I have found census listings for his parents in the Catskills. I have searched the 1900 and 1910 – but he doesn’t seem to appear. I have searched the 1920 and 1930 for Rose without success – but just did some quick searches for exact matches.
I have found some potential death certificates which should provide an address that I can back-search to the census or through the City Directories. Also, once I find the death certificate, it should lead me to the cemetery and I should be able to backtrack from there. My friend from Queens is going to look up the data on his next trip to ‘the City’ in a couple of weeks.
Interesting information from the census indicates a birth about 1842 and the marriage license indicates a birth about 1847. It is also interesting that you never heard of her, but the 1880 census and the marriage license indicate a family connection. Your grandfather died two years after she did (assuming I have found the right death certificate) and it would seem to indicate she was not close to her siblings. After I confirm with the death certificate, I will also search for a death notice/obituary to see if it provides any additional information.
As best we can tell now – this appears to be the family story:
Mary – born circa 1868 in Morrisania and died circa 1953 in Trenton, New Jersey – Married WWI buddy of her brother
Cornelius – born circa 1870 in Morrisania and died March 1917 in Bronx – Never Married
James – born circa 1871 in Morrisania and died March 1906 in Bronx – Never Married
Elizabeth – born circa 1874 in Morrisania and died December 1891 in Bronx – Never Married
Rosanna – born circa 1877 in Morrisania and died circa 1945(?) in Bronx – Married Henry Acker in 1896
John – born June 1880 in Morrisania and died May 1947 in Massachusetts
Denis – born March 1883 in Morrisania and died in April 1903 – Married Minnie Madaus in 1902
If this was Henry Acker’s second marriage as you indicate from the marriage record- he should appear with a previous wife in a census. Again, I have done only a quick check and will look further as I get time.
If this ‘pans’ out – then we have completed the branches on Patrick and Catherine and still need to find out more about Wilbur and Mary. Henry and Rose(anna) will require some more work, but hopefully we can find a connection somewhere as we continue to search the records. This ‘jig saw puzzle’ is beginning to take shape and should provide some great results when all the pieces fall into place.
John