Person:Morgan Cronin (1)

Family tradition says Morgan (whose baptismal name has proved to be "Michael") emigrated from Ireland to the Port of New Orleans as a "young man" with a brother (possibly named "Daniel"), who stayed behind in Louisiana while he went north to Indiana to work for the railroad. I have interpreted "young man" to mean about the age of 18 (especially if he was traveling with an older brother), which would have him arriving in the U.S. about 1840. Very few Cronins debarked at New Orleans during this period, and none whose names or ages fit the requirements.

I've wondered if Morgan (with or without a brother) might not have arrived at Boston or New York, which was the more usual case at this time, and subsequently taken a coastal vessel around Florida to New Orleans in search of work. The advertisement placed in The Boston Pilot (see below), would seem to fit this theory. However, no passenger listing in Boston, New York, or New Orleans has been found that fits -- and over several decades I have scrolled through every relevant frame of microfilm.

In the 1870 census, Morgan is listed as a U.S. citizen, but I have also been unable to locate a court document confirming this. The only requirement at the time was that application for naturalization be made in a court of record, including state courts and even some local courts, of which there were many within easy reach of Pulaski County, and in the nearby counties that would have been accessible to Morgan when he was out on the job. (Note that he died in Attica, several counties away from Francesville, and had been living there long enough to be included in the city directory, so it's evident that he was required to be away from home for extended periods.)

One other family story is that when Morgan's daughter, Anastasia, was getting on in years (i.e., in the 1940s), she was "not quite right in the head," and at some point she destroyed a chest or box of family documents that had been stored in the attic of the family home. This supposedly included her father's naturalization papers and a "land grant." I'm not sure what the latter could have been; the period for federal land grants in Indiana had passed long before Morgan ever arrived there, and there is no indication that he ever owned any property except perhaps a house (since he has a small amount of real property in both the 1860 & 1870 censuses. --Mike (mksmith) 12:17, 30 May 2009 (EDT)

The Boston Pilot, 23 Mar 1844:^S5

"Information wanted of Daniel and Michael Cronin, natives of the County Cork. About four years ago they were in Boston. Their brother, Patrick, is now in Boston, and is anxious to hear from them. He can be found at No. 2, Clark St., Boston, Mass."

[NOTE: After many years of searching, I have not been able to identify Morgan (or Michael) anywhere in the country in the 1850 census.]

Pulaski County, Indiana, 1860 census:^S3

Cronan, Morgan 38 yrs b. Ireland Day L.[aborer] (real estate = $450; personal estate = $75) (cannot read or write)

      Johannah wife 19 yrs b. Ireland

      Michael son 3 mon b. Indiana

Pulaski County, Indiana, 1870 census:^S4

Cronin, Morgan 47 yrs b. Ireland R.R. Repairer (real estate = $250; personal estate = $80) U.S. citizen)

      Hannah wife 30 yrs b. Ireland

      Michael son 10 yrs b. Indiana

      Ellen dau 8 yrs b. Indiana

      Mary dau 7 yrs b. Indiana

      Hannah dau 4 yrs b. Indiana

      Agnes dau 2 yrs b. Indiana

      Cattie dau 8 mos b. Indiana

Hayes, Ellen mother/law 70 yrs b. Ireland

Pulaski County, Indiana, 1880 census:^S7

Cronen, Morgan 56 yrs b. Ireland Laborer (cannot read or write)

      Johanna wife 39 yrs b. Ireland Keeping House

      Michael son 20 yrs b. Indiana Farm Labor

      Ellen dau 18 yrs b. Indiana

      Mary dau 17 yrs b. Indiana

      Hannah dau 14 yrs b. Indiana

      Agnes dau 12 yrs b. Indiana

      Catharine dau 10 yrs b. Indiana

      Annesdacia dau 9 yrs b. Indiana

      Tresa dau 6 yrs b. Indiana

      Francis son 4 yrs b. Indiana

      John son 1 yr b. Indiana

Hayes, Ellen mother/law 82 yrs b. Ireland (cannot read or write)

This photo was almost certainly taken about 1874 in Francesville, Pulaski County, Indiana. The children are their oldest son, Michael (b. 1860), Mary (b. 1863), and probably Teresa (b. 1873).

From the record book of St Francis Solano Parish. See the fourth item down: "Attica. Michelus Cronon obit in Domine A.D. 1887." [Note: I was not allowed to actually see this volume in person. The parish priest dug it out of the parsonage attic, made the photocopy, and brought it out to me on the front porch.]

From the Attica Ledger, 24 Feb 1887. See the first item under "Died" near the bottom of the fourth column.

From the Attica Ledger, their end-of-the-year round-up of local events. See near the bottom of the first column, under February 17.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Fountain, Indiana, United States. Health Officer
   Index to Death Records, Book H-20, p. 516.
2. ↑ United States. Works Progress Administration (IN). Index to Supplemental Record, Marriage Transcript, Marion County, 1882-1906. (Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana State Library, 1983)
   Book 4, p. 255.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Pulaski, Indiana, United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication M693)
   Salem Twp, Francesville, p. 116, dwelling/family 860/860.
4. ↑ Pulaski, Indiana, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication M593)
   Salem Twp, p. 508.
5.   O'Keeffe, B. Emer; Donald M Jacobs; Ruth-Ann M. (Ruth-Ann Mellish) Harris; and Massachusetts) Boston Pilot (Boston. The Search for missing friends: Irish immigrant advertisements placed in the Boston Pilot. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989-1997)
   Vol. 1, p. 78.
6.   Lafayette (Indiana) City Directory
   1887.

   Lafayette, Indiana, City Directory, 1887:
   
   Cronin, Morgan laborer w side Union, 1 s Monroe Attica, Ind.

7. ↑ Pulaski, Indiana, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication T9)
   ED 154, p. 131, dwelling/family 296/297.