Josephine Conners Family Tree

Josephine Frances Conners was born on January 6, 1908 in South Boston, Massachusetts.

There has been speculation about her family history, and I thought I would take this opportunity to share what details I have learned, and what can be gained from this information.

Her parents were John James Conners and Margaret Sullivan. Only Margaret Sullivan is listed on the birth recording, which took place at Long Island Hospital and her place of residence was listed as 94 Dresser Ave. Long Island Hospital is located outside of Boston and was used as an almshouse and hospital for the poor. 94 Dresser Ave happens to be the home address of the Ahearn family. More about this family will be shared later in this blog. First lets talk about the Sullivan's.

John Sullivan was born around 1838 in Ireland. When he arrived in American and where he left from is still unknown. He married Mary Whalen in 1863 in Boston. Mary is the daughter of William Whalen and Bridget. The 1880 federal census lists John as a longshoreman living at 556 East 2nd St in South Boston. John and Mary would have the following children:

John Sullivan (b. Abt 1833)
sp: Mary Whalen (b. Abt 1838;m.20 Sep 1863;d.5 Apr 1885)
1. Mary Elizabeth Sullivan (b.27 Jun 1865)
2. William John Sullivan (b.12 Feb 1867; d.1 Feb 1908)
3. Clara Margaret Sullivan (b.9 Jan 1870; d.10 Oct 1920)
sp: John James Conners (b.14 Jul 1865; d.1942)
4. Florence Sullivan (b.21 Apr 1878; d.10 Jan 1881)
5. Jeremiah Sullivan (b.1880; d.22 Apr 1915)

There's not much detail about this family, as they didn't have a lot of money, and therefore left little footprints. I am still looking for where John Sullivan died and was buried. Mary died on April 5th, 1885, leaving her youngest son at age 5 in the care of relatives and friends. She is buried at Mt. Cavalry Cemetery in Roslindale. Florence died in infancy in 1881, William died in 1908, and Jeremiah in 1915. These last two are buried at Mt. Benedict Cemetery.

Clara Margaret Sullivan was born at 556 East Second Street. This address will become more relevant as this blog continues. Here's a map from that time. It's location to the wharf would be key to her father's occupation in the shipping industry.

By 1900, Clara Margaret is listed in the federal census as Margaret, living at 16 Riverdale Street in Allston. Her occupation is listed as a rope maker. She is 30 years old, listed as a boarder, and is in the house of John and Josephine F Conners. Not sure if this is in error, as her real name is Johanna. John's occupation is listed as a mack driver. This location is believed to be a boarding house, as there are other non-related individual at this address.

John James Conners was born on July 14th, 1865, the son of Thomas Conners and Ann O'Hare. Thomas is believed to have been born in 1838 at Queens, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Scotland. Ann is believed to have been born in 1836 in County Clare, Ireland. They were married in Brookline on May 16th, 1864, at St. Mary's Church. Thomas is a boiler maker from Boston, Ann is from Brookline. This marriage would produce the following children:

Thomas Conners (b.1838;d.10 Apr 1922)
sp: Anne O'Hare (b.1836;m.17 May 1864;d.4 Apr 1920)
1. John James Conners (b.1865; d.1942)
sp: Johanna F Ahearn (b.1861; m.1892; d.1929)
2. Thomas Vincent Conners (b.1866;d.1929)
sp: Mary C Cleary (b.1875; m.1898; d.1913)
3. Stephen F. Conners (b.1867; d.1926)
sp: Katherine G Keenan (b.1870; m.1901)
4. George J Conners (b.1869; d.1945)
sp: Mary C Sullivan (b.1873; m.1896)
5. Ann Conners (b.1871)
6. James Henry Conners (b.1873)
7. Mary Catharine Conners (b.1874; d.1959)
sp: Edward Leo Hopkins (b.1875; m.1903; d.1940)
8. William Martin Conners (b.1878; d.1935)
sp: Selena R Murphy (b.1879; m.1902; d.1968)
9. Joseph Conners (b.1880; d.1882)

As presented, this was a prosperous family. Thomas evidently did quite well in his occupation, that by 1880 he and Ann are in possession of multiple units at 321-325 West Second Street and 240-244 West Fourth Street as shown in this map.

