SOURCES OF INFORMATION REGARDING PATRICK J. DORGAN IN IRELAND

A letter dated May 25, 2004, was received from Mrs. Jo Cashman, residing in Knockglass, Ladysbridge, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork, Ireland. The transcription remains faithful to her original writing style, except for capitalizing all names.
The initial contact was made through Pete Morrison, facilitated by a mutual genealogy acquaintance, Ed Duggan. Ed Duggan had extensively explored the townlands associated with the ancestral DORGAN family in Ireland, particularly Ballybraher, Ballycotton, Shanagarry, Churchtown South, and neighboring areas.
Pete Morrison, in response to the inquiry, requested Mrs. Jo Cashman to document her recollections of the DORGAN family. The resulting information, scribed by Mrs. Jo Cashman, was shared in the letter dated May 25, 2004.
Pete Morrison appended a note to the letter, expressing a brief acknowledgment and apologizing for any challenges in his handwriting. The letter and its contents were intended to provide valuable insights into the DORGAN family history.

Here is Pete’s letter:

Churchtown South,
Cloyne,
Co. Cork

25-5-04

Dear Bill,

Just a few lines in reply to your letter. I met with a friend, Mrs. Jo Cashman, and she wrote out the information. As you can see, my writing is not the best. I hope what was sent to you will be of use.

Yours sincerely,

Pete Morrison


This is Mrs. Jo Cashman’s letter:

Knockglass, Ladysbridge
Castlemartyr
Co. Cork
Ireland Eire

My Dear Bill

Sometime recently, PETE MORRISON received a letter from you regarding the family tree. Enclosed is some of the information I have for you.

DAVID DORGAN lived in Ballybraher & married Elizabeth Ahearne, & had no family.
DAVID (DORGAN) brought his nephew JOHN HEALY (his sister Mary's son).
Elizabeth brought her niece, MARGARET GRAHAME.
Then JOHN HEALY & MARGARET GRAHAME married.
They had family as follows: ELIZABETH, JERRY, and DAVID twins, JOHN CHRISTOPHER, and JAMES. All unmarried.
ELIZABETH, David, and JOHN CHRISTOPHER are still in Ballybraher, & JAMES died 10 years ago, & JERRY died last July.

The oversaid brother DAVID (DORGAN) had a brother MICHAEL DORGAN, who bought a pub in Cloyne, was married to a Guard woman from Ballynamona, Shanagarry, & had four children: LENA (DORGAN) married BILLY O'BRIEN, MARY (DORGAN) married BILLY'S brother JOHN O'BRIEN, and neither had a family. PATRICK (DORGAN) married a Millerick woman & had a family of five, & BILL (DORGAN) in Cork (City) was unmarried. (I have since updated this information!)

The above DAVID & MICHAEL DORGAN (brothers) had a sister ELIZABETH (DORGAN) married JOHN SHINNICK, Ballycatoo, Cloyne, & had 3 in the family: EDMUND, ELIZABETH, & HANNAH. Another sister, MARY (DORGAN), married JERRY HEALY, Lisanley, Cloyne (parents of JOHN HEALY, who married MARGARET GRAHAME, whom I already mentioned). The above JOHN HEALY had a brother PAD & MICK HEALY (Patrick and Michael Healy) & a sister ANN (HEALY), unmarried, and a sister married to MEANEY, Aghada.

DAVID DORGAN & MICHAEL DORGAN, ELIZABETH SHINNICK & MARY HEALY were brothers and sisters of your great-grandfather, PATRICK J. DORGAN.

MARY CATHERINE HARTNETT came from Garryvoe & had a brother JAMES (HARTNETT) in Garryvoe who was married to MARY COLEMAN, Maytown, Ballycotton & had a son MAURICE (HARTNETT) & two daughters HANNAH (HARTNETT) and MINNIE (HARTNETT). (There) may be others. I don't know that family.

PATRICK J. DORGAN left Ballybraher & moved to Carrigkilter (a mile down the road). In later years, DANIEL O'CONNELL from Co. Kerry bought the above farm, & it has now changed to new owners.

I do hope this little bit of information is of some help, & do hope to hear from you sometime.

God bless,
(Mrs.) Jo Cashman"


In April 2005, while in Ireland, I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Jo Cashman and Pete Morrison. They proved to be delightful companions, sharing a wealth of Dorgan information that I eagerly absorbed, relishing every detail.

Patrick Dorgan represents a typical East Cork emigrant of the 1880s–1890s, linking:
• Rural Cloyne parish families (Dorgan–Hartnett–Duhig)
• To the Rhode Island Irish diaspora
His life sits right at the intersection of post-Famine migration and family chain settlement.

Patrick J. Dorgan’s exact birth date is uncertain. He was born on his father’s farm in Ballybraher, Ballycotton, Parish of Cloyne, Cork County, Ireland, and no birth or baptismal certificate is available.

The Passenger Record of Patrick J. Dorgan:

• First Name: Patrick
• Last Name: Dorgan
• Nationality: Ireland, Irish
• Last Place of Residence: Ballylanders
• Date of Arrival: 28 October 1896
• Age at Arrival: 40
• Gender: Male
• Ship of Travel: Teutonic (White Star Lines)
• Port of Departure: Queenstown, 21 October 1896
• Manifest Line Number: 0411
• Passenger ID: 104668100471

Upon arriving at Ellis Island, New York, on October 28, 1896, Patrick J. Dorgan declared his age as 40, suggesting a birth year of 1856. He gave his townland as Ballylanders in the P.L.U. (Registration District) of Middleton, in the civil parish of Ballintemple.

In the 1900 U.S. census, he stated his age as 39 and his birth as August 1860. In his 1928 Declaration of Intention for U.S. citizenship, he claimed to be 65, born on March 17, 1863. However, his death certificate records his birth as April 26, 1860.

During visits in 1972 and the early 1990s, Patricia Maguire spent time with the Healy family of Ballybraher, relatives of the Dorgan family. The Healy family lived on the farm where Patrick Dargan, father of Patrick J. Dorgan, was born and raised. This farm passed to Patrick J.’s older brother, David Dorgan, and later to John Healy, the son of David’s sister Mary.

David and his wife, Elizabeth Ahearne, had no children of their own but took in Mary’s son, John Healy, and Elizabeth’s sister’s daughter, Margaret Grahame. John and Margaret were newlyweds when they arrived at Ballybraher, having had an arranged marriage made by their families. They had five children: Elizabeth, John Christopher, David, Jeremiah (a twin), and James (the other twin). None of the Healy children married, and after their passing, the ancestral Dorgan farm was inherited by the O’Brien family.

