Fahy Family Blog

Last weekend, we gathered in Austin for Will's First Communion. On Saturday morning, Ellie had a volleyball game at nine o'clock, and Will a baseball game at 10:30.

In the afternoon,we all had a tour of Kathleen and John's new house. It is a lovely home in a development called Steiner Ranch, which looks relatively restrained and modest from the front, but which actually has a lot of space and a very large game room upstairs.

They were supposed to close on the house the following Wednesday, so they presumably own it by now.

The house has a swimming pool and a large backyard ( the lot is a full acre), with a spectacular view.

John Pasquarette's parents were also able to come for the weekend, so the kids had all four grandparents there at the same time.

On Sunday, April 26, we had Will's first communion at 9 a.m. Mass. There must've been 100 children receiving First Communion, so the church was quite crowded with all the families. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't great -- it rained before and after Mass. John and Liz and all four children drove from Grand Prairie, leaving at 5:30 Sunday morning. After mass, we return to Kathleen's house for brunch, and then all went to the minor league baseball game in the afternoon, where Ellen and her school chorus sang the national anthem. Here are some pictures from Sunday.

A couple of weeks ago, Kathleen asked Mimi to tell her again some of the story of her grandmother, Honora Falvey -- Will had to do a report for school. Mom had a written report from 1979,which she rewrote for Will, and Kathleen was kind enough to type them up. Kathleen also suggested that the rest of the family might be interested, so here are the notes.

Notes on Honora Falvey

By Mary Ellen Fahy

Written in 2008

Honora Falvey was born on 3/12/1870 on Valentia Island, County Kerry, Ireland to Martin and Honora Falvey who were tenant farmers. Honora is a common name on Valentia. She was baptized at one day old on March 13, 1870. So many babies died as infants.

Her parents brought Honora and her eight brothers and sisters over to the US in two stages. They left Ireland because they and just about everyone else was poor. Failing crops made it difficult to feed everyone. At this time, Ireland was not an independent country. The Falveys were British subjects. In 1883, the British government began to subsidize sending the Irish to the US. It was at this time that the Falveys departed Ireland.

Mary, the oldest, was a widow. She had one son and was expecting a second son. Honora stayed behind to help her sister. She was probably no older than 13 or 14. She may have been only 11. (dates are often difficult to pin down). Her family must have considered her very responsible. Mary and Honora and the two baby boys followed the family to the US shortly after.

They settled in Bridgeport, Conn. They may have had relatives there but also work was easily found there.

Honora was a baby nurse for the family of a doctor (or nanny), again showing her competence. She purposely lost her Irish brogue (her Irish accent) saying that is what you do in America to get ahead. She looked down on her relatives who did not make the effort.

She married John Steele when she was in her early 20’s. He was a toolmaker. They had 9 children – 4 girls and 5 boys. My mother Florence was the youngest.

In 1918, her son John, a pharmacist, died in the Influenza epidemic.

Her husband died very suddenly in 1919. My mother was 8 years old when her father died. Honora took the insurance money she received and bought a two-family house in Howard Ave. in Bridgeport, CT. She raised her children there. In later years she was active in her parish church. She died suddenly in September 1959.

The records in the presbytery are only legible from 1867 on and only the birth and baptism have been recorded – there are no marriage or death records.

Written in 1979

Honora Falvey Steele was born March 12, 1870 and baptized one day later by Rev. J Kearney. Her Mother’s name was Honora Sullivan and her Father was Martin Falvey. Her godparents were Thomas and Mary Shea. The Falvey family lived in West Cooil Craheg. This is just west of the present bridge to Port Magee and south of the main road. It is rough and bog-like earth and there are few houses there now.

Honora’s sister Joanna had been born and baptized in September of 1867. Her brothers were Patrick Falvey, who was baptized in the 21st of February 1872, Michael who was baptized on Feb 16 1874, and Denis Falvey who was born and baptized on Feb 17, 1877. (Perhaps he died as a baby or young child). Martin and Honora Falvey’s last child was born in August of 1881. The child had no name listed nor any further dating – only the parents’ names were listed. Presumably the child was stillborn. Honora’s other siblings were Mary, Ellen, Kathleen, Julia, and Bridget. The baptismal records are not legible for these children.

