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Birth:          EST 1810 Ireland
Death:          EST 1851 Ireland
Cause of Death: pneumonia

Notes
see entries under Sarah Dowling and Maurice Hickey

THought this was Sarah's father but it's not. Probably her uncle. Michael Dowling Sr. 
age 82, d 6 Feb 1892, single (widower?), asthmus, occupation gentleman, addr 1930 
Kimble St, bur 10 Feb 1892 Chester, Pa., undertaker McCullough, 915 S 20th St. This 
is clearly Michael and Jane Dowling's house. Now we can eliminate many of the 
possibilities. His name is spelled Michel on the death certificate and he also shows up 
in 1860 census as Michal. Problem is that the Michal in 1860 is age 60 (Sarah his wife 
is 50) ... and who are Mary (1841) and Bridget (1843) and where is Teressa, Kate, 
Michael Jr? This might not be him. [now that it appears he is an uncle, it make sense 
that he did not fit as the father of Sarah]
1870: Ward 15, dist 47, Michael Dowling, 60, works in woolen mill, Sarah 60, both b 
Ireland, Margaret ORouke 35 no occ b Ireland, in same house is Thomas Robertson 
49, Scotland, florist and gardener, Elizabeth 49 Pa, Nellie G 2 Pa; next door is John 
Quinn 28 Ireland, laborer, wife Mary 32, Ireland, ch Pa, Mary 6, Maggie 4, James 2, 
Annie 8m. But also in 1860, in Ward 8, is Michael Dowling 59 (b 1801), works at US 
Mint, wife (idx says Sarah, unclear), 53, with them is Mary Rouke 28 (b 1831 Ire), and 
Geo Kern 60 Pa.

WRONG: Sarah's and Michael's parents, per Sarah's death cert are William Dowling 
and Mary Cochran. So this Michael must be a BROTHER of William.

There is also a Michael Dowling with dtr Bridget in the 1870 census (b 1797) so that 
rules out that family. Recall in Ward 15 dist 47 also is our Michael and his sisters. 
(dwelling house 320 fam 388, whereas parents are dwelling house 601, family 708) 
Recall on 2d enumeration Michael and Annie show up Ward 15 Dist 46, address for 
entire sheet 1509 Agden St. but they are on McCusker St "near Pen Ave"

In 1880 in Dist 140 (8th Ward), 708 Walnut St., M. Dowling, age 70 b Ireland, janitor, 
has lodger Margt Rourke 50, b Scotland, keeping house, and lodger Arthur Nicholls. 
What of Machiel Dowling, 67 b Ireland, wool sorter, boarder with Elizabeth and 
Timothy Dawson (he is a wool sorter). No, this guy is marked as single, not widower. 
Not him. 
So Sarah died in the 1870s. Yet, there is a death record for a Sarah Dowling, 73, d 15 
Feb 1878, md, chronic catarrhal pneumonia, occ lady, 8th ward, 708 Walnut St, Bur 
18 Feb 1878, C.C., undertaker McGinnis. 
1881 Phila Directory has a Michael Dowling woolsorter at 404 S 23d (as well as 
Michael J. Dowling at 1933 Kimball)

The Michael/Sarah dtrs Bridget/Mary family

1860 in Ward 20, where Hickeys (as Kickey), are Michael Dowling 60 b Ireland, 
dealer, Sarah 50 b Ireland, Mary 19 b Ireland, Bridget, 17, b Ireland, seamstress. Is 
this the Michael Stephen Dowling (see above)? they are in house 694 (just a 
20th ward north of [illegible] street. MasterSt? Yes, according to summary of entry on 
familysearchlabs.org. 

1870 Michael Dowling in Phila Ward 14 Dist 41
age 60 b 1810 in ireland, works in woolen mill, [recall some of "our" Dowlings work in 
woolen and worsted mills]
wife Sarah also 60
and Margaret O'Rourke, 35 (b 1835) b Ireland no occupation [could fit the one on the 
Tuscarora] [she shows up on 1880 census with M. Dowling]
next door is Mary and John Quinn (she b 1837 in Ireland [can fit the one on the 
Tuscarora], he b 1841, ch Mary b 1863, Margaret b 1865, James b 1867, Annie b 
1869)
[A Margaret Quinn is sponsor of wedding of Michael J. Dowling to Jane Thompson 27 
June 1878 St Patrick Church]
In 1860 in 8th ward is Michael Dowling 59, occ US mint, Sarah 53, Mary Rouke 28, 
Geo Kern 60, b Pa, prob not him [prob IS him, as "Mary" appears to be "Marg"]: 
1860 ward 14, div 1, Cath 53, Marie 22, Bessy 21, Kate 17, Teressa 15 [where is 
Michael? Where is Ann?][this could be the Catharine Dowling, *married*, d 25 Dec 
1891, 85y, b 1806, pneumonia, housekeeper, 20th ward 1522 Lawn St, bur 28 Dec 
1891 Cathedral Cemetery, undertaker Thomas Cleary] it is, because in 1870 this family 
lives on Lawn St.

