Fun Mail

I love getting mail, especially fun mail.  Fun mail is all mail dealing with genealogy and/or travel.

I recently started writing to churches in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  I started with St. Cecilia's.  They were able to locate a few records.  The records included my grandfather's baptismal record, as well as his parent's marriage record.  St. Cecilia's was extremely helpful and generous.  They even sent me copies of the original cards.

The next parish I wrote to was St. Anthony/St. Alphonsus Parish.  I waited.  Fun mail!

Baptismal Certificates

Mary Cecilia Colahan
Child of Thomas P Colahan and Sophia Blanchard
Born 25 March 1889
Baptized 10 April 1889 at St. Anthony of Padua Church
Sponsors Stephen A Blanchard, Cecilia Colahan

Stephen John Colahan
Child of Thomas P Colahan and Sophia Blanchard
Born 15 January 1891
Baptized 4 February 1891 at St. Anthony of Padua Church
Sponsors John J McElroy, Elizabeth Colahan

Stephen Blanchard
Child of William Blanchard and Eliza Kidd
Born on 12 September 1880
Baptized on 26 September 1880 at St. Anthony of Padua Church
Sponsors Thomas Kidd, Ellen Blanchard

Prior to this record I had no knowledge of Stephen.  What happened to him?  This baptismal record gives Helen (Ellen) Blanchard a new documented date, the earliest found in New York.

William Blanchet
Child of William Blanchet and Elizabeth Kidd
Born 16 January 1882
Baptized 5 February 1882 at St. Anthony of Padua Church
Sponsors Stephen Blanchet, Johanna Kennedy 
William is another child I had no knowledge of.  This record lists Johanna Kennedy as a sponsor.  Is Johanna Kennedy connected to Mary Kennedy?

Edward Blanchard
Child of William Blanchard and Elizabeth Kidd
Born 1 August 1892
Baptized 15 August 1892
Sponsors Francis Kidd, Ella Delany
     Marriage Notation
     To Anna Smith
     Date 7 July 1937
     Church St. Joan of Arc
     Place Jackson Heights, New York

William Blanchard
Child of William Blanchard and Lizzie Kidd
Born 26 May 1896
Baptized 16 June 1896 at St. Anthony of Padua Church
Sponsors George Blanchard, Katie Kidd

Catherina Blanchard
Child of Stephen Blanchard and Elizabeth Briordy
Born 22 October 1896
Baptized 16 November 1896 at St. Anthony of Padua Church
Sponsors Thomas Hawkins, Sophia Colahan
     Attached note
     Elizabeth Briody
     Born 16 March 1875
     Baptized 1 April 1878 at St. Alphonsus Church
     Parents John Briody, Brigid Briody

Helen Elizabeth Blanchard
Child of George Blanchard and Alice Leigh
Born 19 March 1905
Baptized 2 April 1905 at St. Anthony of Padua Church
Sponsors Stephen Blanchard, Ellen Novnan

Marriage Certificates

Thomas P Colahan, Sophia M Blanchard
25 June 1888
St. Anthony of Padua Church
Witnesses Stephen Blanchard, Mary Colahan

William Blanchard, Elizabeth Kidd
7 December 1879
St. Anthony of Padua Church
Witnesses Edward Blanchard, Joanna Kennedy

I assume this is the same Joanna Kennedy that sponsored their son William at his baptism.

Robert H McDermott, Eileen Corrigan
18 May 1946
St. Anthony of Padua Church
Witnesses Thomas A Kavanagh, Mary Kavanagh
     Attached note
     Robert H McDermott
     Baptized 7 March 1920
     Immaculate Conception of BVM
     Brooklyn
     Eileen Corrigan
     Baptized 17 September 1922
     St. Cecilia's
     Brooklyn

Sophia

Sophia M Blanchard was born 1 April 1856.  She was baptized, Roman Catholic at St. Simon and St. Jude Church, Tignish, Prince Edward Island.  Her parents were Stephen Blanchard and Catharine Ferris.  In the 1861 Canadian Census, Sophia was living with her family in Tignish, Prince Edward Island.

On 24 December 1876 at Church of St. Michael, Manhattan, New York, Sophia served as godmother to her sister Elizabeth's daughter, Mary Ellen Delaney.  In the 1880 United Stated Census, Sophia was living with her mother Catharine, and her brothers Edward, Stephen, and George.  They were living in Brooklyn, New York at 595 Lorimer Street.  In 1887, Sophia M Blanchard, a teacher, was living at 148 Meserole Avenue.  

On 25 June 1888, Sophia married Thomas P Colahan at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Brooklyn, New York.  In the 1900 United Stated Census Sophia and Thomas were living at 105 India Street.  Also living in the household were the couple's three children, Mary Cecilia (1889-1979), Stephen John (1891-1973) and Francis Ambrose (1892-1938).  By 3 January 1915, Sophia and her family were living at 821 Lincoln Place.  Sophia lived at this address until her death, 28 February 1948.  Sophia and her husband, Thomas, were buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

Like all Blanchard children, to complete my research on Sophia, I need to find her immigration records.  Unlike the other children, Sophia's family can be traced to present day, and it is through their generosity that I have a picture of her.

Sophia M Blanchard