The Second Generation

The births of James and Elizabeth’s thirteen children span the time frame from 1867 to approximately 1900. Nine of the thirteen children emigrated to the United States; Eight settled in the Essex and Union Counties of New Jersey. The emigrations probably occurred in the 1890 to 1910 period.

A brief bit about the background to Ireland and Jersey can be found here.

Woods – Cluskey (1867 – 1900)

2.1 Maryjane (Jennie) Woods (1867 – 1934)
Maryjane was born in Clonburton, County Meath, Ireland on 20^th February 1867 and baptised at the Roman Catholic chapel of Drumconrath in the Union of Ardee on the following day, 21^st February 1867. She was the first of thirteen children and was possibly named after James mother Mary Caraher and one of her godparents, Jane Cluskey. Maryjane emigrated from Ireland to the US around 1893, initially living in the Orange area of Essex County. She married Patrick Crawley, a native of Carickmacross, (County Monaghan) on 17^th January 1897. Although Maryjane Woods and Patrick Crawley initially lived in Orange, they moved to Montclair sometime before the birth of their first child in 1897. Maryjane and Patrick had eight children, seven boys and one girl, all born in Montclair N.J. all their children eventually left Montclair, settling in other parts of New Jersey, New York and Minnesota. Maryjane died on 24^th September 1934 in Montclair and is buried in the Immaculate Conception cemetery. Patrick died on 21^st May 1942 and is buried with Maryjane.

2.2 Richard Woods (1868 – 1963)
Richard was born in Drumconrath parish on 16^th July 1868 and baptised the following day. Richard was probably named after his paternal grandfather, emigrated to the Oranges N.J. most likely in the 1890’s. Richard’s name frequently appears in documentation when immigrants from the family in Ireland arrive in America, prompting one to assume that he may have been the sponsored for several of his brothers and sisters coming into America. He settled in the Oranges living at 376 White St for most of his married life. Richard married Elizabeth Quinn in 1896 in East Orange, although documentary evidence has not been located to verify this. Richard and Elizabeth lived most of their married lives at 376 White St. White St. has since been sectioned and No 376 no longer exists, but it was adjacent to North Jefferson St. on the north, going west towards Main St. They had four children, three girls and a boy. Richard died at St Mary’s Hospital in Orange on 28^th February 1963, and is buried with his wife and one of their daughters, Mary Chapman, in St Johns cemetery in orange. Elizabeth died at home on 27^th October 1949.

2.3 Margaret Woods (1870 – 1962)
The third child, Margaret, was born in Clonburton on 7^th January 1870 and baptised on the 30^th January the same year. She was probably named after her paternal grandmother Margaret Halpeny. Margaret emigrated to America in the early 1890’s and married Edward Meeker on 3^rd July 1895. Edward was an early singer on Edison records and achieved a certain amount of fame in this area. Margaret and Edward had three children, two girls and a boy, all born in Orange, Essex, N.J. Margaret died on 10^th May 1962 in Overbrook Hospital in Cedar Grove, N.J. and is buried in St John’s cemetery in Orange. Edward was born in Orange on 26^th February 1875, one of five children of Enoch and Hattie Meeker. He died in Orange Memorial Hospital in 1937 and is buried in the Immaculate Conception cemetery in Montclair, N.J.

2.4 Thomas Woods (1871 – 1933)
Thomas was born on 2^nd May 1871 and baptised three days later in Drumconrath parish. Thomas’s death certificate identifies him as Thomas H Woods Snr, since the ‘H’ does not appear on his birth certificate; it is assumed the ‘H’ represented a confirmation name.

Thomas emigrated to America where he married Anna Clarke and settled in Cranford, N.J. They had five children, three girls and two boys. Thomas retired as a sergeant of police and died on 21^st July 1933 after being stuck by an automobile. He is buried in St Mary’s Cemetery in Plainfields, N.J.

2.5 Ellen (Nellie) Woods (1873 – 1958)
Ellen was born on 20^th April 1873 and baptised on 20^th August the same year in Drumconrath parish. She emigrated to America with Thomas and eventually married Patrick J. Taaffe around 1900. Ellen and Patrick had four children, three girls and a boy while living at 92 Ridge Avenue, West Orange N.J. Ellen died on 4^th November 1958 in West Orange and is buried with her husband in St John’s cemetery in Orange N.J.

2.6 James Woods (1875 - ?)
James is the one child of James and Elizabeth that very little is known off. He was born on the 12^th April 1875 and baptised two days later in Drumconrath parish. He emigrated to America, and according the several family sources, left the N.J. area and ‘headed west’. All efforts to locate James’s whereabouts have proved fruitless.

