Daniel J. Coughlin's Elgin Pocket Watch

 During the period of COVID-19 in 2020 when all of the archives and museums around the world were forced to close, many museums and individuals started posting photos with the hashtag #MyMuseum on twitter .

In particular, I was inspired by the tweets being posted by @farmersfriend who shared a photo and story of an item from his personal museum every day on twitter. He wrote, 

"As we grow older 

many of us create

our own museum of things.

The idea of sharing photos from our personal museums inspired me to create this new genealogy series entitled  #OurMuseum. 

 

Here is the story of an Elgin Pocketwatch that was given to Daniel J. Coughlin as a retirement gift and has been lovingly handed down over the years.

 

Daniel John Coughlin (1874-1948)

Finding our Coughlin and Duffy Ancestors In Ireland

This blog post is one of several that I hope will assist me in locating the townlands and parishes of my ancestors in Ireland. My brother, sister and I will be visiting Ireland in 2019.

Our Coughlin Ancestors 

2018 - My Top 5 Family History Discoveries

Photo taken at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Toronto, final resting place of Timothy Moynahan (1861-1941)

September 4, 1944 - Evelyn Pucino & Her Coughlin Cousins

On September 4, 1944, Evelyn (Pucino) Shea (1925-2016) visited her Coughlin cousins in Ontario and Michigan and created a photo journal of her travels.

I am so grateful that I have been entrusted with these precious photos so that I can share them with the many Coughlin descendants still living in Michigan and Ontario.

Gratitude for My Connecticut Cousins

These precious Coughlin photographs arrived in the mail from my Connecticut cousins

2018 will be forever known as the year that I broke through my Coughlin ancestry brick wall and I continue to learn more and more about this branch of our family tree.

I am truly grateful for the generosity of my Connecticut cousins who have shared so much information and precious photographs with me so that I can share them with the rest of our Coughlin kin in Ontario and Michigan.

Descendants of Daniel J. Coughlin: The Connecticut Coughlins

March 2018 marks a month of incredible breakthroughs in my genealogical research of my Coughlin ancestors from Poughkeepsie, New York and now the trail has led me to Connecticut in search of more Coughlin ancestors and their descendants.

My great grandfather (GG) William Henry Coughlin (1872-1952) was born in Poughkeepsie New York and emigrated to Canada in 1898 at 26 years of age. I knew so little about the Coughlin family he left behind and I was unsuccessful at any and all previous attempts to locate these ancestors in New York records.

My great grandfather William H. Coughlin's Border Crossing Card (1929)

The Coughlin family, Wallaceburg, Ontario around 1917

The Coughlin family, Windsor, Ontario 1949

My great grandfather William Henry Coughlin (1872-1952) was a glassblower in Wallaceburg, Ontario at the Sydenham Glass Works .

Source: University of Windsor; SWODA: Glass Works, Wallaceburg, Ont. (1907) (Public Domain)

William H. Coughlin's 

Poughkeepsie Kin

In March 2018, I located William's Coughlin family in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. and learned that many of them had lived their entire lives in Poughkeepsie in the same neighborhood near the Hudson River and that they were all baptized, married and buried at St. Peter's Roman Catholic church and cemetery.

Michael and Margaret (Duffy) Coughlin

(My 2nd great grandparents)

 

Michael and Margaret (Duffy) Coughlin were both born in Ireland in 1842 and emigrated to New York during the potato famine. They were married around 1865 and had three sons who survived to adulthood: John J., William H., and Daniel J..

Eldest Son: John J. Coughlin (1867-1932)

(My 2nd Great Uncle)

John J. Coughlin was the eldest son of Michael and Margaret Coughlin. Census records indicate that he was married twice. His first wife had died some time before 1920. 

John J. Coughlin (1867-1932)

In the 1920 Poughkeepsie census, John J. Coughlin is widowed and he is living with his brother Daniel's family and his widowed father Michael. 

John J. was employed as an Inspector at the Horse Shoe Works.

When John J. died on August 31, 1932, his obituary mentions his two step-daughters and his brothers Daniel J. and William H. Coughlin who is said to be in Montreal which was his original destination when he left for Canada. (See William H. Coughlin's Naturalization Papers where he stated that he: "went directly to Wallaceburg, Ontario, remained there for about one month, then went to Montreal stayed for nearly four months and had only periodic work, he then returned to New York, and stayed for one year and lived at Poughkeepsie, N.Y., he returned to Wallaceburg, Ontario where he remained for 15 years during the time he spent there he got married and bought a home..")

