2673 Bainbridge Avenue in 1905, The Bronx, New York City, NY. McConaghy. Hilliard. Northern Ireland

America and immigration from Northern Ireland. Dan likes to know everything about everybody. This is about his great grandmother. Every family has its stories. Ours on this one side stems from Northern Ireland, proudly English roots, or indigenous landowners, and very protestant. Find the old pictures. Then look up the address and find someone who says the house was built in 1915.  Our records, not so: 1905. Complete with beams on the long wagon, with horses.  Then ask, what did it cost to build a single family home in the Bronx in 1905? No idea, but this is a fine middle-ground house. There used to be a snowball bush in front, my mother, Marjorie, would say.

We know that my grandmother was funded from Ireland, with recurrent visits by her natural father, William Brien (of the Lodge), and that she spent down what he provided when her husband died in his early 40's, and she had 5 surviving children to support in that house. Her mother, known as Nana, and an aunt, I believe, also lived there, top floor. My mother imitated Nana calling, "DorothEEE? DorothEEE" for Dorothy, the second daughter, who was the favorite gopher.

2673 Bainbridge Avenue, the Bronx, New York City, single family home, being built in 1905

My grandmother, Lucinda Louise Hilliard arrived second class on the ship with her mother, Margaret  (we have the ticket) at 18 . Margaret, was all of 32 by then, which tells you something.  It might have been a #me-too situation except Mr. Brien was honorable given the times, and supported my grandmother and visited her here, and was always concerned and respectful as to Margaret Hilliard.  Louise married here, to Robert McClure McConaghy. Had they known each other in what is now Northern Ireland?   Support?  Secret, but generous. Mr. Brien gifted stock, that Grandma sold off to support the children and others, until the two sons found out, and then worked to pay their own way at Columbia.late in high school, Girls did not go to college.

Louise Lucinda Brien Hilliard, before she became a McConaghy

Little Robby, the eldest child, died at 6  in about 1914 (flu) and is buried with most of the others at Woodlawn in NY,. There is still a stained glass little lamb window in his memory in the Sunday School at Bedford Park Presbyterian Church, the Bronx, and we asked recently if couldn't room be in Robby's plot for cremains of another descendant. Apparently, in the less than finest Dickens tradition, the Board was horrified at allowing such a thing. La de dah. We will ask again.  Cemeteries are still peopled with the dead. You can write them on our behalf at https://www.thewoodlawncemetery.org. The time has not yet come.  It is not too late.  The little lamb placed on Robby's headstone, is gone, though.  Careless mowers, grim reapers.

Member of the Board: Certainly NOT.

Listen -- What is that you say? This old regular and irregular family wants to add one more, as cremains in due course, in a little box tto be set in a plot with what is left of a casket with a 6-yr old planted there in 1914? Surely the little lamb, Robby, would like company after 106 years?

FDR home at Springwood, Hyde Park NY. A Closer Look at Roosevelts on the Hudson

New York. Visit Eleanor and FDR at FDR's birthplace, his childhood home, and often refuge, in Hyde Park NY on the Hudson.  Find details of privileged lives, tributes to their accomplishments, and impact on history.  Hyde Park is the name of the town.  The Roosevelt estate is called Springwood.

Hyde Park NY.  Daniel Widing with Eleanor and FDR

The first Hyde Park dates from 1536 in England, a manor fave of Henry VIII for his hunting. He confiscated it from monks, who had been affiliated with Westminster Abbey. Tut! 

Is this the same manor that is the eponymous area now known as Hyde Park in London? Henry:  Another to the manner born, see http://www.word-detective.com/2011/10/to-the-manner-manor-born/  Another Hyde Park is part of the Chicago area, since 1853, and in Utah 1860.

Springwood, Hyde Park NY.  FDR childhood home, adult refuge, and burial place for him and Eleanor.

Eleanor seems to have preferred  nearby Val-Kill cottage, a more modest estate for her own use, see http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=33/;  http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/eleanor_roosevelt_valkill.html

1.  Stables at Hyde Park.  See the outside first.  Stables.  Splendid latches, neatly repeated for each occupant's stall.

Stable latch, Hyde Park, Springwood, NY. 

The stables show more attention to detail:  tiled floor drain, with a bit motif and Delft blue and Greek key design surrounding.  Water, suds and slush say, let me circle here, please, then I will go in peace.

Tiled stable drain, Springwood estate, FDR home at Hyde Park NY

Also note the hardwood floor surrounding. Easy on the hoof.

Originalists will cheer the Essential Design of the stable sink.  There, instead of hardwood, there is brick on the floor.  

Stable sink, Hyde Park, Springwood home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor

Venerable roof.

Moss on shingle.  Hyde Park, Springwood stables, FED estate.

2. Graves at Hyde Park.  The estate was also the childhood home of FDR.  On the death of his father in 1900, his mother Sara inherited the estate and held it in her name until her death in 1941.  Is this why Eleanor had a place for herself at Val-Kill?  Both FDR and Eleanor are buried here.

