John Joseph McGowan
- Born
- 1845-06-03 12:00:00
- Died
- 1907-02-23 12:00:00
- Gender
- Male
- Place of migration
- Migrated to/Born in USA
John Joseph McGowan was the son of Ellen Daly and John (Joseph?) McGowan. His death certificate gives his birthdate as June 3rd, 1845.
On 27 February 1870, John married Catherine Brown (of Cloghens or Ballina, Co. Mayo), at Addergoole, Co. Mayo. In the Catholic Marriage Registers, his township is listed as "Gurtnaheltia".
Very soon after this date, he emigrated to Buffalo, New York, USA, with Catherine, his parents, his brothers Anthony and Thomas, and their sister, Mary. In Buffalo, the family either built or purchased two small, single-story houses, side by side, 107 and 109 Lakeview Avenue, on the lower west side of Buffalo. There John lived until his death.
In November 1879, Catherine gave birth to Mary Agnes, the couple's first child. They then had a son, Joseph, born 10 March 1872. on 27 December 1873, their second son, John, was born, but he perished as a newborn. Catherine died 31 Jan 1874, presumed in part from complications following the birth of her son, but also of tuberculosis.
John then married Mary Daly. Family lore has it that following Catherine's death, John wrote to a former girlfriend in Ireland asking her to join him, as he was in need of a wife to care for his young children. This woman traveled to the dock with either her sister or friend, to board the ship to the USA. As the story has it, she lost her nerve at the last minute and Mary took her place on board the ship, and in John's family. John and Mary together had four more children: John in 1877; Catherine in 1880; Thomas in 1882; and Ella in 1884.
John worked as a tanner. He died on 23 Feb 1807, of uremia due to kidney cancer. He is buried in Holy Cross (Catholic) Cemetery, in Buffalo, New York, USA.
John's marriage to Catherine Brown is recorded in the following Catholic Marriage Registry:
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/27522638?h=200916&o_xid=61782&o_lid=61…
