he evidently immigrated to New Jersey at the age of eight. Legend received through Michael's grandson, the late Dr. John A. Flood of New Hope, Pa. is that Michael walked to Lambertville from New Brunswick after their arrival in the U.S. Michael's father, Patrick McGuire of Kilpatrick, remained in Ireland until his death on 9 Jan. 1877, at the age of 80, and is buried at Balapousta. The precise reasons, or arrangements, by which Michael came to the U.S. are unclear, but it may have been related to the Irish potato famine which took as many as a million lives between 1846 to 1850.

On 10 Sep. 1853, now 24, in Supreme Court of New Jersey, a Michael McGuire of Ewing in the county of Mercer, "an alien, being a free white person born in Ireland, on his oath declareth, it is bona fide his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and to renounce for ever all allegiance and fidelity to any Foreign Prince, Potentate, State, or Sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly to Her Britannic Majesty of whom he is at this time a subject."

On 17 Dec. 1854, listed as 21 (note that ages given in documents of this period, particularly within this family, are notoriously inconsistent), occupation laborer, Michael was wed to Mary Callan, said to be age 23, at St. John's Church, Lambertville, by F.L.M. Jego, Roman Catholic clergyman, according to records at the NJ State Library. Parents were named as Patrick McGuire & Ann Halfpenny and Hugh Callan & Elizabeth McGregor. This date is confirmed by a letter bearing the signature and seal of the rector of St. John's, filed at the Pension Office on 2 Oct. 1897, adding the facts that Richard Callan and Elizabeth O'Neill witnessed the marriage. The bridesmaid, Elizabeth O'Neill, survived to be included in a large group photograph taken on the occasion of the couple's golden wedding anniversary, celebrated in Lambertville on 20 July 1904 with numerous descendants. The Callans were rooted in the same Irish municipality as the McGuires -- County Louth, in the Ardee parish. Hugh Callan was born between 1767 and 1778 (as evidenced by ages given in various U.S. census records throughout his lifetime) in Ardee, County Louth; and died 3 Feb. 1860 in Lambertville. His wife, nee Elizabeth McGregor, also of Ardee, was evidently born between 1776 and 1790; and died 3 Feb. 1876 in Lambertville (age 100, according to her death certificate, occupation "lady," cause of death "old age.") Mary Callan was the middle of seven children born to Hugh (laborer, 72) and Elizabeth (60), most of whom were listed in household in 1850: Fletcher (30), John (20), Ann (19), Mary ( ), Richard ( ), Elizabeth (18), and Margarett (15.) The 1860 census finds Hugh and Betsy Callan, said to be ages 85 and 84, living alone in Lambertville with personal property valued at $25.00 (Hugh died a few weeks after the enumeration date of 9 July, with a death certificate which gave his age as 93, cause of death also "old age," occupation laborer.) Hugh and Elizabeth Callan rest on the same hill as many of the McGuires, in St. John's Cemetery.

Hugh Callan was the sixth of eight children of Patrick Callan and Mary O'Conner Callan, of County Louth, according to information collected by Arthur W. Roberts III of Trenton in 1991 after a visit to Ardee during which Mr. Roberts and his wife, Eleanor Jane Callan Roberts, researched and photographed (of which they provided prints) pages from the original register of St. Mary's, in Ardee. Mr. Roberts pointed out that at the 1829 christening of Michael McGuire, above, the sponsor was one Bridget Calahan (likely a variant of Callan), suggesting that the families were allied before emigrating. Patrick and Mary Callan's eight children, all of County Louth, were: Edmund, b. Aug. 1781; Margaret, b. July 1783; John, b. July 1785; Eliza, b. Oct. 1787; Mary, b. Nov. 1789; Hugh, b. Nov. 1791, d. 8 Aug 1860 Lambertville; Patrick, b. Jan. 1794; and Peter, b. June 1796.

If various records are correct, Michael and Mary Callan McGuire gave birth to their first two children out of wedlock: Bernard in Dec. 1851 (m. Ella Murray on 18 May 1899); and Mary Ann (m. William August Flood on 15 Dec. 1877, d. 4 July 1939 in Stockton), on 7 Sep. 1853. This is surprising only because the family was and remained devout Catholics (all with the exception of a great-granddaughter, Mary Veronica Cruise, who married a Jewish man from Somerville in 1930), and knowledge of any illegitimacy was denied by the couple's grandson, John A. Flood when he was interviewed in 1976. (Dr. Flood lived with his grandparents for several years as a young man, after the turn of the century.) Their later children included Margarette, born 30 Aug. 1857 (m. Bernard Conners, d. ante Sep. 1897); Thomas J., born 22 Dec. 1860 (m. Winifred Mongon, d. 24 February 1921); Catherine, born 17 March 1862; Elizabeth Landrette, born 4 April 1865 (m. John Gill on 18 May 1889); and John Francis, born 13 June 1867 (m. Alice F. Lott on 23 Oct. 1888, d. 19 Jan. 1953.) All seven children were born in Lambertville and christened at St. John's Church where they remained active for generations.