Source: Poughkeepsie Eagle News; 02 Sep, 1932

Middle Son: William Henry Coughlin (1872-1952) 

(My great grandfather)

I have written extensively about Michael and Margaret Coughlin's middle son who was my great grandfather William H. Coughlin. Visit the links at the bottom of this page for more details about his son and daughters and their lives in Ontario, Canada and Michigan, U.S.A..

My great grandfather William H. Coughlin

The Coughlin Family: Michigan and Ontario

In 1940, William H. Coughlin indicated that he was applying for naturalization under Section 8, "to renew old Nat. Papers so he may obtain a passport to visit relatives in the States." 

In 1952 when he died, William was the last living of his Poughkeepsie family (mother, father and brothers) and his obituary does not mention any nieces and nephews still living in the United States.

Source: The Windsor Daily Star: Jan 30, 1952

 Youngest Son: Daniel J. Coughlin 

(My 2nd Great Uncle)

Michael and Margaret Coughlin's youngest son Daniel J. lived his entire life in Poughkeepsie, New York. He married Lillian Griffin in 1898 and they had four children.

The family of Daniel J. and Lillian (Griffin) Coughlin

 Of the four children of Daniel J. and Lillian (Griffin) Coughlin, two sons died very young:

Headstones for William H. and John J. Coughlin at St Peter's Cemetery, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

• (2.) William H. Coughlin (1900-1913) died at 13 years-of-age after falling into a hole behind St. Peter's school and drowning. (read the story here)
• (3.) John J. Coughlin (1904-1925) died at 21 years-of-age following a car accident
  (read the story here)

The two surviving children, Margaret and Daniel, married and moved away from Poughkeepsie, New York (and his wife moved with them as well) to Connecticut. Here is what I have found out about them so far.

The Connecticut Coughlins

Mother: Lillian (Griffin) Coughlin (1882-1965)

Daniel's wife Lillian moved to Coventry, Connecticut and died there at the age of 83 years in 1965.

St Bernard's Cemetery, Rockville, Connecticut

 Daughter: (1.) Margaret R. Coughlin (1899-1964)

(My 1st cousin twice removed)

Margaret was the eldest child and only girl born to Daniel J. and Lillian (Griffin) Coughlin in Poughkeepsie, New York. (Note: Margaret's obituary states that she was born in Hyde Park, NY)

Margaret married John Carmen Pucino who was born in Italy in 1895 and died suddenly at home in 1953. He was a veteran of WWI. He is buried at St Bernard's Cemetery Rockville, Connecticut

John Carmen and Margaret (Coughlin) Pucino had three children, two sons (John Joseph and Daniel A.) and one daughter (Evelyn). 

It was difficult to find Margaret (Coughlin) Pucino's death date because she remarried Francis J. Lavoie (1905-2003). (No obituary found; headstone located at St Bernard's )
 

Francis J. LaJoie 1905-2003; St. Bernard's Cemetery, Ct.

Below is Margaret (Coughlin) Pucino-LaJoie's 1964 obituary: Mrs. Francis J. LaJoie

 Margaret (Coughlin) Pucino-LaJoie's Children

(My Third Cousins)

(1.) John Joseph Pucino (1920-1983): John was born in Beacon, New York and married Helmi Aalto of West Waterford. They had three daughters. John died in 1983 and is buried at St Bernard's Cemetery, Rockville, Conneticut https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67754594/john-j-pucino

John's wife Helmi was born in Brooklyn, New York an was a member of the Finnish American Heritage Society and was retired from Pratt and Whitney Aircraft after many years of service. The obituary for Helmi R Pucino (Aalto) with photos can be found here: http://smallandpietrasfuneralhome.com/book-of-memories/1279932/Pucino-Helmi/obituary.php

(2.) Daniel Anthony Pucino (1923-1960): John was born in Poughkeepsie, New York and married Helen Popilchock (1924-2003) of Catiwassa, Pennsylvania and they had two children: Donna and Jean.

Daniel died at 36 years of age in 1960 in Berwick, Pennsylvania while demolishing a building. He was crushed between a crane and a trailer according to the coroner's report below.

 

Source: Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania, USA; Certificate Number Range: 013651-016350

Daniel was a veteran of WWII and is buried in Our Lady of Mercy cemetery, Pennsylvania.

Source: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929-1990; Series Number: Series 1

(3.) Evelyn Pucino (1925-2016) Evelyn married James Shea. From Evelyn's 2016 obituary: "Evelyn was born in Poughkeepsie NY on March 20, 1925, the daughter of John C. Pucino and Margaret (Coughlin Pucino). She grew up in New Paltz NY and moved with her family to CT living most of her life in Coventry. Evelyn had a strong faith in God and was an active parishioner of St Mary Church in Coventry where, at every event, she could be found in the kitchen cooking and making fried dough. She lived her faith through service including as a Eucharistic Minister. She was proud of her Italian heritage. Long after she prepared the family recipe for meatballs for the last time, she continued to share the stories and music of her childhood. She will always be remembered by those whose lives she so lovingly touched."

