Bartholomew Houlihan & Johanna McCarthy

Bartholomew Houlihan and his wife, Johanna McCarthy, were both born in County Kerry, Ireland, where they married on 14 February 1873 in Ballytrasna. (1) (This map shows where they lived.)

Bartholomew’s death certificate identified his parents as Patrick Houlihan and Mary Catherine Leahy, while Johannah’s obituary and death certificate identified her parents as John McCarthy and Catherine Sullivan. (2, 3)

The couple’s first child, Patrick Joseph, was born on 29 October 1874 and was baptized in Ballytrasna. (4) However, by 1875 Bartholomew was recorded in the Worcester city directory as living at 25 Vine Street in Worcester, MA, while Johanna and Patrick evidently remained back in Ireland. He was absent from the directory the following year, suggesting he returned to Ireland for his family because by the beginning of 1879 he was once again living in Worcester. (5)

Bartholomew and Johanna spent the rest of their lives in Worcester. Over the following years, they had eight more children, beginning with son Thomas, born on 5 July in 1880. However, tragedy struck the family twice with the childhood deaths of Katie and Johanna, both during cholera outbreaks in Worcester.

The family lived in the central downtown neighborhoods of Worcester, moving several times from one home to another, presumably as their family grew. Few of the buildings they lived in survived into modern times, making it difficult to fully understand the socio-economic conditions of their lives. All we know is that Bartholomew worked as a laborer during the 20-some years of his life in the United States. He passed away on 3 December of cancer and pneumonia, leaving Johanna to raise their children alone. (6)

When Bartholomew became an American citizen in November 1886, Michael Houlihan served as his witness; we are not sure how they were related, but this Michael was the son of Daniel M. Houlihan, b. 1814 in Ireland and who died on 13 July 1880. It’s possible that the Ireland-born Daniel was Bartholomew’s uncle, but we are still looking for documentation to back that up.

Johanna spent many years on Jefferson Street in Worcester, living at #38 and #24, before moving in with her daughter Mary Elizabeth (Houlihan) Hickey at #1 Westminster Street. She died there in 1936. (7)

Both Bartholomew and Johanna, as well as their infant daughters Katie and Johanna, are buried in St. John’s Cemetery in Worcester.

Bartholomew Houlihan (b. 27 Nov 1846, Co. Kerry, Ireland – d. 3 Dec 1896, Worcester, MA)
m 14 Feb 1873, Bally Trasna, Ballyhar, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Johanna McCarthy (b. 14 Feb 1854, Bally Trasna, Ballyhar, Co. Kerry, Ireland — d. 27 Apr 1936, Worcester, MA)

Children:
i. Patrick Joseph Houlihan (b. 29 Oct 1874, Bally Trasna, Co. Kerry, Ireland — d. 27 Oct 1912, Worcester, MA); m. Nora B. McGillicuddy (8)
ii. Thomas J. Houlihan (b. 5 Jul 1880, Worcester, MA — d. 21 Aug 1916, Worcester, MA); never married (9)
iii. Bartholomew P. Houlihan (b. 1 Dec 1881, Worcester, MA — d. between 1912/1917, possibly New York); marital status unknown (10)
iv. Catherine “Katie” Houlihan (b. 1 Oct 1883, Worcester, MA — d. 25 Sep 1884, Worcester, MA); died in infancy
v. John Francis Houlihan (b. 14 Apr 1885, Worcester, MA — d. 7 Oct 1951, Worcester, MA); m. Mary Agnes Lowrey
vi. Johanna Houlihan (b. 16 Feb 1887, Worcester, MA — d. 23 Sep 1887, Worcester, MA); died in infancy
vii. James Anthony Houlihan (b. 5 May 1888, Worcester, MA — d. 24 Oct 1946, Oakland, Alameda County, CA); m. Gussie Eleanor Kelly
viii. Eugene Francis “Gene” Houlihan (b. 5 May 1890, Worcester, MA — d. 23 Sep 1949, Worcester, MA); m. Gertrude Louisa Erickson
ix. Mary Ellen Houlihan (b. 24 Dec 1891, Worcester, MA — d. 3 Jul 1975, prob. Worcester, MA); m. Thomas Albert Hickey

Sources:

  1. Bartholomew Houlihane to Johanna McCarthy, Marriage records, Roman Catholic parish records, Ballatrasna parish; church Firies, 14 Feb 1873, Jeremiah McCarthy, Eugene McCarthy, witnesses, parents not given, presider not given, online listing, KY-RC-MA-44819, p 17 (http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/, accessed 27 Aug 2011), image not available.
  2. Bartholomew Houlihan, Massachusetts Death Records, 1841-1915, file #1792, died 3 Dec 1896, carcinoma, pneumonia, aged 50, born Ireland, parents Patrick Houlihan, Mary Leahy, no informant listed.
  3. Johanna (McCarthy) Houlihan, certificate of death, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of Vital Statistics, Worcester, MA, file #299, date filed 1 May 1936, died 27 Apr 1936, widow of Bartholomew Houlihan, parents John McCarthy & Catherine Sullivan, Mrs. Thomas A. Hickey, informant.
  4. Patrick Houlihan, birth register, 30 Oct 1874, parents Bartholomew Houlihan, farmer of Glennagillagh, & Johanna McCarthy Houlihan; Killorglin district, Killarney Superintendent’s District, Co. Kerry; p. 4 (p 308, stamped), entry #186, civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie.
  5. Worcester City Directory, 1876, p 130, Bartholomew Houlihan entry; also 1879, p 144, Bat. Houlihan entry; Ancestry digital images, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Worcester, Massachusetts, accessed 9 Sep 2023.
  6. See FN 2.
  7. Mrs. Johanna (McCarthy) Houlihan, Worcester, Evening Gazette, 28 Apr 1936, page 14.
  8. Massachusetts, Marriage Register, Worcester, Vol. 538, p 519, Patrick Joseph Houlihan and Nora McGillicuddy entry; FamilySearch, FHL #2057589. Massachusetts, Worcester, death certificate, file #435 (1912), Patrick J. Houlihan, Ancestry online database, Massachusetts Death Records, 1841-1915, image 2259 of 2718.
  9. Massachusetts, Birth Records, Worcester (1880), Thomas Houlihan entry, Ancestry online database, Massachusetts, Birth Records, 1840-1915, image 1323 of 1429. Thomas J. Houlihan, obituary, Worcester, Evening Gazette, 22 Aug 1916, page 2.
  10. Massachusetts, Birth Records, Worcester (1881), Vol. 324, p 424, Bartley Houlihan entry, Ancestry online database, Massachusetts, Birth Records, 1840-1915, image . Worcester, Massachusetts, 1903 City Directory, p 327, Bartholomew P. Houlihan, Ancestry online database, US City Directories, 1822-1995. Bartholomew’s 1903 entry says “rem’d to New York City.”
  11. Katie Houlihan birth record, Massachusetts Birth Register, 1883, Worcester, MA, Vol 342, page 434.
  12. Kate Houlihan death record, Massachusetts Death Register, 1884, Worcester, MA, Vol 357, p 496, 25 Sep 1884, cholera infant., parents: Bart. Houlihan and Johanna McCarthy (age 11 months, 21 days).
  13. John Houlihan birth record, place of birth, Worcester, 14 Apr 1885, “Massachusetts Birth Register, 1885-6,” Vol. 369, page 439, parents: Bartholomew Houlihan and Johanna McCarthy, (FHC #1428208).
  14. Johanna Houlihan birth record, Massachusetts Birth Register, 1887, Worcester, date of birth, 16 Feb 1887, Vol. 378, p. 437, parents, Bartholomew Houlihan and Johanna McCarty (sic), (FHL #1428240).
  15. Johanna Houlihan death record, Massachusetts Death Register, 1887, Worcester, died 22 Oct 1887, 6 months, 6 days; cholera infantum, parents Bartholomew Houlihan & Johanna McCarthy, p 508, entry #983.
  16. James Houlihan birth record, “Massachusetts Birth Register, 1888,” Worcester, Vol. 387, p 466, date of birth 5 May 1888, parents: Bartholomew Houlihan and Johanna McCarty, (FHL #1428242).
  17. Eugene Houlihan birth record, “Massachusetts Birth Register, 1890,” Worcester, vol. 405, p. 490, date of birth, 5 May 1890, parents: Bartholomew Houlihan and Johanna McCarty, (FHL #1428245).
  18. Mary Ellen Houlihan birth record, Massachusetts Birth Register, 1891, Worcester, MA, 24 Dec 1891, parents: Bartholomew Houlihan and Johanna McCarthy.
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