Considering that the Michael and Sarah who show up in 1860, 1870 match with the 
Michael of 1880, based on addresses, etc., the only Sarah Dowling with a death 
recorded in the 1870s is Sarah Dowling d 15 Feb 1878 Phila, age 73 (b 1805), Ireland. 
See above, that's her, addr 708 Walnut St.

A Michael/dtr Bridget family

1870 Ward 20, Michael Dowling, 73, bc 1796 Ireland, Bridget 23 (b 1847), b Ireland.. 
He is plasterer, she is keeping house. [there are other Dowlings in the 1860 census 
who are plasterers] but this isn't him.. Bridget is different age, and he shows up 
elsewhere in this census.
1880 no Michael. Bridget is in dist 226, near Poplar St, boarder, works in woolen mill, 
age 37 (b c 1842), unm, but this might be the Bridget from the 1860 census living with 
Michael and Sarah near the Hickeys
1900 cannot find
Phila Death Record: Bridget Dowling, d 20 Oct 1904, age 57 (b 1847), single, cause 
scelerotic eudocarditis, housekeeper, resid 1021 S 20th St, died in 30th Ward, bur 25 
Oct 1904, Cathedral Cemetery, undertaker W Burkedsons. Index says widowed,  but 
there are three Phila Inquirer Death notices for a Bridget Dowling, wife of the late 
Lawrence Dowling, funeral from residence of son in law Harry J Hagerty 1021 S 20th. 
So this isn't her, and the entries for a Mary and Bridget with a Michael may not be the 
right one ... making it more likely that the group arriving on the Towanda is the right 
family.

The "big" Michael Dowling family (but he's born rather early):
1860: what of Michael Dowling Phila Ward 3, age 73 (b 1787) Ireland, James 30, 
drayman, John 24, Michael 21. paper marbler, Rosanna 31, Mary 23, Annie 22, 
Margaret 21, all b Ireland, Catherine Mann 60, James McGuire 4. Michael McGuire 2, 
last 2 b Pa [Michael, brother of Sarah, had a child Rose ... see below] BUT that 
Michael came to US and was in US 25 yrs at 1900 census, but 1910 census says he 
arrived in 1856.
On Tonawanda, arriving in Phila Dec 1851 is Michael Dowling 58, farmer, Mrs Dowling 
40 (50?), Rose 25, James 24, laborer, Mary 20, Ann 18, Ellen 14, Margaret 12, 
Michael 10, Kate 50, John 19 [But the Annie Dowling in the 1870 census is b 1850] 
[There is a death record in Phila for Michael Dowling 28 May 1881, age 40 (b 1841, 
cirrhosis of liver, single, b Ireland, reside 1332 Alaer St bur 31 May 1881, New 
Cathedral Cemetery, undertaker Maurice Hayes]

Most likely our Dowlings:

In 1870 in Phila Ward 14, Dist 41, is this household
Dowling Michael 22 [1847] b Ireland works in woolen mill [Sarah's brother][is a citizen] 
[or could be her cousin]
Neason Terressa 28 b Ireland washer woman [column marked cannot write is checked 
off for her]
McClelland Kate 25 b Ireland weaver in woolen mill
Dowling Annie 19 b Ireland weaver in woolen mill
Neason William 7 b Pa
Neason Mary 4
McClelland William H 1 b Pa
[they show up also in Ward 15, dist 41, 
where it says McCusker St on 2dd enum. but only Michael, Annie, Kate McClelland 
and William ... no Neason
[recall Neasons are sponsors of a Hickey baptism: John Hickey, b 24 Nov 1879 bap 
21 Dec 1879 Cathedral of SS. Peter & Paul, sponsors William Neyson and Theresa 
Neyson, bap by Rev. D. W. Brennan
1880 census William and Theresa Neeson, siblings, work in worsted mill, live at 2035 
Carlton St (a Michael Hickey living at 1309 Carlton St died in 1874 per Phila death 
records, but he was born in 1814. Hmmm) In 1880 Maurice and Sarah lived at 2047 
Summer St. Carlton St is 3 blocks north. 2047 summer St is now the Franklin Institute. 
No --- Theresa/Teressa is wife of William Neyson but census says she is 16 (b 1863) 
and he is 19 (b 1864) ... so she IS sister, named after mother. Both work in worsted 
mill, she is Thressa C. both b Pa parents b Ireland, and the sponsors are the parents, 
not them]
[Could Annie be Michael's first wife and not a sibling?]

