52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 13; Patrick J. Cummins

This week's ancestral bio is on one of my great great granduncles, Patrick J. Cummins. He was an older brother to my great great grandmother Anne Cummins; who married Michael J. Gannon. Very little is known about him. He was born in County Roscommon, Ireland around 1850 and immigrated to America in 1865 according to the 1900 Federal Census. He was listed as a laborer in census records.

Patrick was son of Bernard Cummins and Catherine Dockey. Another brother was

• Frank, married Maria Cox

Bernard was later married to Bessie Lenehan and had the following children:

• Thomas Joseph, (1859-1943) married Anne M. Cox
• Catherine, (1864-1931) married Michael J. Gannon
• Martin Joseph, (1865-1954) married Ann Mary Gill
• Anne M., (1866-1927) married Michael J. Gannon

Patrick J. Cummins

At some point after immigrating to the states, the name Cummins had a "g" added to it. I have no clue whether Patrick did it himself or possibly custom officials. After coming to America, Patrick lived in Bennington, Vermont and was married to Bridget Casey (1843-1877). Patrick and Bridget had the following children. All born in Vermont.

• Bernard, (1868-1961) married Anna Hickey
• James, (1870-1872)
• Mary E., (1872-1939)
• Francis J. (1874-1967) married Mary J. Maher

It is believed that both, wife Bridget and son James are buried in Bennington, Vermont. Soon after Bridget's death, Patrick married Ellen Barry on 29 October 1877 in Bennington. By 1882, the family was now living in Catskill, New York.  Patrick and Ellen had the following children; all born in Catskill.

• George H., (1882-1939)
• Patrick A., (1884-1932)
• Ida Winifred, (1886-1979) married Floyd Shultz
• Helen Elizabeth, (1890-1977) married Abraham Patrick Frank Shiel
• Julia A., (1892-1991) married Franklin A. Banks

Patrick and Ellen are buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery in the Jefferson Heights section of Catskill.

Patrick & Ellen Cummings grave stone

Gravestone Clean-up / Restoration Project at the New Mount Ida Cemetery

Earlier today I was notified that in a couple of weeks there will be a gravestone clean-up and restoration project at the New Mount Ida Cemetery on Saturday June 13th and Sunday June 14th. Joe Ferrannini from Grave Stone Matters will be there lending his expertise at preserving and conserving gravestones. The project will begin around 9 AM.

A very small group has "adopted" the New Mount Ida Cemetery located on Pinewoods Avenue. Through their efforts they are slowly transforming this once abandoned cemetery into a place of welcome. At one time the grass was continually un-mowed and waist high. Numerous fallen trees were all over. However that is not the case today.

The cemetery is on Pinewoods Avenue less than a mile from the intersection of Pinewoods and Pawling Avenues. The group is looking for as many volunteers as can be mustered up. A primer will be given how to clean lichens and environmental pollution from the stones and then we will go and "have at it." After the stones are cleaned, Ferrannini will address the stones that need further attention.

Please spread the word to anyone who may be interested in this kind of volunteer work. They can contact me on this blog and I can get further information from the organizers. Hope to see you there!