Evelyn (Pucino) Shea (1925-2016) (My second cousin / once removed)

Son: (4.) Daniel Coughlin (1907-1979)

(My 1st cousin twice removed)

Daniel was the youngest child born in 1907 to Daniel J. and Lillian (Griffin) Coughlin in Poughkeepsie, New York.

On the 1930 Census, newlyweds Daniel and Ruth E. Curtis Gray are living with Daniel Coughlin Sr. in Poughkeepsie

Year: 1930; Census Place: Poughkeepsie, Dutchess, New York; Roll: 1420; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0048; FHL microfilm: 2341155

Daniel and Ruth had a son Daniel C. a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State College and teacher at Bolton Center School.

Daniel died in 1979 in Manchester, Connecticut at 72 years-of-age having worked for thirty years as a supervisor at the Salvation Army in Hartford, Connecticut. He is buried at St. Mary's cemetery with his wife Ruth who died in 1987.

Source: The Hartford Courant 11 Feb 1979 Page 28

Source: The Hartford Courant 25 Nov 1987 D8

The Michigan & Ontario Coughlins

• DUFFY-COUGHLIN: Poughkeepsie Brick Wall (Coughlin and Duffy)
• COUGHLIN: Glassblowers in the 1800s
• COUGHLIN: Wallaceburg Schools 
• COUGHLIN: Holy Name of Mary Society, Wallaceburg, Ontario; and Updated post 
• COUGHLIN: Rhea Coughlin & Parke Davis 
• COUGHLIN:  Coughlin Golden Anniversary 1949
• COUGHLIN: Trick or Treating
• COUGHLIN: The Photographic Camera and a Photograph Album
• COUGHLIN: Ice Boating in Windsor, Ontario
• COUGHLIN: The Naturalization Papers of William Henry Coughlin  
• MOYNAHAN - COUGHLIN: Favourite Photo: My Grandparent's 1929 Wedding
• DEMARSE - COUGHLIN: Sister Madeline Demarse (G.S.I.C) (1928-2010)
• SCHOFIELD-COUGHLIN: Arthur and Margaret Schofield 
• COUGHLIN: The Art of Colorizing Photos 
• COUGHLIN: The Coughlin's 1940s Sing-Along! Part 1 
• COUGHLIN-ANNAL: Coughlin Anniversary Folio Pak Snaps
• COUGHLIN: The Coughlin's 1940s Sing-Along! Part 2
• COUGHLIN: Gretta Marie (Coughlin) Langlois

52 Ancestors: Week 9: Where There's a Will

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks was created by Amy Johnson Crow and is a series of weekly blogging prompts to inspire genealogists and family historians to write about an ancestor and then share it online. The theme for Week 9 is "Where There's a Will".

Amy Crow was asked if this theme means a WILL (as in the probate document) or WILL(as in being determined or strong minded). Her answer was: YES!! She encouraged us to use this prompt however we were inspired to.

My "Will" to Locate My Poughkeepsie Ancestors 

For thirty years I have been unable to locate ANY information on my Coughlin Poughkeepsie ancestors and through sheer determination AND strong mindedness, I actually made HUGE progress last week (See my previous post "My Poughkeepsie Coughlin Breakthrough ")

The only evidence I have had of my Coughlin 2nd great-Grandparents - My great grandfathers baptismal certificate

 Duchess County, New York Records!

Part of my problem has been access to records in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, U.S.A..

Unlike Michigan and Ontario records, Poughkeepsie records are really hard to come by, and even where they are available (i.e. Ancestry censuses), keyword searches of "Coughlin" rarely achieve any results.

