The following was first transcribed from the original letter by Michael J. Keating on 06/29/1980. I later re-typed it on 08/13/1996. This letter mentions all three immigrant Keating brothers, John, Patrick, and Simon. The story of the shipwreck still captivates me to this day. I’ll follow up on this letter with some anecdotes regarding the contents.

AN ACCOUNT OF JOHN CHARLES KEATING: A LETTER FROM HIS SON, THOMAS P. KEATING, TO CHARLES A. KEATING OF FROSTBURG, 02/23/42.

John C Keating was born in the small city of Ballymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland, about 35 miles from Dublin. He was one of a large family of seven boys and two girls. They all grew up large, strong and healthy men and women. On account of the coercive laws of England they had no schools at that time, and as a result they had no education.

As a young man, he worked at carrying large sacks of grain up in a large building for storage purposes (there were not any elevators in those days). He was a large, strong man, 5′11-1/2 in his stocking feet, and 210 lbs.

He married early in life Julia Hyland, also from Ballymore, a very smart and capable young woman. The Keating family were poor, while the Hylands were well to do. The bride was very popular, and they had many valuable wedding presents. They packed all into four large trunks and started on their wedding trip to America, the land of freedom and of their dreams.

This was before steamboats came into use. They started on a sail boat. The trip generally took six weeks; this trip took eleven weeks. They were wrecked in mid-Atlantic Ocean at midnight. John C. Keating and a watchman were the only ones on deck when the storm struck. The first wave burst in the hatch on one side of the boat, and the water rushed down on the passengers and crew in their berths. They were frantic, and all rushed for the ladders. John C. Keating and the watchman stood at the top of the ladder and pulled them up. Each person had a hold of one ahead and would not let loose until their hold was broken. This made it hard work; they had to pull until someone’s hold broke; sometimes two would come, and sometimes three. It was daylight before they got them all up. Then in the meantime they got the pumps working and carpenters boarding up the side. John C. Keating was the hero on this occasion. The passengers presented him with a purse to show their appreciation.

This same ship was wrecked again when going through Long Island Sound. It ran on a sandbar. There was a life-saving station there, and they got a line to the boat, then a second line. They took the passengers off two at a time loaded in the little boat (women first). So Father and Mother were separated and landed at different parts of the shore. He wandered and searched all night, wet, cold, and hungry, for Mother. It was a cold winter night. He finally found her sitting on the steps of an old building looking out at sea nearly frozen with her wet clothing. They lost all their baggage. Of course, they still had some money and the purse the passengers gave him. They drifted down to a small town in Connecticut where he secured a job cutting ice during the winter.

This was in 1853; James Buchanan was president of the U.S.A., and the country was in an awful depression. The government opened poor houses to help feed the people. They rationed out corn meal and bacon twice a week.

They lived there during the winter, and while still there his brother Pat Keating came out from Ireland — left his wife and one young son behind. Pat got a job cutting wood with an axe and chopped his foot; he never used an axe before (They used a Bil Hook for choppingin Ireland). Then they all left for Mt. Savage, Md.

John C. Keating secured a job on the railroad, and Pat went to work as housman for a Mr. A.C. Greene, Supt. of the old Borden Mining Co.. This was in 1854.

The railroad had wooden rails with one-inch strap iron spiked on; the road bed was not solid. This caused much vibration, and the spikes on the ends worked loose and out, and caused the strap iron to cock up on the loose ends. If it got high enough, it would run over the top of the wheels and wreck the engine or train. So they pushed a flat car in front and had a man posted there as a lookout to watch ahead. This was his first job, and he was getting along all right.

Then they rented a house on a sixty acre farm two miles from Mt. Savage about 1/2 a mile east from the village Allegany, and this was the first effort to start the Keating clan in Western Maryland.

After about three months at his job, he missed seeing one of the loose joints sticking up, and he landed in a culvert on his head; he was out for ten hours; his neck and shoulder were badly bruised and skull fractured. Being a very strong man, he seemed to recover quickly and it did not bother him. He continued until he was getting up to about fifty years and it continued to get worse and evenutally caused his untimely death, he being only 58 when he passed away.

After he fully recovered, he went to work in a rolling mill in Mt. Savage, swinging a 95-lb hammer. There was two such hammers in use there; the other one was swung by his brother, Simon Keating. This was heavy work, and it took a very strong man to do it, and it paid extra. His brother Simon stood 6′2 in his stocking geet and weighed 220lbs.

