- The McPherson's and
Shanahan's
- This is George Bernard
McPherson my grandfather ca. 1937
- My Grandfather's adopted name
was George Bernard McPherson b. 1887 in San Francisco CA ( possibly,
as he filled out his own birth certificate after the 1906 earthquake),
the only clues I have to work with on this line are: His adopted
mother, Caroline Shanahan McPherson, was his blood aunt and that
his parents died in an accident when he was very young. According
to the CA, San Francisco 1900 census Caroline lists herself and
her parents as being born in Ireland. Family lore is she immigrated
with 8 or 9 sisters, one stayed in Ireland, County Cork. His
adopted father was John McPherson from Nova Scotia. He had told
my grandmother that his last name was Lee, but I am exploring
Shanahan and Hurley as well.
-
- _According to Caroline's death
certificate Her father was Edward Shanahan and her mother was
Catherine Colbert.
- _According to Caroline's obit
she had two sisters still alive in 1910, Hannah Shanahan McDonnell
and Margaret Shanahan Colby, it also request Watertown Mass papers
please copy.
- _Most of the info below on
the "family tree" was extracted from census records,
the CA Birth index, the CA Death index and the CA marriage index.
- _At some point prior to 1880
Margaret Shanahan married a Chennery and had a daughter, Louise,
in Massachusetts.
-
- Here is what I have
so far...... If you have anything you would like to add to the
family tree, please email me at cydrawls@aol.com
-
- Edward Shanahan b. IRE m. Catherine Colbert
b. IRE - 3 daughters .. so far: Census page
- 1. Hannah Shanahan - b. abt July 24, 1839 in County
Cork Ireland, d April 28, 1924 in San Francisco, CA(obit below), m. William McDonnell
b. abt April 1839 in Ireland, d, bfr 1910.
- issue: According to the 1900 census
Hannah gave birth to 4 children, only 1 had survived.
I. Edward G. McDonnell b. abt 1874 in CA,
d. May 30, 1922, m. Mary Evelyn Cogley b. May 16, 1881
in Ireland
- issue:
1. Edward McDonnell - b. Nov 2, 1902 in CA - d. Aug 24. 1977
2. Caroline McDonnell - b abt 1903 m. Gogin
3. LouiseMcDonnell - b. abt 1905 m Traxsler
4. WilliamMcDonnell- b. Sept. 23, 1906 in San Francisco
5. Marie C. McDonnell - b. Sept. 13, 1909 in San Francisco
m. Thompson, d. June 22, 1958
- issue:
I.Caroline Dorothea Thompson b. Sept 29, 1930 in San Francisco
II.Edward Thompson b. Mar 28, 1933 in San Francisco
- 6. Edna Roma McDonnell b. Dec, 24, 1910 in San Francisco,
d. April 15, 1988 at 77 yrs of age , m. John Joseph
Griffin
- 7. Ronald Charles McDonnell - b. Mar. 23, 1914 in
San Francisco, d. April 13, 1990 m. Margaret E. -
- 8. Donald J. McDonnell b. June 10, 1912
- II. Caroline J. McDonnell - b. abt 1878 - d.
bfr 1900 ( possibly died in 1887
at the of age 9 in San Francisco)
-
- 2. Margaret J. Shanahan - b. abt March 26, 1846 in
County Cork Ireland, d. April 9, 1918 in Berkley CA, m. (obit below)1st Chennay m. 2nd abt 1875
to William Colby b. May 1838 in Sweden, Census page
- issue:
I. Louise M. Chennay (Chenery)- b. June 1867 in MA, m. 1st
John William Slater b. July 1850 in Scotland Immigrated
in 1875, d. April 21, 1924, m. 2nd Phillips
- issue:
1. J. Herbert Slater - b. July 9, 1889, d. March 8, 1969
2. Marguerite Slater - b Feb. 7, 1891, m. bfr 1918 to (?)
Messenger, d. Jan 1977 in Sacramento CA.
3. Norman Bernard Slater - b. Jan 23, 1894, d. Mar 11, 1978
in Sacramento California, m. Anne C. b. 1894
4. Colby E. Slater - b April 30, 1896 - d. Jan 30, 1965 in
Yolo Co.
