Peter Connolly : Short Biography

Peter A. Connolly (aka Peter Conneely and Peter Connelly)
(1872, Galway, Ireland – 1950, Massachusetts, USA) 

Oral History: Mary A. Connolly (daughter). Barbara Joubert (granddaughter), and Brenda Geoghan (grand-niece)
Web Sites: FamilySearch; Ireland Births and Baptisms; Ancestry, Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers; National Library of Ireland, Ireland Catholic Parish Registers; Ancestry, Massachusetts and Federal Naturalization; AmericanAncestors, Massachusetts Marriages; Ancestry, US Census of 1920; and Ancestry; Massachusetts Death Index

The following are sources for Peter’s Birth Month and Year:

Transcript for Peter Connelly in FamilySearch, Ireland Births and Baptisms
Name Peter Connelly
Gender Male
Christening Place Oughterard, Gal, Ire
Birth Date 03 Sep 1872
Birthplace Oughterard, Gal, Ire
Father's Name John Connelly
Mother's Name Mary Geoghan

Transcript for Peter Conneely in Ancestry, Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915

Name: PeterConneely
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 1872
Baptism Date: 5 Sep 1872
Baptism Place: Oughterard, Galway, Ireland
Parish Variants: Kilcummin
Diocese: Galway
Father: John Conneely
Mother: Mary Hohagan

Please note that Irish priests seemed to convert Connolly surnames to Connelly or Conneely. Peter in US Records used the Connolly surname.

The following are sources for Peter’s Arrival Date in Boston.

Transcript for Peter Connolly in the Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963

Name: Peter Connolly
Gender: Male
Age: 18
Birth Date: abt 1875
Departure Place: Liverpool England and Queenstown Ireland, England and Queenstown Ireland
Arrival Date: 30 Apr 1893
Arrival Place: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Last Residence: Galway
Ship: Bothnia

Transcript for Peter Connolly in the Massachusetts, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798-1950

Name: Peter Connolly
Petition Age: 24
Record Type: Petition
Birth Date: 10 Sep 1874
Birth Place: Galway, Ireland
Arrival Date: 30 Apr 1890
Arrival Place: Boston
Petition Date: 18 Oct 1898
Petition Place: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Please note that his arrival year was incorrect. He arrived in 1893. Also, his Year of Birth was incorrect. He was born in September, 1872. His age was 26, not 24.

Transcript for Peter A Connolly’s Marriage in AmericanAncestors, Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915

name: Peter A. Connolly
event: Marriage
event date: 15 Apr 1903
event place: Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
gender: Male
age: 30
marital status: Married
birthplace: Ireland
estimated birth year: 1873
father: John Connolly
mother: Mary Geoghegan
spouse: Barbara T. Connolly
spouse's marital status: Married
spouse's father: Peter Connolly
spouse's mother: Mary Nee
record number: 178
digital folder number: 4332430

Peter’s address at time of marriage was 7 Sharon St. Boston. The Celebrant was Rev. John T. Mullin. His address was 75 Union Park St. It looks like Father Mullin was living at the Rectory of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

Peter’s wife Barbara was 28.

Please note that there was no mention in official documents of Peter Connolly’s middle name (Aloysius) until the Marriage.

Transcript for Peter Connolly in the US Census of 1920
Name: Peter Connolly
Age: 48
Birth Year: abt 1872
[abt 1880]
Birthplace: Ireland
Home in 1920: Boston Ward 22, Suffolk, Massachusetts
Street: Atwood Aquare
House Number: 21
Residence Date: 1920
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1893
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Barbara Connolly
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Native Tongue: English
Able to Speak English: Yes
Occupation: Laborer
Industry: City
Employment Field: Wage or Salary
Home Owned or Rented: Rent
Naturalization Status: Naturalized
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Household Members: Name Age
Peter Connolly 48
Barbara Connolly 35
Mary Connolly 13
John Connolly 11
Thomas Connolly 6

Please note that the Census record indicated that Peter immigrated in 1893. His wife Barbara (Connolly) Connolly immigrated in 1890. It showed that both were naturalized citizens. His year was recorded as 1890. Hers was not recorded. Barbara’s age is incorrect. She was 45, not 35.

Peter’s death is recorded in Vol 23, p358 (Ancestry, Massachusetts Death Record Index). He is buried at New Calvary Cemetery in Boston, Grave Number 1518, Section 2. He is buried with his wife Barbara and 3 babies: (Theresa, Joseph and Peter).

Peter’s wife Barbara died on 24 August 1936. Supposedly she was 51.

Three of Peter A and Barbara Connolly’s six children were enumerated in the US Census of 1920. Mary never married. Thomas married but there were no children. (Thomas served in World War II in Europe.) John married Lena O’Brien. John and Lena had 3 children, 8 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.

Peter A Connolly’s Siblings were Bridget (1861), Mary (1863) Mary (1864), Bridget Agnes (1865), John (1865), Margaret (1866) and Barbara (1869). Bridget Agnes married John Geoghegan in Boston (1899). Barbara lived with her sister (Bridget Agnes) in Boston. Margaret married Patrick Mullen.

Peter’s Paternal Grandparents were Mathias Conneely and Mary Melia.
His Maternal Grandparents: were John Geoghegan and Bridget Melia.

Oral History: All seemed to be from Glengowla Townland