Before his marriage, Patrick J. Dorgan left the ancestral Dorgan farm at Ballybraher, which had been inherited by his older brother, David. He moved to Carrigkilter, only about a mile away, purchasing the property from James Walsh of Ballyandreen, who had previously leased it and faced bankruptcy. The house and barns built by Patrick Dorgan still stand at Carrigkilter. During my 2005 visit, I could not resist taking a piece of siding from one of the barns, a memento encouraged by Jo Cashman.

Before he immigrated to America, Patrick J. Dorgan Jr. sold the Carrigkilter farm to Daniel O’Connell and Ellen Curtin from Catairsaibin, County Kerry. The O’Connells had five children: Patrick, who went to the United States and was killed; Thomas, a steeplejack; William; Jack; and Daniel.

Daniel O’Connell Jr. later sold the farm to the Murphy family from Cork City. The Murphys do not currently live there; instead, they rent it to a single young man. According to the latest information, the property has since changed hands again.

Patrick J. Dorgan lived in Carrigkilter, Ballycotton, from 1886 to 1895. Ballybraher and Carrigkilter are adjoining townlands within the Parish of Cloyne.

The land is recorded as follows:

- PLACENAME: Ballybraher (Carrigkilter)

- TOWNLAND: Ballycotton

- CIVIL PARISH: Cloyne

- POOR LAW UNION: Middleton

- BARONY: Imokilly

- COUNTY: Cork

- PROVINCE: Munster

Patrick Dorgan Jr. was a farmer who raised livestock and cultivated crops. In the 1880s, when the economy declined and his animals began to die, Patrick decided to leave Ireland. In October 1896, he departed for Rhode Island, where his wife’s sister, Elizabeth, and other relatives (cousins) lived. Patrick stayed with the Hartnett family and found work in Providence as a laborer. Eight months later, in June 1897, his wife, Mary Hartnett, and their five children (Anne Theresa, Michael Joseph, Patrick Francis, David Andrew, and William Joseph) followed him. They left from Cobh (Queenstown), County Cork, Ireland, on 3 June 1897 and arrived at Ellis Island, New York, on 9 June 1897. Shortly afterward, they settled in Providence, Rhode Island, where they welcomed two more children, Timothy John and Mary Catherine.


PATRICK DORGAN’S JOURNEY TO AMERICA: 21 Oct 1896 - 28 Oct 1896
Patrick Dorgan embarked on a journey to America that was filled with mixed emotions. Leaving behind the security, comfort, and support of family, relatives, and friends in his homeland was a sad experience for him. However, he was also excited about the beginning of a new life in a new country. Like millions of Irish men and women before him, he was a pioneer.

Patrick Dorgan left Cork, Ireland, on October 21, 1896, and arrived in the US at Ellis Island, New York, on October 28, 1896, aboard the White Star Line Ship “Teutonic” (http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=teuto). The Teutonic was a 9,984 gross ton ship built in 1889 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, for the White Star Line. The ship had a length of 565.8ft x beam 57.8ft, two funnels, three masts, twin screws, and a speed of 19 knots. It could accommodate 300-1st, 190-2nd, and 1,000-3rd class passengers. https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/ImmigrantShips/Teutonic.html#Photographs

FIRST NAME
Patrick
LAST NAME
Dorgan
MARITAL STATUS
Unknown
GENDER
Male
AGE AT ARRIVAL
40
ETHNICITY
N/A
LAST PLACE OF RESIDENCE
Ballylanders
YEAR OF BIRTH
1856
PASSENGER ID
104668100471
DATE OF ARRIVAL
October 28th, 1896
SHIP OF TRAVEL
Teutonic
PORT OF DEPARTURE
Queenstown

The Teutonic sailed from Liverpool to Spithead on August 1, 1889, to take part in the Naval Review and was the first Armed Merchant Cruiser. On August 7, 1889, it began its maiden voyage from Liverpool to Queenstown (Cobh) and New York. In August 1891, it set a record passage of 5 days, 16 hours, 31 minutes between Queenstown and Sandy Hook. The ship carried out its last Liverpool-Queenstown-New York voyage on May 15, 1907. It started its Southampton-Cherbourg-New York sailings on June 12, 1907, and carried out its last voyage on this service on April 19, 1911. On May 13, 1911, it was transferred to the Liverpool-Quebec-Montreal service, accommodating 550 2nd-class and 1,000 3rd-class passengers. On September 20, 1914, it was requisitioned as an Armed Merchant Cruiser and served with the 10th Cruiser Squadron. On August 16, 1915, the ship was purchased by the British Admiralty and became a troopship in 1918. It was later laid up at Cowes, Isle of Wight, in 1921 and scrapped at Emden the same year. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2, p.759]

Here is Patrick’s story of his voyage and landing on Ellis Island in New York on October 28, 1896.

THE JOURNEY TO AMERICA

STEP ONE: LEAVING HOME

Leaving the "Old Country" was often a family affair. People sought advice and freely received help from their loved ones, including mothers, fathers, siblings, aunts, uncles, friends, and even entire villages. It wasn't unusual for a family to work together to raise the money for one family member to make the trip.

It was common for one family member to go to America first and then save money to bring the rest of the family over. Between 1900 and 1910, almost 95% of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island were joining family or friends. Sometimes the father would come alone to see if America was the land of opportunity before sending for his wife and children. Other times, the eldest son would immigrate first and then send for the next oldest until the entire family was in America. Often, those who arrived first would send a prepaid ticket back home to the next family member. It is believed that in 1890, between 25% and 50% of all immigrants arriving in America possessed prepaid tickets. In 1901, between 40% and 65% of the immigrants came either on prepaid tickets or with money sent to them from the United States.

Since all steerage tickets were sold without space reservations, obtaining a ticket was easy. Principal shipping lines had hundreds of agencies in the United States, and "freelance" ticket agents traveled through parts of Europe, moving from village to village, selling tickets. After 1900, in addition to a ticket, however, an immigrant had to secure a passport from local officials and a United States visa from either the nearest American consular office or from the local consul at the port.

