U S Records

[joyce341]

Found Mary Ann in 1880 American census,with her uncle also found father Patrick at home in Providence with two other daughters,Catherine born 1860 and Sarah 1858,says he,s married but wife is not there and can find Judith(wife) nowhere.
thanks again for everyones help on here.I should have said the marriage was 1902,for Mary Ann and Isaac (James)
Joyce

[Jacquie in Canada]

Joyce, are you sure the Mary Ann on the 1880 census is yours? If she is, I don't think the Patrick you found is your Mary Ann's father. I found the Patrick Whitney you referred to on the 1870 census in Providence, Rhode Island in the household of John Whitney, bookseller. The Mary A listed with them is too old to be your Mary Ann and was born in Rhode Island, not Ireland:

John Whitney, 40, bookseller, Ireland
Patrick Whitney, 36, in screw factory, Ireland
Bridget Whitney, 34, Ireland
Mary A Whitney, 15, Rhode Island
Sarah J Whitney, 13, Rhode Island
Miles A Whitney, 11, Rhode Island
Catherine T Whitney, 10, Rhode Island
John J Whitney, 7, Rhode Island
Catherine Whitney, 65, Ireland

Also it appears that the Mary A Whitney who was the daughter of Patrick Whitney died 8 Jan 1880 according to the Rhode Island death index at Ancestry. There were also entries listed for Miles and Catherine as well. (Note: the death index list the parents as Patrick and Mary. The woman listed on the 1870 census is named Bridget however an entry on the 1860 census does have Patrick listed with a Mary. The children on the 1860 census match those on the 1870 census. Since relationships aren't listed, it is possible that the Bridget listed in 1870 is not the wife of Patrick or she and the 1860 Mary are the same person.)

From searches I did at Ancestry, I couldn't find a Judith Whitney born in Ireland listed on any US census.

There is a Mary Whitney born Apr 1867 in Ireland listed as a domestic servant in the household of Mabel Katherine Smith in Woonsocket, Rhode Island whose immigration year is listed as 1884. This is more in line with the dates given on the 1910 and 1920 census of 1884 and 1886 respectively.

There is an entry in the New York passenger list database at Ancestry for a Mary A Whitney, 21, servant, Ireland who arrived aboard the Circassia on 14 Sep 1886. Travelling with her was Irene Whitney, 19, servant, Ireland. The only other Mary Ann Whitney in the databases at Ancestry who arrived between 1883 and 1888 who was in the right age range was listed as being born in England and was travelling with a Patrick and Catherine Whitney who were not old enough to be Mary's parents (Mary was 20, Patrick and Catherine were 31).

Jacquie

[joyce341]

Hi Jaquie
               the one I found in 1880 census,was born in 1863 like mine,aged 17 in 1880 census,born Ireland with her Uncle,surname Dobson,Patrick was in a seperate Household,listed as married,born Ireland as were his two daughters born 1858 and 1860 in Providence Catherine and Sarah,,wife not at home.
Joyce

[joyce341]

1880 census,
Mathew Dobson,
Catherine,Wife
Cecilia Daughter
Nellie  Daughter
Mary Ann Whitney age 17 Niece,born Ireland.

Rhode Island,no,43 in IGI family search.

thanks for your help.
Joyce

[Jacquie in Canada]

Hi Jaquie
               the one I found in 1880 census,was born in 1863 like mine,aged 17 in 1880 census,born Ireland with her Uncle,surname Dobson,Patrick was in a seperate Household,listed as married,born Ireland as were his two daughters born 1858 and 1860 in Providence Catherine and Sarah,,wife not at home.
Joyce

Perhaps it will be better to see all the census entries I'm referring to together so you can see why I'm saying I don't think the Patrick on the 1880 census is the father of your Mary Ann.

1880 census - Providence, Rhode Island

Patrick Whitney, 47, works in screw factory, born Ireland, parents born Ireland
Catharine Whitney, 20, millener, born Rhode Island, parents born Ireland
Sarah Whitney, 22, keeping house, born Rhode Island, parents born Ireland 

1870 census - Providence, Rhode Island

John Whitney, 40, bookseller, Ireland
Patrick Whitney, 36, in screw factory, Ireland
Bridget Whitney, 34, keeping house, Ireland
Mary A Whitney, 15, at school, Rhode Island
Sarah J Whitney, 13, at school, Rhode Island
Miles A Whitney, 11, at school, Rhode Island
Catherine T Whitney, 10, at school, Rhode Island
John J Whitney, 7, at school, Rhode Island
Catherine Whitney, 65, Ireland

1860 census - Providence, Rhode Island

Patrick Whitney, 22, labour, Ireland 
Mary Whitney, 22, Ireland 
Mary A Whitney, 8, Rhode Island 
Sarah Whitney, 6, Rhode Island 
Miles Whitney, 4, Rhode Island 
Catherine Whitney, 2, Rhode Island 

(Note: There are minor discrepancies in the ages between 1860 and 1870 however that is not unusual. Also there is no way to tell from the census entries alone whether Bridget on the 1860 census and Mary on the 1870 census are the same person or not.)

