Find Family

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]

Descendants of James Connor


Generation No. 2


2. ANN2 CONNOR (JAMES1) was born Abt. 1828 in Carlow (?) Ireland, and died August 29, 1884 in Trenton, NJ. She married MARTIN NOLAN Abt. 1849 in Ireland(?) NY (?) NJ (?), son of THOMAS NOLAN and ANN. He was born Abt. 1819 in Carlow (?) Ireland, and died December 17, 1859 in Trenton, NJ.

Notes for ANN CONNOR:
Have copy of Ann's obituary found at the NJ State Archives. Her funeral mass was held at St. Mary's Cathedral on Mon, Sept. 1st. She is buried with her husband Martin and her 14 month old son, James at St. John's on Lalor Street. There is a large stone (@10 ft.) with a Celtic Cross on top. When entering the cemetery thru the front gate it is on the left side about 2/3 of the way into the old section.

Ann raised her 5 living children. She first worked at "plain sewing" according to the 1860 (Ann Nolen) census. The 1870 Census shows that she (Ann Noland) "keeps house". Directory for 1867-68 has her address as 112 Pennington (widow). Years 1868-72 show just Pennington and in 1873-77 she is living at 41 W. State as the widow of Martin. Later directories (1878-1883) indicate that she was a grocer at 169 Pennington Avenue.

Update from my cousin, Sr. M. Laura: Martin & Ann emigrated from Carlow (?) Ireland and settled in St. Mary's parish in North Trenton probably on Pennington Ave. Anne (sic) (O') Connor was aware that a grocery store on the corner of Pennington & Calhoun) was up for sale. Per Sr. Laura, she bought the establishment and installed a Mr. Entwistle (In the 1880 census, Arthur (52-retail grocer) and Thomas (25-clerk) Whalen lived at 169 Pennington) to run the store until her children were old enough to take over. Ann managed to keep the family together by sewing for wealthy clients. Note: I have been unable to locate Ann in the 1880 census although John & Mary Donahoe were listed at 171 Pennington. (James Nolan, 40, sexton at church) & his wife, Bridget (45) were living at 189 Pennington. (Coincidence or relative?). After checking the 1880 census index for all spellings, none of this family appears so I believe that they were overlooked by the census takers who took the store employees as the occupants of 169 Pennington.

Notes on Ann's death certificate: The name says "Annie Nolan". She was white, born in Ireland and 56 years old at the time of her death at 169 Pennington Avenue, Trenton of apoplexy. She had resided in the state of NJ for 35 years (putting the date at or about 1849 as previously suspected). He father is listed as Patrick "Nolan", born in Ireland and her mother as Kate "Conners" also born in Ireland. It is quite possible her father's name was James as she and each of her siblings had a son named James.

Concerning property purchased by Ann Nolan:

12/13/1866 from Samuel Garvey ux Lot #11 ($275) at Willow & Pennington (112 Pennington?)
08/27/1869 from James Whittaker ux Lot #13 ($360) At Pennington & Calhoun)
11/12/1879 from James Yates ux Lot #14 ($400) from the SW corner of lot 13 along Calhoun

Catherine Connor purchased a house and lot on Pennington Road (No lot #s indicated) Oct. 23, 1860 from Edward and Mary L. Scudder for $320. As heirs of her estate on Feb 26, 1872, Patrick & Margaret Connor, James & Bridget O'Brien, Thomas & Margaret Crawford and Matthew & Ellen Dugan executed a Grantors Deed for their 4/5 shares of this property owned by Catherine Connor, deceased for consideration of $1. (page 470, Vol 137). Their signatures apparently were attained at later dates (Connor & O'Brien in Brooklyn on 8/5/72, Crawford in NJ on 8/1/74. On October 16, 1883 a quit claim deed was executed to Ann for the same property.
1.) from Ellen & Matthew Dugan in consideration of the sum of $50.
2.) from Eliza & John Conroy in consideration of the sum of $1

Question: Eliza Conroy was not on the first deed. Was hers the other 1/5 share or was that share Ann's?

Ann Nolan (presumably our Ann was the only one in Trenton at the time) sold one lot to Annie Gannon on 1/20/1870. My assumption is that this was the Willow Street property but it will require confirmation. At the time of her death, only three properties were left- lots 13, 14 and the property received from Catherine. On Sept. 6, 1884, Martin (Br. Justinian) executed a quit claim deed in favor of his siblings. Three days later, John & his wife, Catherine, Mary & her husband, James Murphy and Catherine and her husband, John Donahoe transferred the three properties to Thomas for $100 each.