After a couple of years, Pat Keating quit his job with Mr. Greene and left Frostburg for Fort Duquesne — now Pittsburgh, Pa. — over the old Braddock’s Road in a heavy old-time jolt wagon with his wife and child through the wilderness of the Allegheny Mountains. Pat was a man with vision and plenty of nerve. Coal was just coming into use, and he started the first coal yard in Pittsburgh and made a lot of money quickly. Then he quit the coal business and he and John C. Keating went into building new railroads all around the country. They spent about fifteen years at railroad building, made plenty of money, and spent and lost money. After that John C. Keating went to work at the New Hope Mine as coal inspector (or dock boss).

After building the house [183 McCulloh St. in Frostburg], the family moved from the little farm. Your father [John W. Keating, 1871 - 1941] was about fourteen years old when we moved. All of the family were born there except the oldest girl, Jerry Counihan’s mother.

John C. Keating was always on time for all his duties or appointments in life; he never missed one. He kept his word at all times; he was very quiet and reserved. He was not only a Catholic, but he lived his religion. He went regular to all his duties, and all his family had to join him at 9 P.M. each night to recite the holy rosary. He never bought anything on credit. He could look the whole world in the face for he envied not any man. I have pulled back the curtain that (illegible) his life and found no dark spots or skeleton in his closet. And he is surely gone to heaven.

Primarily a reunion of the descendants and cousins of John Keating and Sara Pope of western Maryland, more distant cousins are welcome, and have shown up with increasing frequency over the last several years.

For additional information, please contact me or leave a comment below. I will also post more details as plans progress.

Karen Marie Keating Ridenour, 48

JAN. 1, 1961-NOV. 21, 2009

Karen Marie (Keating) Ridenour, 48

Karen Marie Keating Ridenour, 48, of Hagerstown, Md., died Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, in Hagerstown.
Born Jan. 1, 1961, in Frostburg, Md., she was the daughter of Bernard A. and Phyllis C. Livengood Keating of Hagerstown.

She graduated from Williamsport High School, class of 1979, and received her associate degree in early childhood education from Hagerstown Community College.

She was previously employed with the Washington County Department of Social Services and the Jim Thorpe Elementary School, Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nev.

She attended St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Karen was an avid bingo player.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her husband, Brian Ridenour; two sisters, Tina Wolfensberger of Hagerstown and Julie Slusarz of Fairplay, Md.; maternal grandmother, Gladys Livengood of Frostburg, Md.; aunts; uncles; nieces; and nephews.

She was preceded in death by one daughter, Kelsey Ridenour; and one sister, Sharon Ann Gay.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 17630 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, with the Rev. Christopher Moore as celebrant. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Minnich Funeral Home, 415 E. Wilson Blvd., Hagerstown, on Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m.

Memorial donations may be made to the John R. Marsh Cancer Center, 11110 Medical Campus Road, Suite 129, Hagerstown, MD 21742; or Hospice of Washington County, 747 Northern Ave., Hagerstown, MD 21742.

Online condolences are accepted at www.minnichfh.com.

Source: “Karen Marie Keating Ridenour, 48”, The Herald–Mail, Hagerstown, Maryland, 23 November 2009, viewed online at <http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=234719&format=html> on 23 November 2009.

Reunion Flyer

Mrs. John F. Counihan

Mrs. Mary Teresa Counihan, 65, of 231 Race Street, died yesterday at her home after an illness of two months.

Born in Frostburg, she was a daughter of the late Robert John and Teresa May (Conrad) Hart. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Surviving are her husband, John F. Counihan; four daughters, Mrs. Mary Catherine Solomon, Rock Hill, S. C.; Mrs. Ruth E. Blake, and Mrs. Mary Teresa Brown, city, and Mrs. Teresa N. Rummer, Philadelphia; five sons, Joseph J. Counihan, city; Adrian H. Counihan, Baltimore; Lewis E., John F. and Robert L. Rummer, city; four sisters, Mrs. Pearl Meager, Eckhart; Mrs. Kathleen Wagner, Akron; Mrs. Cecil Meeks, Huffman; and Mrs. Ruth Coniff, city; 21 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

The body is at the SilcoxFuneral Residence where the family will receive friends from 2 until 4 p.m. and 7 until 9 p.m. The rosary will be recited there tomorrow at 8:45 p.m.

Requiem mass will be celebrated Thursday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery.

Source: Mrs. John F. Counihan, Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 28 May 1963, p 22.