The household listed immediately before Patrick's family on the 1860 census is:

John Whitney, 25, bookseller, Ireland
Catharine Whitney, 55, Ireland
Patrick Whitney, 15, Ireland
John Whitney, 12, Ireland

From the Rhode Island Birth Index:

Mary A. Whitney, daughter of Patrick Whitney and Mary Whitney born 5 Sep 1853.
Sarah Whitney, daughter of Patrick Whitney and Mary Whitney born 2 May 1855.
Miles A. Whitney, son of Patrick Whitney and Mary Whitney born 3 Jan 1857.
Catherine T. Whitney, daughter of Patrick Whitney and Mary Whitney born 16 Dec 1858.

From the Rhode Island Death Index:

Miles A. Whitney, kin 1 Patrick Whitney, kin 2 Mary Whitney, died 21 Jul 1878 at age 21.
Mary A. Whitney, kin 1 Patrick Whitney, kin 2 Mary Whitney, died 8 Jan 1880 at age 26.
Sarah J. Whitney, kin 1 Patrick Whitney, kin 2 Mary Whitney, died 29 Aug 1908 at age 53.

I don't know whether the 1880 census entry for the Mary Ann with the Dobson family is yours or not. I was just trying to point out that the 1860 and 1870 census entries make it pretty clear that the Patrick on the 1880 census is a different Patrick than your Mary Ann's father.

Jacquie

[Lexi]

Hi Joyce,

To back to your original question for a minute.   

After speaking with the chap at the Rhode Island Archives, he's certain you contacted  the Rhode Island Vital Records office which cover the years after 1908 to present date.  Before 1908 all vital records are held at the Rhode Island Archives.  They are two separate entities.

Rhode Island State Archives
337 Westminister Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
401-222-2353

Certified Copy are $2

Photo Copies are 15 cents

Rhode Island General Laws stipulate that all records of birth and marriage are closed for 100 years and Death records are 50 years.

Birth and Marriages 1853-1908 are indexed

Deaths 1853-1958

Prior to 1853 on micro film only.  Original manuscripts maintained at the local level.

Copied from the Vital Record Order Form
.................................................................................

Your James Issac Hickman did in fact pass away on 4 June 1931, as Jacquie found on Ancestry.  Today I called the archives to inquiry about the missing record.  It seems as though it was found in the clerk's film reader the other day, after I left.      The clerk was nice enough to fax me a copy.  I'll be scanning them on over tonight.

Appears that James was buried in Canton, Massachusetts.  The cemetery name isn't listed on his cert.  Maybe he's buried in a family plot in Massachusetts.   Why else would they travel to another state to bury him? 

I'll let you and Jacquie sort through your census results.

Lexi

[joyce341]

Hi Lexi,
           I did contact Vital records and sent the $20 but they returned it to me,I can only think,Mary Ann must have had family in Massachusiss,as none of my dads family were there,thanks again to you and Jaquie for your help.
I see what you mean Jaquie and I agree with you as Lexi has said her mothers name was Judith,I do think it could be her with the Dobsons in the 1880 census though,do you think?.
thanks again to you both,for all your help.
here is a funny story from yesterday,as I keep finding family,cousins etc,my children say I cant keep up,not another cousin,anyhow my youngest daughter had a phone call yesterday,saying,Hi,this is your Uncle Patrick from Canada,she said i dont have a Uncle Patrick in Canada,he replied,Oh dear,Uncle Patrick must have the wrong number,then she rang me to double check,that I had,nt found another relation,LOL
take care both of you
and Thanks again.
Joyce

[Lexi]

Hi Joyce,

Certs in your e-mail box by now. 

Jacquie mentioned

There is an entry in the New York passenger list database at Ancestry for a Mary A Whitney, 21, servant, Ireland who arrived aboard the Circassia on 14 Sep 1886.

Small world Joyce, my g gf sailed across the pond on the Circassia, arriving into New York on 8 May 1883.

Lexi

[Jacquie in Canada]

I wouldn't accept the 1880 census entry as being your Mary Ann without proof that your Mary Ann was connected to either the Dobson family or to Catharine's family (since the census doesn't indicate who Mary Ann is directly related to). Since three census give Mary Ann Whitney's immigration year as being between 1884 and 1886 I would tend to think it isn't her.

I don't know anything about Irish research but I think your best bet of figuring things out is to try to find Mary Ann with Patrick and Judith Whitney in Ireland. I did a parent search of the IGI and there were only three extracted births for children born to parents by those names but none were named Mary Ann. The entries were:

• John Whitney, born 10 Jul 1867 in Longford, Ireland to Patt Whitney and Judy Bierne
• Michael Whitney, born 15 Feb 1870  in Longford, Ireland to Patrick Whitney and Judy Bierne
• Margaret Whitney, born 5 Nov 1871  in Longford, Ireland to Patrick Whitney and Judith Bierne

I don't know if those are your Mary Ann's parents or not but it is a starting point and it does seem easier to rule families out than rule them in.

Having said that though, it does seem like a lot of effort to find someone who isn't directly related to you. 

Jacquie