More About ANN CONNOR:
Burial: September 01, 1884, St John's Cemetery, Trenton
Obit: August 30, 1884, Congestion of the brain in 56th yr
Occupation: Grocer and Sewing

Notes for MARTIN NOLAN:
Martin Nolan first shows up in the Trenton City Directory in 1857 raising questions as to where he was prior to that time. Church records recently received from Sacred Heart (formerly St. John's) have his six children's births recorded in Trenton starting in 1850.

In 1857 he was living at Pennington and Calhoun and was a laborer and in 1859 he lived at the same address with a job description as brick maker. He fell from a wagon loaded with stone when two wheels of the wagon ran over him, killing him instantly (Schedule 3 of the 1860 Census). (A newspaper account of the accident confirms this fact and that he was in the employ of John C. Grant.) There is some confusion concerning his age at the time of his death. Census (Sch. 3) show age 35 but an entry in the "Return of Death" (similar to a death certificate) shows his age as 39 and his date of death as 12/6/59. The tombstone states that he died on December 17, 1859 at the age of 40. The newspaper clipping confirms the date as 12/17.

A search of naturalization records show a Martin Nolen petitioning for citizenship on 11/6/1855. It states that he entered the US 9 years previously as a minor and shows his date of birth as 11/15/1826 but I believe that these records are his as there is no other indication that another Martin Nolan resided in Mercer County, NJ at that time. A Stephen Blackwell attested for him.

Name varies between Nolan and Nolen (IGI has birth of two of his son's as Nolen).

Also, Martin had at least one brother in the Trenton area as Edward Nolan was a godfather of both Catherine and Martin Nolan. Edward first appears in the NJ census records in Hamilton Township, Mercer beginning in 1860. (see notes under Edward). On 11/3/56, Edward petitioned as being born 1/1/30 and came to the country nine years previously as a minor. It was listed under the name Nowlan but was signed "Edward Nolen". Martin Nolen attested for him. If these numbers are accurate, they both came to the US circa 1846-1847.

There may have been one other brother, Patrick, who was a grocer and first appears in Trenton in the 1870 census at age 38, married to Margaret (30) both of whom were born in Ireland. From the Record of Marriages in Mercer Co, I found a listing for Patrick Nolan & Margaret (Tuthill?, Purcell?)) married June 4, 1863. Since the dates are consistent with the ages of the children (see below), I believe these are they correct people. From 1867-79 Patrick was listed as "Cahill & Nolan" in the City Directories at various addresses on Fall St. In 1879 he is still "Cahill & Nolan" but employment is listed as grocer and he is living at 166 Broad.

In 1870 they had three children, all born in NJ. This information was found by accident as they are not in the census index but were found on the same page as John Crawford (a retired grocer) and family, probably Thomas Crawford's parents and siblings.

In 1880, Patrick & Margaret ( Purcell?) were living at 166 Broad St with John (14), Margaret (12) William (10), Mary (8) and Thomas (6). Also living there were John Purcell (30), a brother in law and James Monaghan (18), a boarder, both of whom were clerks in the store. John was born in Ireland and James in NJ. In the 1880 City Directory, Patrick first appears as a grocer and wholesale liquor dealer at the Broad St address. The listing is the same in 1881. In 1882 Margaret is the name listed as the grocer. (Patrick died on Oct. 12, 1881 of acute gastritis at age 52. Unfortunately his parents names are not listed on the death certificate). In 1886-87 she is Mrs. P, widow of Patrick at 320 Montgomery (the grocery store is listed at that address under J.P. Nolan) and William A, clerk, is there as well. In 1892-93 Margaret Nolan is a grocer at 320 Montgomery and John P. is a clerk and William A is a telegrapher. In 1896, they continue to live there where Margaret is listed as "saloon", Thos. J is a bartender and Wm. A., is a telegraph operator. By 1902, Margaret and Wm. are living at 52 W. Hanover where he is a clerk and she is widow of Patrick. The only difference in 1906 is Wm was a bookkeeper.

The 1900 census has Margaret, age 56 (born Mar. 1844 in Ireland) at 52 W. Hanover (2nd Ward, ED 59, pg 285a) ). With her are William A. (Oct. 1874, a telegraph operator), Thomas J. (Feb. 1876, a paper salesman) and Margaret (July 1872). Mary must have been married by then. There was also a boarder, James Tulley.

Thomas Nolan of 52 Hanover died April 11, 1902 at the age of 30. His mother and brother, William were mentioned. He is buried in St. John's cemetery.

