In a previous blog post, I described the hypothesis I’ve been working on: three men named Mackin–Christopher, John, and James–who lived in the Madison, Wisconsin, area in the 1860s were related to each other, perhaps brothers.
I have researched all three men and their descendants, and initiated a DNA testing project in order to determine whether this hypothesis is correct. Recently I heard from a descendant of James Mackin with whom I corresponded several years ago. Hearing from him inspired me to revisit the research on James Mackin’s descendants that I started several years ago.
This resulted in a number of discoveries in the Phoenix, Arizona city directories, available online at Ancestry,[1. Selected Phoenix directories dating from 1892 to 1960 are available in Ancestry‘s “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995” collection (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2469).] and in the Arizona death certificates recently digitized by the Arizona Department of Health Services.[2. “Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates, Arizona Department of Health Services (http://genealogy.az.gov/?).]
My initial attempts to trace the James Mackin who gave bond for Christopher’s widow Mary in 1867 resulted in discovering three James Mackins living in Madison.[3. 1870 U.S. census, Dane County, Wisconsin, population schedule, Madison Ward 4, p. 30 (penned), dwelling 212, family 217, James McKin (indexed as Mc hin) household; image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 September 2016), citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 1708.] Of the three, I identified James Mackin, laborer, born in Ireland in 1827, who lived in Madison’s 4th ward, as the most likely of the three James to have stood as surety for the widow Mary.
This James was married to Catherine “Kate” [–?–], born in Ireland about 1830. James died 21 April 1890 in Madison,[4. Dane County, Wisconsin, Pre-1907 Death Records 1:307, entry 78 for James Mackin; Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison.] and Kate died seven years later, in 1897.[5. Find A Grave, database with images (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Mackin&GSiman=1&GScid=343777&GRid=131087420& : accessed 22 September 2016), image gravestone for Catherine Mackin, Resurrection Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin, Find A Grave memorial 131087420.] Both are buried in Madison’s Resurrection Cemetery.[6. Ibid., and Find A Grave memorial 131087407 for James Mackin, Resurrection Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin.]
In 1870 James and Kate’s household contained six children, all listed with the surname Mackin:
- Mary, age 17, born in Wisconsin
- Anna, age 15, born in Wisconsin
- Coleman, age 12, born in Wisconsin
- Anna, age 7, born in Wisconsin
- James, age 4, born in Wisconsin
- Christopher, age 3, born in Wisconsin.[7. [3. 1870 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., Madison Ward 4, p. 30 (penned), dwell. 212, fam. 217, James McKin (indexed as Mc hin) household.]
In 1880 James’ household consisted of the same wife and children, except that the birthplace of the apparent oldest child Mary had changed from Wisconsin to New York.[8. 1880 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., Madison 4th ward, enumeration district (ED) 76, p. 12 (penned), dwell. 108, fam. 108, James McCann household; image, Ancestry, citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 1421.]
No 1900 census enumeration has been found for Mary Mackin, the older Anna Mackin, or Coleman Mackin. The younger Anna and Christopher (enumerated as Christian) were enumerated in the household of their brother James in Madison Ward 4.[9. 1900 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., Madison ward 4, ED 50, p. 8A, dwell. 141, fam. 150, James Mackin household; image, Ancestry, citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 1783.]
Wisconsin’s censuses enumerated only heads of households in 1875, 1885, and 1895, but the 1905 census was an every-name census. In 1905, only James Mackin has been found, living in Madison with his wife Mary and daughter Kate.[10. 1905 Wisconsin state census, Dane Co., pop. sch., Madison 7th ward, p. 804 (stamped), fam. 859, Jas Mackin; image, Ancestry, citing Wisconsin Historical Society microfilm.]
Madison and Phoenix city directories, marriage records in Wisconsin and Arizona, Arizona voter registrations, Arizona death certificates, and California funeral home records enable us to trace the apparent children who appeared in James Mackin’s 1870 census household.