-
- 3. Caroline Shanahan - b. btw 1844-46 in County Cork
Ireland, d. April 27, 1910 in San Francisco, CA (obit below) - m. abt 1886 to
John McPherson b. abt 1841 in Nova Scotia, immigrated
in 1868 to US d. Dec 31, 1919- both buried in Holy Cross Cemetery,
Colma CA
- I. George Bernard McPherson - b. Feb 28, 1887 in San
Francisco? d. June 30, 1977 m. first to Margaret Flood
in 1909 (Flood
info) . issue 1 , Helen Carolina McPherson
b. 21 May 1912.. d. Jul. 12, 1975. George m. 2nd to Marie
Eleanor Mansfield Portious (Mansfield info), issue 2 ,
John Richard McPherson b 1931 and Shirleyann McPherson
b. 1934
|
CAROLINE SHANAHAN
MCPHERSON
* Caroline's death certificate
states:
- DOB as March 15, 1844
(the Ides of March?)
- DOD as April 27,1910
- Died in San Francisco, CA
- aged- 66yrs, 1mo, 12days
- father as Edward Shanahan
- mother as Caroline Colbert
- resided in CA for 43 years
- Occupation- Housewife
- husband John McPherson
- born in Ireland
- parents born in Ireland
- died from Carcinoma of left
leg
- buried in Holy Cross Cemetery
Colma, CA
- informant John McPherson (husband)
- The 1900 Census
of San Francisco, CA SD-1, ED-76, pg105, sheet-7,A
- name- Caroline McPherson
- relationship- wife
- race-W
- sex-F
- mo born-Sept
- yr born-1851
- age- 48
- # of marriages 2
- #yrs married- 13
- #of children-1
- place of birth- Ireland
- parents place of birth- Ireland
- year of immigration to US-UN
- #of years a citizen- UN
- occupation-
|
JOHN MCPHERSON
* John's death certificate
states:
- DOB as December 23, 1841
- DOD as December 31 1919
- Died in San Francisco, CA at
St. Mary's Hospital
- aged- 77yrs-11mos-28days
- father as unknown McPherson
- mother as Mary Gillis
- resided in CA 51 years
- occupation- Boiler Maker
- born in Canada (Nova
Scotia)
- died from Arterio Sclerosis/Cerebral
Hemorrhage
- buried in Holy Cross Cemetery
Colma, CA
- informant George B. McPherson
(son)
- The 1900 Census
of San Francisco, CA SD-1, ED-76, pg105, sheet-7,A
- name- John McPherson
- relationship- Head
- race-W
- sex-M
- mo born-July
- yr born-1843
- age- 56
- # of marriages 1
- #yrs married- 13
- #of children-1
- place of birth- Canada
- parents place of birth- Canada
- year of immigration to US-1868
- #of years a citizen- 32
- occupation- Boiler Maker
|
- GEORGE BERNARD MCPHERSON
-
- The 1900 Census
of San Francisco, CA SD-1, ED-76, pg105, sheet-7,A
- name- George McPherson
- relationship- son
- race-W
- sex-M
- mo born-Sept
- yr born-1887
- age- 12
- #yrs married-
- #of children-
- place of birth- Calif
- parents place of birth- Canada/Ireland
- year of immigration to US-
- #of years a citizen-
- occupation- at school
|
1890 Great Register - California
John McPherson age 47 born Nova Scotia
residing at 743 1/2 24th city of San Francisco registered to
vote on
October 17, 1890 and indicates that he was naturalized citizen
of the US of A |
|
Caroline Shanahan McPherson's Obituary-
The San Francisco Call - Thursday, April 28, 1910
McPhearson_ In this city, April 27, 1910, Caroline McPhearson,
dearly beloved wife of John McPhearson, loving mother of George
McPhearson, and beloved sister of Mrs. Hannah McDonnell of San
Francisco and Mrs. Margaret Colby of Berkley, Cal,. a native
of County Cork, Ireland, aged 66 years 1 month and 12 days (Watertown,
Mass., please copy)
Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend
the funeral tomorrow (Friday), at 8:30 o'clock a.m. from her
late residence, 3169 Twenty-fourth street between Howard and
Folsom, thence to St. Peters church, where a solemn requiem high
mass commencing at 9 0'clock a.m. Internment Holy Cross Cemetery,
by carriage.
(43. ST. PETER'S
CHURCH, Pastor Fr. Fabio E. Medina , 1200 Florida St. 94110.
415 282 1652 - Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, 1867--. 13 vols.
)
|
- the following are Caroline's
sister's obits
|
- San Francisco Bulletin, April 9, 1918 -
COLBY, in Berkeley, April 8 Margaret J., beloved
wife of the late Captain
William Colby and beloved mother of Mrs. Louise M. Phillips and
sister of
Hannah MacDonnell and grandmother of J. Herbert Slater, mrs.
Marguerite
Slater Messenger, Norman B. and Colby E. Slater, a native of
Ireland, aged
78 years and 13 days.