Mrs. Teresa C. Rummer

Mrs. Teresa (Counihan) Rummer, 33, of 166 Thomas Street, died early today at Mt. Wilson Hospital, Pikesville, following a lingering illness.

She was born in Frostburg, the daughter of John F. and Mary (Hart) Counihan, but had resided in Cumberland most of her life. Her husband was the late Louis E. Rummer.

Besides her parents, she is survived by three sons, Lewis, John and Robert Rummer; two daughters, Teresa and Mary Rummer, all at home; three brothers, John J., Joseph J. and Adrian H. Counihan, two sisters, Mrs. Mary Solomon and Mrs. Ruth Blake, all of Cumberland.

The body will be at the residence.

Source: Mrs. Teresa C. Rummer, Cumberland Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 25 March 1949, Second Section, p 1.

Lewis E. Rummer

Services will be conducted Saturday at 3:30 p. m. at the home of the father-in-law, John F. Counihan, 866 Maryland avenue, for Lewis E. Rummer, who died yesterday afternoon at the Maryland State Hospital, Sabillasville. Mr. Rummer resided with his father-in-law.

The Rev. Edward P. Heinze, pastor of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran church, will officiate at the services.

Surviving Mr. Rummer are his widow, Mrs. Teresa A. (Counihan) Rummer; five children, Lewis E. Jr., John, Robert, Mary and Theresa Ann Rummer, at home; his mother, Mrs. Bertha May Rummer, Wiley Ford, W. Va.; three brothers, James Rummer, Delaware; Walter Rummer, Cumberland, and Merle Rummer, overseas; three sisters, Mrs. Charles Hall and Mrs. Irvin Breighner, Wiley Ford, and Mrs. Frank Lanam, Cumberland.

Source: Lewis E. Rummer, Cumberland Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 21 September 1944, Second Section, p 1.

Mrs. Keating Funeral Tomorrow

The funeral of Mrs. Annie K. (Cronin) Keating, wife of Thomas P. Keating, who died at Miami, Florida, March 16, will be held from the home of her sister, Mrs. Michael O’Neill, 33 Cottage street, tomorrow morning, with a solemn high mass of requiem at Sacred Heart church at 9 o’clock. Burial will be in St. Bernard’s cemetery.

Mrs. Keating is survived by her husband, two sons, Thomas L. Keating of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Walter A. Keating of this city, three sisters, Mrs. O’Neill, Miss Margaret Conlin of Boston, and Mrs. John Reilly, Gardner.

The body will arrive here tonight at 9 o’clock and will be taken by William P. Mallahy, undertaker, in the home of Mrs. O’Neill.

Source: Mrs. Keating Funeral Tomorrow, Fitchburg Sentinal, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 25 March 1936, p 5.

Notes:

1. I was told that Annie’s last name was Snow, the same name as Thomas L. Keating’s wife. This may have been a mistake.
2. Her name is Cronin, the same name as the husband of Thomas P. Keating’s sister, Mary Cronin — Patrick Cronin.
3. Why, if her name was Cronin, was her sister “Miss Conlin”?
4. What drew this particular line of Keatings to Fitchburg, Mass?
5. Saint Bernard’s Cemetery is located in Fitchburg, Worchester County, Massachusetts.

Fireman Mistaking Order Jumps From Locomotive And Dies

John J. Counihan, Father of Two, Killed in Accident Near Rawlings

A new fireman was killed near Rawlings today when he misunderstood his engineer’s instructions and jumped from the cab of a big locomotive hauling a westbound Baltimore and Ohio extra freight train.

John Joseph Counihan, 34, of Route 5, Winchester Road, father of two children, leaped into the path of an eastbound extra freight heading toward Cumberland.

Dr. H. V. Deming, deputy county medical examiner, said Counihan suffered the loss of his left leg below the knee, a fractured skull and head laceration. He attributed death to loss of blood.

Asks For Blower

Chester F. Williams, superintendent of the railroad’s Cumberland Division, filed this report to Baltimore headquarters:

“The Engineer reached for the injector to turn fresh water into the boiler an found the handle had become disconnected. The train was moving slowly so he left his seat and stepped out on the running board along the side of the locomotive to connect the injector handle. As he stepped from the cab he shouted to Counihan to turn on a blower.

“The head brakeman, also in the cab, said he thought the engineer had shouted that the locomotive was about to blow up. He jumped from the right side of the cab and the fireman leaped offf the other.

“Counihan had been on the road only two weeks.”

The engineer was W. D. Ambrose of Fort Ashby, W. Va. With him in the cab of the westbound freight was J. E. Harrison, the head brakeman.