- Mary, the oldest girl, last appears in Wisconsin in the 1880 census, in the Madison household headed by James Mackin.[11. 1880 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., ED 76, p. 12 (penned), dwell. 108, fam. 108, Mary Mccann.] She has not been located between 1880 and 1912, when she appears in the Phoenix, Arizona city directory.[12. Arizona Directory Company, Phoenix City and Salt River Directory 1912 (Los Angeles: Arizona Directory Company, 1911), 69, entry for Mary Connelley, 241 E. McKinley; digital image, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 October 2016), path Arizona > Phoenix > 1912 > Phoenix, Arizona City Directory, 1912, image 27.] Mary resided in Phoenix until about 1938.[13. She appears in the Phoenix city directories between 1912 and 1938. No entry for her has been found in the 1920 census, but she was enumerated in Phoenix in 1930. “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 January 2017). 1930 U.S. census, Maricopa Co., Ariz., pop. sch., ED 28, sheet 6A (penned and stamped), dwell. 104, fam. 114, Mary Connelley.] By 1940 she had moved to San Francisco, where she was a patient in the Plaza Health Home.[14. 1940 U.S. census, San Francisco Co., Calif., pop. sch., ED 38-422, sheet 69A (penned and stamped), dwell. 177, Mary Connelly.] She died in San Francisco in 1940.[15. “California, Death Index, 1940-1997,” database, Ancestry, entry for Mary Connelley (born 1852, died 1940), citing State of California, Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, California Death Index, 1940-1997. Also “California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985,” entry for Mary Connelley; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 January 2017), path Halsted and Company > 1940 > June, images 17-18, citing Researchity, San Francisco, California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985, microfilm publication, 1129 rolls.)]
- Annie, the second girl, also appears in James Mackin’s 1880 Madison household.[16. 1880 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., ED 76, p. 12 (penned), dwell. 108, fam. 108, Anny Mccann.] She appears next in 1905 as Anna Terill, wife of J.P. Terrill, in Madison,[17. 1905 Wisconsin state census, Dane Co., pop. sch., Madison, p. 961 (stamped), fam. 276, J.P. Terill; image, Ancestry, citing Wisconsin Historical Society microfilm.] and after that as Anna, wife of Jos. P. Terrell, shoemaker, at 321 N. 4th, in Phoenix.[18. Arizona Directory Company, Phoenix City Directory 1914 (no publication information available), 311, entry for Jos. P. Terrell (Anna), 321 N. 4th; digital image, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 October 2016), path Arizona > Phoenix > 1914 > Phoenix, Arizona City Directory, 1914, image 310.] No marriage record has been located,[19. “Vital Records, Pre-1907 Wisconsin,” Wisconsin Historical Society (http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/ : accessed 5 October 2016), searches for Marriage Index, “Ann,” “Anna,” “Annie,” “Anny,” Dane County, 1880-1905.] but her 1938 Arizona death certificate[20. Arizona, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate Arizona, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate 10590240 (1938), Annie L. Terrell; digital image, Arizona Department of Health Services (http://genealogy.az.gov/azdeath/059/10590240.pdf).] confirms her identity.
- Coleman, the first boy, was also part of James Mackin’s 1880 Madison household.[21. 1880 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., ED 76, p. 12 (penned), dwell. 108, fam. 108, Coleman Mccann.] He appears next in 1904 in Phoenix voter registrations.[22. Great Register of Maricopa County, Arizona Territory, 1894-1904, 29, entry for Frank Connelley, age 45, born in Wisconsin, Phoenix 1st ward, registration date 21 May 1904; digital image, “Arizona, Voter Registrations, 1866-1955,” Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 October 2016), path Maricopa > 1894-1904, image 545.] That “Frank Connelley” of Phoenix is the same person as “Coleman Mccann” of Madison is hinted at in the 1908 Maricopa County marriage record of Coleman F. Connelley and Frances Anna Lambur, witnessed by Christopher C. Mackin.[23. “Arizona, County Marriage Records, 1865-1972,” Coleman F. Connelley and Frances Anna Lambur, 1908; image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 October 2016), path Maricopa > Marriage licenses, image 37,408, citing county marriage records, Arizona History and Archives Division, Phoenix.] This identity is confirmed by the death notice for Frank C. Connelley, which states “CONNELLEY–In this city [San Francisco], March 28, 1923, Frank. C.,… brother of James and Anna Mackin, Mrs. A. Terrell and Mary Connelley, a native of Wisconsin…”[24. “California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985,” entry for Frank C. Connelley; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 October 2016), path Halsted and Company > 1923 > March, images 31-32, citing Researchity, San Francisco, California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985, microfilm publication, 1129 rolls.)]