The 1860 U.S. census finds Michael (age 30) and Mary Maguire (age 33) in Lambertville, with children Barney (10), Mary Ann (5), Mary Ann (5), Margarett (3) and Thomas (5 mos.) Note that ages given in census records are notoriously inconsistent. While working much of his life as a laborer at the Lambertville rubber works, Michael McGuire entered in the U.S. Army (Infantry) on 21 March 1865 at Elizabeth, New Jersey and was assigned to the 8th Regiment, Co. G, NJ Volunteers at the rank of Private, for a $100 bounty payable in thirds. He was marked as "present on rolls" for the Union in the American Civil War from 28 February 1865 to 30 June 1865. In April 1965 he received a gunshot to the right leg at the Battle of Hutchen's Run, Virginia and was honorably discharged on 17 July 1865 near Washington, DC. In June 1890, residing in Lambertville, Michael was listed in the special schedule of Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, and Widows, etc. and gave an enlistment date as 29 Feb. 1864. This date is presumed less trustworthy than the date shown above, which was obtained from original documents at the National Archive and Records Administration.

A New Jersey state census in 1865 reports Michael as head of a household with five white males and six white females, including one male child between 5 and 16 and four females in the same range. Five years later, enumerated on 23 June 1870, Michael (age 42), laborer, is enumerated with Mary (age 50), keeping house, and children Barney (18), laborer; Mary Ann (14), employed at cottage mill; Margaret (12), ditto; Thomas (11); Catherine (8); Lizzy (6); John (3), all at home. Also with the family were Elizabeth Callon [sic], age 84, native of Ireland; and James McCeever (age 25), a laborer, native of Ireland.

The family turns up again the 1880 federal census, in Lambertville's first ward. Michael, a laborer, is now listed as 45 years old, with Mary aged 48, keeping house; as well as Margaret (21), domestic servant; Thomas (19), working at the paper mill; Catherine (16) at home; Elizabeth (15) working at the cotton mill; John (11), in school; and Thomas Rogan (7), relationship given as "adopted son." The 1885 state census reports Michael, Mary, Maggie, Thomas, John, Thomas Rogan and Barney Conners (who later married Margaret, here called Maggie.) Ten years later, in 1895, the family consisted of Michael McGuire (over 60, Irish); Mary McGuire (over 60, Irish); Barney McGuire (20-60); Thomas McGuire (20-60); Thomas Rogan (20-60); Thomas Flood (20-60); and John Flood (20-60). The latter two were grandchildren of Michael and Mary, through Mary Ann and William Flood. Dr. John A. Flood served as a 1st Lt. in the Army Dental Corps in World War I, 1917-1919, at Camp Dix, NJ and New Haven, Conn., and practiced in New Hope into his 80s, where he also was elected Chief Burgess, was active on the Democratic Committee and served as a delegate to the 1960 national convention to nominate John F. Kennedy president. He was living in the home of his grandparents in 1900, when the household consisted of Michael McGuire (laborer, date birth given as Dec. 1832, age 67, married 50 years, Ireland) and Mary McGuire (wife, Jan. 1829, age 71, married 50 years, Ireland); Thomas Flood (machinist, grandson, Aug. 1878, 21, single, NJ); Barney McGuire (apprentice machinist, grandson, May 1881, 19, single, NJ); and John Flood (at school, grandson, Feb. 1886, 14, single.)

Children of Mary Ann McGuire and William Flood included: Nellie Veronica (b. 23 Jan. 1878 in Bethlehem, Pa.; m. Bartley Bartholomew Cruise on 14 June 1899; d. 2 March 1965 in Piscataway, NJ); Thomas F. (b. 24 Dec. 1879 in Lambertville; m. Mary Guillick Carmody on 16 Oct. 1901; d. 9 Nov. 1963 in Washington, DC); Anne (b. 13 May 1882 in Lambertville, d. 7 April 1958 in Lambertville); and John Anthony (b. 23 July 1886 Jersey City, d. 3 Jan. 1980 New Hope, Pa.)

