Plans are being formed for starting a LowellIrish website. We're trying to think of categories that people may be interested in reading. Some areas might be: churches, school, organizations, biographies, genealogy, cemeteries, maps, photos, and a reading list. Some of this work has already been done. Maybe some of the readers have written pieces that could be added. Take a look at the list. Any thoughts? Additions? Deletions? Any volunteers? Do you have an area of expertise?
Frank Talty reminded me that WBUR did a nice little piece on the dig. Have a listen if you're interested. http://www.wbur.org/2010/08/20/lowell-dig
Walter Hickey is a walking encyclopedia of Lowell info. He sent the following as a little footnote into the past. It is an article from 1831, a short while after the dedication of Saint Patrick Church. It is an example of the type of info we could collect and add to the website. The content tells what those Irish pioneers were going through.
We are informed that much feeling exists in town respecting an attempt by John R. Adams, Esq., to remove the Irish by force from their present settlement. Should they be removed immediately, many of them must come upon the town. Many of them suffer by cold, and for the want of comfortable habitations, which it will be impossible for them to procure before next Spring. It may be, for aught we know legally right to force them from their cabins to endure the cold, and face the storms of the coming winter, without money, and without the power to procure a shelter from the northern blast, but there is neither natural right nor humanity in the business. Should they be driven out, it will prove an expense, probably of several thousand dollars, to the town, between this time and next May.
Lots of people are doing genealogy in Lowell and lots of us are Irish. The older records of St. Pat's would reveal interesting information. What old records remain? If the baptism/wedding/funeral information could be put online I'm sure many people would find that information useful. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThe sacramental registers of baptism and matrimony for St. Pat's, as well as St. Mary's and St. Peters, etc...are at the Archives of the Archdiocese of Boston.
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Archives.aspx for additional information.
Aside from the actual date of either of the event, one can expect to learn the names of the godparents or sponsors. Place of birth in Ireland will NOT be shown. More on that in another post.
Walter