For many, simply getting to the port was the first major journey of their lives. They would travel by train, wagon, donkey, or even on foot. Sometimes, travelers would have to wait days, weeks, and even months at the port, either for their paperwork to be completed or for their ship to arrive, because train schedules were not coordinated with sailing dates. Assuming their paperwork was in order and a ticket had been purchased, some provision was usually made for the care of the emigrants who were forced to wait for the ship. Steamship companies were required by the governments to watch over the prospective passengers, and at most ports, the travelers were housed in private boardinghouses. Some port cities even boasted their own "emigrant hotels."

After the 1893 immigration law went into effect, each passenger had to answer a series of 29 questions (recorded on manifest lists) before boarding the ship. These questions included, among others: name, age, sex, marital status, occupation, nationality, ability to read or write, race, physical and mental health, last residence, and name and address of the nearest relative or friend in the country from which the immigrant came. Immigrants were asked whether they possessed at least $30, whether they had ever been in prison, an almshouse, or an institution, or if they were polygamists or anarchists.

Steamship lines were also held accountable for the medical examinations of the immigrants before departing the port. Most seaport medical examinations were made by doctors employed by the steamship lines, but often the examination was just too rapid to disclose any but the most obvious diseases and defects. Disinfection (of both immigrants and baggage) and vaccination were routinely performed at the ports. Finally, with questions answered, medical exams completed, vaccinations still stinging, and disinfectant still stinking, the immigrants were led down the gangplank to first-class, second-class, or steerage accommodations. Steerage passengers walked past the tiny deck space, squeezed past the ship's machinery, and were directed down deep stairways into the enclosed lower decks where they would spend the rest of their ocean journey.

STEP TWO: ON BOARD

Three types of accommodations on the ships brought immigrants to America: first class, second class, and steerage. Only steerage passengers were processed at Ellis Island. First- and second-class passengers were quickly and courteously "inspected" on board the ship before being transferred to New York.

But steerage was enormously profitable for steamship companies. Even though the average cost of a ticket was only $30, larger ships could hold from 1,500 to 2,000 immigrants, netting a profit of $45,000 to $60,000 for a single one-way voyage. The cost to feed a single immigrant was only about 60 cents a day!

For most immigrants, especially early arrivals, the experience of steerage was like a nightmare. (At one time, the average passenger mortality rate was 10 percent per voyage.) The conditions were so crowded, so dismally dark, so unsanitary, and so foul-smelling that they were the single most important cause of America’s early immigration laws. Unfortunately, the laws were almost impossible to enforce; steerage conditions continued to remain deplorable, almost beyond belief. As late as 1911, in a report to President William H. Taft, the United States Immigration Commission said of steerage:

"Imagine a large room, perhaps seven feet in height, extending the entire breadth of the ship and about a third of its length. This room is filled with a framework of iron pipes, forming a double tier of six-by-two-foot berths, with only sufficient space left to serve as aisles or passageways. Such a compartment will sometimes accommodate as many as three hundred passengers, and it is duplicated in other parts of the ship and on other decks.

"The open deck space reserved for steerage passengers is usually very limited, and situated in the worst part of the ship, subject to the most violent motion, to the dirt from the stacks and the odors from the hold and galleysÖ. The only provisions for eating are frequently shelves or benches along the sides or in the passages of sleeping compartments. Dining rooms are rare, and if found, are often shared with berths installed along the walls. Toilets and washrooms are completely inadequate; salt water only is available.

"The ventilation is almost always inadequate, and the air soon becomes foul. The unattended vomit of the seasick, the odors of not-too-clean bodies, the reek of food, and the awful stench of the nearby toilet rooms make the atmosphere of the steerage such that it is a marvel that human flesh can endure it Ö. Most immigrants lie in their berths for most of the voyage, in a stupor caused by the foul air. The food often repels them. It is almost impossible to keep personally clean. All of these conditions are naturally aggravated by the crowding."

Despite the miserable conditions, the immigrants had faith in the future. To pass the time, a crossing could take anywhere from 10 days to more than a month, depending on the ship, and passengers would play cards, sing, dance, and talk, talk, talk.

Rumors about life in America, combined with stories about rejections and deportations at Ellis Island, circulated endlessly. There were rehearsals for answering the immigration inspectorsí’ questions, and hour upon hour was spent learning the strange new language.

By the time the tiring trip approached its long-awaited end, most immigrants were in a state of shock: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Yet, even with the shores of a New World looming before their eyes, even with tears of relief streaming down their faces, their journey was not at an end.

A final fear gripped their hearts: Would their new home accept or reject them?

The federal government passed no immigration laws until 1819, and that first law applied only to standards for steerage conditions on sailing vessels. It also required that limited immigration records be kept, but immigration regulations did not become at all uniform until 1882. In 1855, Castle Garden, an old fort at the southern tip of Manhattan, was designated as an immigrant station under state supervision. When the new federal law was passed in 1882, Castle Garden continued to operate under contract to the U.S. government. By 1890, however, its facilities had long since proved inadequate for the ever-increasing number of immigrant arrivals.

After a government survey of potential locations, Ellis Island was chosen as the site for an entirely new U.S. immigration station. Several Manhattan locations had previously been rejected because earlier newcomers were routinely and ruthlessly exploited as they left Castle Garden. On an island, immigrants could be screened, protected, and gradually integrated into their new culture.

Ellis Island, a 27-acre parcel of land located about a mile from the tip of Manhattan, was destined to become the most-used doorway to America. When Native American Indians named it Kilshk (Gull Island) after its winged inhabitants, it was little more than a three-acre sandbank of mud and clay. The Dutch purchased the island from the Indians and established the colony of New Amsterdam. It had a succession of owners before the American Revolution, when Samuel ELLIS bought and linked his name to it. New York State purchased Ellis Island in 1808 and, in turn, sold it to the federal government, which wanted to build a fort on it. Fortified just before the outbreak of the War of 1812, Fort Gibson on Ellis Island saw little action during the war. It was used primarily as a munitions depot until it was transformed into an immigrant center in 1892.

Construction of the buildings on Ellis Island began in 1890. Hundreds of workmen labored at a large three-story reception center, hospital for the ill or quarantined immigrants, laundry facility, boiler-house, and an electric generating plant. Smaller buildings included a dormitory, restaurant, and baggage station. Over the years, ballast from ships dumped near Ellis Island built it up, and the landfill and completion of sea walls brought it to a larger size. When construction was completed, Ellis Island was a self-contained city whose population, though transient, often numbered in the thousands. The Ellis Island Immigration Center was officially dedicated on New Year's Day in 1892.