Ambrose estimated his train was going about 15 miles an hour at the time of the accident at 2:36 a.m., about an eight of a mile north of Rawlings, eight miles southwest of Cumberland.

Eastbound Passenger Train No. 24 was flagged by the crew of Counihan’s freight and backed up into Rawlings with the injured fireman. He was put in an ambulance there for the trip to Memorial Hospital.

Formerly at Celanese

Counihan, up until his employment with the railroad, was a spinner at the Amcelle Plant of Celanese Corporation. He was furloughed in October, members of the family report.

During World War II, Counihan served as a seaman in the Navy at Bainbridge and Norfolk, Va. He was married to the former Edith Catherine Carlisle.

He was born in Cumberland July 2, 1917, the son of John F. and Teresa (Hart) Counihan, 166 Thomas Street.

His children are Loretta, 13, and Robert, 11. He also leaves two sisters, Mrs. A. P. Solomon, Rock Hill, S. C., and Mrs. Ruth Blake, this city, and two brothers, Adrian H. Counihan, stationed in the Navy at Norfolk, and Joseph Counihan, this city.

Counihan received his education at St. Mary’s School and Fort Hill High School.

The body is at the Scarpelli Funeral Home.

Source: Fireman Mistaking Order Jumps From Locomotive And Dies, Cumberland Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 4 January 1952, p. 1 — second section.

John was my second cousin, once removed.

Sister Mary Esprit

FROSTBURG — Sister Mary Saint Esprit of the Order of the Good Shepherd, 92, died Tuesday in St. Mary’s Hospital, Troy, N. Y., following a fall in which she suffered a broken hip.

The former Miss Agnes Keating, she was born near Frostburg, a daughter of the late John C. and Catherine Keating, who came hear from Ireland in 1847. She was the last surviving member of her family.

Sister Mary served as Mother Superior at convents in Springfield, Mass., and Albany and Troy, N. Y.

Surviving are a number of nieces and nephews, six of whom are members of religious orders.

A requiem mass was celebrated yesterday in Troy and interment took place there.

Source: Sister Mary Esprit, Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 12 December 1958, p. 14.

Sister Mary St. Esprit was my great-grandaunt. She can be found in my database here. This article indicates that she was 92 at the time of her death, but records indicate that she was born in 1867, which would have made her 91.

Visitors Honored With Surprise Family Reunion

Mr. and Mrs.  William J. McGrath and daughter, Theresa Ann, of Upper Darby, Pa., were honored at a surprise family reunion held in Constitution Park, Sunday.

Mrs. McGrath, the former Miss Catherine Counihan, is a former resident of Frostburg. During her visit here with her daughter, Mrs. McGrath is a guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Snyder, 31 Massachusetts Avenue. She has many relatives in this area.

Attending were Mr. and Mrs. James P. Kenney and family, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kenney and Mrs. and Mrs. Bernard Kenney, all of Frostburg; Mr. and Mrs. Glen Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. William Wilson and family, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Wilson and family, Mrs. Geraldine Green and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Counihan and family.

Mr. and Mrs. William H. Brown and family, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Shaffer and family, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Kenney and family, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Snyder and family, Cumberland; Mrs. Rita K. Carter, LaVale; Mrs. Chris Kenney and Mrs. James Foote and family of Lonaconing; and Mr. and Mrs. John Bean and children of Barton.

Source: Visitors Honored With Surprise Family Reunion, Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 18 August 1961, p. 4.

The reunion was held on Sunday, 13 August 1961.

Mrs. William McGrath

Mrs. Catherine M. McGrath, 82, died yesterday at Memorial Hospital. She had been a patient at the Cumberland Nursing Home.

A native of Frostburg, she was a daughter of the late John and Mary (Keating) Counihan and was the widow of William J. McGrath. A former resident of Upper Darby, Pa., she moved here two years ago and was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Teresa Ann Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa.; two brothers, Jerry Counihan, Eustis, Fla., and John Counihan, city; two grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

The body is at the Scarpelli Funeral Home where friends will be received from 2 until 4 and 7 until 9 p.m.

Mass of the resurrection will be celebrated tomorrow at 9 a.m., at St. Mary’s Church. Interment will be in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Frostburg.

The rosary will be recited at the funeral home today at 7:30 p.m.

Source: Mrs. William McGrath, The Cumberland News, Cumberland, Maryland, 2 July 1971, p. 18.