Phila Death Record Catherine McClelland d 28 Mar 1891, age 45 (b 1845), widow, 
chronic insterstive nephritis, b Ireland, 30th ward 1930 Kimble St (recall her brother is 
at 1930 Kimball St by this time; was at 1933 in 1880 census), bur 1 Apr 1891 
Cathedral Cemetery, undertaker Mr J McCullough, 915 S 20th St
from 1 Apr 1891 Phila Inquirer "McCLELLAND, on the 28th inst, Catharine, widow of 
the late Thomas McClelland. The relatives and friends of the family, also St. Francis 
R. V. Sodality are respectfully invited to attend he funeral, on Wednesday morning at 
9:30 o'clock, from the residence of her brother, Michael Dowling, No. 1930 Kimble 
Street, below Carpenter Street. High mas at St. Charles's Church, interment Cathedral 
Cemetery. Perhaps the Michael Dowling on Kimball Street isn't Sarah Ann's brother but 
her cousin.
Is this her Thomas? 17 Dec 1883 Phila Inquirer: "Thomas McClelland, fifty-one years 
of age, formerly well known in business circles in the city, died in the medical 
department of the Pennsylvania Hospital yesterday. .... " No, as this guy's death 
certificate says he is a widower.

1880 in Phila Dist 284 550 24th St
Kate McClellan 39 (b 1840) weaver b Ireland parents b Ireland
William 11 b Pa parents b Ireland
1900 cannot find William (Kate d 1891)
1910 Phila Ward 7 Dist 110 
William H McClelland 41 (1869) b Pa parents b Ireland teamster for furniture [mfr]
Elizabeth A. age 50 b Pa parents b Ireland md 5yrs, her 2d marr his 1st, she has 7 chi, 
only 2 alive no chi listed with them
1920 1930 cannot find
genealogybank 18 Sep 1918 MCCLELLAND, suddenly Sept 15 ELIZABETH 
MCCLELLAND, widow of William John McClelland, aged 52. .. funeral Thurs 2 pm, 
residence 221 E. Stella St. int. Hillside Cem.

cannot find the Neasons/Neesons in 1880, 1900, 1910. Tried using Ter* etc. Nothing.
3 Dec 2009 email from PAHRC: Mary Neeson b 1 Jun 1866, bap 10 Jun 1866 
Cathedral, dtr of Patrick Neeson and Theresa Dowling, sponsors Isaac Walker and 
Catherine Joyce, bap by Rev J O'Reilly. 
1860 Ward 9: Patrick Neeson 35 weaver, Ireland, Teresa 30 (or 20?) Ireland, Sarah 
6/12, Joseph Ginnies 12 Ireland idx says also with them Eliza Gibbins 70, Eliza 
Gibbins 24 but not on census itself
1870: entry elsewhere in these notes
1880: William Neeson and his sister Thressa are with the Carlands (see below), cannot 
find Sarah (not on 1870 so prob died young), 
There is a William and Ann Neason in the census of 1900 but he is age 45 (b 1854). Is 
it him? [I don't think so, b Ireland] If so, they have a child whose death is recorded in 
the Phila death records (e.g., Michael Henry b 1886 d 6 Nov 1886, bur 8 Nov 1886 
Cathedral Cem; James d 23 Dec 1997 age 4m bur 26 Dec 1887 Cathedral Cem , and 
one on 24 Jun 1902 (Martin)) and here is his: 11 Dec 1918 Phila Inquirer Neeson, Dec 
8, William J., beloved husband of Annie Neeson (nee McElroy). St. Edmond's Church. 
resid 1836 S 21st St. Int. Old Cathedral Cem. And hers: 23 Nov 1922 Phila Inquirer, 
Nov 22 Anna, wife of William Neeson, funeral from his residence (is he alive? a 
different William? yes, born in Ireland per 1900 census) 5105 Girard Ave, Mass St. 
Gregory's, int. St. Denis' Cem. Helpful: McElroy, John, son of Catherine and James 
McElroy, d 26 Jun 1903, funeral from residence of his brother in law W J Neeson.
awtSpeerFamTree has William J Neeson b c 1858, m Annie, 1910 Ward 39, ch William 
J 1884, Catherine 1888 (md John Joseph Devenny 1884, 1930 in Gloucester City NJ, 
2ch), May 1890, Anna 1896. But awt2500078 says b 1860, d 1940, m Anna Mathilda 
Mullin, ch Catherine, Margaret, Mary, Charles (10 Sep 1885-Oct1963), Margaret 1888
(md Joseph Lawlor 1878, 2 ch). OWT says William Neeson (1860-1940) b in Galway 
Ireland, son of "Unknown Henry Mason and Jane Mosse"??? says dtr Margaret b in 
Chicago 4 Aug 1891.[the one who is md to Anna with ch Charles, Margaret, et al is in 
Phila in 1900 b in Ireland--not ours]
Is ours the William Nison in 1900 Phila Ward 20, b Apr 1863, boarder? No, says 
parents b PA and is Nixon not Nison

