Thank You for your reply. Sorry I did not get back to you sooner.
ID: I004
· Name: Delia M. LOFTUS
· Sex: F
· ALIA: Bridget or Adelia Loftus or /Dilla/
· Birth: 25 DEC 1863 in Ireland
· Death: 27 MAY 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri of Chronic bronchiatis
· Emigration: BET. 1880 - 1882 Blessingtown, County Mayo, Ireland
· Burial: 29 MAY 1928 Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri - Section 5, Lot P, Grave 108
· Event: Death Certificate 28 MAY 1928 # 5778
· Event: Funeral Mass 29 MAY 1928 St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, St. Louis, MO
· Residence: 17 FEB 1888 1403 N. 7th Street (Marriage License)
· Residence: 1920 2121 Gasconade, St. Louis, MO, (Census)
· ADDR: 4224 California
3511 S. 2nd Street (At Death)
St. Louis
Missouri
USA
· Note:
My Great-Great-Grandparent John Loftus, born Ireland, date unknown, whose wife's first and maiden names are presently not known, had at least two children in Ireland. The exact number of children born is unknown. The names of the two known children were Patrick Loftus and Delia Loftus and I will background each one's history separately.
I have no birth place information on Delia Loftus. However, it was told that her brother PATRICK LOFTUS, my Great-Grandfather was BORN in Parish Kilmaine (Kilmainmore), Neale Post Office, Village of Blessingtown, County Mayo Ireland.
A discovery credited to Kevin Borg was the existances of Delia Loftus Collins living and eventually being buried in St. Louis. This had always been a mystery to my family as to her exact where abouts after arriving in the United States. It was believed that she may have lived in St. Louis or possibly New York State. Be advised that apparently Delia's first name has been misspelled several times when written into different records. This misspellings will remain in my narrative explanations of the Loftus family.
Delia M. Loftus (*) later married a man named Thomas C. Collins, on February 17, 1888, as reflected in the St. Louis City, Missouri, marriage records, page 541, volume 34, marriage license # 26514. It should be noted that at the time that Delia Loftus married Thomas C. Collins, in 1888 she gave as her place of residence on the marriage license the address of her uncle and aunt Michael Loftus and Mary Hyland Loftus's address, 1403 N. 7th Street, St. louis, Missouri. In a letter to my Grandmother Catherine Grace Loftus Doerrer from Anna Loftus Gavin, she stated Thomas C. Collins worked for the railroad as an engineer. However, the below documented census for 1900 reflects Thomas C. Collins was a conductor for the St. Louis Railroad system.
Delia Loftus Collins would give birth to four (4) sons, Harry Collins, date of birth and death unknown, Henry E. Collins, date of birth May 1988, date of death unknown, Thomas J. Collins, born October 1889, date of death unknown and Edward V. Collins, date of birth February 1893, date of death of unknown. Delia would also give birth to one daughter, Jeanette, born about October 1895. Leonard Gavin has advised that while he was in the service he was stationed in New York and met with Harry Collins, his second cousin. Harry Collins had moved to New York, married a Lillian, who sold tickets apparently for the railroad and they lived on 128th Street, New York City, New York very near Columbus College. Leonard Gavin believes that Harry Collins may have worked for the New York Central Railroad. Harry Collins at that time told Leonard that he knew where all the Loftuses were buried and that one Loftus girl was buried way out west. Both are now deceased and no children were born as a result of this marriage. I have not been able to find Delia's son Harry in either the 1900 or 1920 census, in St. Louis, Missouri.
On December 9, 1999, Frances Gavin Hopkins and Leonard Gavin her brother supplied to me a copy of a small photograph of which the original is possessed by Frances. The photograph depicts a white, male, in his thirties, wearing a dress hat and a pin striped suit and tie. On the back of the original photograph is inscribed Harry Collins, 1938, son of Delia Loftus Collins.
Delia Loftus married a Thomas C. Collins, on February 17, 1888 in St. Louis, Missouri. They had following named children, Harry, Edward V., Henry, and Jeanette. That Delia Loftus Collins, died on May 27, 1928, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri, Section 5, Lot P, Grave # 108. The following Certificate of Death was recorded in Delia's death:
Delia Collins, date of birth December 25, 1863, Place of Birth Ireland, age at time of death 64 years, 5 months and 2 days. Missouri Board of Health Death Certificate # 5778, date of death May 27, 1928, filed May 28, 1928, Informant Mrs. Schilling. Residence at time of death, 3511 S. 2nd. Street, St. Louis, Missouri. Burial in Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis, MO.
Based on this information I conducted further research into the 1900 and 1910 Missouri, U.S. Census and discovered the following record on file for the 1900 St. Louis City Census:
Vol: 91 ED: 148 Sheet: 4 Line: 76 Dated: June 4, 1900
Name: Collins, Thomas C.
Sex: Male
Age: 40
Month & Year of Birth: January 1859
Place of Birth: Ohio
Place of Father's Birth: Ohio
Place of Mother's Birth: Ohio
Relationship: Head of House Hold
Married: 14 Years
Occupation: Conductor, St. Louis Railroad
Months Not Employed: 2
Could Read, Write & Speak English.
Residing: Rented - House
Address: 4224 California
Name: Collins, Dilla M.
Sex: Female
Age: 36
Month & Year of Birth: December 1863
Place of Birth: Ireland
Place of Father's Birth: Ireland
Place of Mother's Birth: Ireland
Year of Immigration: 1881
Number of Years in the United States: 19
Relationship: Wife
Married: 14 Years
Children Giving Birth to: 4
Children Living: 4
Could Read, Write & Speak English.
Name: Collins, Henry E.
Sex: Male
Age: 12
Month & Year of Birth: May 1888
Pace of Birth: Missouri
Relationship: Son
Occupation: At School
Name: Collins, Thomas J.
Sex: Male
Age: 10
Month & Year of Birth: October 1889
Place of Birth: Missouri
Relationship: Son
Occupation: At School
Name: Collins, Edward V.
Sex: Male
Age: 7
Month & Year of Birth: February 1893
Place of Birth: Missouri
Relationship: Son
Occupation: (Blank)
Name: Collins, Jennitta
Sex: Female
Age: 4
Month & Year of Birth: October 1895
Place of Birth: Missouri
Relationship: Daughter
Occupation: (Blank)
I was able to locate Delia Loftus Collins, again in the 1920 Census as follows:
Volume: 105 ED: 216 Sheet: 7 Dated: 1920
Name: Collins, Thomas J.
Sex: Male
Age: 65
Place of Birth: Missouri (?)
Place of Father's Birth: Unreadable
Place of Mother's Birth: Unreadable
Married
Relationship: Head of Household
Occupation: Unreadable
Address: 2121 Gasconade
St. Louis, Missouri
Name: Collins, Delia
Sex: Female
Age: 60
Place of Birth: Ireland
Father's Place of Birth: Ireland
Mother's Place of Birth: Ireland
Immigrated: 1881
Naturalized: 1888
Relationship: wife
Married
Name: Collins, Edward
Sex: Male
Age: 25
Place of Birth: Missouri
Father's Place of Birth: Unreadable
Mother's Place of Birth: Unreadable
Relationship: Son
Be aware that the name of Delia is also a nickname for Bridget in Ireland, and a nickname for Adelia. Delia's actual name could be Bridget Loftus Collins, or Adelia Loftus Collins and this should be taken into consideration when conducting searches. Leonard Gavin has advised me that he believes his mother Anna Loftus Gavin, made reference to the fact that Delia was short for Bridget.