In the 1910 census they were still living at 52 W. Hanover where Margaret was widowed and age 70. Also living there were William A, a clerk with the daily paper age 36 and daughter Margaret age 38, no occupation. The boarder, James Tulley was still with them (age 72, born in Ireland and a rubber worker). Margaret had immigrated in 1860 (?). She died on 3/13/1913 per her obituary. Funeral was held from her residence at 52 W. Hanover.

William A. Nolan is listed as the advertising manager for the Trenton Times beginning in about 1915 through 1920 and living at 169 W. Hanover. I have a copy of his obituary stating he died on April 19, 1924 at Glen Gardner Sanatorium where he had been a patient for the past month. Surviving were sisters, Margaret Nolan and Mrs. Mary Paul. He is buried in St. John's and apparently never married.

I am also looking into the possibility of another brother, Michael who first lived at Willow & Pennington in 1859. Because of the proximity to Martin & Ann, this is a definite possibility. He was a laborer/farmer.

There is also a James Nolan who was a sexton at St. John's Church. He first appears in the city directory in 1864 and later and lived at 189 Pennington. Because of his proximity to the "homestead" there could be a connection although none has been made at this writing (5/01).

A Joseph Nolan is listed as a laborer, age 32 in Hamilton in 1880. Wife was Anna M (33). Children:Dennis (6), Sarah (4), Anna M ( 5months) (ED 113, pg 10)

More About MARTIN NOLAN:
Burial: December 1859, St. John's Cemetery
Occupation: Stone Cutter & Driver

Marriage Notes for ANN CONNOR and MARTIN NOLAN:
It is believed that Ann & Martin left Ireland sometime after 1845. It is uncertain whether they married in Ireland or NJ or even possibly NY, but there is no records of their marriage in NJ either at the Church or the Archives. They settled in North Trenton and later were members of St. John's parish (now Sacred Heart). Their first child, James, was born in Trenton on July 20, 1850 according to the records at Sacred Heart Church (previously St. John's).

Since they do not appear in the 1850 census, I believe that they may have been living with family members in the Trenton area but outside of the city limits prior to 1857 when Martin first appears in the City Directory at Pennington and Calhoun. An intense search has not located them in any written records except as noted above.
     
Children of ANN CONNOR and MARTIN NOLAN are:
  i.   JAMES3 NOLAN, b. July 20, 1850, Trenton, NJ; d. September 20, 1852, Trenton, NJ.
  Notes for JAMES NOLAN:
James, the first born of Martin and Ann, died as a child and is buried with his parents in St. Mary's Cemetery in Trenton, NJ. According to his grave stone he died on September 20, 1852 at 14 months which would have him being born in July 1851 but according to church records, he was actually born on July 20, 1850 making his death at 26 months (if he died as indicated on the stone). Since his brother, John, was born in November 1851 which corresponds with census records indicating that he was 8 in June of 1860 and 18 in 1870, the church records appear correct. Cemetery records confirm the date of death.

His godparents were Thomas Crawford and Anna Pepper.



  More About JAMES NOLAN:
Baptism: July 28, 1950, St. John's RC Church, Trenton
Burial: September 1852, St. John's Cemetery, Trenton, NJ
6. ii.   JOHN NOLAN, b. November 02, 1851, New Jersey; d. December 02, 1905, Brooklyn.
7. iii.   CATHERINE NOLAN, b. February 09, 1854, Trenton, NJ; d. 1925, Trenton, NJ.
8. iv.   THOMAS F. NOLAN, SR., b. December 11, 1855, Trenton, NJ (Nolen from IGI); d. June 02, 1943, Trenton, NJ.
9. v.   MARY NOLAN, b. March 14, 1858, Trenton, NJ; d. July 29, 1919, Trenton, NJ.
  vi.   MARTIN NOLAN, b. May 10, 1860, Trenton, NJ (Nolen from IGI); d. Aft. 1915, South Bend, IN.
  Notes for MARTIN NOLAN:
Youngest son of Martin and Ann, he became Brother Justinian of the Holy Cross order at Notre Dame, IN. He was born in May 1860, five months after his father's accidental death. His godparents were Edward Nolan and Catherine Connor per records received from Sacred Heart Church and was baptized by Fr. J.J. O'Donnell.

According to Sr. Laura he entered the religious community at age 14.

A copy of Brother Justininan's original Will was obtained from the archives at Notre Dame and is included in the scrapbook.