Phila Immigration: Terrence Neeson, 25, Mary Neeson, 19, Patrick Neeson 21 arrive 
from Ireland on the "Merchant" July 1846. Patrick b 1825. Must be him. Cannot find 
Patrick on 1850 census in Phila. or anywhere else. (6 Dec 1895 Phila Inq has death of 
Alice, widow of the late Terance Neeson, 1930 Buttonwood, bur Cathedral Cem; 18 
Jan 1897 Katie D. Neeson, 13 Jan 1897 dtr of late Terrence and B. Neeson, funeral 
from uncle Francis Riley's residence 3523 Wallace St., bur Holy Cross; 6 Jul 1912 
Phila Inq Mary Francis Reilly nee Neeson, funeral from reide 3523 Wallace St, bur 
Holy Cross )
1850 Pa census, Phila Spring Garden ward 6, Terrens Nison, 26, b 1823 Ireland, 
laborer, Margaret 22 b 1827, b Ireland, Alice 40 (b 1810) b Ireland
1860 Pa census, ward 15, Terney Neason, 36 (1823), porter, Alice Neason, 36, Ann 
Maxwell, 15 all b Ireland
1860 Pa census ward 9, Patrick Neeson, weaver, 35 (b 1824), Teresa 30 (b 1829), 
both b Ireland, Sarah ?/12 (zero?) b Pa, Joseph Ginnies, 12 b Ireland

Not sure yet:

1860 in 14th Ward, Div 1 Phila, Cath Dowling 53 (b 1806) Ireland, no occ, Marie, 22 
(1837), saleslady, Bessy 21 (1838) vest maker, Kate 17 (1842) vest maker, Teressa 15 
(1844) book sewer.
Note: there is a another Dowling family with a Teressa that shows up in 1850 (but the 
1850 Teressa is with Edward/James/Edwrd/Margaret/Ann) and 1860 but it cannot be 
Sarah's sister Teressa b/c of names of siblings, dates, etc.
The 1860 group shows up in 1870, Catherine 62, Marie 30, Bessie/Elizabeth 27 (2 
enumerations), Therssa 23, Kate Cummings 25, Matthew Cummings, ch Thomas W 
Cummings. So this CANNOT be the ones with Michael because this Kate is md to a 
Cummings, and the other one is married to a McClelland (and the sister of the Kate 
Dowling md to Mathew Cummings is still single in the 1870 census, whereas Michael's 
sister is a widow surnamed Neason)

Phila Death Record: April 24 1859 "I certify that Anne Dowling of No 329 Arch St 
aged twenty years died of defeale of the heart." A Pennebaker. Prob NOT as this 
Annie b 1850

Phila Death Records, Michael Dowling d 23 Sep 1873, Philadelphia, age 75, b 
1797/8, Ireland, married, laborer, 1547 Park Ave (12th ward), bur 25 Sep 1873 New 
Cathedral Cem Phil. cause typhoid pneumonia (remember he but not his wife is on 
1870 census but that's not him). Undertaker is Maurice Hayes (used by the family) And 
also, Park Ave is way up near Croydon but 12th wards is just east of 6th st above 
vine. NO -- there is a Park Ave that runs between 13th and Broad, and in 2009 exists 
way north AND between Wallace St and Melon St AND Brown St and Parrish St.
25 Sep 1873 Phila Inquirer: Dowling, on the 23d inst, Michael Dowling, aged 75 years, 
relatives and friends ... invited to attend the funeral this (Thursday) afternoon, at 2 
o'clock, from his late residence, 1547 Park Avenue. Funeral services at St. Malachy 
Church. To proceed to New Cathedral Cemetery.

