Our Irish Side

Catherine Kenna April 1912

Our Irish Side

June 12, 2014

Andrew Kenna and Catherine McGlinn came over from Ireland and settled in Camden, New Jersey, married and raised their family.  Their daughter, Margaret Elizabeth Kenna married Arthur H Bonsor. That is our connection to Ireland.

Andrew was born about 1844 in Ireland and came over before 1860, I am not sure exactly when he was married to Catherine McGlinn or where, probably near Camden.  Still working on that bit of information.  Catherine McGlinn was born Aug 9, 1839, according to some sources, so she was older than Andrew.  According to several US censuses, she immigrated in 1845 or 1853, but again I have not pinpointed those records yet.

In the 1860 census, Andrew, at about 16 years old, is listed as living in Camden County, the Middle Ward.  By 1863 he was in the Camden City Directory as a butcher, living at 409 Federal Street.  According to the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, Feb 23, 1865, Andrew Kenna was selected for the Draft in the Middle Ward of Camden.  The process was to pull names out of a wheel at Fourth and Market.  126 names were drawn for two wards.  I don’t think he actually served in the military, but I am still checking. 

Andrew and Catherine started their family in 1868, by giving birth to their daughter Margaret Elizabeth Kenna on July 5.  In 1870 according to the census, Andrew was a Pork dealer and lived with his wife and daughter along with Margaret Brit, 55 years old, born in Ireland and is a washerwomen, Katie Brit (14) born in New Jersey and helps in the household.  Also in the household is Alice Brannan (28) born in Ireland, Ella Brannan (6) born in Pennsylvania which I found to be Andrew sister and niece.  They all lived in the same household in Camden, probably the 711 Federal location.

In the Camden City Directory in 1872, Andrew is listed as a pork butcher and has a business partner, George W. Swope and they ran a butcher shop in Camden selling pork, lard, hams, etc.  The shop in located at 709 Federal, and his home is at 711 Federal.  Andrew and Catherine have another daughter Mary Alice in June 1872.

In 1874 Andrew Kenna and his business partner, George W. Swope, sued and won against George Day.  They won their suite and the Sheriff sized Mr. Day’s property:

Beginning at a corner in the east-line of Day street, at the distance of ninety-eight feet south of the south line of Federal street, corner also to Johanna Claypool’s lot, and extending eastwardly a distance of sixty feet to a corner; thence (2) south and parallel with Day st thirty-five feet to another corner; thence (3) west and parallel with the first street aforesaid; thence (4) north along the north line of Day street thirty-five feet to the place of the beginning. Sized as the property of George Day, take in execution at the suit of Andrew Kenna and George W. Swope. Dated March 31, 1874.

Printed in the Camden Democrate, Camden NJ on May 2, 1874

Oct 4, 1874, Andrew’s younger brother Martin Kenna passed away at age 27.  The Philadelphia Inquirer lists the funeral as follows:  The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from the residence of his brother, Andrew Kenna, No 711 Federal Street, Camden NJ this morning, the 6^th Inst., at 8 o’clock. Service at Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Katie, their 3^rd daughter was born in 1875, and then came Annie in 1877.  The Census in 1880 lists them all living at the 711 Federal street home and Andrew‘s occupation is Sausage Maker.  Still living in the house are Andrew’s sister Alice Brannan (38) and is either widowed or divorced, born in Ireland and her daughter Ella (16) born in Pennsylvania.  In 1885 another daughter was born, Justina, in the Camden home, she was 15 years younger than Margaret.  Andrew is still listed as owning a meat market at 709 Federal.              Katie died in 1874 at 12 years old and Annie died in 1892 at 5 years old.

In 1891 Andrew and Catherine’s daughter Margret Elizabeth married Arthur Henry Bonsor on June 9 in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.  This is when the stained glass window was installed into the church that I mentioned in a previous story.  They did not live far from Catherine and Andrew, just a block away on Market St. so the family stayed close.

Andrew dies on Feb 7, 1894 approximately 50 years old according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, on Wednesday morning, at 8:30 o’clock, from his late residence, No 711 Federal Street, Camden, and NJ.  Solemn Requiem Mass at Church of Immaculate Conception.  Interment at St. Patrick’s Cemetery.  According to the city directory listings, it looks like Catherine continued to run the meat market until about 1905.

