Mary was the eldest known daughter of Peter and Letitia Gough. Born in Ireland around 1832, she emigrated to the United States with her parents in 1842, arriving first in New York before going on to Luzerne County, PA.
She married John Boyle on 25 November 1849 in Hazleton, though we have been unable to find them enumerated together as a couple in the 1850 census. Mary (Gough) Boyle is enumerated two houses away from her parents, Peter and Letitia; her first child was born one month later, so it is possible that she returned to Hazleton to be close to her mother with the impending birth of her child. A Peter Boyle lives in the same household, and a Peter Boyle served as baptismal sponsor for Mary’s second child.
Sometime in the mid-1850s, John Boyle died of unknown causes, and Mary remarried, this time to Michael Hennessy, at St. Gabriel’s Church where four of their eight children — Mary Ann, Margaret, Alice, and Peter — were also baptized. The family is enumerated in neighboring Schuylkill County in 1860 and 1870; both Ellen and Patrick Boyle are enumerated with the family (though their surnames are listed in the census as Hennessy). In 1880, Patrick is still living with his then-widowed mother but the enumerator correctly lists him this time as Patrick Boyle. In 1860, a Richard Hennessy (born 1830, Ireland) is also enumerated not far from Michael and Mary in Schuylkill County and may be Michael’s younger brother.
At least two of Mary’s children — Peter Boyle and Elizabeth Hennessy — appear to have died in childhood, and she named subsequent children after them; doing so was not uncommon in the 19th century.
Mary Gough (b. 1832, County Monaghan or County Meath, Ireland – d. after 1880, PA)
m(1). 25 Nov 1849, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA
John Boyle (b. ca. 1829 — d. between 1855/1857, Hazleton, Luzerne Co, PA)
Children:
i. Ellen Boyle (b. 29 Sep 1850, Hazle Township, Luzerne, PA – d. after 1870)
ii. Peter Boyle (b. 23 Jul 1853, Hazle Township, Luzerne, PA – d. between 1853/1860)
iii. Patrick Boyle (b. 17 Feb 1855, Hazle Township, Luzerne, PA – d. after 1880)
m(2) 14 May 1857, Luzerne, PA
Michael Hennessy (b. 1829, Ireland – d. between 1875/1880, PA)
Children:
i. Elizabeth Hennessy (b. Feb 1860 – d. between 1870/73)
ii. Mary Ann Hennessy (b. 4 Feb 1862 – d. after 1880)
iii. Margaret “Maggie” Hennessy (b. 2 Jan 1864 – d. after 1880)
iv. Alice Hennessy (b. 9 Dec 1865 – d. after 1880)
v. Peter Hennessy (b. 12 Feb 1868 – d. between 1870/1880)
vi. William Hennessy (b. 1870 – d. after 1880)
vii. Elizabeth Hennessy (b. 1873 – d. after 1880)
viii. Katherine Hennessy (b. 1875 – d. after 1880)
Sources:
- Mary Boyle (18, Ireland), 1850 US census of population, household of John McCall (28, Ireland) and Rose McCall (26, Ireland), Hazle Township, 22 Aug 1850, page 126, dwelling #892, family #904, line 36.
- M. Henessy household, 1860 US census of population, Schuylkill Co PA, Cass Township, page 281, 7 Jul 1860, dwelling #2058, family #1970, line 10.
- Michael Hennessy household, 1870 US census of population, Schuylkill Co PA, District #309, Barnesville PO, enumeration date 18 Jul 1870, page 15, dwelling #96, family #98, line 12.
- Mary Henecy household, 1880 US census of population, Schuylkill Co PA, Kline Township, ED 191, SD 3, page 27, enumeration date 17 Jun 1880, dwelling #199, family #120, 176 Old Honey Brook, line 36.
- John Boyle to Mary Gough, Marriage Record, St. Gabriel’s Church, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA, 25 Nov 1849, Francis Brogan and Mary Monaghan, witnesses; Fr. McMahon presider.
- Ellen Boyle, daughter of John Boyle and Mary Gough, born 29 Sep 1850, baptized 29 Sep 1850, John Gettins and Mary Sheridan, sponsors, St. Gabriel’s Church, Baptismal Register, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA
- Peter Boyle, son of John Boyle and Mary Gough, born 23 Jul 1853, baptized 23 Jul 1853, James McGinley and Mary Dempsy, sponsors, St. Gabriel’s Church, Baptismal Register, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA.
- Patrick Boyle, son of James [sic] Boyle and Mary Gough, born 17 Feb 1855, baptized 18 Feb 1855, Peter Boyle and Alice Gough, sponsors, St. Gabriel’s Church, Baptismal Register, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA
- Michael Hennessy to Mary Gough, Marriage Record, St. Gabriel’s Church, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA, 14 May 1857, Patrick Kees and Ellen Scanlon witnesses; Fr. Michael L. Scanlon, presider.
- Mary Ann Hennessy, daughter of Michael Hennessy and Mary Goff, born 4 Feb 1862, baptized 7 Feb 1862, Richard Goff and Alice Goff, sponsors, St. Gabriel’s Church, Baptismal Register, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA.
- Margaret Hennessy, daughter of Michael Hennessy and Mary Gough, born 2 Jan 1864, baptized 3 Jan 1865, John Gough and Susan Gough, sponsors, St. Gabriel’s Church, Baptismal Register, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA
- Alice Hennessy, daughter of Michael Hennessy and Mary Gough, born 9 Dec 1865, baptized 14 Dec 1865, Richard Hennessy and Catherine Gough, sponsors, St. Gabriel’s Church, Baptismal Register, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA
- Peter Henessy, son of Michael Henessy and Mary Goff, born 12 Feb 1868, baptized 13 Feb 1868, Peter Goff and Letitia Goff, sponsors, St. Gabriel’s Church, Baptismal Register, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA.