John Joseph McGrath : Short Biography

Oral History Sources: His son Father John Joseph McGrath, SJ (Father Joe); John Joseph's daughters Ann Donovan; and Theresa “Dolly” Ebrech. Also, John Joseph’s grandsons Tom McGrath and William Brady DDS. In addition, John Joseph’s great grandson, Paul Michael McGrath DMD. Finally, John Joseph's niece, Mary O’Brien O’Flaherty; his nephew Tom O’Brien; Tom's children: Bobby, Anne O'Brien-Gardiner, Claire O’Brien Dee; and other of my wife’s countless O’Brien and McGrath cousins.

Oral history from John Joseph’s nephew Tom O'Brien of Youghal, Cork was that John Joseph's father William was the son John McGrath and Anastasia Geary. Also, Tom indicated that John Joseph's mother Ellen (Veale) McGrath was the daughter of Michael Veale and Ellen Clancy. Tom indicated that Margaret Veale was the eldest of the seven daughters of Michael and Ellen. Peter Veale was their only son. More on Peter later. In addition, Tom took his niece and me to the Church in Knockanore to visit his McGrath Grandparents to see that his mother (Ellen (McGrath) O’Brien was buried with his McGrath grandparents. (I have a ohoto of the grave stone.)

Web Sites: Ancestry, Massachusetts and Federal Naturalization records;Ancestry, US WWI Draft Registration Card; National Archives of Ireland, Census of Ireland 1901 and 1911;  Ancestry, Massachusetts Passenger and Crew Lists (1902 Passenger Manifest for John Joseph and his Aunt Nora Veale); FamilySearch, Massachusetts Marriages; Ancestry, US Censuses, 1910, 1930 and 1940; Ancestry; Massachusetts Marriages; Ancestry,  and Ancestry, and Massachusetts Death Index. (Please note that the Death Index indicates that John died in 1955 which I believe is incorrect. Oral history and a picture of his grave stone indicated that he died in 1953.)

Birth date (Day and Month) data is from his Massachusetts and Federal Naturalization Transcript:

Name:   John Joseph McGrath

Declaration Age:  27

Record Type:      Declaration

Birth Date:          22 Feb 1892

Birth Place:         County Waterford Ireland

Arrival Date:       19 Sep 1902

Arrival Place:       Boston, Massachusetts

Declaration Date: 26 Jan 1920

Spouse: Bridget

Please note that the following fields in the Naturalization Transcript are incorrect: Age and Birth Year. He was 37. He was born in 1882.

Birth Date (Day, Month and Year) is from his World War I Draft Registration Card, John Joseph was required to file a World War I Draft Registration Card because he was an alien. The fields were mostly filled-in by the individual. The card had his birth date of 22 February 1882.

His World War I Draft Registration Card Transcript:

John Joseph McGrath in the U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918

Name:   John Joseph McGrath

City:      Charlestown

County:  Suffolk

State:    Massachusetts

Birth Date:          22 Feb 1882

Race:     White

He worked for Quincy Market Cold Storage on Commercial St in Boston.

The National Archives of Ireland, Census of Ireland, 1901 record for John Joseph indicates that in 1901 he lived in Ballyphilip East, Kilcockan, Waterford.

Residents of a house 6 in Ballyphilip East (Kilcockin, Waterford)

Surname Forename          Age       Sex       Relation to head  Religion

McGrath William               50         Male      Head of Family    Roman Catholic

McGrath Margaret            40         Female   Wife                  Roman Catholic

McGrath John                  18         Male      Son                   Roman Catholic

McGrath Ellen                  12         Female   Daughter            Roman Catholic

McGrath Thomas              10         Male      Son                   Roman Catholic

McGrath Patrick               8           Male      Son                   Roman Catholic

McGrath William                           Male      Son                   Roman Catholic

On September 18, 1902, John Joseph and his aunt Nora Veale arrived in Boston on the New England. His record indicated that he was visiting his uncle Peter Veale, 4 Dimmock St, Roxbury Massachusetts.

Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963 Transcript:

Name:   Jno Mc Grath

Gender: Male

Age:      19

Birth Date:          abt 1883

Departure Place:  Queenstown, Ireland

Arrival Date:       18 Sep 1902

Arrival Place:       Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Last Residence:   Tallow

Friend:   Peter Veale

Ship:     New England

Please note that John Joseph’s last residence was Tallow.

Also, please note that John Joseph and his aunt Nora Veale traveled to Boston together. John Joseph stayed with his uncle Peter Veale in Roxbury, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA. John Joseph's mother Margaret, aunt Nora (aka Honorah) and uncle Peter were 3 of the 8 children of Michael Veale and Ellen Clancy Veale of Shanakill, Waterford County.

John lived in Charlestown, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts for many years.

In 1907, John married Bridget Cuddihy in Boston at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Bridget was also from Waterford County.

