Vintage Photograph: Coleman & Kilday, CT

 Vintage photographs are like little windows looking back in time.

A Window into the Past

Margaretta E. Kilday Coleman

b 8 September 1889 New Haven,CT

Wife of John Coleman 

John Coleman 

A few other Vintage Photographs:

• Alberta Joy Gardner Brown
• Elma Patrick
• Helen Coyle Gardner
• The Mark Family, 1930 OH
• Augustus Ceaser Gruissy
• Bruce Alford
• Hubert & Mavis Brown

Forget Me Not: Catherine Kilday Thompson

Catherine Kilday Thompson

February 1884 CT - 1955 CT

Daughter of James Kilday & Ann Brady

Wife of Jack B. Thompson

My 1st cousin, 3x removed

Mrs. Jack B. Thompson. Milford, Dec 3. – Services for Mrs. Catherine C. Thompson, 71, of 50 Park avenue, Wildemere beach, wife of Jack B. Thompson, who died today after a long illness in her home, will take place Monday at 8:30 a. m. in the Smith funeral home. 135 Broad street, and at 9 o’clock in St. Gabriel’s church where a solemn high Mass of requiem will be celebrated. Burial will be in Milford cemetery.

A native of Derby, Mrs. Thompson had resided 40 years in Milford. She was a member of the Maccabees society.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Mrs. F. Douglas Coby, and a grandson, Frank Douglas Coby of Milford; a brother, James L. Kilday of New Haven and a sister, Miss Frances Kilday, New York city.

From: Newspapers.com

The Bridgeport Telegram (Bridgeport, Connecticut) · 4 Dec 1955, Sun · Page 55 

My cousin, Pat Brady, found this clipping & sent it to me.

Photo from Find A Grave, memorial #189746408

Forget Me Not: Anna Brady Kilday, 1899 Ireland - 1952 CT

Ann Brady Kilday

11 Nov 1899 Ireland - 27 Jul 1952 CT

Daughter of Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney

Mrs. Annie Kilday, Former Resident, Died in Milford

Mrs. Annie Kilday, aged 93, widow of James Kilday and a former well known resident of this city, died Sunday afternoon at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Catherine Thompson of 50 Park Avenue, Wildemere Beach, Milford. She had been in failing health for the past several years.

Born in Ireland, Mrs. Kilday was the daughter of the late Patrick and Mary Madden Brady [These names are incorrect.]. She resided in Derby for many years until 34 years ago when she removed to Milford to make her home.

Her survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Thompson, with whom she made her home, and Miss Frances Kilday of New Haven; a brother, John Brady of East Orange, N. J., six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

The funeral will be held Wednesday morning from the Colwell Funeral Home, 116 Elizabeth Street and at St. Gabriel’s Church, Wildmere Beach, Milford for a high Mass of requiem, time to be announced. Internment will be in the family plot in Mt St Peter’s Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home tonight from 7 to 10 o’clock and Tuesday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 10 p.m.

"Mrs. Annie Kilday, Former Resident, Died in Milford." The Ansonia Sentinel 28 July 1952: 6.

1 James Kilday b: c 1850 Ireland, d: 11 Nov 1899 CT

... + Ann Brady b c 1865 Ireland, m: 18 Aug 1881 CT d 27 Jul 1952 Milford, New Haven, CT