  More About MARTIN NOLAN:
Baptism: May 23, 1860, St. John's RC Church, Trenton
Religion: Brother Justinian at Notre Dame


3. MARGARET2 CONNOR (JAMES1) was born 1835 in Ireland (Carlow?), and died November 01, 1893 in Trenton. She married THOMAS CRAWFORD Bef. 1855, son of WILLIAM CRAWFORD and MARY CONNORS. He was born 1833 in Dublin, Ireland, and died December 15, 1911 in Trenton.

Notes for MARGARET CONNOR:
Margaret was the godmother of of my grandfather, Thomas F. Nolan, Sr. in December 1855. Her son, James, was supposedly born the same year. Were they really in NY at that time?

More About MARGARET CONNOR:
Burial: November 1893, St. John's Cemetery

Notes for THOMAS CRAWFORD:
Thomas Crawford was the godfather of two of Ann & Martin's children, James in 1850 and Mary in 1858.

No. 7 - Irish-Catholics Who Contributed to the Life and Activities of the Third Ward Years Ago

Trenton Sunday Times-Advertiser, July 29, 1917.

Thomas Crawford, by reason of his civic merits, his business ability and his unremitting devotion to religious work, earned for himself a place of honor among old Third Warders. He came from Dublin and settled on the Hill About 1850, or earlier. Having learned the blacksmith trade from Henry M. Lee, his energy and ambition led him soon after to open a shop of his own at Market and Lamberton Streets, and he became one of the city's leading horseshoers. D. S. Quinton's string of trotters were shod by him, which is evidence of his skill. Later in life he went into undertaking and scored a fine success, thereby clearly proving again his unusual business capacity. Mr. Crawford was tireless in his support of St. John's Church from first to last. In the early days the congregation was recruited from all the country around, and I recall hearing men who talked of walking from the quarries at Greensburg, from Lawrenceville, Bordentown and other points equally distant on both sides of the river to attend Sunday mass. Mr. Crawford, accompanied by Matthew Weldon, trampled this wide range of country several times collecting subscriptions for the church and unnecessary to say, they didn't need rocking at night when they laid their heads on the pillows. For many years Mr. Crawford was one of the church trustees. Mr. Crawford's steadfastness in good work may be realized from the fact that he was for fifty years president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. His force of character, his resourcefulness and his zeal on behalf of a worthy undertaking, no doubt, went far towards keeping that little body together through periods of stress and trial. Although he does not seem to have been an office-seeker on his own account, Mr. Crawford took a hand now and then in politics in support of the Democratic ticket. He was a good "mixer" and possessed a tactful spirit in all the relations of life. He was, I think, the first Catholic summoned to do Grand Jury service in this county and he told me how in a case in which an Irishman and a Negro were involved, a narrow-minded juror from Hopewell Township blurted that he wouldn't believe an Irishman on his oath. Did Mr. Crawford fly into a rage, as the circumstances might justify? No, but he "called" the Hopewell juror in a quiet way, asking him with that well-remembered smile of his what justification he had for such a statement. The man tried to evade the issues but Mr. Crawford kept at him while the rest of the jury listened and finally Mr. Hopewell man admitted that he had spoken thoughtlessly and without reason. An interesting sequel was that Mr. Crawford and the rural juror became fast friends and so continued ever after.

It was in ways like this, spread over a long life which almost reached fourscore years, that Mr. Crawford performed useful civic service. Mrs. William M. Jamieson and George Crawford are the only survivors of a large family. One son, Thomas, died some years ago, and a grandson, Thomas, also passed away, but it is an interesting circumstance that today Thomas Fourth, who recently blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel I. Crawford, will be baptized to perpetuate a name that deserves a lasting place in local Catholic records.

Mr. Crawford was not the first Catholic undertaker here, Jerry Kelly, who as a lad served mass for Father Macklin, had become an upholsterer in Philadelphia during the 60's and on Father Macklin's return, Mr. Kelly set up the funeral directing business alongside St. John's Church.


More About THOMAS CRAWFORD:
Burial: December 1911, St. John's Cemetery

Marriage Notes for MARGARET CONNOR and THOMAS CRAWFORD:
They lived in Trenton, NJ and Thomas was godfather to Ann & Martin's first born, James, in 1850. Children of this union were taken from the 1917 article (see notes for Thomas) and also the 1860 census records which lists them as #384 3rd Ward of Trenton, page 434. At that time she was 23. Three children were listed: James (5), Thomas (2) and William (5 mos). Thomas was a blacksmith with $500 in real estate and a $100 personal estate. Both were born in Ireland. Interestingly enough, their eldest son, James, was born in New York while the other two were born in New Jersey. If this is correct, Thomas & Margaret were in NY in or about 1855.

