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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: doylesq on Sunday 10 July 11 10:13 BST (UK)
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Looking to see if James Forrestal, US Sec of Defence during WW11, was a decendant of our family in Ireland?
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Hello Doylesq,
Welcome to Rootschat
James Forrestal on Census with parents
1892 - http://www.rootschat.com/links/0e7n/
1900 - http://www.rootschat.com/links/0e7p/
1910 - http://www.rootschat.com/links/0e7o/
1920 - http://www.rootschat.com/links/0e7q/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Forrestal#Secretary_of_Defense (with Photograph)
Parents James Forrestal born about 1848 Ireland and Mary A Toohey born May 1857 Ireland. Married Married: Abt 1881 in Dutchess, New York
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0e7r/
Sandra
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I didn't find either of his parents on the 1930 Census.
Try to find an exact date of death for whichever parent you think is connected to your family. An Irish immigrant's obituary sometimes tells at least the county of origin and sometimes even the town.
In 1930, James was a well-to-do banker on Long Island, NY, and his brother Henry S was a building contractor in Beacon, Dutchess County, NY.
Try Dutchess Co first, since that's where the parents were. The father James was also a building contractor, so that alone might have got him a decent writeup when he died.
His mother Mary Toohey's 1910 and 1920 censuses say she was born in New York (state, somewhere, not necessarily NYC.) You will need to look for her parents' deaths if hers is the side of the family you are looking for.
In 1930, the sons said their father had been born in the Irish Free State, so that narrows it down to 26 of the 32 counties, if that is any help.
Another possibility: find a biography of Forrestal himself. A lot of times it will mention where his families were from. I found this one referred to in our library, but look at amazon, there may be more:
Driven Patriot : The Life and Times of James Forrestal
by Hoopes, Townsend
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There is a notice in the New York Times that mentions the death of James Forrestal on 2 Mar. 1923 at Beacon, New York. His funeral was to be held at his late residence at 36 Teller Av. and at St. Joachim's Church. Interment at Beacon, NY. No further info is in there, but presumably that's the father.
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now that you have an exact date for Forrestal's father's death, try the local library and see if they will send you an obit.
Contact Information
Howland Public Library
313 Main St
Beacon, NY 12508
Phone: 845-831-1134
Fax: 845-831-1165
Email: howland@beaconlibrary.org
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From Driven Patriot: The Life and Times of James Forrestal
By Townsend Hoopes, Douglas Brinkley, preview mode at google books:
James Forrestal, the father was born in Co. Cork in 1848, arr. in US age 9, to join his mother Anastasia. Father had died in Ireland. Mother's 2nd husband: Patrick Kennedy.
Both Patrick and Anastasia working as domestics in Matteawan for an Irish family.
James the father went to Fishkill Landing NY. His only sibling, Mary Forrestal came to US a few years later, stayed in Matteawan for a while then became a nun w/ Order of the Holy Cross, new name: Sr Mary Leonard, died in Salt Lake City age 86
Wife Mary Ann Toohey, dau.of Mathias Toohey who was born in IRE and arr. US in 1840. Both Mary's parents died when she was five. Mary was born & raised in Mattewan, NY, raised by relatives
Pictures of both in preview mode at Google books
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this line in our family is an "old wife's tale"> ;D
Spoke to my dad about this. His great aunt maintained that James Forrestal's ancestor left Co Wexford (ireland) on the same boat as JFK's ancestors (they only lived 10 miles apart), both their descendants reached high office in the US, and both died in mysterious circumstances. Appears that the Forrestal's are from Co Mayo, and left Ireland during the famine years.
Oh well!