Former Resident Dies in Philadelphia, PA

Frostburg, Md., March 25 — John Counihan, aged 71 years, a former well known resident of this place, died Monday evening in Philadelphia at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Katie McGrath. His body will be brought to the home of another daughter, Mrs. James Kenney, West Main street. The funeral will be held at an hour to be announced later in St. Michael’s Catholic Church. Interment will be in the church cemetery.

Mr. Counihan is survived by the following children: Mrs. James Kenney, this place; Mrs. Katie McGrath, of Philadelphia; Reverand Mother Imaculate, Superior of the local Ursuline Convent; Jeremiah and John, of Cumberland. He leaves two brothers, Patrick and Joseph Counihan, and three sisters, Mrs. Mary Donahue, Mrs. Margaret Zeveily, all of Wheeling, W. Va.

Source: Former Resident Dies in Philadephia, PA, Cumberland Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 25 March 1925, p. 10.

John Counihan married the first Keating of my line born in the United States, Catherine Elizabeth Keating. Catherine was the sister of my great-grandfather, John William Keating.

It was 23 years ago, at the age of 68, that Jeremiah A. (Jerry) Counihan began thinking about plans for the “tennis match of the century” in 1984. He was to have been the principal  in that match, called by him the “century” battle because he would have been 100 years old then.

Later, when he was in 70s and playing better than ever, Jerry expanded his plans to a series. Instead of just one match, he would participate in an even 100 — starting in Florida, going into Western Pennsylvania and winding up in Cumberland. The climax, according to his long–range arrangements, would be played in Cumberland at the Garlitz courts. Jerry’s opponent in this one was to have been Joe Garlitz who will fall short of the century mark in 1984 by six years.

None of those 100 anniversary matches will be played, however, as Jerry Counihan, a man who didn’t start playing tennis until he was 52, died here Saturday at the age of 91 and was laid to rest this morning.

It was with tongue in cheek that Jerry, a retired insurance man, with typical Irish wit, began lining up his opponents for 1984. Just about everyone he asked to meet him in ‘84 accepted the offer in the spirit in which it was made. No man, of course, is master of his own destiny but all of Jerry’s challengers liked the idea of still being alive when he would have been 100.

Jerry Counihan, while kidding about the 100 matches in his 100th year of life, was very serious about the net sport once he got started. In fact, he was playing  tournament tennis at 68. In the Pittsburgh Parks Tournament of 1952 Jerry won his first two singles matches but it was the third, the one he lost, that turned out to be most memorable for him.

As he was walking of the court following the defeat, Mr. Counihan was stopped by a man he did not at first recognize who offered his congratulations. “Why compliment me?” Jerry asked, pointing out that he was the loser, not the winner.

“I’m aware that you lost,” replied the stranger. “I watched the entire match. Your opponent was too fast for you but at your age you gave him a great game.”

The man turned out to be Julius Boise who at that time had been tennis professional at the Allegheny Country Club in Pittsburgh for 40 years. “Such a compliment from a man who knew so much about the sport was a great tonic for me,” Jerry was to explain later.

The ego building congratulations came just a couple of months after Jerry Counihan took his first tennis lessons at the age of 68. This was in Florida, 16 years after he had taken up the game in Cumberland.

While watching a match in the winter of 1952 in Florida, Jerry was so impressed with the play of one of the participants that he decided to learn more about the man. Told that his name was Russell Harned, pro at the duPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del., Jerry lost no time in looking him up. As he put it, “I asked him if he could teach an old man to play the game.”

Harned was far from being enthusiastic about filling his request. “I won’t know if I can teach you until we hit to each other,” the pro confided. After about 30 minutes or so of stroking the ball back and forth, Harned was even more discouraging.

“I have never had much success in teaching a person as old as you,” the pro frankly stated. “Besides, just about everything you do is wrong. Getting you to change your style at this age will be mighty tough. I don’t think you would want to waste your money on lessons.”

Mr. Counihan, his Irish stubbornness showing through, was determined to prove Harned’s prophecy false. Harned was impressed with the determination of “Wrong Way Counihan” and finally relented, but informed Jerry he could give him only three lessons before returning home.

Changing his stroke and other techniques, Harned told his pupil prior to departing, “Don’t go back to your old ways even if you think you can win. It may take a year to catch on to the correct forehand stroke but don’t worry about it. You’ll get it if you practice.”

His showing in the open Pittsburgh tourney was proof that he practiced a great deal. Harned was apparently quite pleased with the way Jerry came around and as a result of those three lessons the two men became lasting friends. In fact, Jerry penned a long letter of recommendation that helped Harned land a profitable position with World Tennis in New York.

