Indigent Books

Editor's note.  These extracts are from an account book of indigents that is housed in the Middlesex County Historical Society, Middletown, CT. Though the account book is undated, it covers payments 1860-1866.  The ethnic backgrounds are in parenthesis as it came from the book.  The comments regarding the recipients were copied as is from the account book and are not the comments of the contributor.

Mrs. Mary MANNING (Irish)

Widow; lives on Main Street.  Husband James d. about 8 yrs ago - 3 children:  Sarah, 11; John, 9; James 7.  John b. Glastonbury.  Washes out 2/3 times each week; has been here about 12 years. 

Aid furnished for years 1860-1866 $499.06.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Samuel BREWSTER (Irish)

Husband died 3 yrs ago, an industrious and temperate man, died suddenly.  Leaving his wife and 4 small children destitute; lived here some 15/16 yrs.  Children all born in Middletown.  William, 13; Mary ??; Jane, 11; Edward, 8; John, 6; live in house on Green Street. 

Aid furnished for years 1860-66 $558.70
______________________________________________________________________________

Ann FITZPATRICK (Irish)

Husband James died 4 yrs ago - lived here 8/10 yrs; came here direct from Ireland; 4 children:  Thomas, 14 works for Mr. WHITE; Lawrence, 7; Mary, 6; James, 4.  All born here but Thomas born in Ireland; live Green Street. 

Aid furnished for yrs 1860-65 approximately $270.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Dennis WHALEN (Irish)

Husband d 2 yrs ago next Jan.  2 children:  John, 6; Thomas, 4; both born in this town; lived in Middletown 22 yrs - no property; does washing for a living; live Patrick MORAN's house on Liberty Street. 

Aid furnished 1860-63 $141.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Patrick MORAN (Irish)

Husband died 10 June 1862 - has 5 children:  John, 10; Thomas, 9; Ann, 6; Ellen, 4 1/2; William, 2; house on Liberty Street; owned a house which is mortgaged to Middletown Savings Bank.  Had a half a ton of coal from Mr. HUBBARD. 

Aid furnished for years 1862-63 $41.43.
______________________________________________________________________________

William GHENT (Irish)

Lives on Liberty Street; has a large family and no work, ask for some fuel.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. George NORRIS (Irish)

Widow, lives near Ferry Street; worthy woman; has 3 children all born in Middletown; Margaret, 7; Emma, 5; George, 4 (Irish). 

Aid furnished for years 1860-66 $299.25
______________________________________________________________________________

Mary SHAUNESSY (Irish)

Old woman lives on Huber Avenue; poor; 50 cents per week;

Jan 6/64 coal 3.76 to May 4 $9.50
______________________________________________________________________________

Bridget GARRY (Irish)

Came here from Virginia since the commencement of the war; poor; husband Dennis left her; one child:  John, 7 yrs. 

Aid furnished for 1863 $4.50.
______________________________________________________________________________

Margaret DONOHUE (Irish)

Lives Liberty Street; been in Middletown about 8 yrs from Norwich; husband James died Ireland; came to Norwich and lived there 2 yrs; has one child Catherine born in Old Country; is married, husband Thomas FITZGERALD.  Allowed 50 cents per week. 

Aid furnished for yrs 1860-61 $21; for 1861-62 $13.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Catherine DONOHUE (Irish)

Her husband Michael a volunteer 4th Regiment; he a poor stick (?); she a smart woman with 6 small children:  Mary, 12; John, 8; William, 6; Ellen and Julia (twins), 4; Margaret, 2; all born in Middletown. 

Aid furnished for 1860-64 $184.83
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. John KELLY (Mary)  (Irish) 1861

Husband died 2 yrs ago; lived in this town 21 yrs; 2 children both born Middletown:  Bridget, 7; before he died left her nothing; help 50 cents per week. 

For the year of 1866 aid furnished was $41.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Ned KELLY (Catherine) (Irish)

Lives on Main Street; husband died about 2 yrs ago - a poor, drunken, miserable creature - no help - 3 children:  Lizzie, 11; Edward, 7; Dominick, 10; all children born here; does some washing out. 

