My father William James Craven was born October 14,1913 in Greenpoint,Brooklyn,New York.He was one of eight children born to my grandparents Peter Joseph Craven b/Jan 1,1880,Queens,New York and Margaret McKeegan b/Apr 4,1879 Greenpoint,Brooklyn,New York.
Peter,my grandfather,was also one of eight children born to Irish immigrants.Peter's father was James Craven b/approx.1835 Ireland and his mother Katherine(Kitty)Ryan b/approx 1845 Ireland.I have no idea where in Ireland they are from.
What I do know this far is that 2 of my grandfather Peter Craven brothers were born in England and came to America with their mother on October 30,1866 on the ship James Foster Jr. and comind through Castle Gardens.The oldest named John,listed as age three at sailing and his brother James,listed as one year old. From there the next ten years there is no trace that I can find.Then the family appears in the 1880 Census in Queens New York.Along with brothers Michael b/ 1867,Nicholas b /1871,William b/ 14 Oct 1875(my fathers namesake,he was born on his uncles birthday),Mary C. b/ 1878 and of course my grandfather Peter listed as being 5 months old.
My great grandparents James and Katherine Craven seem to have vanished in 1900.I can find no trace of them at all.
As for the McKeegan side? Margarets father was Patrick McKeegan b/approx.1850 and her mother Katherine Murray b/approx.1854.Again,where they are from,what town in Ireland is still unknown.Although I do know they came from County Antrim.Margaret had sister Mary b/ 1876,Catherine b/ 1877,Patrick J. b/1881,James P. b/1822 and Daniel J. b/ 1884.Again,this time my great grandfather Patick disappears by the time of the 1900 census.His wife has remarried to a Wm Kelly and has 2 more children.Her sons from previous marriage are listed as stepsons to Wm and according to dates of birth of her 2 new children Patrick has been out of the picture since 1884 after the birth of his last son.
Although it is said that the Cravens came from Roscommon area and the McKeegans came from Antrim area,I still have not found definite proof of where either family is from.
Hopefully with more researching and connecting with cousins that I didn't know before,somehow we'll be able to piece together our family history across the seas to Ireland.
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- Mom & Dad -Wm James Craven & Mary Felicia Guynn (8 KB)
This was taken about the time they were married,1940 in New York
- Wm & Mary Craven's children (39 KB)
I'm the youngest in the middle of my 2 brothers.Billy on left and Glenn on right.taken in front of our apartment in Sunnyside,Queens,NY
- 5 Generations (55 KB)
Baptism of my daughter Desire'.
Desire',(mother)Denise Newkirk,
grandmother Mary Craven,great grandmother Glenrose Johnson,and holding Desire',her great great grandmother Alice M.Bertrand.Taken in Palenville,New York
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