FamilySearch’s Marriage Record Transcript:

Name:   John McGrath

Birth Year:          abt 1882

Birth Place:         Ireland

Marriage Date:    13 Oct 1907

Marriage Place:    Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Age at Marriage:  25

Father:   William McGrath

Mother:  Margaret Neale

Spouse: Bridget Cuddihy

Spouse Birth Place:          Ireland

Spouse Age at Marriage:   25

Spouse Father:    Thomas Cuddihy

Spouse Mother:   Margaret Linehan

Please note that John’s mother's Maiden Surname was Veale not Neale. I assume that the error’s source was a priest’s transcription.

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Ancestry’s US Census of 1910 Transcript:

Name:   John J Mcgrath

Age in 1910:       27

Birth Year:          abt 1883

Birthplace:          Ireland

Home in 1910:    Boston Ward 3, Suffolk, Massachusetts

Street:   Bunker Hill St

Race:     White

Gender: Male

Immigration Year:            1902

Relation to Head of House:            Head

Marital Status:     Married

Spouse's Name:   Bridget Mcgrath

Father's Birthplace:          Ireland

Mother's Birthplace:         Ireland

Native Tongue:    English

Occupation:        Laborer

Industry:            RR (Fght)

Employer, Employee or Other:       Wage Earner

Home Owned or Rented:   Rent

Farm or House:   House

Naturalization Status:        Alien

Able to Read:      Yes

Able to Write:     Yes

Years Married:     3

Out of Work:       N

Number of weeks out of work:       0

Household Members:      

Name                            Age

John J Mcgrath                27

Bridget Mcgrath               26

Margaret Mcgrath            1

Thomas F Mcgrath           0 [7/12]

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Ancestry’s US Census of 1930 Transcript:

Name:   John J Mcgrath

Birth Year:          abt 1882

Gender: Male

Race:     White

Birthplace:          Ireland

Marital Status:     Married

Relation to Head of House:            Head

Home in 1930:    Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Street address:    Salem Street

Ward of City:      3 Part of

House Number in Cities or Towns:  115

Dwelling Number:            52

Family Number:   74

Home Owned or Rented:   Rented

Home Value:       38

Radio Set:          No

Lives on Farm:    No

Age at First Marriage:       24

Attended School: No

Able to Read and Write:    Yes

Father's Birthplace:          Ireland

Mother's Birthplace:         Ireland

Language Spoken:           English

Immigration Year:            1909

Naturalization:     Naturalized

Able to Speak English:      Yes

Occupation:        Lineman

Industry:            Telephone Co.

Class of Worker:  Wage or salary worker

Employment:       Yes

Household Members:      

Name                Age

John J Mcgrath    48

Bridget Mcgrath   46

Margaret Mcgrath 21

Theresa Mcgrath  14

Joseph Mcgrath   12

Anastatia Mcgrath 10

Mary A Mcgrath   6

US Census of 1940

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John J McGrath in the 1940 United States Federal Census

Name:   John J McGrath

Age:      57

Estimated birth year:        abt 1883

Gender: Male

Race:     White

Birthplace:          Irish Free State

Marital Status:     Married

Relation to Head of House:            Head

Home in 1940:    Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Street:   Grant Avenue

House Number:   140

Farm:    No

Inferred Residence in 1935:          Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Residence in 1935:           Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Resident on farm in 1935: No

Citizenship:         Naturalized

Sheet Number:    5A

Number of Household in Order of Visitation: 91

Occupation:        Lineman

House Owned or Rented:  Rented

Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented: 34

Attended School or College:           No

Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 6th grade

Hours Worked Week Prior to Census:          48

Class of Worker:  Wage or salary worker in private work

Weeks Worked in 1939:    52

Income: 1400

Income Other Sources:     No

Household Members:      

Name    Age

John J McGrath   57

Bridgade McGrath            59

Thresse McGrath 24

Anna McGrath     19

Mary McGrath      16

His gravestone in Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden, Massachusetts indicates that he was born in 1883 and died in 1954. I believe that he was born in 1882. His granddaughter Elaine indicated that he died at St John of God, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts on June 18, 1954 -  about 6 months after his wife Bridget died.

John Joseph McGrath was the grandson of John McGrath and Anastasia Geary McGrath of Waterford County and of Michael Veale and Ellen Clancy Veale of Shanakill, Waterford County. His sister Ellen McGrath O’Brien is my wife’s grandmother. Ellen McGrath O'Brien is buried with her parents in te Church Cemetery in Knockanore, County Waterford.

Picture below: In April 2017 8 great grandchildren of John Joseph McGrath went to Knockanore, Kilcockan to visit the Church and to see their great great grandparents cemetery plot and gravestone.

From left to right:  Joe, Mary, Stephen, Paul, Patty, Jim, Barry & Jack.  Missing is Kathy who has passed away.  These are 8 of the 9 great-grandchildren.