2.7 Elizabeth (Lizzie) Woods (1877 – 1936)
Elizabeth was born on 19^th March 1877 and baptised the following day in Drumconrath parish. She emigrated to America, and in turn sponsored the immigration of her sisters, Anna and Teresa. They initially lived with Elizabeth on arrival in America. Elizabeth married twice; the first husband was a minister, who died. The second was Frederick William Lehman, sometime before 1913. Frederick, according to his daughter Ann, came from Goerlitz, Germany, and jumped ship at Yorktown then stayed in America. Elizabeth met Frederick in Summit N.J. where she was employed as a cook and he was the gardener. Frederick was a Catholic who converted from the Lutheran faith.

They initially lived in Newark at the LaWarren apartments where Frederick was the superintendent. Their three children, two girls and a boy were all born at this address. In 1916 they moved to 50 Prospect St in Bloomfield N.J. where their daughter Ann still resided in 1981. Elizabeth died on 19^th June 1938 and is buried with Frederick in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Bloomfield.

2.8 Catherine (Katie) Woods (1879 – 1949)
Catherine was the first of the children to stay in Ireland. She was born and baptised on 6^th January 1879 in Drumconrath parish. She married Thomas Manning at Tallanstown chapel in County Meath on 4^th June 1913. There is some indication that Catherine was what is commonly known as a faith healer. They had five children, three girls and two boys. Catherine died in Ardee, County Louth, on 10^th December 1949. At present it is undecided where Thomas died, but it is believed to be in Ardee.

2.9 Patrick Woods (c1880 – 1966)
Patrick was the first of the children to be born outside of Drumconrath parish. It was in this period that James moved his family to County Louth. Patrick’s birthplace appears to be Lobinstown (not verified) in northern County Meath. Patrick married Mary Josephine O’Callaghan in September 1910 in Dunboyne, southern County Meath. They had four children, two boys and two girls. Patrick’s first three children Joseph, Ann and Bernard, appear to be named after Josephine’s family. Ann and Bernard, twins, died shortly after birth.

Patrick was a gardener by trade, having studied at the Dublin Botanical Gardens. He was later the head gardener at the Sienna Convent in Drogheda in County Louth. Patrick and Josephine apparently moved often in their early years together. Joseph, their first son was born in Kilcock, County Kildare, while their other children were born in Morningtown, outside of Drogheda. Patrick eventually retired from Sienna Convent following an accident and lived with his wife in Julianstown, south of Drogheda. Patrick died on 18^th January 1966 and is buried in Moorechurch in the Julianstown area.

2.10 Francis (Frank) Woods (1885 – 1956)

Frank was born at Rokeby Hall, Walintown, Clogherhead where the family had settled and James was working as a herdsman at Rokeby Hall. Francis’s exact date of birth is unknown but he was baptised at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Clogherhead on 15^th December 1885. Frank followed in his father’s footsteps becoming a herdsman. He married Elizabeth Ceary who was born in Tallanstown in 1895. The family home was is in Stickillen, Ardee where Francis worked as a herdsman for the estate. With the land reforms he was allocated a parcel of land in Stickillen that became the family home. At that time there was no electricity or running water. All there seven children, five boys and two girls, were born at Stickillen.

Elizabeth as well as running the family home was a faith healer. The art is pasted down through the female line of the family with Annie, the oldest son, Shamus’s wife the current custodian.

Frank died on 11^th June 1956 and is buried with Elizabeth, who died 10^th February 1952, at Louth Village Cemetery.

2.11 Anna Woods (1894? – 1936)

Anna was one of the last three children born to James and Elizabeth. According to Anna’s death certificate she was born in 1894. This date is suspect for two reasons. Firstly Elizabeth would have been 49 years old; secondly the pattern with James and Elizabeth was a child every two to three years. Assuming the data of Patrick and Francis birth is correct, the remaining three children should have been born before 1892 when Elizabeth was 45 years old. Anna’s sisters Maryjane, Ellen and Elizabeth’s death certificates indicate a birth date some five years after the actual date.

Anna Woods entered America with her sister Teresa around 1920. Anna initially lived with her sister Elizabeth Lehman, on Prospect St. in Bloomfield N.J. She married Richard Sullivan and had no children. At the time of her death on 4^th April 1936 she lived with her sister, Teresa, at Harlow St. in East Orange N.J. She is buried with her husband Richard in Mount Olivet cemetery in Bloomfield.

2.12 Teresa Woods (1896? – 1936)

Like Anna, Teresa’s birth date is suspect. Teresa entered America with Anna around 1920. Teresa also initially lived with her sister Elizabeth Lehman on Prospect St. in Bloomfield. She Married James Alfred Phillips and lived on Harlow St. in East Orange N.J.(no longer exists). Teresa and Alfred Died in 1954 and 1953 respectively and are buried in Mount Olivet cemetery in Bloomfield.

2.13 John Woods (c1890)

John is the last child of James and Elizabeth. All that is known of him is that in 1906 he was an amputee. He is buried in the family plot with his parents in Louth Village cemetery.

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This page was last updated on 28-Mar-2005. If there is anything you wish to add to this page or send your comments then please send e-mail them to: john.woods11@ntlworld.com