While Jerry’s enthusiasm never wavered as he advanced in years, physical fate dealt him an unkind blow. Arthritis caught up with him and while it didn’t exactly knock him off the courts, it prevented him from playing.  As his condition worsened his activity was restricted to standing in one place and exchanging shots with anyone who would hit to him.

In his boyhood days, Jerry played baseball and football in Frostburg. He was a lineman on the Crescent AC team that battled the highly–favored Frostburg Normal (now Frostburg State College) to a scoreless tie in 1903.

Source: J. Suter Kegg’s Tapping the Keg, Cumberland Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 16 December 1975, p. 13.

Jeremiah Counihan

Jeremiah Counihan

Jeremiah (Jerry) A. Counihan, 91, formerly of 224 Harrison Street, died yesterday. He had been ill three years.

Born in Frostburg, he was a son of the late John and Catherine (Keating) Counihan.

Mr. Counihan was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and was an avid tennis enthusiast, having played while in his seventies.

He was a retired assistant district superintendent of the Prudential Insurance Company and was a member of Knights of Columbus Council 1442, Frostburg and the Third Degree of that Council.

Twice married, his first wife, Mrs. Theresa (Burkey) Counihan, died in 1918, and his second wife, Mrs. Regina (Mattingly) Counihan, died in 1969.

Surviving are two sons, Joseph P. Counihan, RD 3, Bedford Road; Thomas P. Counihan, this city; two daughters, Mrs. Julia Wilson, Bowman’s addition; Mrs. Rose Shaffer, city; 15 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.

Friends will be received today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Shaffer Funeral Home.

Services will be conducted in the funeral home tomorrow at 1 p.m. The Rev. Charles Paskel will officiate and interment will be in the Branch Mountain Methodist Cemetery, Three Churches.

Source: Jeremiah Counihan, Cumberland Sunday Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 14 December 1975, p. 34.

Jerry, my first cousin-twice removed, was indirectly responsible for getting me hooked on genealogy. His letter to my Granduncle Charles Keating, detailing the Keating family history and immigration, was what started me on this journey.

John F. Counihan

John Francis Counihan, formerly of 231 Race Street, died yesterday.

Born in Frostburg, he was a son of the late John and Catherine (Keating) Counihan. His wife, Mary T. (Hart) Counihan, also preceded him in death.

Mr. Counihan was a retired machinist for the B&O Railroad. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Brotherhood of International Railway Machinists.

Surviving are two sons, Joseph J. Counihan, Pittsburgh, and Adrian H. Counihan, Baltimore; two daughters, Mrs. Mary C. Salomon, Rock Hill, S.C., and Mrs. Ruth E. Grimm, Littleston, Pa.; a brother, Jerry Counihan, city; 24 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

The body is at the Scarpelli Funeral Home, where friends will be received today from 7 to 9 p.m. and tomorrow from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.

Source: John F. Counihan, The Cumberland News, Cumberland, Maryland, 24 November 1973, p.14.

I’m trying to identify everyone in the wedding picture. If you can help, click on the image to go to the flickr.com page where it is hosted.

There, if you move your mouse over the picture, you’ll see notes indicating who I’ve identified so far. Please feel free to add your own or write a comment below. Move your mouse over the boxes to see who that person is.

You can see a larger image by clicking on the “All Sizes” button above the image on flickr.com.

Over the years, I’ve put together staple–bound family histories created by my primary genealogy program. The resulting histories are distributed at the reunions and corrected or added–to on the spot and brought home as keepsakes (and sometimes ignored).

This year, I’m considering asking each of my family members to write a page (either individually or as a family group) about what they’ve done over the last year and send them back to me in time to include them in the family history. Each year, we’ll repeat the process, adding new chapters to the family’s ongoing history.

I expect sending a sample blank page (and possibly my own as an example) in mid January, and then resending or reminding every two months would get a sufficient response. That would give me one month to put everything together.

I also think it is time to start binding the family histories into something a bit more keepsake–worthy (or at least something more durable than staples…). I’ll need to look into what Kinko’s has to offer, and the costs involved.

KEATING—Mr. and Mrs. Leo F., Baltimore, a daughter there Tuesday. The mother is the former Susannah M. Boch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Boch, 7 Locust Street, LaVale. Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Keating, West National Highway, Frostburg.

Source: Births, Cumberland Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 3 January 1975, p. 16.