On 14 February 1888, Michael applied for a pension, which was paid until he died on 29 Nov. 1904 in Lambertville of a cerebral hemorrhage at age 61. The assessed value of his house was $1,050.00 and personal property were valued at $50.00, according to an affidavit by James A. Clay, Assessor of Lambertville. Michael's earthly remains were interred there by Jas. P. Carmody, undertaker, on 1 Dec. 1904 in Grave #5, Lot H of St. John's Cemetery. Michael's death certificate (informant not named) states that he resided in New Jersey for 53 years which, if correct, means that he immigrated from Ireland at age eight. The same source names his parents (perhaps incorrectly) as Michael and Ann McGuire of Ireland. Michael was marked as dropped from Army pension records on 21 Dec. 1904.

Mary Callan McGuire filed a Widow's Application for Accrued Pension on 6 Dec. 1904, with Henry D. Phillips of Trenton as her attorney. She signed with an "X" witnessed by her sons John and Francis. Catherine Callen and Patrick Smyth filed a supporting affidavit, received 3 January 1905 at the Pension Office affirming:

That they are friends and acquaintances of Mary McGuire, widow of Michael McGuire, and have known her and the said soldier for over 51 years, and knew both of them previous to their marriage to each other, and know of their own knowledge that neither of them were ever married to any one previous to their marriage to each other. That the said widow has not re-married since the soldier's death, and always lived with him as his wife, from their marriage to his death, and was never divorced from him. We further know that the only real estate she possesses is on house in which she lives valued at about $1100, with a rental value of from $8.00 to $9.00 per month. That she has no income whatever, and has no interest in any other property of any kind, and that the soldier left no children under the age of sixteen years at the time of his death.

Mary Callan McGuire died, according to military pension records, on 29 April 1909, whereupon the Commissioner of Pensions was advised "that the above named pensioner who was last paid $12, to 4 Feb. 1909 has been dropped because of reported death, Apl. 29, 1909." That death was apparently not recorded at Trenton; a letter dated 30 March 1982, from the State Registrar of Vital Statistics, stated that "the original records and all appropriate indexes in this office have been carefully searched and no record found of the death of Mary Callan McGuire on April 26, 1909, or any day during 1909." Mary's remains were laid to rest in St. John's Cemetery, in a plot together with her late husband and numerous family members, where a large granite monument remains visible.

Sources:

Information concerning Maguires, from parish registers, Ardee, Ireland, 1825-1888, no date. This secondary source is supplemented by photographs of mss. register of St. Mary's, Ardee, taken by Arthur W. Roberts III and Eleanor Jane Callan Roberts of Trenton in 1991, at Archdiocese of Armagh, Church of the Nativity of Our Lady, Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland. Phone: 041/53313 or 53679.

Church records, and of St. John's School, 1855-, at St. John's Rectory, 44 Bridge St., Lambertville NJ 08530, USA.

Marriage record, McGuire/Callan, NJ State Library, Bureau of Archives & History, Book S, Page 62.

Death certificate of Michael McGuire, NJ Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Death certificates of Hugh Callan (Book S, Page 410) and Elizabeth Callan (Book S, Page 24,) NJ State Library.

Tombstone inscriptions; cemetery records of St. John the Evangelist Church, Lambertville, NJ (LDS #836622)

1850 federal census, NJ, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville, p. 31B, 11 (Callan.)

1860 federal census, NJ, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville, p. 23, 103/106 (McGuire.)

1860 federal census, NJ, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville, p. 23, 101/104 (Callan.)

1865 NJ state census, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville, p. 12, 552 (McGuire.)

1870 federal census, NJ, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville, p. 22, 157/156 (McGuire.)

1880 federal census, NJ, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville First Ward, p 84, 244/248 (McGuire.)

1885 NJ state census, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville First Ward, p. 41, 257/257 (McGuire.)

1890 federal census, Special Schedule, NJ, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville, 241/242. (Private, Co. G, NJ Vol., enlisted 29 Feb. 1864, discharged 17 July 1865, length of service 1 year, 4 months, 18 days; see above for confirmation.)

1895 NJ state census, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville, p. 24 (McGuire.)

1900 federal census, NJ, Hunterdon Co., Lambertville, 525/539 (McGuire.)

Invalid pension application and supporting documents, National Archives and Records Administration.

Record of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War, 1861-1865. William S. Stryker, [NJ] Adjutant General. Trenton, New Jersey: John L. Murphy, Steam Book and Job Printer. 1876.

Record of Bucks County Veterans of the European War, 1917-1918, compiled by the Great War Veterans Celebration Assocation of Doylestown, Pa., Vol. III, s.v. "John A. Flood", original at the Spruance Library of the Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, Pa.