The Census of 1860 shows a 22 year old
Patrick working in Saratoga County, NY as a farm laborer and living with
Mary Connors, age 50. This is the point at whic What then of the mystery? Ages listed on Census records can
be very misleading and should not by themselves be taken as proof. For instance, in 1870
Annie Connors is 33 years old, but in 1880 is clearly listed as 30!
Patrick was 35 in 1870 and only 42 ten years later. Everything depended on
who was answering the questions when the census enumerator came to call.
Usually, it would be the woman of the house during the day. She would know
her children's birthdays exactly, but maybe not the age of her husband.
Also, they may have given wrong dates on purpose for one reason or
another. Sometimes I think the census taker just guessed. All this leads
me to make an educated guess that the Mary listed with Patrick in 1860
is the mother of Michael. If she died when he was a child and father
remarried Annie, then all the records are consistent. Family
understanding has been that Patrick remarried after Mary died. A
woman 50 years of age married to a 22 year old is unusual. More unusual is
it that she would have a child at 57. Unusual, but not impossible. More
probable is it that the enumerator got the age wrong in 1860. Michael Connors worked at road
construction and traveled a great deal. In 1898 he was living in
Mossgrove, PA outside Pittsburg, where Raymond Connors was born. He is Sandy's father. The 1910
Census has the family living in Montour Falls, NY: Marguerite was born in Philadelphia and Blanche and Raymond
in Montour Falls, New York. Another child, Anne, was born in Hector,
Schuyler Co., New York in 1893 and died in infancy. We will not
quickly forget her. We first saw her picture, taken in her little
coffin, as the photo fell from the family Bible. This custom of
photographing the dead was not uncommon at the end of the 19th C.
and has faded now. For some reason, Michael was alienated
from his family of origin. Possibly this was due to his father's
second marriage. Whatever the reason, he was on his own at an early age.
In his late years he came to live with his son, Raymond. Tension was
evident there as well. During his earlier life Michael was working
construction and was away from home often. Also, Michael and his wife Eva
Everts each married outside their religion. Eva was Episcopal and Michael
Catholic. Perhaps this caused a rift. In any case, Michael's contact
with his family was minimized. In the late 1950s three of
Michael's half brothers appeared at the Raymond Connors house. They had
not had contact for many years. They were Edward, Charles, and
William O'Connor. At some time they had resumed the original name.
Noone but Michael knew of these brothers. Contact was renewed
but Michael died soon after and Mary Harrison Connors, his
daughter-in-law, maintained letter writing with Edward for a time,
but contact has now been lost. To the best of my knowledge, there were no
children from any of Michael's siblings.
Connors Family from Ireland to
America
onnors, of course, is a derivation of O'Connor. It is one of
the most common names in America and in Ireland. We know a great deal
about the O'Connor family in Ireland. Rory O'Connor was high king, the
Ard Re. They are a very big clan with hundreds of well known
members from all walks of life. Unfortunately, we know
but little of our original Connors immigrant to America. Naturalization
records indicate that Patrick came to this country from Ireland in 1850
via Liverpool, England. There is only one entry in the book set Famine
Immigrants that matches. On November 6, 1850 the ship Patrick Henry from Liverpool carried a
12 year old named Patrick Connors. He was not alone. With him on the ship
were other Connors'; Darby, 35, Sally, 40, Michael, 20, Thomas, 10,
Jeremiah, 6, and Nora, born at sea. Another family of Connors' were also
aboard; Michael, a blacksmith and his wife and four children, one of whom
was also named Patrick. Whether relatives of each other is unknown. 
h a mystery must be addressed.
Michael Connors, Patrick's oldest son and direct ancestor of this family,
was born in 1867. His death certificate says his mother's name was Mary
Taafee. However, all subsequent census files show Patrick's wife as Annie.
1870 finds Patrick Connors living in Greenbush, Westchester County,
New York with Annie, his wife and two children, Michael and John.
Patrick is employed a "foreman of blasters". Several men listed on the
same page of the census are called "blasters". Obviously, heavy
construction was underway in Westchester County. The census of 1880 for
Troy, New York shows Patrick Connors living there and working in a stove
factory. He now has six children:
Patrick Connors aged.42 b. in Ireland
Annie Connors age.30 b. in Ireland
Michael Connors age.13 b. in New York
John Connors age.10 b. in New York
Patrick Connors age. 7 b. in New York
Edward Connors age. 4 b. in Massachusetts
Annie Connors age. 1 b. in New York
Charles Connors age. 5M b. in New York
Michael Connors age. 43 General Foreman
Eva Connors age. 43 Housewife
Marguerite Connors age. 16 Telephone operator
Blanche Connors age. 13 student
Raymond age. 11 student