One of the exciting things about genealogy, is finding you have relatives on the other side of the pond. Since discovering this fact I haven't actually contacted any living descendants, but hopefully it won't be too long until this happens.
In Week 15 I told you the story of John "the ploughman" Spence (born 1868) and how, unlike his parents and siblings, he had emigrated to Scotland from his home in County Donegal in Ireland sometime before 1903. This week I will explain what happened to his parents and some of his siblings.
Starting at the beginning, William Spence, who was born in about 1840, married Margaret McElhinney (1842) in the village of Newtowncunningham to the east of Donegal in 1861. I believe they had twelve children born between 1861 and 1879 although I only know the names of eight of them. It is likely that those who I haven't traced died at a young age. Civil registrations of births in Ireland started in 1864, so the missing children may have been born prior to then. They were all born in the parish of Fahan on the shores of Loch Swilly.
The children who went to America were :
1871 Alexander Spence
1875 Robert Spence
1877 James Spence
1879 Minnie Spence
In Week 15 I told you the story of John "the ploughman" Spence (born 1868) and how, unlike his parents and siblings, he had emigrated to Scotland from his home in County Donegal in Ireland sometime before 1903. This week I will explain what happened to his parents and some of his siblings.
Starting at the beginning, William Spence, who was born in about 1840, married Margaret McElhinney (1842) in the village of Newtowncunningham to the east of Donegal in 1861. I believe they had twelve children born between 1861 and 1879 although I only know the names of eight of them. It is likely that those who I haven't traced died at a young age. Civil registrations of births in Ireland started in 1864, so the missing children may have been born prior to then. They were all born in the parish of Fahan on the shores of Loch Swilly.
The children who went to America were :
1871 Alexander Spence
1875 Robert Spence
1877 James Spence
1879 Minnie Spence
From census and immigration records it seems that Alexander was the first to arrive as he was living at 53 Eastern Avenue, Indianapolis in 1900 aged 34, married for 7 years to a lady from Indiana called Anna. They had one child, Harry (or Henry) aged 6. The Census says Alexander had emigrated in 1885, which would make him just 19 years old. If correct, what would have made him leave his parents and family in Ireland at such a young age ? I haven't found any record of the ship he travelled on or confirmation of the year. In fact there is conflicting evidence in that the 1910 census, which again has him living with his wife and child, says he emigrated in 1872, although I don't think this can be right.
Records show that on 12th June 1905, his younger brother, James, arrived on the ship Columbia from the port of Londonderry. He was described as a labourer. He settled a few houses down the road from Alexander at 33 Eastern Avenue.
Robert was a witness on his brother John's marriage certificate in Muthill, Perthshire 1903 and although I haven't traced the date of arrival, or the ship, census records show that Robert, like James, arrived in 1905.
On the 1914 Indiana directory, Alexander is living with his two brothers, James and Robert, at 249 Eastern Avenue.
Robert was a witness on his brother John's marriage certificate in Muthill, Perthshire 1903 and although I haven't traced the date of arrival, or the ship, census records show that Robert, like James, arrived in 1905.
On the 1914 Indiana directory, Alexander is living with his two brothers, James and Robert, at 249 Eastern Avenue.
The following year, on 17th April 1906, parents William and Margaret arrived on the ship Columbia, with newly married Minnie and her husband William J. Molloy. Both William and Margaret were in their mid 60's which must have been quite an age to uproot and move away from their homeland. William was described as being in farming (see below).
Like their children they settled in Indianapolis in Marion, Indiana. I believe William died between 1910 and 1914 and his wife, who was living with Minnie and her family on the 1920 census, died shortly after.
Robert is on all census between 1910 and 1940 and worked as a car repairer, connected to the steam railroad industry. He married a lady called Hazel in the 1930's and was living with her in 1940, now aged 64. James was also described as a car repairer on the census. My aunt in Australia has a photo of John's wife, Ann, standing outside her gate in Crieff, Scotland with Bob (Robert) who was visiting from Indianapolis, probably about 1950ish. Another relative remembers that Jim (James) was also on this trip. She remembers him as being "a very handsome chap who seemed to be quite prosperous. Mum remembers his lovely silver hair".
Minnie, having married William Molloy in Ireland had emigrated to Indiana with him in 1906 and were together on all US census between 1910 and 1940. They had two children aged 6 months and 2 years on the 1910 census :
Margaret Molloy - she was born about 1908 soon after they arrived in America. On the 1930 and 1940 census she is a typist.
Thomas Molloy - he was born in 1910. On the 1930 census he is described as an "electrician, steam railroad". By 1940, he is married to Eloise and they have two children, William (born 1937) and Gloria (born 1935).
Minnie, having married William Molloy in Ireland had emigrated to Indiana with him in 1906 and were together on all US census between 1910 and 1940. They had two children aged 6 months and 2 years on the 1910 census :
Margaret Molloy - she was born about 1908 soon after they arrived in America. On the 1930 and 1940 census she is a typist.
Thomas Molloy - he was born in 1910. On the 1930 census he is described as an "electrician, steam railroad". By 1940, he is married to Eloise and they have two children, William (born 1937) and Gloria (born 1935).
I look forward to one day meeting a descendant of one of these Spence ancestors and finding out more about their lives in America.