Thomas and Ann Conners were married for 60 years. They lived in South Boston for most of that time, along with their children. They are buried in Holyhood Cemetery in Brookline.

John Conners was married to Johanna A'Hearn on April 21st, 1892. Johanna was living at 363 First Street in 1880, and was living at 94 Dresser St at the time of her marriage. Johanna was the daughter of Maurice A'Hearn and Ellen Murray. From this marriage the following children were born:

Maurice J Ahearn (b.1835; d.1909)
sp: Ellen Murray (b.1835; m.1860; d.1905)
1. Johanna F Ahearn (b.1861; d.1929)
sp: John James Conners (b.1865; m.1892; d.1942?)
2. John F Ahearn (b.1865; d.1910)
3. Maurice J Ahearn Jr. (b.1868; d.1909)
4. Catherine A Ahearn (b.1872; d.1950)
sp: Thomas J Keenan (b.1877; m.1895; d.1940)
4. Daniel F Ahearn (b.1874; d.1916)
sp: Mary Riley (b.1876; m.1900)
5. Mary Ahearn (b.1879; d.1948)
sp: John J. Lord (b.1887; m.1911; d.1963)

By 1900 John and Johanna Conners are living at 16 Riverdale Ave, and by 1907 she is listed as a land owner of property located just around the corner at 254 Western Ave.

And this is where this blog becomes interesting. If you've been paying attention, Josephine Conners was born at 94 Dresser Street. That was the address of the A'Hearn family. On her marriage record her father was listed as John Conners and her mother was listed as Johanna A'Hearn. Why would she have been born in the house of the A'hearn's, and yet on her birth recording her mother was listed as Margaret Sullivan? Was this a child born out of wedlock, or a conceived child for someone unable to produce children? Through the years there has always been discussion of how John Conners fostered a child with Margaret Sullivan, a servant in his house, and yet the residence of birth was at the home address of his wife Johanna A'Hearn? It is this writers belief that Josephine Frances Conners was an arranged child, a loving baby, and not an accident.

And this is where it gets really interesting. According to the 1910 federal census Margaret and Josephine are once again listed in the household of John and Johanna Conners, Margaret’s occupation was listed as a servant in private family, and her marital status was listed as widowed. And get this, Margaret's last name is listed as Smith, and Josephine is listed as Conners. For years I have always assumed they used Smith as the generic name, more of place holder than an actual last name. So between the year of 1908 when Josephine is born and the date of the census Margaret Sullivan gets married, and the husband dies soon thereafter? Or was Josephine adopted by the Conners? That story has always circulated around the family.

1910 Federal Census

1920 Federal Census

The whereabouts of John Conners death is still unknown. He is listed in the 1930 and 1940 federal census as a widower at 254 Western in the house of his in-laws, the Lord's. He is listed on a 1941 city directory, but after that disappears from all records. I am unable to find any information about him through newspaper, church and cemetery records.

And it wasn't until recently when I was able to track down Margaret's death recording that things started looking good. It had always perplexed me that her marital status was listed as married, but there wasn't a male Smith in the house. But sure enough on the document below, listed as her husband is someone named Sousa Smith. I still haven't been able to track who this person is, but it is a unique first name. The search continues.

And so what have we learned, that Josephine is true Irish, being a Conners and Sullivan, born and raised in Irish Boston, catholic by faith, and married into another Irish family, the Flaherty's. At the age of 18, Josephine married Henry Raymond Flaherty on November 21st, 1926. From this marriage they would have nine children, who in turn fathered thirty-nine grandchildren, and a whole bunch more great-grandchildren.

And here are some pictures of Josephine Flaherty through the years. Please share any photos or details you might have with this author in the hunt for the real Josephine Frances Conners. Cheers!!