Springwood gravesite, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Hyde Park NY

Fala, Scots terrior, and Chief, German shepherd, both allies of FDR:  are those their graves in front of the monument to FDR and Eleanor?  I think I recall the guide saying so, but check. FDR's mother, Sara, is buried at St. James Episcopal Church in Hyde Park, the town.

 

3.  Berlin Wall at Hyde Park.  Global impact:  Franklin and Eleanor, or is this generic man and woman, cutouts from part of the old Berlin Wall.  Nearby is a bust of Winston Churchill.   Note the base on the Wall sculpture:  each side, one of the Four Freedoms of FDR, with reach still topic of debate, see http://hellofodderhellobuyer.blogspot.com/2010/07/fdrs-four-freedoms-applied-to-states.html

3.  Selected interior.  Now:  inside.  Famous fireside chats.  The Presidential Library has fine exhibits; it is easy to spend more time there than in the house

Fireside chat, Daniel Widing attends.  Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt at Hyde Park

Springwood living room.  FDR's wheelchair is just behind the green armchair on the left. 

Springwood, Hyde Park NY.  Living room

There is no people-elevator at Springwood. 

To get to the second floor, FDR had modified a dumb-waiter construct so he could use a system of weights and pulleys to get himself (or someone else would) up and down.  Dumb waiter:  a small utility vertical hollow )stick in your head and turn:  Hellooooo up there) sometimes with speaking tube; service for meals was managed with shelving and ropes and pulleys to pull trays up and down on the shelving, dishes and the like, from lower kitchen to higher halls and back.  See http://www.stannahlifts.co.uk/news-and-resources/news-centre/169/the-origins-of-a-dumb-waiter-or-dumbwaiter/  See laundry chute?

New York. Buffalo. Niagara Falls

Stunts and Daredevils at Niagara Falls.
Ongoing Saga; and the role of family heritage.

Summer 2012. Nik Wallenda.

Nik Wallenda has permission to do it.  See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/nik-wallendas-niagara-fal_n_1279682.html. Scion of the Flying Wallendas will do the tightrope to die for.  See http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/02/ny-trumps-canada-in-niagara-tightrope-fight.html#.

This border of the United States and Canada must address interesting issues.  When, and why, to permit stuntwork across Niagara Falls. Now, in a long line of risk-takers for personal reasons, and the gasps of the rest of us, enter a member of the famous circus performance family, the Flying Wallendas. Nik Wallenda, scion of the Wallendas, is that so, may get his chance.  See Wallenda may cross Niagara Falls by tightrope after all.
.
Wallenda is the seventh generation of his skilled family in the derring-do, balance, risk of life on high wires. See http://nikwallenda.com/bio.html
.
Niagara stunts. Stunts have been part of Niagara Falls, since people going over in barrels, with a range of results, http://www.niagaraparks.com/media/niagara-falls-stunting-history.html, and it was a woman, Annie Taylor, who did it first.  We love to read who is doing what. See http://www.niagarafrontier.com/devil_frame.html.

The Flying Wallendas must have unique genes, or family persuasion, or all of the above, see http://www.wallenda.com/.  Nik Wallenda is not a contender to dismiss, or group among the nutcases. The circus world has changed from the early tents and trapezes with no nets, even though in some countries, the traveling circus is still a mainstay of seasonal entertainment.

Americana.  Families on road trips, here Niagara Falls in about 1946. Bottom row.

Niagara Falls, NY. American road trip c. 1946

New York, Ground Zero. Support generous but careful immigration with followup.

Ground Zero.
9/11/2001  New York City.

I. A remembrance; and
II. Search for immigrant family roots in NY

I.  New York to many is the place of 9/11.  That is appropriate, for strangers.  Ground Zero.  We share our remembrance for that first, then go back, to roots. Where did first family arrivals settle in NY.

Ground Zero, and the dust.  NYC.

Ground Zero: One foot at a time forward after. NYC.

NYC skyline, after.  Only a crane there. 9/11 aftershock.

II.  Immigrants on both sides. The hurdles are lower for white northern European origins, no question. Doors must always be open with care and followup, however, for all comers, rather than shut based on attributes of race or religion, gender, ethnicity.

We go back when we can to Ground Zero and still have a bucket list of addresses to look up for our own:

1.  Addresses to find:

• 318 West 21st Street, residence of Robert McClure McConaghy age 28 as of August 3, 1904, recent arrival (perhaps in 19 from County Tyrone, Ireland (date not known), son of Robert McConaghy and mother Sidney Torrens

• 301 East 26th Street, residence of Louise Lucinda Hilliard Brien age 26 as of August 3, 1904, recent arrival from County Tyrone, Ireland (date not sure, perhaps 1899?), father William Brien, kept his secret, and mother Margaret Hilliard who had no choice apparently.

• 24 University Place, Manhattan, church of marriage, Louise Lucinda (sometimes Lucinda Louise) presided: Ralph K. Hickok, see marriage certificate.

Northern European types can blend in easier.  All the more reason to extend helping hands to those demonized for other appearances. 

Immigrants: Count us in. McConaghy, Hilliard. To the Bronx, New York.  My mother, Marjorie, youngest of the surviving 5.

