Cousins Connect

The Godfrey Memorial Library in Middletown, CT was the most recent meeting spot for my Coyle and Brady cousins. We are a small but growing group of third cousins [more or less] who are related to Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney from County Cavan, Ireland.

We are the descendants of three of the children of Thomas & Catherine (Gibney) Brady, all born in Ireland:

Bartholomew A. Brady of New Jersey, 

Anna (Brady) Kilday of Connecticut and 

Margaret (Brady) Coyle of Connecticut. 

We cousins connected on the internet, finding each other through various message boards. Once a year we drive from our NY, MA, CT and NJ homes to gather, exchange any new information we have uncovered, catch up with each other’s lives and generally have fun. We have enjoyed the New Jersey shore, taken a boat ride on the Hudson River and strolled through Minute Man National Historical Park together. 

Colleen, Lisa, Maureen, Pat & Bonnie

This time we wanted to do some research. The Godfrey Memorial Library was a great place to meet. 

The Godfrey Library's mission is to "promote the study of family history by inspiring individuals in all sectors of society to study their heritage and their own place in history, supporting educational activities that create enthusiasm for family research and making genealogical and historical resources available to all on a national and international level by continuing the expansion, modernization, and distribution of print, electronic manuscript and other information media."

Lisa, Bonnie, Maureen & Pat

Sharon, the librarian, was friendly and helpful. We had a wide table to gather around to share information. We found our family in the library’s Waterbury and Ansonia City Directories. Our newly found Kilday cousins passed around a lovely photo album as they told us about generations of strong, independent women, including a bootlegger and a welder.

The Kilday family showed up in the Ansonia directory and the Patrick and Margaret (Brady) Coyle family turned up in the pages of the 1890, 1898, 1914, 1922 & 1925 directories. Patrick was a laborer and Margaret ran a small grocery from their home. Their children were teachers, construction workers and clerks. 

Colleen, Lucille, Maureen & Pat. front: Bonnie & Lisa

Interestingly the 1890 directory shows Patrick and James Coyle living together. He is probably a relative, possibly Patrick’s older brother. We’ll need to research this James Coyle. There is always more for us to uncover!