Wednesday, August 21, 2013

NEW THINGS ON MY TO DO LIST

Summer is almost gone and I did not get a lot done.  My time was spent selling my daughters house, packing, moving and helping her find another house.

I have been lax on doing much research, except for what is on line.   I have been hoping for more records for Allegheny County PA but not much has been posted.

I have a couple who were sponsors for my great grandparents, Patrick O'Rourke and Ellen Mortel O'Rourke.   For a few of their children the sponsors were James and Bridget O'Rourke.   It has been my theory that this was Patrick's brother and his wife.  Some where in my dads notes was an indication that Patrick had a brother Jim.

What I did find was three deaths for the parents of James and Bridget O'Rourke.  The first death was on 28 June 1886, Patrick O'Rourke age 7 years; cause  of death, Scarlet Fever.    The second death was on 24 July 1886, James O'Rourke age  5 years and 3 months, cause of death, Scarlet Fever.  The third death was on 3 August 1886, Anna O'Rourke age 1 year and 11 months, cause of death consumption of bowels.

Bridget and James lost three children the summer of 1886,  I can not image the sadness that this couple felt.  The death certificate gave and address and ward number for the city of Pittsburgh.   I have deducted or guessed that the church they would have attended would have been St. Agnes, which was a Irish Catholic Church close to their home.

When the Archives of the Diocese of Pittsburgh reopens to search for their Baptism and deaths will be on my agenda.    The dates when their children were born would coincide with the same years of my great grandparents would have been starting their family too.