CADI - COLBY MARGARET -| 1 | 78
| 60 | | 4 | 8 | 18 | 18 |
11982
CADI - COLBY WILLIAM -| 1 | 78 |
60 | | 12 | 10 | 09 | 09 |
29371
- San Francisco Bulletin April 29, 1924
MCDONNELL, in this city, April 28, 1924 Hannah McDonnell,
dearly beloved
wife of the late William McDonnell, loving mother of the late
Edward G. and
Caroline J. McDonnel, devoted grandmother of Edward, Caroline,
Louise,
William, Marie, Roma and Ronald McDonnell and the late Donald
J. McDonnell,
a native of County Cork, Ireland, aged 93 years 10 months 4 days.
CADI- MCDONNELL HANNAH-| 1 | 93 | 90 |
| 4 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 20710
**Note. Julia Hurley is buried in the Family plot in
Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma CA. Her Obit states:
- San Francisco Examiner October 30, 1896
HURLEY In this city, October 29, Julia Hurley, beloved
neice of Mrs. John McPherson, a native of Ireland, aged 30 years.
Friends and aquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the
funeral to-morrow (Saturday), at8:30 o'clock a.m., from the residence
of her aunt, 3165 Twenty-fourth street. Between Howard and Folsom;
thence to St. Peters Church, Alabama and Twenty-fourth streets.
Where a requium high mass will be celebrated for the repose of
her soul, commencing at 9 o'clock a.m. Internment, Holy Cross
Cemetery.
The Cemetery states her cause of death as Pnemonia.
- San Francisco Chronicle - April 25, 1924
SLATER, entered into rest, in this city, April 21,
1924 William Slater, aged
63 years. Friends are repectfully invited to attend the funeral
today at
10:30 am at the Harry H. Valeno Chapel, 100 Fillmore.
|
- As you can see all
the dates conflict with each other... When my grandfather made
out a new birth certificate for himself after 1906 the earthquake,
he put his birthdate as Feb. 28, 1887, he always said, "one
more day and I would have been a leap year baby. "
- George, my grandfather,
talked of Cousins in Berkeley, CA, Colby, Slater and
McPherson's. He also spoke of an Uncle McDonnell,
who was a police officer.and he had a brother that died in the
1930's in San Francisco... his first name was Harry or Henry.
I don't know the last name, Harry/Henry was buried on "Paupers
Hill" he was supposedly a drunk as per my grandfather.
-
1880 US Federal Census, San Francisco,
San Francisco, 1880
census image,
Colby, William, W, M, 40, Mate of Vessel, Sweden
Colby, Margaret, W, F, 35, Wife, Keeping House, Ireland
Chennay, Louisa, W, F, 12, Step Daughter, At School, Mass.
1890 Great Register John McPherson
John McPherson age 47 born Nova Scotia residing at 743 1/2 24th
city of san Francisco registered to vote on
October 17, 1890 and indicates that he was naturalized citizen
of the US of A
1900 > CALIFORNIA > SAN
FRANCISCO > SAN FRANCISCO 33-DIST
Series: T623 Roll: 102 Page: 105
MCPHERSON JOHN July 1844 57 M W CANA Boilermaker own home
MCPHERSON Caroline Sept 1851 48 IRE
MCPHERSON George Sept 188712 CA
1900 US Federal Census, San Francisco,
San Francisco,
ED107, Pg 6B, line 96
Colby ,William, Head, W, M, May, 1838, 62, M, 25, Sweden, Sweden,
Sweden, 1853, 47, NO, Master Mariner, 0, Yes, Yes, Yes, O, F,
H
Colby, Margaret G, Wife, W, F, Mar, 1846, 54, M, 25, 1, 1, Ireland,
Ireland, Ireland, 1851, 49, Yes , yes, Yes
1900 US Federal Census, California,
ALAMEDA, 1-WD BERKELEY,
Series: T623 Roll: 83 Page: 109
SLATER JOHN 50 M W SCOT
- 1910 - California - SAN FRANCISCO
- SAN FRANCISCO 32-DIST - 24th Street
- 3169 - MCPHERSON John Head,
66 M1, 27years, CAN-gaelic, Fb CAN-english, Mb CAN-gaelic, 1863,
NA, Maker in a Boiler Shop, Own Home free
- MCPHERSON Caroline 65 M2, 27years,
Ire, Fb Ire, Mb Ire, 1864
- 3167 - MCPHERSON George B, Head,
22 M1, one year, CA, Fb CAN, Mb Ire, Painter Own Shop
- MCPHERSON Margaret A, wife,
20, M1, one year, CA, Fb NY, Mb NV,
- FLOOD William J Bro in Law,
25, S, CA, Fb NY, Mb NV, Butcher Own Shop