September 20, 1898 daughter Mary Alice married Joseph Mulliner in the Church of the Immaculate Conception with a reception at 711 Federal.  She was described as a “popular society lady who marries a well-known young man” in The Review newspaper.   She died suddenly after just 4 years of marriage at age 28.The funeral started on Tuesday morning at 8 o’clock from 709 Federal st then a Solemn High Mass at Church of Immaculate Conception at 9:30 and then internment at St. Patrick’s cemetery.  

Mrs. Andrew Kenna owned a house on 515 Taylor Ave (northside) and rented it out.  In May, 1900 a big fire burned down several blocks of Camden.  Her house was a three story frame and was occupied by A. C Heiney.  The loss was valued at $1000 and was insured.  According to the Philadelphia Inquirer on May 14, 1900, the fire was caused by boys playing with matches. It damaged or destroyed over 50 houses leaving many homeless.  The fire occupied the area from Federal st to Taylor ave from 4^th to 5^th sts. 

The house at 711 Federal always had family living there.  In 1900 Catherine was 60 years old and her family called her Nana.  Her daughter Mary Alice and her husband Joseph Mulliner lived with her along with their one year old son, Adam Mulliner. The Mulliner family rented a floor in the house and Joseph worked at a provisions store.  Justina Kenna, now 15 and Catharine McGlynn (23) her niece also lived in the house.

Catherine Kenna (left), Margaret Bonsor (middle)
 and daughter Margaret (child), don't know women
on right

In the 1910 census, Catherine is listed at 65 years old, only aging 5 years since the last census 10 years ago.  Justine now 25 stilled lived with her mother and so did Mary McGlinn (28), Catharine’s niece.  She worked as a typewriter in the Almshouse (poorhouse). Catharine McGlinn, (30) Mary’s sister also lived there but did not work.  Catharine Mulliner (7) Catherine Kenna’s granddaughter, Mary Alice’s daughter who died, lived in the house too.  It was quite a multi-generational household at 711 Federal.

In 1920, Justina, called Aunt Teenie by the family and her husband Tomas Hughes, along with their sons Thomas, Arthur, John and daughter Margaret all lived at 711 Federal. Catherine Kenna is listed at 75 years old and Kathryn Mulliner, her niece is 18 and works as an operator at Bell Telephone.

Catherine Kenna was the matriarch of the family, a devote Irish Catholic and she died in 1929 in the home of her daughter Margaret Bonsor at 706 Market St. on the 3^rd floor according to family lore.  Catherine and Andrew were hard working people and were able to support their family comfortably.  Their two properties were paid off early before Andrew died.  I believe that the 711 house and shop had been purchased by the Bell Telephone Company for expansion on to that block before Catherine died.  Another bit of information to check up on.

Many of our Irish family members were buried in  ”St. Patrick’s Cemetery” which was located at Westfield and Federal Ave in Camden.  It is now defunct and houses have been built on the property.  Some of the remains were moved in 1918 and the rest in 1952, although it is difficult to confirm who got moved when.  Most were apparently moved to Calvary Cemetery, but many of the records were lost.  I am working on locating our relatives.

Catherine Kenna May 29 1914

                Uncle Bart wrote a letter reminiscing about the Irish side; he was only 6 when his great-grandmother, Nana died.  He remarked how well the family got along and enjoyed each other’s company.  He remembers Catherine Kenna as a “great old girl who was very kind to me as a little boy.”  He remembers her as a graceful lady, ram-rod straight and always beautifully dressed.  Nana was generally dressed in “silk” to the floor and rustled when she walked.  Nana generally wore a black grosgrain ribbon around her neck with a broach, usually a Cameo. He never saw her in the kitchen, but she arrived on time for every meal and waited till someone pushed in her chair.  The table (3 times each day) had to be perfectly set with the finest place settings.  Nana spent much of her time in her room saying the Rosary or reading her prayer book. Every time she saw little Bart, which was often he claimed, she gave him a quarter.

I have rambled on too much, but there is a lot to this side of the family history and I have only just scratched the surface.  I think they were a close knit happy family. They worked hard and achieved great things for their family and they seemed to celebrate their religion.   Names and dates change constantly over the years and records.  There is much more to learn about our Irish side and I plan on continuing the quest and hopefully get back to Ireland.