On that day, a 15-year-old Irish girl, Annie Moore from County Cork, was closest to the gangplank as it was lowered from the "S. S. Nevada." She was the first person processed at Ellis Island. According to a copy of the 'New York Times' for that date, "The waiting officials presented her with a ten-dollar gold piece. She had never seen a United States coin, and this was the largest sum of money she had ever possessed." Other records show that Annie was bringing her two younger brothers to join their parents, who had immigrated to NY four years before. Seven hundred passengers from the ships "City of Paris" and "Victoria" were also cleared that day. Passenger lists for these and hundreds of other vessels that entered NY and other American ports were preserved on microfilm for those who wished to trace their ancestors’ passage to America.

The life of the first station on Ellis Island was short. All the pine-frame buildings burned to the ground in a disastrous fire on June 15, 1897. Mary Catherine Hartnett, Patrick J. Dorgan’s wife, arrived at Ellis Island on June 9, 1897, one week before this catastrophic fire!

Congress immediately appropriated funds to replace the destroyed structures with fireproof buildings. During the ensuing two-and-a-half-year rebuilding phase, immigrants were processed at stations in Manhattan. The new buildings were constructed of brick and ironwork, with limestone trim, and the station reopened in December 1900. The main building, 338 feet long and 168 feet wide, was notable for its four cupola-style towers and its spacious second-floor Registry Room. The vaulted terra-cotta ceiling of the Great Hall rose sixty feet above a black tile floor, which was cleaned and polished twice a day. Three bronze-and-glass chandeliers with hundreds of lightbulbs made the room an impressive sight. For many immigrants, their first glimpse of this scene likely confirmed the stories they had heard about America’s wealth.

The Atlantic had rarely offered a smooth crossing. Frequent storms and high seas kept ships in a pitching motion, bringing miserable seasickness to all but a few. Hundreds of poorer-class immigrants were jammed into the steerage section of ships where they spent much of the time in narrow bunks in an atmosphere tainted with disease and separated from family, friends, and familiar sights. The last day of the voyage and the first sighting of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island brought new anxieties. Passengers of means escaped the rigors of the "Ellis Ordeal" by being processed aboard the vessel. These privileged few were then delivered directly to Manhattan. The poorer classes, however, experienced further frustration as they often sat 3 to 4 days in the crowded harbor awaiting their ship's turn to disembark passengers. On days when several large ships carrying over a thousand passengers in steerage docked concurrently, the capacity of the station was woefully inadequate. Finally, with babes in arms and children in hand, laden with bundles and baggage containing all their worldly possessions, this diverse assemblage of Old World humanity would stream down the plank and onto Ellis Island.

STEP THREE: INSPECTION

Medical inspectors boarded incoming ships in the quarantine area at the entrance to the Lower Bay of New York Harbor. Ships were examined from 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. Vessels arriving after 5 P.M. had to anchor for the night.

The quarantine examination was conducted aboard the ship and was reserved for first- and second-class cabin passengers. U.S. citizens were exempt. Passengers were inspected for possible contagious diseases, including cholera, plague, smallpox, typhoid fever, yellow fever, scarlet fever, measles, and diphtheria. A small number of cabin-class passengers were designated for further examination at Ellis Island. For example, in 1905, of 100,000 cabin passengers arriving in New York, only 3,000 were required to pass through Ellis Island for additional medical checks. During that same year, 800,000 steerage passengers were examined at the island.

For steerage passengers, quarantine was simply a time of heightened frustration and ever-increasing anxiety.

After the visiting medical inspectors climbed down the ladders to their waiting cutter, the ship finally moved north through the Narrows into Upper New York Bay and the harbor. Slowly, the tip of Manhattan came into view. At first sight, the focus of every immigrant’s attention was the Statue of Liberty. Perhaps her overwhelming impact is best captured in the words of those who saw her this way for the first time:

"I thought she was one of the Seven Wonders of the World," exclaimed a German nearing his eightieth birthday.

A Polish man said, "The bigness of Mrs. Liberty overcame us. No one spoke a word for she was like a goddess and we know she represented the big, powerful country which was to be our future home."

Just beyond the statue, about a half mile to the northwest, was Ellis Island. After the ship had docked in Manhattan, while cabin passengers were being released to the freedom of New York, steerage passengers poured across the pier to a waiting area. Each wore a name tag with the individual manifest number written in large letters. The immigrants were then assembled in groups of 30, according to manifest letters, and were packed on the top decks of barges, while their baggage was piled on the lower decks.

Soon, very soon, they would arrive at the islandís landing slip and be led to the Main Building’s large reception room. Here, at last, immigrants would take the final step in their journey to freedom in America.

When they finally landed, the ground still seemed to sway like waves beneath their feet, and the shrill shouts of a dozen different languages assaulted their ears. It was then that they met their first American: a nameless interpreter. In retrospect, these interpreters were the unsung heroes of the entire immigration screening process. Their patience and skill often spared immigrants from deportation.

On average, an interpreter spoke six languages, but knowing a dozen (including dialects) was not uncommon. The record for a single interpreter was fifteen languages.

One interpreter was Fiorello LaGuardia, who would later become the famous mayor of New York City known for cleaning up Tammany Hall’s corruption. He worked at Ellis Island from 1907 to 1910, earning an annual salary of $1,200. Interpreters led groups through the main doorway and guided them up a steep stairway to the Registry Room. Although they did not realize it, the immigrants were already undergoing their first test: a doctor stood at the top of the stairs, watching for signs of lameness, heavy breathing that might indicate a heart condition, or “bewildered gazes” that might signal a mental disorder.

As each immigrant passed, a doctor, with an interpreter at his side, would examine the immigrantís face, hair, neck, and hands. The doctor held a piece of chalk. On about 2 out of every 10 or 11 immigrants who passed, he would scrawl a large white letter; the letter meant the immigrant was to be detained for further medical inspection.

Should an immigrant be suspected of mental defects, an X was marked high on the front of the right shoulder; a plain X lower on the right shoulder indicated the suspicion of a deformity or disease; an X within a circle meant some definite symptom had been detected. And the "shorthand" continued: B indicated possible back problems; C, conjunctivitis; Ct, trachoma; E, eyes; F, face; Ft, feet; D, goiter; H, heart; K, hernia; L, lameness; N, neck; P, physical and lungs; Pg, pregnancy; S, senility; and Sc, scalp. If an immigrant was marked, he or she continued with the process and then was directed to rooms set aside for further examination.

