More about the Family

My Father's Side of the Family

Boston

My Great-granduncle's World War One draft card.

My Great-grandfather's World War Two draft card.

According to the research I've done through Ancestry.com, I've found out that the bearers of my surname to whom I am directly related arrived in the U.S. from Scotland sometime before 1830 in the person of James Boston. The family seems to have stayed in the Philadelphia area throughout much of the one hundred-seventy plus years of their residence in this country. This is not to say children did not move to different areas; I mean that the individuals to whom I am directly related spent much of their residence in the greater Philadelphia area or in the city itself.

Ancestry.com has allowed me to research the occupations of my relatives. I've found that my great-grandfather, H.G. Boston, owned a butcher shop in Philadelphia. I was able to verify this with my own knowledge based on information I've gotten over the years through stories told by my grandfather. H.G.'s father, James, was a milkman, as was his father. Census information for James Boston of Scotland, my first direct relative to live in America, is unclear as to his occupation.

I am Catholic, as is much of my immediate family on my father's side. This is not a longstanding situation. My great-grandfather, H.G. Boston, converted to Catholicism in order to marry my great-grandmother, Marian Lynch. All of the Bostons of Philadelphia to that point were of some Protestant denomination. Why do I think this is significant? I think it poses a sort of irony in light of the history of Philadelphia and my family history. According to the research I've done, and to the family tree drafted by my cousin, I am related to many of the movers and shakers of American Protestantism (the Wightmans, Roger Williams). The 1840s in Philadelphia saw anti-Catholic riots by Protestant Nativists in the city. It's quite possible I had relatives who empathized with the sentiments of that riot. How strange it would be for them to think on their present descendants! Irony! That's what genealogy means to me.

Following is a link to Census documents spanning one hundred years of my family, from my grandfather (1930 census, Harry, 5 years old) to the first of my relatives in America.

• Census Documents

Gannon

My research unfortunately turned up very little on the Gannons. I am related to them through my grandmother Rita (deceased). Her father was named John, was born in about 1886, and was a fireman. Her mother was Ellen, and was born in around 1888. The lack of information on the Gannons that I've found is likely due to the recency of their time in America. According to the census data I have been able to find, both of my grandmother's parents were born in Ireland. My grandmother's oldest sister, Mary, was seventeen at the time of the 1930 census, the census from which I've drawn much of my information on the Gannons. She was born in the United States. My great-grandparents Gannon, then, must have arrived in the U.S. sometime before 1913.

Lynch

I am related to the Lynches through my great-grandmother, Marian Boston (nee Lynch). Her father was Eugene L. Lynch, born in New York, 1863. Marian's mother, Mary Lynch (nee Langan), was born in Pittston, PA, in 1870. Eugene's father was Thomas R. Lynch, a veteran of the Civil War. Thomas served in the 77th New York Milita as a colonel. The following paragraph is the regimental history of the 77th New York Militia, as listed by Ancestry.com

"SEVENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.

This regiment, not now in existence, but then located at New York city, was mustered in the service of the United States for 100 days, August 2, 1864; commanded by Col. Thomas Lynch, it (seven companies) served at the depot at Elmira, and, November 19, 1864, it was mustered out and honorably discharged from the United States service at New York city, to date November 9, 1864, having lost during its service by death of disease, one officer.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 2"

The following is the Ancestry.com entry for Thomas Lynch.

Name: Thomas Lynch

• Enlistment Date: 12 Jul 1864
• Enlistment Place: New York City, New York
• Side Served: Union
• State Served: New York
• Service Record: Commission in 69th Militia Regiment New York.

Enlisted as a Colonel on 12 July 1864. Commission in Company S, 77th Infantry Regiment New York on 2 Aug 1864.

Mustered Out Company S, 77th Infantry Regiment New York on 9 Nov 1864.

The following link leads to Census documents on the Lynches. Census Documents

My Great-grandmom Boston's (Marian Lynch) baby photo.

This is a pension request from the Civil War showing Thomas's rank as Capt. in 69th N.Y. Militia Infantry Co. B; and Colonel in 77th N.Y. Militia Infantry

Wightman

I'm related to the Wightman family through my great-great-grandmother Sophia. Her father was Isaac Wightman. Isaac was born 1816 in Philadelphia. His father Nathan Wightman was born in 1780 in Groton, New London County, CT. Nathan's father, another Isaac, was born in 1744 in Groton. Isaac's father was Timothy Wightman, a Baptist minister, born 1719 in Groton. Timothy's father was Valentine Wightman, a Baptist minister born in April of 1681. Through Valentine's mother-in-law, Mary Sayles, I am related to Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island. The Wightman Families International lists a genealogy chart listing some more of Valentine Wightman's, and thus my, ancestors. Interesting among them is Edward Wightman, the last man burnt at the stake for heresy in England.

Coleflesh

I know very little about the Colfleshes, my research turning up very few clues. I am related to them through my great-great-great-grandmother Amanda. Her family had lived in Montgomery County since at least 1750. At some point in history, the family name was changed from Kalbfleisch to Coleflesh. I assume this change occurred when the family immigrated to the United States in the mid to early-18th century. Census information I have found regarding Amanda's father, John Harner Coleflesh, has indicated that he was a farmer. My other information about the Colefleshes comes from the family tree generated by my cousin.

My Mother's Side of the Family

Cogan

I've not been able to find out a great deal about them, unfortunately. I am related through my mom (maiden name, Cogan).