[this must be the Towanda Michael, and it's not our Michael]

So who is Michael Dowling d 13 Sept 1868 peritonitis, age 16 (b 1851) son of Michael 
and Sarah Dowling, Ward 12 bur 15 Sep 1868 Cathedral, undertaker Joseph Hooker? 
from Phila Death records. Probably a son of the Michael and Sarah in ward 20 in 
1860, with dtrs Mary and Bridget, so that rules them out.

Proabably not connected:
Phila Inquirer 10 Feb 1897 Dowling, on Feb 8 1897, Sarah Dowling ... funeral on 
Thursday morning Feb 11 at 8:30 oclock from the residence of Mrs. Mary Hooley, No. 
1626 Carlton Street. High mass at the Cathedral. Interment at Cathedral Cemetery. Is 
this the mother? Is Mary the sister of Sarah Dowling Hickey? Note that a Michael 
Hickey lived on Carlton St, as did the Neesons, sponsors of one of the children. Mary 
b 1841. 1880 census, only one that is close is a no-go because she has a 12 year old 
son born in Ireland. And per Phila Death Index, the Sarah Dowling who died in 1897 
was born in 1856 and was single. In 1900 census, in 15th ward, there is a Mary 
Hooley b Dec 18 1834 Ireland, 2 ch, 1 alive (son John J b Dec 17 1869 in Ireland), 
brother is Robert Stanton, so it isn't this family.

Arriving 1856 on the Tuscarora is Sarah, Bessy?, Mary Dowling indexed as Downhey, 
on same ship, different page Dennis and Margaret Dowling. No ages given for any of 
them

[continued under his wife "Sarah"]

Is William the William Dowling on IFHF site, bap 13 Mar 1804 Balbriggan, Dublin, son 
of Thomas Dowling and Bridget Dunn (sponsors James Christie, Catherine Wade)?
naming convention from children suggest parents are Stephen and Margaret

Pa and NJ Church and Town Rec on ancestry in grave Q/3/69 also has
Theres Neeson bur 1 Mar 1875, age 42 (b 1833) (on death cert as Teressa Leeson or 
Teresla Leeson, age 41 d Feb 26 phthsis pneumonalis, resid St Joseph's Hospital)
Catherine McClelland bur 1 Apr 1891, age 45
See notes in other entries, where they show up in census, also as baptism sponsors, 
unclear how related, no births in Blanchardstown for Catherine (which is why I think 
she is the same as Catharine who married someone named Joyce as first husband). 
NO, THERE IS A BAPTISM FOR CATHARINE in Blanchardstown. So who is Theresa? 
"Sara's Story" unpub manuscript by Sara Maguire Dougherty says Sarah Dowling had 
a sister Teresa.

"Sara's Story" unpub manuscript by Sara Maguire Dougherty describes William as a 
"big, husky, handsome man, well over six feet tall." Says his wife (Bridget but Sara 
says Teresa) was tall, thin, blue eyes, copper colored hair. They had five girls and two 
boys (but church records show 6 girls and 3 boys, so perhaps Sarah did not know of 
the ones who presumably died young). Says Sarah only mentioned the oldest sister, 
Teresa, and Kate. So perhaps Margaret and Mary Sarah died young? And could 
Teresa and Bridget be interchanged? No, not if Teresa Neeson is the Teresa in 
question, as she was born in the 1840s. Sarah Ann Dowling mentioned brothers Peter 
and Michael. What of Stephen? (and we know he exists as he is a sponsor at a 
baptism in Philadelphia years later).
"Sara's Story" unpub manuscript by Sara Maguire Dougherty says the family owned a 
farm and grocery store, made butter, bread, preserves to sell along with what they 
grew. William belonged to the church choir, went to rehearsal one cold evening, 
ignored wife's suggestion he not go or wear a scarf, caught pneumonia.






Marriage To CORCORAN Bridget (Mary?) (1814 - Apr 1871)
    m. 24 Nov 1829 Blanchardstown, Ireland

Notes

Parents
CORCORAN Peter (Jan 1777 - )
DELANY Brigid ()

Children by CORCORAN Bridget (Mary?) 1814 - Apr 1871
DOWLING Bridget (Oct 1830 - )
DOWLING Margaret (Jul 1832 - )
DOWLING Mary Sarah (May 1834 - )
DOWLING Stephen (Jan 1836 - )
DOWLING Sarah Ann (29 May 1838 - 25 Nov 1918)
DOWLING Catharine (Dec 1840 - )
DOWLING Anne (Mar 1843 - )
DOWLING Michael Joseph (Dec 1844 - 1 Mar 1922)
DOWLING Peter James (4 Jun 1847 - 20 Dec 1927)
DOWLING Anne (Feb 1850 - )

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