Mary Josephine Farrelly : Short Biography

Mary Josephine Farrelly was born in Mullaugh, Virginia, Cavan, Ireland on November 1, 1866.  She was one of 13 children born to Peter Farrelly and Catharine Clarke Her siblings were Owen, Catharine, Patrick's James, Annie, Bridget, Katy, Delia, Susan, Peter, Margaret and Thomas. Mary emigrated first to New York where she worked as a chambermaid. Somehow she ended up on Chester County, Pennsylvania. She married Thomas Corcoran, son of Cornelius Corcoran and Margaret Cosgrove, both believed to be from County Cork originally.

Mary was the first member of her family to come to America. She came in 1883. Owen came in 1887. Annie and Patrick came in 1890. Her mother, Catharine, brought siblings Delia, Susan, Peter and Maggie over in 1892 shortly after the death of Mary's father, Peter in 1891. Her mother lived near Mary in Chester, Pennsylvania. She ran a boarding house directly across from the Chester trolley barn and rented rooms mostly to young trolley drivers. She brought her 4 younger children with her.  Mary is my great-grandmother.