In the 1850 census, Thomas was listed as a blacksmith age 18 (?) and born in Ireland. He was living in the West Ward of Trenton on page 227 with the James Robinson (blacksmith) family and another blacksmith, J. Andrew Manning (also from Ireland) age @ 16.

Question: What was relationship to the Nolan's before marrying Margaret?

Update 3/2001: The 1880 census has Thomas (age 45) as a blacksmith, his wife Margaret (age 44) and eight children: Thomas (22), Kate (15), Joseph (14), William H. (12), Mary E. (9), Frank (7), John (6) and George (3). They were living at 106 Market Street in Trenton. Info has been updated accordingly. James appears to no longer live at home (he would be 25). There must have been two William's as the one listed as 5 mos. old in 1860 wouldn't be 12 in 1880; therefore he would have died before 1868 when the 2nd Wm. was born.

Thomas appears to be listed as Crofford in 1870 in the 3rd ward (pg 393b). Update 11/01: The 1870 census is difficult to read but it indicates Thomas as a blacksmith (age ?) with real estate worth $6,000 and personal property of $200. Margaret's age is shown as 36. The children were: James (15), Thomas (11), Catherine (5), Joseph (4) and William (2).

Ages used in this study are taken from census records as well as their tombstone, a large monument in St. John's Cemetery in Trenton, NJ. Younger children are listed on stone as well as four other sons. Apparently, many of these family members died at an early age of tuberculosis.
     
Children of MARGARET CONNOR and THOMAS CRAWFORD are:
  i.   JAMES3 CRAWFORD, b. 1855, New York; d. Unknown; m. MARY CONLIN; d. Unknown.
  Notes for JAMES CRAWFORD:
Possibly named for his grandfather. Margaret's sister, Ann, also named her first born James.

10. ii.   JR. THOMAS CRAWFORD, b. June 11, 1858, New Jersey; d. August 08, 1908, Trenton.
  iii.   WILLIAM P. CRAWFORD, b. February 03, 1860, Trenton; d. June 20, 1867, Trenton.
  More About WILLIAM P. CRAWFORD:
Burial: June 1867, St. John's Cemetery
  iv.   MARY CRAWFORD, b. October 05, 1861, Trenton; d. February 02, 1864, Trenton.
  More About MARY CRAWFORD:
Burial: February 1864, St. John's Cemetery
  v.   JOHN H. CRAWFORD, b. March 31, 1863, Trenton; d. April 02, 1865, Trenton.
  More About JOHN H. CRAWFORD:
Burial: April 1865, St. John's Cemetery
11. vi.   KATE CRAWFORD, b. September 24, 1865, New Jersey; d. Unknown.
  vii.   WILLIAM HENRY CRAWFORD, b. 1868, New Jersey; d. July 23, 1904, Trenton.
  Notes for WILLIAM HENRY CRAWFORD:
He was single and age 36 living at home whne he died of cirrhosis of the liver.

  More About WILLIAM HENRY CRAWFORD:
Burial: July 1904, St. John's Cemetery
Occupation: Undertaker
  viii.   JOSEPH A. CRAWFORD, b. May 1870, New Jersey; d. February 17, 1903, Trenton.
  Notes for JOSEPH A. CRAWFORD:
Tombstone and eath certificate do not agree on age at death so I used death certificate which agrees with census records. He was single when he died of phithisis (Tuberculosis) and lived at 108 (?) Market Street

  More About JOSEPH A. CRAWFORD:
Burial: February 1903, St. John's Cemetery
Occupation: Saloonkeeper
12. ix.   MARY ELLEN CRAWFORD, b. 1871, New Jersey; d. 1947, Jersey City, NJ.
  x.   FRANK P. CRAWFORD, b. 1873, New Jersey; d. April 05, 1899, Trenton.
  Notes for FRANK P. CRAWFORD:
According to death certificate, he was 27 and single when he died of tuberculosis. He lived at home at 106 Market Street.

  More About FRANK P. CRAWFORD:
Burial: April 1899, St. John's Cemetery
Occupation: Undertaker
13. xi.   JOHN W. CRAWFORD, b. September 1874, New Jersey; d. April 16, 1906, Trenton.
14. xii.   GEORGE CRAWFORD, b. December 1876, Trenton; d. October 19, 1925, Trenton.

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]
Home | Help | About Us | Biography.com | HistoryChannel.com | Site Index | Terms of Service | PRIVACY
© 2009 Ancestry.com