Mary Falvey Connell and Philip Connell (Honora’s oldest sister) had a son Timothy born the 10^th of April 1879 and baptized the 12^th of April. Their second son John was born sometime after August 1881 (the date of Honora and Martin’s stillborn child). The priest had checked the records from 1867 until that date. I did not press him to go further.

However I know now that it is an important date. It would establish more definitely the date of the family’s emigration. The story that had been told to me by my mother was that the whole family came over together except Mary who was expecting her second child (John?) and Honora who stayed behind to assist her sister – Phillip Connell having died. If this story is true it assumes that Martin and Honora Falvey had a great deal of trust in their young daughter Honora’s abilities. They must have indeed sensed that she had a great sense of responsibility. At the minimum she could have been eleven years. I wonder if she were a year or two older. In any case it would seem that John Connell’s birth date is important.

Following are excerpts of my notes from an article in the 1972 edition of An-T-Oileãnac. I have also read about the period in several Histories of Ireland. However, this article (which had excerpts from the newspaper of that time) gives the flavor of the times.

The question of Free Immigration puzzled me. It could have affected the Falveys or they may have left earlier. Prior to the British government paying passage for the immigrants the Quakers and local landlords had provided money for transportation. (The landlords did not provide passage out of kindness. They were taxed by the British Government for each person who lived within their estate who took government aid such as it was – i.e. those in the poorhouse – It was cheaper to ship them out of the country.) The Quakers however were not active in County Kerry but confined themselves to Galway – where conditions were reportedly worse – if that is possible.

“It was not until 1883 that the British Government decided on subsidizing the trans-Atlantic movement on a national scale. The government granted 5 pounds per head for adults, half that for teenagers, and 1 pound for infants. Under the scheme, which was administered by the Board of Guardians, it was not permitted that any member of a family be left behind. After a number of families had been sent out through the usual ports of Derry, Galway, and Cabh, it was found that money could be saved and more emigrated by arranging for ships to call at selected ports on the coast apart from normal ports.”

“All passengers traveled steerage. Every effort has been made for the health and comfort of the passengers especially in ventilation.” (This is after the passage of the Passenger Acts).

“On June 1, 1883 the ship Belgravia, 5000 tons, 500 feet long of the Anchor Line with Captain Hutchinson in command on way from Liverpool stopped at Valentia. There were 800 immigrants to the USA boarded, of whom a large proportion were from Valentia. Since the Belgravia was a large ship, it anchored of Glenleam. Many of the passengers were taken to the ship on local boats. Later HM Gunboat Redwings conveyed the remainder from Ringard Point.”

“Each batch of passengers passed on board under the supervision of the Guardian of the Division Captain Canton, local government inspector Major Spaight, Mr James Butler Chairman of Cahersiveen Board of Guardians, and clerk of the Union, Mr. J. O’Driscoll. All Immigrants were tidily dressed and presented a healthy appearance.”

“On the urging of the priest from Cahersiveen many immigrants took the pledge.”

Also – the Belgravia was a steam screw-propelled vessel and the voyage took nine days. Two weeks after the Belgravia sailed the Furnessia left in the same manner – June 16 1883. The Cork Examiner reported that whereas there had been dockside scenes during the departure of the Belgravia, no such scenes occurred upon the sailing of the Furnesia. Gloom had settled over the area.

Patty Lynch, a 12 year old in 1883, reported that there were 220 people on the rolls of his school before the Furnessia sailed. Afterwards there were but 56 pupils left.

I have a 1910 census copy that states that Honora emigrated to the United States in 1883. But it states that her age was 42 (in 1910), which would mean that she was born in 1868. However, since I have seen her baptism record, I think 1870 is correct. William emigrated in 1878 at the age of 44 according to this document. Both were naturalized citizens of the United States.

I think the 1883 date for immigration is most likely correct. So many people left Valentia island that year on those two ships, and their passage was paid for by the British government. The problem is the story of Honora staying behind to help her sister Mary with the birth of John Connell. The dates and details could have been altered in the telling of the story. It is difficult to be actually served in a mini dates (except those written in the baptism records).

When we visited Valentia Island, relatives did say that Honora Falvey's family and many other residents left for the U.S. in 1883 when the British government paid the passage.