More on our "Boyle" clan

All –


Since returning from Ireland, and with the help of Angela Kirk in Donegal, I think I’ve got accurate information on Cornelius Boyle, son of our great grandparents, AKA “Uncle Corney”. Previously, I had him confused by with another Cornelius who also came from Donegal and ended up in Detroit. Here ‘tis:

Cornelius arrived in America in October 5, 1905 on board the SS Columbia bound for Bayonne where his sister, Cecelia lived. The passenger manifest showed him as "Corney" Boyle, age 21, a clerk, who was headed for his cousin John Deery at 481 Ave. D in Bayonne.

I have not established the Boyle-Deery family connection, but John Deery is probably the son of Joseph Deery and (Isa)bella Boyle who resided in Roshine Acres where the Boyle family lived. The 1901 Census for Roshine Acres identifies a son to John and Bella Derry, named John, not living with them then, who had been born Oct. 15, 1874. On May, 11, 1896, a John Deery arrived in New York on the SS Furnessia from Londonderry. John was identified on the manifest only as a 20 year old farmer, no doubt the same John Deery (Jr.). The names and ages match, unlike all other immigration records for a John Deery. It’s safe to conclude that John's mother, Bella, who died before 1901, was the daughter of a brother of one of Cornelius’ father, Michael’s brothers.

Cornelius does not appear on a US Census in 1910. A US Border Crossing record shows him as a Bookkeeper entering the US at Niagara Falls from Canada on April 24, 1919. It also says he was in the US from 1905 until he joined the Canadian military on June 10, 1918 (in Denver, where his cousin, Rev. Manus Boyle lived!). He had not received his US Citizenship, left the US and joined the Canadian military as a British citizen. A Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force Attestation Paper was signed by Cornelius on June 10, 1918 He then returned to the US coincident with his Canadian Army discharge on April 24, 1919. The record also says his brother Michael was then living at 766 Broadway in Bayonne, NJ.

I was unable to locate a conclusive match to Cornelius on the 1920 or 1930 US censuses. The records are elusive, with Cornelius coming to the US, going to Canada, and returning to the US. In 1931, Cornelius became a US Citizen at the Detroit District Court.

His nephew Michael Boyle (son of Cornelius' sister, Cecelia) visited "Uncle Corny" in Detroit in 1939 hoping to find work. (We know "Uncle Corny" worked for Dodge Brothers.) The 1942 Michigan telephone directory shows a Cornelius Boyle living on Waverly Road South, Holland Township. I assume it's the same person. As far as I know, he never married and I have not located anything suggesting that he ever married or had children.

Coincidentally, there were two Cornelius Boyles who also arrived in the US on the SS Columbia. The other arrived on October 30, 1905 - just 25 days after “Uncle Corney”! That Cornelius was married, born in Ireland in 1867.

Another Cornelius born in Ireland also lived in Michigan. That Cornelius was born June 23, 1889 - 4 years after “Uncle Corney”. He died in Detroit in January 1975 having raised a family with his wife, Hazel.

I have not located a death record for "Uncle Corny" Boyle, but believe he lived into the 1960’s.

(I have documents to substantiate the above.)

Re the Deery’s. Cornelius’ immigration record shows him going to John Deery at 481 Ave. D in Bayonne. None of you seems to know about them, but they must have been cousins (by way of his John’s mother Bella Boyle). Ave. D is now Broadway. According to Google Maps, even the building is gone.

John Deery was a saloon keeper in Bayonne and I’d guess the saloon was at that address. The 1900 US Census shows this John Deery in Bayonne. The hand-written census record showed his birth in Ireland of Irish parents but “Scotland” was written over the birth location. Either way, it must have been this John Deery. His parent’s were in Ireland in 1910 but may have been working in Scotland when John (Jr.) was born. The 1920 Census shows him in Woodbyne (Woodbine, Camden County), born in Ireland, married (wife Kathryn) with 2 daughters Anna & Sarah and 2 sons Francis & William. He was then a Steamfitter in a shipyard. The 1930 Census shows the family still in Woodbine with wife Catherine and son Frank, then a ‘Pipefitter”. it shows him born in “Northern Ireland”. So whether John was born in Donegal, Scotland, or in between, this has to be the same family, and if Cornelius says John Deery was his cousin, there probably are still some Deerys around. There are a few Deerys in South Jersey, but are not necessarily related to us. (I’m not researching Deery any further, but if the above tweaks any latent memories, let me know.)

I will however look into Isabella, Bella Boyle to try to determine how she was related to our G-G-F Michael Boyle.

Greg