Sometimes whole groups would be made to bathe with disinfectant solutions before being cleared ñ not too surprising, considering how many were unable to bathe during the crossing. Again, the line moved on. The next group of doctors was the dreaded "eye men." They were looking for symptoms of trachoma, an eye disease that caused blindness and even death. (This disease was the reason for more than half of the medical detentions, and its discovery meant certain deportation.) Rumors of this particular inspection terrified many an immigrant, but it was over in a few seconds, as the doctor tilted the immigrantís head back and swiftly snapped back the upper eyelids over a small instrument (actually a hook for buttoning shoes).

If immigrants had any of the diseases proscribed by the immigration laws or were too ill or feeble-minded to earn a living, they would be deported. Sick children aged 12 or older were sent back to Europe alone and were released at the port from which they had come. Children younger than 12 had to be accompanied by a parent. There were many tearful scenes as families with sick children decided who would go and who would stay.

Immigrants who passed their medical exams were now ready to take the final test from the "primary line" inspector, seated on a high stool with the shipís manifest on a desk in front of him and an interpreter at his side.

This questioning process was designed to verify the 29 items of information contained on the manifest. Since each "primary line" inspector had only about two minutes in which to decide whether each immigrant was "clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to land," nearly all of the immigrants received curt nods of approval and were handed landing cards.

Most passed the test. (Only two percent of the immigrants seeking refuge in America would fail to be admitted.) After only a few more hours on Ellis Island, they were free to go. Their journey was nearly complete.

STEP FOUR: BEYOND ELLIS ISLAND

Those with landing cards in hand next moved to the Money Exchange. Here, six cashiers exchanged gold, silver, and paper money from countries all over Europe for American dollars, based on the day’s official rates posted on a blackboard.

For immigrants traveling to cities or towns beyond New York City, the next stop was the railroad ticket office. There, a dozen agents collectively sold as many as 25 tickets a minute on the busiest days. Immigrants could wait in areas marked for each independent railroad line in the ferry terminal.

When it was reasonably close to the time for their train’s departure, they were ferried on barges to the train terminals in Jersey City or Hoboken. Immigrants bound for New England took the ferry to Manhattan. All that remained was to arrange for their trunks, stored in the baggage room, to be sent on to their final destinations.

Finally, the immigrants’ journey to and through Ellis Island was complete, with admittance cards, railroad or ferry passes, and box lunches in hand. For many, it had begun months or even years before. Some, of course, still had more traveling ahead of them—to the rocky shores of New England, to the Great Plains of the Midwest, or to the orange groves of California.

But whatever lay ahead, in their hearts they could read the invisible sign that proclaimed, "Welcome to America."

WHY DID PATRICK DORGAN COME TO AMERICA?

If you look at the birth years of the children of PATRICK DARGAN and JOHANNAH FLYNN, there are two females and four males:

1841 Mary married Jeremiah Healy
1842 Elizabeth married John Shinnick
1844 Timothy married Johannah O’Gorman
1845 Michael married Johannah Garde 
1846 David married Elizabeth Ahearne 
1860 Patrick married Mary Catherine Hartnett

The females married into their husbands’ families (HEALY and SHINNICK). 

The males inherited their parents’ assets/holdings:
 
Timothy (land holdings around Ballybraher and, after their son, David, married into Julia O’Brien’s family, extensive land holdings/farms). 

Michael (Dorgan’s pub in Cloyne) 

David (The marriage between Elizabeth Ahern and David Dorgan was arranged. Their parents were farmers with adjoining properties, the Dorgan property in Carrigkilter and the Ahern property in Ballybraher). When Elizabeth Ahern and David Dorgan did not have their own children, they brought to their farm Margaret Grahame, the niece of Elizabeth Ahearne, and John Healy, the nephew of David Dorgan (his sister Mary’s son).

The marriage of Margaret Grahame and John Healy was also arranged. They were married before they lived with Elizabeth Ahearne and David Dorgan.

These arranged marriages kept the properties of Carrigkilter and Ballybraher in the family until the present day. Ironically, none of the five children of Margaret Grahame and John Healy married, and none had any children! 

The ancestral Dorgan property at Carrigkilter has been sold a few times. Only the ancestral Ahern property at Ballybraher remains, which has extensive land holdings. The O’Brien family now owns all of these lands.

Patrick, my grandfather, was the youngest child and a surprise addition to the family, born 14 years after David. With no inheritance and little hope for a better future at home, he went to America. Born in 1860 and receiving no significant share of the family land, Patrick sought a different path. In America, he may have seen the chance for a better life for himself and his family, free from the constraints and complications of land inheritance. The pursuit of brighter prospects and improved circumstances likely drove his decision to emigrate.

PATRICK DORGAN: THE US CENSUS AND THE CENSUS OF RHODE ISLAND

1900 US FEDERAL CENSUS (Providence, Ward 3, ED 27, Page 4, June 4, 1900)
Patrick Dorgan and his wife, Mary, together with their five children (Anne, Michael, Patrick, David, and William) appear in the 1900 Federal Census of New England ( Image #695, roll T623_1506, page 140, Enumeration District 27, Sheet 4, June 4, 1900) living at 39 Ashburton Street in the 3rd Ward of Providence, Rhode Island. Patrick listed his occupation as a "night laborer.

How did the demographics of Providence, Rhode Island, compare to national averages?

In 1900, Providence, Rhode Island, had a population of approximately 175,597. Its demographics differed from those of the United States as a whole in several ways.

First, in terms of ethnicity, Providence had a higher percentage of immigrants than the national average. Many immigrants—particularly from Ireland, Italy, and Portugal—settled in the city during this period, contributing to its diverse population.

Second, Providence had a significantly higher proportion of foreign-born residents. In 1900, about 39% of the city’s population was foreign-born, compared with a national average of approximately 13%. This indicates that Providence attracted a substantial number of immigrants seeking economic opportunities.

Finally, Providence had a higher percentage of residents who identified as Catholic than the national average. The city had a strong Catholic presence, with many churches and religious institutions serving the community.

Overall, Providence’s demographics in 1900 differed from national patterns, with higher proportions of immigrants, foreign-born residents, and Catholics. These factors contributed to the city’s distinctive cultural and ethnic character during this period.