Initially, my "Coughlin breakthrough" was achieved with great thanks to three record sources:

1. Family Search Census Records: I decided to manually scroll through the records of the 1875 census for Poughkeepsie to locate my Coughlin Family. Once I located them in 1875, (I was so fortunate that they never moved from the same census wards) I successfully located them on sequential Federal and State censuses from 1875-1940
2. New York Directories:  With the census records and now certain of the location in Poughkeepsie of my Coughlin ancestors, I used the historical Directories to confirm their addresses and occupations.
3. Newspapers.com Poughkeepsie Newspapers: I used the newspapers to confirm the deaths of two Coughlin brothers whose headstones are the only headstones to appear on FindAGrave for St. Peter's Poughkeepsie. I also used the death indexes for Poughkeepsie to get possible dates and then looked them up in the newspapers. The two newspapers that I used are:
• The Poughkeepsie Eagle-News 1861-1942
• The Poughkeepsie Journal 1785-2018 or http://poughkeepsiejournal.newspapers.com/

William H. Coughlin 

1900-1913

Find A Grave: William H. Son of Daniel & Lillian Coughlin

Source: Poughkeepsie Eagle-News

John J. Coughlin

1904-1925

Find A Grave: John J. Son of Daniel & Lillian Coughlin

Source: Poughkeepsie Eagle-News

Source: Poughkeepsie Eagle-News

Source: Poughkeepsie Eagle-News

I'm Still Searching For More Records

I now know that my Coughlin Poughkeepsie ancestors lived, married and died in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York.They passed their entire lives there. (Except one son Daniel Coughlin 1907-1979 who moved to Connecticut - but that's another blog post)

I am still having great difficulty locating Dutchess County death and marriage records and I will be focusing my next steps on accessing:

1. St Peter's Church and Cemetery Records
2. Naturalization Records
3. Emigration Records
4. Alms House and Medical Records 

Through Newspaper research and browsing Poughkeepsie Alms House Records, I have learned that my 2nd great-grandfather Michael Coughlin (1842-1921) suffered a serious injury in 1891. In the following years he lived alternatively with his son Daniel and in the Alms House in Poughkeepsie. I hope to learn more.

Source: Poughkeepsie Eagle-News

Source: Ancestry: New York, Census of Inmates in Almshouses and Poor Houses 1830-1920

And thanks to Newspapers.com, I located a death notice for my 2nd great-grandfather Michael Coughlin (1842-1921) and I have sent away to the he New York Department of Health for his death record which I hope will contain the names of his parents

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal

I believe that the man barely visible on the left in the photograph below is my 2nd great-grandfather Michael Coughlin (1842-1921) and I am even more determined than ever to uncover his story and share it with his descendants.

Poughkeepsie photograph from the photo album of Rhea (Coughlin) Moynahan (1902-1992)

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. page; Source: Photo album belonging to Rhea (Coughlin) Moynahan (1902-1992)

Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York Records

• Poughkeepsie Map 1891
• Find A Grave: Saint Peters Cemetery; Fairview, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, 
• Poughkeepsie Eagle-News 1861–1942 Poughkeepsie, New York  USA
• The Poughkeepsie Journal  1785–2018
• Poughkeepsie, New York Directories, 1890-97 
• New York, Census of Inmates in Almshouses and Poorhouses, 1830-1920 (Choose Poughkeepsie in drop down menu) 
• LDS: Poughkeepsie Genealogy (in Dutchess County, NY)

  Dutchess County, New York Records

• Dutchess County, New York Genealogy Genealogy - FamilySearch Wiki 
• POORHOUSE History of Dutchess County
• LDS: Dutchess County NY Genealogy

New York Records

• Maps of New York: http://www.mapofus.org/newyork/ 
• How to order New York Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Certificates
• New York State Health Department, Genealogical Research Death Index, 1957-1963 at FamilySearch
• New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900  
• New York, Southern District Index to Petitions for Naturalization, 1824-1941
• New York, Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 
• New York, Family Bible Records, 1581-1917
• Genealogical Research Death Index: Beginning 1957 | Health Data NY
• NYS Gazetteer Interactive Search

Film: "Glas" - Bert Haanstra‘s 1959 Oscar winning documentary short

My great grandfather William Henry Coughlin (1872-1952) came to Canada from Poughkeepsie, New York to work as a glassblower at the Wallaceburg Ontario glass factory.

As the years passed, Dominion Glass began to move steadily away from glassblower-craftsmen. The Coughlin family eventually moved to Windsor (1918) because glass making had been automated and the need for skilled glassblowers was officially over.

That is why I love this short documentary (10 minutes) by Bert Haanstra about Dutch glass production in the 1950's. It demonstrates glass being made by hand and mass production using jazz and techno music.  "Glas" is often acclaimed to be the perfect short documentary.

Watch the amazing glass artisans at Royal Leerdam Glass Factory back-to-back with machines used in automated bottle making.

52 Ancestors No. 12: The Naturalization Papers of William Henry Coughlin

This is the twelfth of 52 blog posts for the 2015 edition of the 52 Ancestors challenge. I have been blogging my family history for the #52Ancestors challenge since it began in 2014.

