Finding Where in Connecticut Patrick McCarry was born

                                                                                     
                                                                                                   Tracking down these two documents I have learned a valuable lesson. The Best Thing is to Begin with What you KNOW!

I thought I had done that when I tried before to find out where Patrick McCarry, my great grand uncle, was born. I knew that Patrick, along with his two older siblings, had been born in Connecticut. But in what town? That was not clear. On his marriage license it said he was born in Thomason, Conn. and his WWII registration card said he was born in Thompsonville, Connecticut.

According to the Connecticut Towns and Counties Map, "compliments of Chuck and Molly", that I found online, there is the town of Thompson over in the very northeast corner of the state in Windham County. And then there is Thomaston in Litchfield County. This seemed like the logical one to me because Mary had been born in Naugatuck and James in Waterbury. Both of these just in the county next to Litchfield, New Haven County. I had tried before to check with both of the towns but kinda got the run around and put it aside. But a few weeks ago after being inspired by a Legacy webinar I thought about trying a different approach to the problem.

I knew that even though Mary and James were born in a different town that they were baptized in the same Church, St Francis in Naugatuck. So I called the church and this time asked if they had a record for Patrick. I figured it was worth a shot since the town of Thomaston was not that far away. But they did not have a record for him. I explained that I thought it could be Thomaston and could they tell me what Catholic Churches would have been there in 1879. She found that there was only one Catholic Church and that was St Thomas and she gave me their number. I called when I got off with her. the secretary told me that I needed to send her the information and she would look it up. I sent her an email right away and the next day I had a reply that they did have a baptism record for Patrick. She also included the phone number for the Town Clerk. I called her right away and she did find a birth record for Patrick.

Unfortunately of the 6 children of Patrick and Margaret (O'Connell) McCarry this is the only one that I have this much information for. I do have baptism records for Mary and James but there are no birth records. Their oldest son, Hugh, was born in Philadelphia before they traveled to Connecticut and Margaret was born in New York as they were making their way back to Philadelphia. I have found no birth records for her and have not been able to find what church they may have gone to when she was born. Their youngest, John, was born in Philadelphia and the birth records were spotty. I do know where they lived there and the church they went to. I just have to get info from the Archdiocese's archives. Hopefully they will have his baptism record. They also might have one for Hugh. Keeping my fingers crossed while I keep looking.

Right now I am excited for my new finds!!!!