Geri's Genes

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Born on the Fourth of July

Happy Birthday James Sheridan

My grandmother Alices' grandfather James C. Sheridan was born July 4, 1864 in New York City to Phillip and Florence Sheridan. He is the eldest sibling to Alexander P, Albert, Florence, Gertrude. I find the family in the 1870 NYC census but can not find them in the 1880 census nor can I find any documentation of the parents before the birth of James. I do know that Phillip Sheridan was born in Ireland and Florence was born in NYC or Ireland. The family myth is that our Sheridan family is related to the infamous General Sheridan, aren't they all. I have no proof of the connection but family lore prevails and my grandmother believes it. James married Alice Lynch on the 29th of June 1890 in NYC. They lived in a section of Queens, NY known by a few different names like Ravenswood, Astoria, or Long Island City. James was the father to eight children: Margaret, Alexander, James, Gertrude, May, John, Philip and Thomas. James occupation was that of a laborer for the city sanitation department. He was also a volunteer firefighter in the area they lived in. Sadly James died on March 15, 1910. Happy birthday in heaven great great grandfather James.

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy
A Yankee Doodle, do or die
A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam
Born on the Fourth of July

I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart
She's my Yankee Doodle joy
Yankee Doodle came to London
Just to ride the ponies
I am the Yankee Doodle Boy