Searching my wife's Grandmother

Margaret Mary O'Brien

Born New York City

1896-1903


Here's what we know:

Born Name / Maiden Name:
Margaret Mary O'Brien

Born 1896-1903

She is listed as being 39 on the date of birth of Patricia (September 12th 1939), on the Birth Certificate. This also states she was born in New York City, (although we now think she could have been born in Rhode Island) but was residing in West New York, New Jersey at the time of the birth (address below).

On another birth cert she is listed as being 24 on Feb 5th 1921, which would make her born 1896-97, so who knows?

Known Addresses:

During time married(?) to Richard Walsh, she was listed on New York Times records (1927-1939) as living at:
1820 Belmont Avenue, Bronx, NY.

When Patricia was born: 207 9th Street, West New York, NJ. (12th September 1939)



Immediate Family of Margaret:

FATHER: Patrick Aloysius O'Brien
Died when Morgan was 12 (around 1906) (unconfirmed)

MOTHER: Selma O'Brien (Maiden Name: Flickinger)
1865-1966 (Buried in Hillside Cemetery, Lyndhurst, NJ)
Section G: 8 Lot 43 K-5
Died Jan 2nd 1966
Possible Entry on 1920 Census (to be verified)

BROTHER: Edward Morgan O'Brien (Buried in Hillside Cemetery, Lyndhurst, NJ)
Cemetery Record:
Section 64 #1 Lot 100
April 3rd 1892-April 20th 1959

BROTHER: Morgan J O'Brien (Buried in Hillside Cemetery, Lyndhurst, NJ)
Cemetery Record:
1894-1970
Died Sept 25th 1970
Possible Info
(Person with similar history in death index):
SSN: 068-05-6943: Issued in NY 1951
Born 19 Dec 1886: Died Sept 1970
Last Residence: Carlstadt, NJ.



Marriages of Margaret: (She may not have ever married, but these were her partners, and fathers of her children)

(1) Richard Walsh

Worked: At the New York Times from 11/19/1927 through 10/5/1934. [NEW YORK TIMES RECORD]

At Racing Form from above until his death (unconfirmed)

His Address at time: 1899 Crotona Avenue, Bronx, NY.[NEW YORK TIMES RECORD]

Died: On the way to work (while working for "Racing Form") in 1955/56. (Unconfirmed)

Date of Birth: September 25th 1894 (according to the New York Times records). [NEW YORK TIMES RECORD]

Relatives (unconfirmed): Malden, MA 02148 & Medford, MA 02155

Married (unconfirmed): When Margaret was 16 in NYC,NY. (1916-17?)

BROTHER-IN-LAW: Robert Walsh (unconfirmed)
Involved in the Stock Market heavily in MA

1ST DAUGHTER: Mary Joan Walsh (now Bayliss)
Married to John Richard Bayliss
(John is recently deceased)
Egg Harbor City, NJ. 08215-4145
Born: February 6th 1920(1921) in Providence, RI.
[RECENTLY CONFIRMED SHE WAS BORN FEB 5TH 1921 IN RHODE ISLAND, BIRTH CERTIFICATE HAS NO NAME ON IT BUT LISTS BOTH PARENTS, THEY WOULD NOT RELEASE A COPY WITHOUT CONFIRMATION OF DEATH OR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF ABOVE]

2nd DAUGHTER: Abigail Margaret Walsh (now Ferreira)
Married to Louis C Ferreira
San Diego, CA. 92117-1307
Born: September 19th 1925(1923?)
at Lennox Hospital, Bronx, NY.
Birth Certificate says "Abby" (need to obtain)



(2) William Joseph Colton

Listed as being 48 at Patricia's date of birth (9/12/1939). Apparently died within approx. 3 months of Patricia's birth. He is listed on the Birth Certificate as working as a Brakeman (for the New York Central Railroad). He worked with his brother James.

[NUN'S RECORDS SHOW THAT PATRICIA WAS PUT UNDER THEIR CARE IN THE ORPHANAGE AFTER FATHER'S DEATH. DATE OF ENTRY TO ORPHANAGE IS MAY 25 1943, SO DATE OF FATHERS DEATH WAS BETWEEN SEPT 12TH 1939 AND MAY 25TH 1943]

[NUNS RECORDS ALSO SHOW THAT THEY WERE NEVER MARRIED, AND THAT SHE WAS POSSIBLY STILL MARRIED TO RICHARD WALSH IF SHE WAS EVER MARRIED TO HIM]
3rd DAUGHTER: Patricia Anne Colton
Born: September 12th 1939

BROTHER-IN-LAW (William's Brother): James Joseph Colton (Buried in Westwood
Cemetery, Westwood, NJ) 1887-1957



(3) William Neihouser/Neihous/Niehaus
[NO RECORDS OF THIS HAVE BEEN FOUND]

It is unknown if there were any children from this marriage.




Known Events

Patricia Colton was born September 12th 1939 @ 5.43am, at the Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital, at the Jersey City Medical Center. The parents were Margaret Mary O'Brien and William Joseph Colton, who are listed on her Birth Certificate as both being born in New York City. Her mother was shown as being 39 at the time, and her father was shown as being 48. She was also listed as being the 5th child, so we can assume her mother lost 2 children at birth or at an early age. Her father was listed as working for the New York Central Railroad, as a Brakeman. She was delivered by Doctor D.A. January M.D.

When Patricia was approx 3 months old, she was turned over to her father, William Joseph Colton (approx. late 1939-early 1940, could be up to 5.25.43). This was supposedly by the police because her mother was an alcoholic, who had apparently been arrested for Public Drunkenness, and once left her sitting outside a bar, and the neighbors complained.

Her father died soon after (poss. around 5.25.43) and she was placed in an orphanage at the Catholic Charities. She was put in the care of Father Keys and Sister Rita Ponzini (possibly spelt Pondzie), in North Bergen at the (5.25.43) Barbara Givernauds Home/Orphanage. The address she remembers is "Catholic Charitys, 31 Mulberry Street, Newark, NJ".

When she was approximately 12 years old, she was moved in with Foster Parents, Michael and Rita McCartney(Possible Info: Rita McCartney ((NY) 29 March 1917 - 7th April 1990) where she remained for about 1 year. At this point she was taken back by the Catholic Charities after stories of abuse by these foster parents. Also at this time, the sister and brother-in-law of the Foster parents were attempting to adopt Patricia, but were refused because her mother was still alive and refused to sign the papers. She was then moved to St. Josephs Home, 81 York St, Jersey City (8.5.52).

Just before she reached age 14 (8.19.53), she was rebellious and was moved to the Greystone Institution, until she was 17.

She was then removed by her mother, on approximately January 18th 1958. Her mother was living with Mr. William Neihouser / Neihous / Niehaus at the time, and was told she could not have Patricia back unless they were married, which they did before her return on the 18th. After approximately 1 week, Patricia's boyfriend, Richard Ganza removed her from the Neihouser home.

A lot of the spellings may be incorrect, most notably that of "Neihouser / Neihous / Niehaus".
Patricia was married by the then Mayor of Paramus, Mr Galda, on June 7th 1958. She was then re-married in the Catholic Church on June 13th 1959 at St. Michaels, in Union City.

Patricia's Other Known Info:
Baptised St Marys Hospital Hoboken 9.13.41
Barbara Givernauds Orphanage Admission 5.25.43
First communion St Francis Church Union City approx 6yr

Discharged from home (to foster care?) 8.10.45

Confirmation: 6.2.51 St Francis, Union City

St Josephs (81 York St, Jersey City) from Foster home 8.5.52
Admission to Greystone 8.19.53


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