1905 US STATE CENSUS OF RHODE ISLAND
Patrick Dorgan and his wife, Mary, together with their six children (Anne, Michael, Patrick, David, William, and Mary) appear on the 1905 Census of Rhode Island living at 296 Charles Street in Providence, Rhode Island. His son, John, had died. This census depicts him as a "common laborer,” age 45, who emigrated to the US in 1896 and was "unemployed for three months" during the 1905 census year. He also appears in The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book, 1905, page 303, at 296 Charles Street, Providence, RI. This house is located across the street from the main post office in Providence. Presently, it is the site of the American Upholstery Foam Company:

https://tinyurl.com/yeyrcfhj

1910 US STATE CENSUS OF RHODE ISLAND
Patrick Dorgan and his wife, Mary, appear with all their children, along with Mary Johnstone, age 50, who was a widowed boarder from Scotland and was employed as a weaver at Weall (sp?) Worsted. They all lived at 47 Osborne Street in the 3rd Ward of Providence. Patrick was a laborer at the Bleachery. Ann was a milliner at a Department Store. Michael was a Bench Worker at a Jewelry Shop. Patrick was a Tool Maker Apprentice. Here is a Google Maps photo of the house: https://tinyurl.com/5n8sfyj5

1915 RHODE ISLAND STATE CENSUS
This census lists Patrick ("Patsy") as "Head" of the family together with his wife, Mary, and three of their children, David, William J., and Mary. They were living at 125 Wayne Street in Providence, Rhode Island. Patrick is a laborer with the City of Providence and was "out of work on April 15, 1915," but was "working on own account." Here is a Google Maps photo: https://tinyurl.com/4z8a8sbz

1920 US FEDERAL CENSUS
No record for Patrick Dorgan.

1925 RHODE ISLAND STATE CENSUS
This census lists Patrick as the "Head" of the family, his wife Mary, and his daughter Mary. They were living at 61 Bergen Street in Providence, Rhode Island. This three-story home was owned by his son David's father-in-law, James Doorley. James Doorley, David Dorgan, and his wife, Ellen (Helen) Doorley, lived on one floor. Patrick and Mary Dorgan and their daughter, Mary Dorgan, lived on another floor. Edward Doorley, the son of James Doorley, his wife Elizabeth, and their son, James, lived on another floor. This census also lists Patrick's and Mary's citizenship as "petitioning aliens. Here is a Google Maps photo: https://tinyurl.com/435eewz8

1930 US FEDERAL CENSUS (Cranston City, Ward 2, Providence County, Rhode Island, ED 4-128, page 11A)

This census lists Patrick Dorgan as the head of the household. He reported that he was 65 years old, had married at age 25, was born in the Irish Free State to Irish-born parents, and paid $45 in rent. At this time, he and his family were living at 79 Wyette Avenue in the Auburn section of Cranston.

Patrick was employed as a fireman (boilermaker) in Providence, Rhode Island, at the Providence Ironworks in the Turks Head Building. Living with him were his wife, Mary, and his daughter, Mary Catherine, along with her husband, Raymond J. Moriarty—a World War I veteran and an inspector for a petroleum company—and their daughter, Barbara Jane.

"United States Census, 1930", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMZL-RPR: Sun Mar 10 14:08:32 UTC 2024), Entry for Patrick Dorgan and Mary Dorgan, 1930.

PATRICK DORGAN: THE PROVIDENCE CITY DIRECTORIES

Patrick Dorgan appears in the following city directories for Providence, Rhode Island (and later Cranston):

1900 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence, p. 280 – 39 Ashborne Street

1907 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence, p. 584 – 49 Osborne Street

1913 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence, p. 804 (for the year ending 1913) – 123 Wayne Street

1915 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence, p. 783 (year ending 1916) – 125 Wayne Street

1919 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence, p. 717 (year ending 1920) – 125 Wayne Street

1923 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence, p. 160 – 68 Bergen Street

1925 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence – fireman ("boiler man") at the Turk’s Head Building; residence: 61 Bergen Street

1928 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence – fireman ("boiler man") at the Turk’s Head Building; residence: 61 Bergen Street

1929 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence – laborer; residence: 103 Rosedale Street

1930 – Rhode Island City Directories, Providence, p. 677 – 103 Rosedale Street

1932 – Rhode Island City Directories, Cranston, p. 379 (for the year ending September 1933) – 304 Bayview Avenue

Patrick petitioned to become a U.S. citizen in 1916. Along with his sons, David A. Dorgan and Michael J. Dorgan, and Richard Hartnett, he attended citizenship classes at either the library or a local school during the war years, 1917–1918. My friend Ed Duggan of Providence, Rhode Island, sent this email to me on 12 March 2006:

“The reason for this mail is that last week I was in the R.I. Historical Library on Hope St. in Prov. As I was going through some manuscript papers, I found that they had a list of Irish immigrants who became citizens through classes in libraries and schools, etc., for 1917–1918, the war years. As I was reading the names on the list for Providence, I saw these names; maybe they are relatives.”

They are indeed Dorgan relatives:

From Ireland:

Patrick Dorgan, 125 Wayne Street, age 56,

came to the U.S. at 20 years old.

David A. Dorgan, 125 Wayne Street, age 22,

Michael J. Dorgan, 10 Huron Street, age 28,

Richard Hartnett, 17 1/2 Peter Street, age 48.

“Best of luck in your new venture, Ed. Duggan.”

The comment concerning Patrick Dorgan, who “came to the U.S. at 20 years old,” is obviously incorrect. Perhaps what should have been written is “came to the U.S. 20 years ago!”

Richard Hartnett must have been related to Patrick Dorgan’s wife, Mary Catherine Hartnett. But how? There is only one Richard Hartnett who immigrated from Ireland through Castle Garden between 1830 and 1912: Richard Hartnett, a 20-year-old male laborer who arrived on 24 Oct 1885 from Ireland on board the ship Catalonia, bound for Providence, Rhode Island. This Richard Hartnett appears in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census living in Ward 3 at 61 Shoor Street, Providence, Rhode Island, with his wife, Margaret (b. 1875), three daughters—Mary (b. 1895), Margaret (b. 1897), and Ellen (b. 1898)—and his son, Richard (5 Jan 1900–1 Sep 1964). He is listed as a day laborer.

In the 1910 U.S. Census, he appears again with his wife and children and now has four additional children: Delia A. (b. 1903), Ester E. (b. 1908), John F. (b. 1910), and William E. (b. 1910). They are living at Balon Place, Providence, Rhode Island. In the 1920 U.S. Census, he and his family are living at 692 North Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island. His son William does not appear in this census and is presumed dead. Daughter Margaret now has the surname Langlois and a daughter, Josephine Langlois, but no husband is listed. In the 1930 U.S. Census, he and Delia, Esther, and John are living at 19 Polk Street. Margaret, his wife, is not listed and is presumed dead.

Ed Duggan found these names in the Old Stone Bank account openings of the late 1800s:

1) June 10, 1890: Catherine T. Hartnett (née Ryan), also known as Katy Hartnett, age 35, lived at the rear of 49 Smith St., Providence. She was born in Philadelphia and was the wife of George S. Hartnett. This is the same address where Ed Duggan’s ancestors lived: the Doyle, Collins, Sliney, and Cronin families all resided there at one time or another.

2) May 11, 1894: Another bank account was opened by Bridget Mackey, age 34, of 3 Duke St. (Smith Hill, at Chalkstone and Smith Sts.). She was born in County Cork, the daughter of Richard Hartnett and Margaret Fitzgibbons, and the wife of John Mackey.

Patrick became a naturalized U.S. citizen on 25 September 1933 at the U.S. District Court in Providence.

“Rhode Island, U.S. District and Circuit Court Naturalization Records, 1802–1945,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6P5Z-DLQ1

He was living at 170 Richland Street, Cranston, Rhode Island. He was a stationary fireman. His sponsors were John H. Maguire, his son-in-law, who was a trucking contractor living at 21 College Road in Providence, Rhode Island, and John H. O'Brien, the husband of his wife's sister, Ellen, who was also a contractor and builder living at 100 Bolton Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island. "Rhode Island, U.S. District and Circuit Court Naturalization Records, 1802-1945, database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6P5Z-DLQ1: 28 March 2024), Patrick Dorgan, 1933.

Patrick suffered a debilitating stroke in the mid-1930s. According to family history, he died at the home of his son Michael at 213 Woodbine Street in Cranston on December 9, 1937. This was a three-story tenement house: Michael Dorgan occupied the first floor, Thomas A. Dorgan Sr. occupied the second floor, and Patrick and Mary Dorgan occupied the third floor.

However, his death certificate records a different account. It states that he died on December 7, 1937, of a cerebral hemorrhage, with contributory causes of paralysis and bed sores, at Division Road, East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The informant listed on the certificate is his son, David Dorgan, of 61 Bergen Street, Providence, Rhode Island.

"Rhode Island, Vital Records, 1846-1898, 1901-1953," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8CD-DT1


Patrick J. Dorgan
BIRTH
26 Apr 1860
DEATH
9 Dec 1937 (aged 77)
East Greenwich, Kent County, Rhode Island, USA
BURIAL
Saint Ann Cemetery
Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island, USA
Add to Map
PLOT
Section 7, Lot 1123, Grave 1
MEMORIAL ID
116560631 · View Source

Patrick J. Dorgan is buried in St. Ann’s Cemetery, Cranston, Rhode Island, Section 7, Lot 123, next to his wife, Mary C. Hartnett, who died 13 years later. His great-grandson, William J. Dorgan III, commissioned and erected a gravestone marker in October 2005 through Loffredo’s Monumental Decor, 1469 Cranston Street, Cranston, Rhode Island 02920. The grave is located in St. Ann’s Cemetery, Cranston, Rhode Island, Section 7, Lot 123.

Where The Record Is Found (Citation)
"Find a Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGF-4DR9), Patrick J. Dorgan, Burial, Cranston, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America, Saint Ann Cemetery; citing record ID 116560631, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

The headstone reads:

Patrick J. Dorgan
26 Apr 1860 - 9 Dec 1937
His Wife
Mary C. Hartnett
16 May 1869 - 23 Nov 1950

The Obituary of Patrick J. Dorgan appeared in the Providence Journal on 10 December 1937, page 9:

“PATRICK DORGAN DIES
Industrial Trust Building Aide Succumbs in East Greenwich

Patrick Dorgan, husband of Mary (Hodnett) Dorgan, a fireman in the Industrial Trust building and a resident of Providence for 37 years, died yesterday morning at his home, Division Street, East Greenwich. Mr. Dorgan was born in County Cork, Ireland, the son of the late Patrick and Ann (Flynn) Dorgan, and came here at an early age. He leaves his widow, four sons, Michael J. of Auburn; P. Francis of Providence; David A. Dorgan, past State Department commander of V.F.W., and William J. Dorgan of East Greenwich; two daughters, Mrs. Ann T. Maguire of Edgewood and Mrs. James Moriarty of Cranston, and 20 grandchildren. The funeral will be held at 8:15 Monday morning at the home of his sister (sic=daughter), Mrs. Moriarty, 306 Washington Avenue, Edgewood. There will be a solemn high mass of requiem in St. Paul’s Church, Edgewood, at 9 o’clock. Burial will be in St. Ann’s Cemetery, Cranston.”

Mary Catherine Hartnett is mentioned in records as having come from Churchtown South, also known as Ballintemple or Ballygourney. However, Jo Cashman stated in her 2004 letter that the Hartnett family originated from Garryvoe. The Garryvoe Hartnetts are relatives of Mary's father, John Hartnett, and possibly his brothers.

Churchtown South is described in Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837:

“CHURCHTOWN, or BALLINTEMPLE, a parish, in the barony of IMOKILLY, county of CORK, and the province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (S. E.) from Cloyne; containing 1756 inhabitants.

This parish, also known as Ballygourney, is situated on St. George’s Channel and comprises 4,730 statute acres, as apportioned under the Tithe Act and valued at £ 2,123. 19s. 8d., per annum. The greater part of the surface is hilly; the soil generally is light and shallow, resting wholly on a substratum of clay-slate, and the lands are principally under tillage. The village consists of 35 dwellings, most of which are small mud cabins roofed with thatch. Between this parish and that of Kilmahon is a detached portion of the parish of Ballyoughtra, called Snugborough, containing 92 acres, and more than two miles distant from the main body of that parish.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Cloyne, and is part of the union of Lisgoold, and the corps of the precentorship in the cathedral church of St. Colman, Cloyne. The tithes amount to £500. 5s. The old parish church has long been in ruins, but a district church for this parish and that of Ballycotton was erected in 1835, at an expense of £330, raised by subscription. The glebe comprises seven acres in two portions.

In the Roman Catholic divisions, the parish forms part of the union of Cloyne; the chapel is a small, neat edifice.

The male and female parochial schools for this parish, as well as those of Kilmahon and Ballycotton, are situated at Ballybraher and are supported by subscription. There are also two fee-paying schools.

