The Doggart Family Genealogy

Johanna/Honora Cahillane mystery

Marilyn told me that Johanna married Michael Gleason. I noticed irishgenealogy.ie didn't quite match up with what she had said. This is her reply...

I went back and checked the 1930 U.S. census for Michael Gleason (and I know he is the correct Michael Gleason). His wife's name is listed as Anna, but I know from Bob's cousin who had extensive contact with the family that Johanna was called Anna and Han. The data in the census corresponds to a birth date in 1884 not 1881. I also went and checked the 1920 U.S. census records and Johanna is called Anna with a birth date corresponding to 1884, but - interesting to note - her date of immigration is listed as 1899, not 1901 - ah the joys of tracking down the correct dates. I'm sure that Johanna/Honora are the same person and here's why. Go to the following site: www.from-ireland.net and read about Latin names in English. Johanna/Honora are the same :) I thought I remembered Claire Houlihan telling me this when I met her, but I decided to check it out and found it to be true. So, two names, but one person.
Johanna = Jane, Joan, Jean and Honora
Now, as to the Johanna, born 1881, it's clear that the parents are Thomas and Joanna and I recognize the sponsors names. My thought is that either this child did not survive and they reused the name (not uncommon) or that the Johanna of 1881 survived and they called the child born in 1884 Honora and she later went by Johanna/Anna/Han. I think the former might be more likely, but who knows.

Also...

They had one son, Robert Gleason, b. 13 March 1917, d. 8 Feb 2010 in Hadley, Hampshire, MA. Michael Gleason owned a trucking business in Northampton.

So I'm still not sure. I suspect they were 2 different people as the dates fit nicely. I'm not planning on following every branch of my tree and this branch is getting a bit distant from my Sayers family anyway so Michael Gleason can stay as a note for now.