B. Places already enjoyed.

•   Woodlawn Cemetery

SW Pt 13158
Aster Plot Sec. 206
Lot Owners:  Robert McConaghy and Louise McConaghy, his wife, marrired as in section 1
Deed No. 18502

Record of Interments:
Lot 1.  Robert McConaghy 7 years 84903 (or 84843) 5/10/13
Lot 2.  Margaret Hilliard, 76 years 156623 2/13/38; Louise McConaghy 87 years 222038 2/11/63
Lot 3.  James Hilliard, 16 years, 83962 1/1/13; Frances Hilliard, 54 years 113872 2/7/24

Surrounding family areas:  Forman, Niebert, Youngling, Mauser, Peter, Pinzisa, Ahnen.  6 from Filbert Ave, 5 from North Border Ave.

Family spirit.  Former Mayor Giuliani was wrong when he said that the purpose behind 9/11 was to break our spirit.  No, as the letter (see Guardian, search online for Osama bin Laden) written to all of us afterwards is clear.  After centuries of colonialism, us invading by corporation and army for oil and turf, read Lawrence in Arabia,  the view of those who hit us was simple retaliation and to get us out of their lands.  Perhaps we should try that. The corporations and those who profit will not let us, is that so?  Our people have plenty of spirit, Mayor Giulini.  What we need is to try to unwind our own history of exploitation. Who said that?  This is a simple blog. For pleasure. Digression.

And the other side:  Canada.  Dad, naturalized in the 1930's; also New York. Immigrants Scotland-Ireland to Canada, Dad to the US: Proud of them. They also adjusted name spellings so the post office would not go nuts keeping the farms straight. No "exact match" possible for years.

Are naturalized persons considered immigrants? Here, Dad and family. Scharfe, Canada.

New York, Saratoga. American Revolution: Battle of Saratoga NY

 Battle of Saratoga

The Revolutionary War - Refresh your memory with a loop around several battlefields related to the Revolutionary War and its memorials.  We chose  1) Saratoga NY;  2) Ticonderoga NY;  and 3) Bennington VT general route.

Saratoga.

The War had begun in 1775, and the British had hopes of ending it at this battle at Saratoga. There were three prongs to the attack planned by the British - 10,000 soldiers from Canada under General Burgoyne (who had just retaken Fort Ticonderoga to the north; the Patriots had earlier taken it from the British), a second British army from Lake Ontario to the Mohawk River, and a third British army under General Howe from New York. There were Germans fighting with General Burgoyne, other nationalities also represented.

On this Battlefield, General Benedict Arnold fought with distinction - see his later status as a "turncoat" to the British, at Studying Wars: Benedict Arnold, "Turncoat".  He had his reasons, and much contributed to it.


Saratoga National Park cannon

The American plan was to keep the British divided. There were only about 8500 Americans. See the battles history at http://www.nps.gov/sara/historyculture/index.htm. There is a fine drive around and through the battlefield, with markers and narratives explaining.

There is an annual re-enactment of the battle, see http://www.saratoga.org/battle1777/reenact.html

Saratoga Surrender Memorial Tower, Victory, NY.

 A pedestal is empty, for Arnold.

Then, go to the Saratoga National Cemetery nearby for the many war heroes and veterans there.

Saratoga National Cemetery.

Prepare for a surprise.

Here is veteran Wilbert Thomas Lagassse in the cemetery named after Gerald Brooks Hunt Solomon, a NY congressman. See http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000675.  Fields of rows of headstones, and Mr. Lagasse claims the best tan. America. Would Mr. Solomon admire the humor of this lucky one, not killed in battle, or not so much?


Lake Saratoga, NY.

Near the battlefield, home of the fine old Victorian resort at Saratoga Springs and racetrack, see http://www.nyra.com/index_saratoga.html

Many fine Bed and Breakfasts.  There is no need to call ahead for reservations.  Choose one with a view.

Environmental issue: Food chain broken.  No bugs. What have we done to the food chain?

Bug alert. Ominous. With a 5-day overall trip, in summer, our windshields were almost clean. No bugs. A few butterflies, very few, on the vast battlefields. Have we finally broken the food chain? Remember when each stop for gas meant scraping the windshield, hard, with that liquid, just to get those millions off? And the wings in the grille?

New York, Fort Ticonderoga. American Revolution: Fort Ticonderoga NY

Fort Ticonderoga, New York

Fort Ticonderoga NY, fife and drum

If you are lucky or a planner, your visit will include a re-enactment.  Fort Ticonderoga is in NY State, north of Saratoga. For a timeline on the Revolutionary War, see http://members.aol.com/ntgen/hrtg/revtmln.html.

There is a fine drive to the Fort, through woods with markers and narratives for the battles and skirmishes. See where the Black Watch regiment fought for the British. Follow the memorials. Costumed guides are at the main fort.

Benedict Arnold, here a colonel I understand, fought with distinction. He was later despised as a turncoat, one who is disloyal and deserts his prior cause, see http://www.thefreedictionary.com/turncoat/  There is more to it than that, but he was nonetheless brilliant. Nothing is simple. See Studying Wars: Benedict Arnold. It looks more like swiftboating Benedict Arnold. Is that so? Check it out.  A kind of bullying against adults also takes its toll.