There are two Coast-Guard stations situated respectively at Ballyandrein and Ballycotton, within the Youghal district.”


The Baptism Record of Mary Catherine Hartnett is detailed below:
• First Name(s): Mary
• Last Name: Hartnett
• Birth Year: -
• Baptism Year: 1866
• Baptism Date: 22 Nov 1866
• Parish: Cloyne
• Alternative Parish Names: Churchtown, Churchtown, and Kilteskin.
• Diocese: Cloyne
• County: Cork
• Country: Ireland
• Father's First Name(s): John
• Father's Last Name: Hartnett
• Mother's First Name(s): Kate
• Mother's Last Name: Duhig
• Repository: National Library of Ireland
• National Library of Ireland Link
• Register: Baptism
• Recordset: Ireland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
• Category: Life Events (Birth, Marriage, Death)
• Subcategory: Births & baptisms
• Collections from Ireland
"Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1740-1900", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6VCY-XCC5: Thu Nov 21 17:02:38 UTC 2024), Entry for Mary Hartnett and John Hartnett, 22 Nov 1866.

Mary Catherine Hartnett is a classic East Cork emigrant matriarch—rooted in the Garryvoe farming community, married into the Dorgan line, and part of the late-19th-century migration chain to Rhode Island that tied these families together.

The Passenger Record for Mary Hartnett-Dorgan is as follows:
• First Name: Mrs. M. (Mary)
• Last Name: Dorgan
• Nationality: Ireland, Irish
• Last Place of Residence: Midleton
• Date of Arrival: 9 June 1897
• Age at Arrival: 28 years
• Gender: Female
• Ship of Travel: Teutonic
• Port of Departure: Queenstown, 2 June 1897
• Manifest Line Number: 0411
• Passenger ID: 102902013041, Ticket #19673


Mary Catherine Hartnett-Dorgan sailed with her five children from Queenstown (Cobh), County Cork, on Wednesday, June 2, 1897, on board the ship Teutonic. Her passenger ticket number was #19673. The average cost of a ticket in steerage was $30. Her occupation was listed as a housekeeper. They arrived at Ellis Island a week later, on Wednesday, June 9, 1897. She gave her address as Midleton, which is the nearest market town. At the time, she was 28 years old. Five days after her arrival, a fire destroyed Ellis Island Buildings, including records of immigrants dating back to 1840. All persons were safely evacuated. This is an excellent overview of ocean travel and the immigrant’s experience: https://www.ggarchives.com/index.html.

Mary Catherine Hartnett had an uncle named James Hartnett, who lived with his family in Rhode Island. James was the brother of Mary Hartnett’s father, John Hartnett. Mary’s husband, Patrick Dorgan, stayed with James Hartnett and his family from 1897 to 1899 until he could find work and a home for his own family. Patrick and his family eventually moved to 296 Charles Street in Providence, Rhode Island. Sadly, contact with James Hartnett and his family was lost. The 1900 US Census states that James had moved to Hartford, Connecticut, with his family.

I found Mary’s uncle, James Hartnett, and his family living in Providence, Rhode Island. James Hartnett is the brother of Mary’s father, John Hartnett.

I received an email from Barbara Moriarty-Andrews on July 20, 2001, which describes one of her recollections of Mary Hartnett, her grandmother.

Hi Bill:

I received an updated Dorgan family tree from Pat Maguire. So many interesting things come out in researching our family tree. It is too bad that we do not talk to our older relatives about their history, and only find out after they have died about things that have happened to them.

My grandmother, Mary C. Hartnett Dorgan, used to swear that she watched the mermaids playing on the rocks in Ireland, and I believed her. She loved to have me comb and braid her long hair and roll it into a bun. Although she and I were very close, I never knew that she had had children who had died in infancy. She used to sit constantly with a rosary in her hands. At her wake, I swear that I could see her fingers moving on the beads of the rosary she held in her hands.

Mary Catherine (Hartnett) Dorgan passed away on November 23, 1950, at 9:30 PM at 34 Bellview Avenue in the Spring Green section of Warwick, Rhode Island. She lived there for ten years. The cause of death, according to her death certificate, was a coronary thrombosis resulting from arteriosclerosis and a hypertensive heart disorder. She was 75 years, ten months, and 24 days old, although she was ten years older. Her son, William Dorgan, who lived with her, provided the information for her death record. Mary Catherine was laid to rest on November 27, 1950, in St. Anne’s Cemetery, Cranston, Rhode Island, in Section 7, Lot 1123, alongside her husband, Patrick Dorgan, who had passed away 13 years earlier on December 9, 1937. J.F. Skeffinton handled the funeral arrangements.

Mary C. Hartnett Dorgan
BIRTH
16 May 1869
DEATH
23 Nov 1950 (aged 81)
Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island, USA
BURIAL
Saint Ann Cemetery
Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island, USA
Add to Map
PLOT
Section 7, Lot 1123, Grave 1
MEMORIAL ID
116560681 · View Source

NOTE:
The Rhode Island death record for Mary Catherine Hartnett Dorgan states that she was born in 1875 and died on 23 November 1950, making her 75 at the time of her death. However, this birth date is incorrect; she was born on 22 November 1866. She was actually 84 when she died.

"Rhode Island Deaths and Burials, 1802-1950," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8C7-65F: 6 December 2014), Mary Dorgan, 23 Nov 1950; citing Warwick, Kent, RI, reference 373; FHL microfilm 2,229,519.

The Civil Marriage record is located in the Superintendent Registrar's District of Midleton. Group Registration ID: 2387721.

Patrick J. Dorgan and Mary Catherine Hartnett were married in the Cloyne Roman Catholic Church. The Cloyne Church is the main parish church and there are three more churches in the same parish: Ballycotton, erected in 1901; Churchtown South, erected in 1835 and Shanagarry, erected in 1835 or so. The Churchtown South and Shanagarry churches are of the same design.

Regarding the witness John Harty: John Harty came from Ballintemple (Ballynoe, Churchtown South). He was the son of Edmond Harty who had a house, offices, and land (58 acres, 3 roods, and 1 perch) in Kilmacahill next door to Denis Harty who had a house in Kilmacahill. This family is still represented today in Kilmacahill by Eddie Harty and his family.


The following records are kept at the Catholic Parish of Cloyne and also at the National Library in Dublin:


Baptisms
1791 - 1880
1791 - 1880

Marriages
1786 - 1880
1786 - 1880

Deaths
none