- Anna Marie, the third girl in James Mackin’s 1880 Madison household,[22. 1880 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., ED 76, p. 12 (penned), dwell. 108, fam. 108, Ann Marie Mccann.] appears in the 1900 Madison household of her brother James H. Mackin.[25. 1900 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., Madison ward 4, ED 50, p. 8A, dwell. 141, fam. 150, Annie Mackin.] She appears in the 1902 and 1904 Madison city directories on W. Main[26. G. R. Angell & Co., Madison, Wisconsin City Directory 1902 (Madison: G. R. Angell & Co., 1902), 260, entry for Anna M. Mackin, W. Main; digital image, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 October 2016), path Wisconsin > Madison > 1902 > Madison, Wisconsin, City Directory, 1902, image 131. Also G. R. Angell & Co., Madison, Wisconsin City Directory 1904, 219, entry for Anna M. Mackin, W. Main; digital image, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, path Wisconsin > Madison > 1904 > Madison, Wisconsin, City Directory, 1904, image 108.] No further census or city directory records have been found for the period between 1904 and 1912, when Anna appeared in the Phoenix city directory at 241 E. McKinley.[27. Arizona Directory Company, Phoenix City and Salt River Valley Directory 1912 (Los Angeles: Arizona Directory Company, 1911), 81, entry for Anna Mackin, 241 E McKinley; image, “U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, path Arizona > Phoenix > 1912 > Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1912, image 81.] Anna Mackin died 6 August 1927 in Phoenix.[28. Arizona, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate 10351275 (1927), Anna Mackin; digital image, Arizona Department of Health Services (http://genealogy.az.gov/azdeath/035/10351275.pdf).] She is buried with James and Catherine Mackin in Resurrection Cemetery, Madison.[29. Find A Grave, database with images (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=131087350&ref=acom : accessed 22 September 2016), image gravestone for Anna M. Mackin, Resurrection Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin, Find A Grave memorial 131087350.]
- James Henry, the second boy in James Mackin’s 1880 Madison household,[30. 1880 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., ED 76, p. 12 (penned), dwell. 108, fam. 108, Jas. Mccann.] next appears as head of household in Madison in 1900[30. 1900 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., Madison ward 4, ED 50, p. 8A, dwell. 141, fam. 150, James Mackin.] and 1905.[32. 1905 Wisconsin state census, Dane Co., pop. sch., Madison 7th ward, p. 804 (stamped), fam. 859, Jas Mackin.] James died in Madison in 1930 and is buried in Resurrection Cemetery there.[33. Find A Grave, database with images (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=155906649&ref=acom : accessed 22 September 2016), image gravestone for James Henry Mackin, Resurrection Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin, Find A Grave memorial 155906649.]
- Christopher Charles, the youngest boy in James Mackin’s 1880 Madison household,[34. 1880 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., ED 76, p. 12 (penned), dwell. 108, fam. 108, Christiphor Mccann.] also appears in his brother James’ 1900 Madison household[35. 1900 U.S. census, Dane Co., Wis., pop. sch., Madison ward 4, ED 50, p. 8A, dwell. 141, fam. 150, “Christian” Mackin.] and in the 1902 and 1904 Madison directories.[36. G. R. Angell & Co., Madison, Wisconsin City Directory 1902, 260, entry for Christopher C. Mackin, W. Main; digital image, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, path Wisconsin > Madison > 1902 > Madison, Wisconsin, City Directory, 1902, image 131. Also G. R. Angell & Co., Madison, Wisconsin City Directory 1904, 219, entry for Christopher C. Mackin, W. Main; digital image, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, path Wisconsin > Madison > 1904 > Madison, Wisconsin, City Directory, 1904, image 108.] Christopher has not been found in the 1910 census; he next appears in the 1912 Phoenix city directory at the same address as his sister Anna.[37. Arizona Directory Company, Phoenix City and Salt River Valley Directory 1912, 81, entry for Christopher C. Mackin, 241 E McKinley; image, “U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, path Arizona > Phoenix > 1912 > Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1912, image 81.] Christopher died in Phoenix 23 August 1917[38. Arizona, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate 10162340 (1917), Christopher Mackin; digital image, Arizona Department of Health Services (http://genealogy.az.gov/azdeath/016/10162340.pdf).] and is buried with James and Catherine Mackin in Resurrection Cemetery, Madison.[39. Find A Grave, database with images (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=131087350&ref=acom : accessed 22 September 2016), image gravestone for Christopher Mackin, Resurrection Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin, Find A Grave memorial 131087360.]
Examination of the death records for these children reveals that they were not all children of James Mackin! For further details, see my article, “When Is a Mackin Not a Mackin?” in the April 2017 issue of The Septs, journal of the Irish Genealogical Society International.