......2 Mary Kilday b: 12 Jun 1882 New Haven, CT

......2 Catherine Kilday b: Feb 1884 CT

...... + Jack B Thompson b: Ac 1883 OH, m: 26 Apr 1909 New Haven, CT

.........3 Gladys Thompson b: c 1910 CT

......2 Annie M. Kilday b: 3 Mar 1887 New Haven, CT

......2 Margaret E. Kilday b: 8 Sep 1889 New Haven, CT

...... + John Coleman

.........3 Anna Mariah Coleman b: 12 Jun 1918

......... + William Frederick Miller

............4 Mary Jayne Miller 

............4 Michael Terrence Miller 

............4 Beverly Ann Miller 

............ + Ronald William Kelly

......2 James Leo Kilday b: 28 May 1892 CT

...... + Theresa Guilfoyle b: Abt. 1897 CT

.........3 James Kilday b: Abt. 1923 CT

.........3 Warren Kilday b: Abt. 1925 CT

.........3 Patricia Kilday b: Abt. 1932 CT

......2 Frances Kilday b: 14 Mar 1895 New Haven, CT

Forget Me Not: James Kilday, 1850 - 1899 CT

James Kilday

c 1850 Ireland - 11 Nov 1899 CT

James Kildea, who for a long time had resided on Cannon street, died at home at 8 o’clock Saturday night. He had been sick about four months and had a complication of diseases, the most dangerous of which was Bright’s Disease. He also suffered much from rheumatism. He was employed in the brass mill in Ansonia for a number of years but was obliged to give up work on account of failing health. He was a member of Derby [unreadable] Knights of Maccabees. A wife and three children mourn his death. Mr. Kildea also had many friends in the associated towns. The end was not unexpected to those near him, as his condition had been such for more than a week [unreadable] of a few hours. Undertaker Colwell took charge of the remains. The funeral took place from his late home at 9 o’clock this morning Internment was made at Mount St. Peter cemetery and was attended by relatives and friends.

"James Kildea." The Ansonia Sentinel 13 Nov. 1899: 6.

1 James Kilday b: c 1850 Ireland, d: 11 Nov 1899 CT

... + Ann Brady b: c 1865 Ireland, m: 18 Aug 1881 CT, d: 27 Jul 1952 Milford, New Haven, CT

......2 Mary Kilday b: 12 Jun 1882 New Haven, CT

......2 Catherine Kilday b: Feb 1884 CT

...... + Jack B Thompson b: Ac 1883 OH, m: 26 Apr 1909 New Haven, CT

.........3 Gladys Thompson b: c 1910 CT

......2 Annie M. Kilday b: 3 Mar 1887 New Haven, CT

......2 Margaret E. Kilday b: 8 Sep 1889 New Haven, CT

...... + John Coleman

.........3 Anna Mariah Coleman b: 12 Jun 1918

......... + William Frederick Miller

............4 Mary Jayne Miller b: 17 Dec 1955

............4 Michael Terrence Miller b: 23 May 1959, d: Ac 1991

............4 Beverly Ann Miller b: 15 Aug 1947

............ + Ronald William Kelly

......2 James Leo Kilday b: 28 May 1892 CT

...... + Theresa Guilfoyle b: Abt. 1897 CT

.........3 James Kilday b: Abt. 1923 CT

.........3 Warren Kilday b: Abt. 1925 CT

.........3 Patricia Kilday b: Abt. 1932 CT

......2 Frances Kilday b: 14 Mar 1895 New Haven, CT

CT Research Trip: Mt St Peter Cemetery

Mount Saint Peter Cemetery

219 New Haven Avenue

Derby, CT

203- 735- 8026

Established 1884

The people in the office at Mt St Peter Cemetery were very helpful when my cousin & I visited recently. We told them we were researching the surnames of Brady & Kilday. Lot cards were quickly retrieved from large drawers and the woman in the office made us copies of both the cards and a cemetery map.

We were looking for Anna Brady Kilday and her branch of the Brady family. Anna was the daughter of Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney. She and some of her siblings left County Cavan and made their lives in New Haven Co., CT. We found a large monument with the ‘Kilday’ surname surrounded by small foot stones. We did not actually uncover a stone with Anna’s name but we found her husband & many others. We did literally have to uncover those stones as their edges were obscured by grass. Anna’s stone was most likely completely covered with grass.