Aid furnished for Oct. 6/61 to Jan. 7/65 $53.83
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Patrick KELLY

Liberty Street;  2 children:  Richard, 1; Patrick 3 months; lived in Middletown 7 yrs; children born here; came here direct from Ireland; husband coaster on river, been sick; he sent to workhouse in Feb. 1862; went security (?) for 3 months; rent to Deacon WOODWARD $7.50. 

Aid furnished $26.75
______________________________________________________________________________

Patrick SHAUNESSY

Liberty Street; no family except wife; old people and very poor; works in garden and odd jobs in summer; not need anything but a little coal. 

Aid furnished 1862-66 $65.83 mostly for coal.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Margaret TIERNEY (Irish)

Belongs to this town has lived sometime in Meriden, returned here in August and has a child - illegitimate; poor and simple; no chance to get redress from the father of the child.  Child died in Oct.  She died Aug. 1862.  Town paid for coffins. 

Aid furnished $27
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. John MARSHALL (Irish)

Lives near depot; poor; no work; a widow and 2 children. 

Aid furnished 1861-66 $49.25
______________________________________________________________________________

Widow CRONIN (Timothy) (Irish) 1861

At Creek; 3 small children; poor; lived Middletown about 3 yrs; previously lived Portland 6 yrs from arrival in this country.  Husband died in Portland 3 yrs ago last Oct.  Has 5 children:  Mary 20, lives New Haven; Margaret, 18 (m. George HAMILTON) lives here; John, 14 (no work); Ellen, 11; Michael, 5;  no children born here, notified Portland Dec. 14, 1861 - account charged to Portland to Oct. 1, 1862. 

Aid furnished Oct. 6/61 - Feb. 6/64 $57.46
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Cornelius KEARNS (Irish)

He married Haddam; workhouse; live at Creek; 8 children - 6 at home:  James, 18 (works at Pamecha); Cornelius, 15; Edward, 13; Raymond, 11; Ellen, 9; Mary, 5; lived in Middletown 26 yrs; children all born here. 

Aid furnished $7.25
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. John MCARTHY

Husband, tailor, disappeared Jan. 28 mysteriously, not known or suspected what has become of him.  An intemperate man, and known to have been drunk the night of his disappearance.  3 children:  Margaret, 5; Ellen, 3; Mary, 1; lived Middletown 12/15 yrs; children all born here; poor, live at Creek. 

The above MCARTHY was found dead (March) in the Creek near Mill with marks of violence upon his person.  Child Margaret died May 8, 1862. 

Aid Furnished from Feb. 11, 1862 to June 23, 1865 $211.43.
______________________________________________________________________________

Ellen HANLEY (Irish)

Widow of Daniel Hanley who was accidentally killed in Portland Quarry April 20, 1861; poor, sick; 3 children all born here:  Margaret, 8; Johanna, 5; Patrick, 3; he came here direct from Ireland and lived here until his death about 14 years; live next to the Catholic Church; she sick with consumption - died. 

Aid furnished from Oct. 2, 1862 to June 7, 1863  $64.37.
______________________________________________________________________________

Thomas AHERN (Irish) Jan. 1862

Wife Mary Burke who had child by John Kelly, a joiner who paid the town $1  7 yrs ago; has had help for the child benefit from time-to-time to the amount of about $25 to this date.  Child's name:  Ellen Kelly, 7 years old.  The above Thomas is a good, industrious fellow; has several children by Mary Burke of his own; lives at Creek, she now his wife. 

Aid furnished $53.27
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. MCALLISTER (Scotch)

Widow of Henry; came to this country about 10 years ago; first landed in New York, there 7 yrs; then to New Haven, 1 1/2 yrs; a Scotch woman fell and broke her leg last summer in Higganum; taken to Alms House some time after; she left Alms House and is living near the foot of Court Street.  Is aided by Mrs. Bing (?) Douglas, whose active benevolence and charity constantly bless the poor of this city; 3 children:  Margaret, 15, lives ?????; Frank, 11; Ellen about 17, lives in the country. 

Aid furnished 1862 for coal $5.50
______________________________________________________________________________

Mary COTTER (Irish)

Widow of John Cotter who died about 4 yrs ago; they lived in Portland 7 years from the first arrival from Ireland.  When they moved to this town.  Been here 5 years; 2 children:  Hannah, 7; Bridget, 5. 

