Great-Grandmother Mary A. Gaffney Miller

 

I know little about my father’s paternal side of his family. I am currently trying to learn more about his grandmother, Mary A. Gaffney Miller.

When I talked to my dad about her, he did not know her parent’s names. I ordered a copy of her death certificate in hopes of learning their names.

It took weeks and weeks before the document came, but it did in fact have their names. I was excited to get this information, but not so excited that they all have rather common names, which makes it harder to research.

Her parents are John Gaffney and Margaret Power. No middle initials are included, or their places of birth. At least this is a starting point!

                     

This document indicates that Mary’s date of birth was July 6, 1887, in Jersey City, New Jersey and that she was 62 years old when she died May 31, 1950, in Highlands, New Jersey.

I entered this latest information into Family Search and have in fact located a John Gaffney and Margaret Power with a daughter Mary Gaffney. There is a christening record in FS from St. Peter-Catholic, in Jersey City, New Jersey, which lists a Mary Gaffney born July 6, 1886, to John Gaffney and Margaret Power. This date has a different year than the death certificate, but the month and day are the same, as well as the location. I believe this christening record is for “my” Mary, but further research will be required to be sure. With the common names, it is so much more difficult, but with the month, day and location being the same, it is a pretty safe bet this is her.       

                        

              

Going on the assumption that these ARE my great-great-grandparents, John and Margaret had several other children. The 1900 US Census lists John & Margaret Gaffney in New Jersey on June 6, 1900, with seven children listed. One of the children is 14-year-old Mary. This age supports the birth year of 1886 from the christening record.

The census indicated that John was born in New Jersey and Margaret was born in Ireland.

Mary's obituary from the June 1, 1950, edition of The Daily Register (Red Bank, New Jersey) provides little information I didn't already know. My great-grandfather Burton J. Miller and their three sons are mentioned. New information to me is a sister that is mentioned, but since it does not include her given name, it's not much of a lead. 

My next steps will be to look further into the siblings to see if I can find any connection to my great-grandmother, and to look for more information on John and Margaret.