KILDAY, Lot 90 Section A

Father [James Kilday b c 1850 Ireland – 11 Nov 1899 CT]

MARGARETTA [b 8 Sept 1889 CT – buried 31 Dec 194?; d/o James Kilday & Anna Brady]

ANNA KILDAY WALSCOTT [b 3 Mar 1887 CT – buried 13 Feb 1943; d/o James Kilday & Anna Brady]

FRANCES KILDAY 1894 – 1957 [d/o James Kilday & Anna Brady]

FATHER, JAMES L KILDAY 1892 – 1972 [s/o James Kilday & Anna Brady]

MOTHER, THERESA G. KILDAY 1896 – 1969 [w/o James L Kilday]

We were also looking for William Brady, son of Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney & brother to Anna Brady Kilday. He came to the USA as a young man and built a life for himself and his family in CT. We found three generations of his descendants.

BRADY, Lot 46, Section E

WILLIAM BRADY 1 October 1848 – 4 October 1926

BRIDGET H O’REILLY W/O WILLIAM BRADY 8 April 1855 – 2 August 1914

HELENA C BRADY D/O WILLIAM & BRIDGET BRADY 3 May 1886 – 26 Feb 1972

EUGENE H BRADY 13 March 1888 – 21 June 1930 [s/o William & Bridget Brady]

WILLIAM N LARKIN JR 27 May 1943 – 20 Jan 2005

GEORGINA COATES W/O WILLIAM N LARKIN JR  10 April 1941 – 15 Jan 1995

MAGRATH, Lot 46, Section E

[This is the other side of the BRADY monument]

ANNA A BRADY W/O WILLIAM F LARKIN 10 April 1884 – 14 October 1964 [d/o William & Bridget Brady]

WILLIAM F LARKIN 14 October 1883 – 22 July 1959

WILLIAM N LARKIN 9 February 1914 – 14 April 1996 [s/o William Larkin & Anna Brady]

EVELYN A SOMMERS W/O WILLIAM N LARKIN 2 August 1912 – 27 October 1995

MARY O’REILLY W/O NICHOLAS MAGRATH 21 July 1874 – 9 April 1930 [d/o Bridget Brady]

NICHOLAS D MAGRATH 26 November 1872 – 27 October 1923

This visit to the cemetery yielded lots of information. The death dates sent us back to the Ansonia Library to find matching obituaries from the Ansonia Evening Sentinel. We are still analyzing the data we collected from the tombstones & the obituaries.

Related Posts:

• CT Research Trip
• Ansonia Library CT
• Derby, CT Public Library Research
• Derby, Ct City Hall Research
• Pine Grove Cemetery, Ansonia CT
• Ansonia City Hall
• The Ansonia Library

Genealogy Travel: Derby, CT – Public Library Research

313 Elizabeth St., Derby CT

The large old stone building at 313 Elizabeth Street, Derby CT is a charming place to do genealogy research. My cousin, Pat, and I were in Ct for a weekend with our cousins. We had one day for research. We began at the Derby City Hall where we spent much more time than we had expected. When we finally went up the street to the library we had only an hour and a half before closing.

The librarian gathered armfuls of city directories and carried them to a large table for us. We looked for our Brady and Kilday relatives, descendants of Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney who lived in County Cavan, Ireland. At least four of their children: Margaret Brady Coyle, Ann Brady Kilday, William Brady & Owen Brady left Ireland and lived in Connecticut. Others, Bartholomew, John and Catherine lived in New Jersey.

We used these directories:

Ansonia, Birmingham, Derby, Shelton and Seymour Directory. [1890 – 1905]. New Haven, Connecticut: Price, Lee & Company, 1891. Derby Public Library, 313 Elizabeth Street, Derby, CT.

Each was in an archival safe box. Some had loose pages. We wanted to browse through them but time was against us so we went directly to the pages we needed. We found many volumes that included our family.

Here are examples of our findings:

City Directory

1890 – 91

Page 30 Owen Brady, emp ABC Co, h 25 Bridge
William Brady, laborer, h 189 Sugar
Page 109 James Kilday, laborer, h Cannon

1896 – 97

Page 22 Ansonia. Owen Brady, emp F,F & M Co, h 30 Bridge
Page 159 Derby & Shelton. William Brady, watchman Huntington Piano Co; h 157 Hawkins
Page 207 James Kilday. Laborer, h 44 Cannon

1905

Page 22 Ansonia. Owen Brady, emp Shelton, h 69 Factory
Page 218 Derby & Shelton. Anna Kilday, widow James, h 40 Emmett av

City Directories can be very useful.