#52Ancestors asks bloggers to "have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”

This week's blog post is about the Naturalization Papers of my great grandfather (GG) William Henry Coughlin (1872-1952) who was born in Poughkeepsie New York and emigrated to Canada in 1898 at 26 years of age. In November 2013, when the 1921 census was released, I learned that William was naturalized in 1915.

Poughkeepsie, New York
on the New York Central railway line

My GG: William Henry Coughlin (1872-1952)

Naturalization: The 1940 RCMP interview
William Coughlin 1025 Hickory Rd., Windsor, Ontario

What is Naturalization?

"Prior to the Canadian Citizenship Act of 1947 there was no such thing as a Canadian citizen. Persons born in Canada were British subjects. Those who had come to Canada from other parts of the Commonwealth were also British subjects and in terms of citizenship considered equal to those born in Canada. Those from non-commonwealth countries were considered aliens and had to become naturalized in order to enjoy the same rights as citizens." (Source: Family Search: Wiki)

20th Century Naturalization

With the Naturalization Act of 1906, aliens could become naturalized after spending three years in Canada. Through this process they became British subjects, although it was a status recognized only in Canada. Applications were made to judges in provincial courts. A tougher act was passed in 1914, although its implementation was delayed to allow anyone in Canada before 1 January 1915 to apply under the old rules. The last year for application of the older rules was 1917. The new law gave the same status to naturalized Canadians as those held by natural born British subjects.(Source: Family Search: Wiki)

How I Found W.H. Coughlin's Naturalization Records

I knew from the census information that GG Coughlin was naturalized in 1915. Unfortunately William Henry Coughlin's name was not found in any of the databases at the Library and Archives Canada - Naturalization index (1915-1951).

I submitted a written request through an Access To Information (ATI) request from Citizenship and Immigration Canada for my GG William Henry Coughlin's papers. 

In February 2014 they sent me 14 pages dating from December 1915 to November 1940. These fourteen pages revealed lots of new information!

According to the Naturalization Records

1915

Great grandfather Coughlin arrived on the New York Central Railway in 1899  through the port of Niagara Falls. 

His occupation was a glassblower and he was issued a certificate of naturalization on the 14th of December 1915.

Naturalization granted 14th Dec. 1915

Certificate of Naturalization

1940

In 1940, William indicated that he was applying for naturalization under Section 8, "to renew old Nat. Papers so he may obtain a passport to visit relatives in the States."

A requirement under Section 8 was that two persons "vouch for the subject" and the two were G.J. Smith (who had known him for three years) and son-in-law E.J. Moynahan (my grandfather, who had known him for fifteen years).

In the remarks section from the RCMP interview we learn that the applicant (William Henry Coughlin):

• "the port of arrival was Fort Erie, Ontario" (different from Niagara Falls ?)
• "he went directly to Wallaceburg, Ontario, remained there for about one month, then went to Montreal stayed for nearly four months and had only periodic work, he then returned to New York, and stayed for one year and lived at Poughkeepsie, N.Y., he returned to Wallaceburg, Ontario where he remained for 15 years during the time he spent there he got married and bought a home, in 1915 sold his home and came to Windsor and since arrival has worked at Fords for 15 years had worked at General Motors in Detroit for about three years then due to sickness he obtained relief....till 1937....The above applicant owns his home and also has properties in the city of Windsor."

A certificate of naturalization was issued, No. 29812 Series E dated 27-12-40 under Section 8.

Other Documents 

1899

William Henry Coughlin married Elizabeth Annal on the 27th of November 1899 in Kent county, Ontario.

Marriage certificate 1899

Other Documents 

1901, 1911 and 1921 censuses

On the 1901 census, Lizzie Coughlin is living with daughter Madeline Coughlin at the home of Lizzie's parents James and Mary Annal. Could this be the time period when William could only obtain "periodic work" in Canada and "returned to New York stayed for one year and lived at Poughkeepsie, N.Y" ?

1901 census Wallaceburg, Ont

1911 census Wallaceburg, Ont

The 1911 census listed the year William Coughlin's immigration as 1898, not the 1899 listed in the naturalization papers. It could be that it was November of 1898 and remembered in the later years as 1899? Wiliam is listed as a "glassblower".

1921 Census: Hickory Ave, Windsor, Ont

It is in this 1921 census that we see the year of immigration as 1899 again and the new information that the year of naturalization was 1915.

The release of the 1921 census in November 2013 was instrumental in helping me locate William Henry Coughlin's year of naturalization which led me to these papers above and so much more information on my great grandfather's journey from Poughkeepsie, New York.

"1893 NYC RR". 
Licensed under Public Domain 
via Wikimedia Commons -