The Doggart Family Genealogy

Denis Sears migration to USA

This is wrong in places

Denis Sayers I875

Denis left Ireland for America onboard the SS Majestic aged 11. He was travelling with his sister Hannah (16) and his father Thomas (52).
The ship left Ireland from Queenstown in Cork on the 22nd May 1902, now known as Cobh, and arived in New York a week later on 29th May 1902.

The ship SS Majestic was a steamship operated by the White Star Line. Built in Belfast in 1890 by Harland and Wolff it held the coveted Blue Riband accolade in 1891 for the fastest time for a passenger ship crossing the Atlantic with a time of 5d 18h 5m. In 1895 her captain was Edward Smith who went on to become the captain of the Titanic. It was able to carry 1,500 passengers.

There were 11 other people from Dingle on the ship. All were single.

According to the ship's log the Sayers family were planning on travelling to Holyoke, Massachussets to stay with Thomas's brother Denis at 19 Brook St Holyoke Holyoke, Mass.

Moving on 18 years to the 1920 US Census.

I found a Denis Sears, age 30, in the Holy Family Institute, Holyoke City, Hampden, Mass
I'm not sure what the Holy Family Institute was. I think it was an Orphanage. The census showed many boys up to the age of 14 listed as inmates. Denis was a labourer. The census said he arrived in the USA in 1902, which was correct. His age would also be right.

I also found another Denis (my mum's uncle I97), age 30 with his wife Julia A Sears and daughters Anna L age 2 years 6 months and Margerita M age 10 months.
I have been told that my mum's uncle Denis married a Julia Lucy which would suggest this is the correct Denis. This Denis says he arrived in America in 1910 and his wife in 1912. His occupation was Paper Maker in a paper mill. I can't find a record of Denis arriving in 1910 though in the ships logs.

I've searched everywhere fo a Sears Lucy marriage but can't find one. Checked Ireland and USA

Problems:

it says Denis is 11 when he should be 15.

It does say they are from Dingle and I have searched the birth records for a Denis Sayers from Dingle and haven't found another

Also on the ships log it says that the person paying for the childrens ticket was their uncle.

Notes:

The ship is known as SS Majestic (1890) because it was built in 1890
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Majestic_%281890%29

Denis's age was actually given as 11. According to his birth cert he would have been 15.

Sayers Tho's|M|52y|S|Irish|Dingle|
Sayers Hannah R.|F|16y|S|Irish|Dingle|
Sayers Denis|M|11y|S|Irish|Dingle|

Others on board from Dingle:
Foley, Mary 24y
Bowler, Katie 20y
Moriarty, Daniel 30y
Seyers, Garret 21y
Fenton, Jno 18y
Galway, Josie 17y
Bowles, Hannah 19y
Creighton, Nellie 16y
Curran, Nora 19y
Collins, Julia 18y
Fitzgerald, Hanna 15y

Looking for James Sears
There are lots of records of a James Sears working on various ships as a crew member. Usually a Waiter or Mess Waiter. He
is 5foot 7 and 155lbs. Age 22 in 1922 and British. So that isn't quite right as my James was born 1896 and is of course Irish.
But its a possible. Ship is the Rosalind from St Johns, Newfoundland.
Also later on different ship The Silvia 1924. 5foot 7 and 140lbs. Occ: Officers Mess.
and later 5' 7" 130lbs. He is losing weight rapidly!
Red Cross Line. Bowring and Co, Liverpool, England.
This could be mine but mistake to assume it is.
There are other James Sears es and James Sayers. Its a common name. There is one who is definitely wrong. He is
James Sayers with dad Patrick Sayers Kilcooly Dingle. I do have a Patrick who might be him but no way of knowing.