· Locate your family in census years to assist in finding census reports.
· Discover when someone died. Above you can see that James Kilday was alive in 1896 but Ann was a widow in 1905.
· Look at others with the same surname. I’ve found them living at the same address which shows a connection.
· Find employment information & often advertisements for those employers.
· See maps of towns.
· Read about the towns with details like population counts.

We gathered up our notes & walked out the door just two minutes before the doors would be locked. That evening we treated ourselves to a delicious seafood dinner at the Stonebridge restaurant in Milford CT.

The next day we gathered with our Irish cousins and shared some of our findings. Our rough notes still needed to be organized & typed up. Pat & I are planning to return to the area. Next time we want to go to nearby Ansonia, CT.

Related Posts:

• Our 6th Irish Cousin Gathering
• Travel Tuesday, Derby CT, Preparation
• Travel Tuesday, Derby CT, City Hall Research

Genealogy Travel: Derby, CT - Preparation

 As a part of our Irish cousins gathering I recently spent a day in Derby, New Haven County, CT. I wanted to uncover documentation to prove that Ann Brady Kilday, born in Ireland, was a daughter of Thomas Brady & Catherine Gibney. I wanted to gather information on descendants of Thomas & Catherine Brady who lived in the Derby/ Ansonia area. The trip was a success.

Before going I first made a list of the things I wanted to uncover.

·         Marriage Certificate for Ann Brady & James Kilday, probably between 1800 – 1884. Hopefully the certificate would show Ann’s parents and prove her link to Thomas & Catherine Brady.

·         Birth certificates for the children of Ann & James Kilday: Catherine, 1884; Annie, 1887; Margaret, 1889, James L, 1892; Frances, 1895.

·         Death Certificate for James Kilday, probably between 1894 – 1900.

·         Any evidence of William and Owen Brady, brothers of Ann Brady Kilday.

I searched the internet for possible places I could find this information. It looked like my choices were:

·         Ansonia City Hall, 253 Main Street, Ansonia. The records there begin in 1889 which would not help with some of my wish list.

·         AnsoniaLibrary, 53 Cliff Street, Ansonia.

·         Derby City Hall, 1 Elizabeth Street, Derby. It was difficult to get an idea of their holdings from the internet.

·         DerbyHistorical Society, 37 Elm Street, Ansonia. I contacted them by email & they told me they have no birth records or directories.

·         NewHaven Public Library, 133 Elm, New Haven. I contacted them by email. Response: We only have New Haven records, and only prior to 1850. You'd want to contact the town clerks in the towns where the events occurred.

·         Milford Public Library, 57 New Haven Avenue, Milford.

Next I decided to check one of my favorite blogs, Explorations in CT Genealogy written by Bryna O Sullivan. I read her blog regularly and know she has expertise in researching CT. I emailed her concerning my goals and asked for places to look. She kindly sent me this response:

Unfortunately, not every town website contains the history you need. The 1800s are in a gap period – it’s too late for the Barbour Collection, but too early for statewide recording. The Connecticut State Library offers a great cheat sheet that’s probably a better place to start: http://www.cslib.org/cttowns.htm. That page indicates that Ansonia was taken from Derby in 1889…which means your record is probably in Derby. (Here’s Derby’s website: http://electronicvalley.org/derby/govern/Misc/City-TownClerk.htm.) Of course, that would only work if you’d like a full, certified copy. It might be cheaper to start with the Derby Historical Society (http://derbyhistorical.org/).

Bryna was a great help!

I decided to begin my search at the Derby City Hall, clerk’s office. I checked out their hours and phone number. I contacted my cousin, Pat, and we decided to meet in Derby. I packed my genealogy bag with my CT info, my binder of the Brady family, my iPad with my Ancestry APP, my camera, paper & pens and I was ready.

Results of the trip next Tuesday.

Related Posts:

• Our 6th Irish Cousin Gathering