Portland pays all expenses - $109.65
______________________________________________________________________________

John CAREY (Irish)

Wife died last spring (April); 1 child 5 years old; sick; live foot of Court Street; a poor, drinking, miserable specimen; been in Middletown 18 years. 

Aid furnished Jan. 29, 1862 $1
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. William HAYES (Irish)

Liberty Street; husband died; lived here about 16 yrs; 2 children:  Mary, 16; Patrick, 12; had a half ton coal last winter; a poor, but worthy woman; will not need but a little help to carry through the winter. 

Aid furnished $46.19.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Richard BALDWIN (Irish) 1861 

Court Street; husband died about 1 1/2 yrs ago; poor, and has 4 children:  John, 13; Arthur, 10; Fannie, 3; Kate, 1; lived Middletown 10 yrs, came here direct from Ireland and always lived here since; a young, smart woman but no work.  John and Arthur born in Ireland, the other two here. 

Aid furnished from 1861 to 1864 $203.96.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Thomas WALL (Irish)

Husband a no account Irishman lives Court Street; 5 children all born here:  Margaret, 12; Jane, 11; John, 9; Catherine, 8; Ellen, 5; came direct from Ireland 12 years ago.
______________________________________________________________________________

Ellen BRENAN (Irish)

Widow Liberty Street. Thomas, son, 17 yrs old, lives with Samuel Russell; lived in this town 9/10 yrs; not much help save a little coal. 

Aid furnished $73.38.
______________________________________________________________________________

Johanna - John BARRY (Irish) 1861

Court Street; wife and 3 children; Irish; lived here 10 yrs, short time at Boston; Ellen, 6; Daniel, 4; Mary, 2; all born Middletown;  Ellen E. died Feb. 4, 1862; Mary, Johanna only ones living Jan. 1865. 

Aid furnished $73.38.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Margaret MCCORMICK (Irish)

Court Street; one child:  John, 6, born East Haddam ( Moodus); her husband lived in East Haddam 6/7 yrs; came to this country first to Ellington; lived here 10/12 yrs.

Notice to East Haddam Jan. 18, 1862.

Account charged to East Haddam to Oct. 1, 1862. 

Jan. 18 a half ton of coal  $2.75.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mary CARROLL (Irish) 1861

At Creek; widow; 2 children:  William Graham, 19, volunteer in Army; Catherine, 15, works at Russell Company; lived in Middletown about 18 years; husband John died 12 years ago. 

Aid furnished $70.25.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Michael MOORE (Irish)

Lumber Street; husband a poor stick (sic) and intemperate; 4 young children makes cloth shoes; very poor; Mary, 5; Michael, 3; Catherine, 6 months, all born Middletown. 

June 27 sent whole family to New Haven.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Mary CONDON (Irish)

Lives Liberty Street; husband named John, died 2 yrs ago; 5 children:  Meary, 20; Bridget, 18; Michael, 17; John, 12; Richard, 4; only 2 children at home; all born in Portland, except Richard, born here; came to Portland direct from the Old Country; will not need much save a little coal. 

Aid furnished from Jan. 1862 to March 1865 $33.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Mary WALLACE (Irish)

An old woman at Creek, son Michael in the Retreat for Insane at Hartford at expense of town; has lived 7 years in this town; landed at Brooklyn and stayed there two months; husband died in Old Country; son Michael about 31 years old, has grandson living with her named William Hooks or Wallace 13 yrs old. 

Aid furnished $74.
______________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. John GRIFFIN (Irish)

Husband 3 month volunteer at the end of that time re-enlisted but backed out.  Volunteered again, 14th Reg. in June 1862; wife Ellen; children:  Ann, 3; Mary, 9. 

Aid furnished from 1861 to 1865 $48.
______________________________________________________________________________

Margaret AHERN (Irish)

A poor, miserable old Irish woman, living in old house west of Catholic church:  originally landed in Portland, lived there about 11 years; came here about 2 years ago; husband named Michael, who died in Portland several years ago.

Notified Portland Dec. 27, 18651 and agreed that she shall have 35 cents per week; account charged to Portland Oct. 1, 1862; total aid:  $146.75
______________________________________________________________________________

Return to CONNECTICUT                HOME