Family History Writing Challenge Day 6

First Electric Streetcar 1889

By 1913 when the Crusham family moved to the west side of Cincinnati, they no longer had any immediate family living in the downtown area. Although Michael was still working for the railroad, the expansion of the electric streetcar system made it possible to get to his job from a more suburban area. Cincinnati had horse-drawn streetcars as early as 1859, but the electric cars did not come into play until 1889. These streetcars probably played a factor in Michael's decision to make this kind of move.

Cincinnati Streetcar Routes 1911

Michael with daughter
Mary & Agnes

Michael and Catherine's oldest son, Michael Aloysius, married Barbara Metz in 1911. Michael A. was a pressman, and he and Barbara set up their own household in Cincinnati. The second oldest child, Edward, married Ida Coyne in 1915. Edward was a salesman, and he and his wife lived in their own home as well.

The 1920 census indicates that Michael is 68 years of age, and seven of their nine children are still living with them at the home on West Liberty. By 1930 only the three youngest, Thomas, John and Dorothy, are still living with Michael and Catherine. This census also indicates that Michael is a naturalized citizen, and that he owns the house, valued at $8,000.

The other children married as follows: Mary married Lawrence Schwartz in 1923; Clara married William Frese in 1921; Charles married Edna Sauer in 1923; Agnes married Walter Volz in 1921; Thomas married Barbara Keckler after 1930; and John married Iona (maiden name unknown) after 1930. The youngest child, Dorothy, became a nun.

Michael & Catherine

Michael J. Crusham was 75 years old and retired when he died at home on 23 July 1937. His obituary remembers him as a man who was noted for Irish Folk Dances. His wife and all nine of his children survived him, which was quite something in a time period where many children died shortly after birth or through childhood diseases. His story carried on through Catherine and the children.

Michael's Obituary

Family History Writing Challenge Day 5

Fountain Square Cincinnati !876

After Michael and Catherine got married in 1887, they continued to reside at 57 Mill Street. Michael's mother Mary lived there as well, perhaps in the same apartment, as did Catherine's father Edward. Unfortunately, Catherine's mother Bridget had died in 1886 at the age of 42. How sad she must have been not to have her mother at her wedding!

Central Union Station

As mentioned earlier, Michael worked for the Cincinnati Southern Railroad as a freight truckman. His responsibilities would have included loading and unloading cars in the rail yard, and shifting freight in the freight-houses. The Cincinnati Southern Railroad is owned by the City of Cincinnati, the only municipality in the country to own an interstate railroad. Running from Cincinnati to Chattanooga, the first freight train completed the route on 21 February 1880, with the first passenger train following on 8 March. With the addition of rail routes into the city, a new train station was completed in 1883. The three story head house was on the corner of Third and Central, and the train shed was wide enough for eight tracks and five platforms. The station was called Central Union or Grand Central Depot.

The railroad yard was an easy walking distance from the Crusham's home on Mill Street, as can be seen on the map below. The approximate location of the home is illustrated by the black star, with the station indicated as Grand Central Depot on this particular map.

Cincinnati, Ohio

It must have been of great comfort to Catherine to have the extended family so close when her first child was born later in 1887. Michael Aloysius Crusham entered the world on 8 November 1887. He was at a minimum the fourth first born son to be named Michael in the Crusham family. Two years later the family expanded with the addition of Edward in 1889, and then Mary in 1892, Clara in 1894, Charles in 1896, Agnes in 1899, Thomas in 1902, John in 1906, and Dorothy in 1908. The children were all most likely born at home with the assistance of a midwife or a female neighbor.

Perhaps the size of the family is why they finally left Mill Street around 1906 and moved five blocks north to Hathaway Street. Also, Michael no longer had to take his mother into consideration. Mary had died of heart disease in 1902. She was 80 years old.

Michael and the ten other members of his family stayed at the home on Hathaway Street until 1913, the last year the Crushams lived in the City of Cincinnati. What made him leave the only area he had ever known in the United States?

Family History Writing Challenge Day 4

Michael Crusham

Michael Crusham did more than marry the girl next door - he married the girl who lived at the same address as him! The Colgan family had long lived on Mill Street, mostly at the building numbered 57. Michael and his mother also lived at 57 Mill Street in 1887, and it is most likely there that Michael first met Catherine. He was 30 years old, and she was 23 when they married. Michael was thin and of average height, and proud of his Irish heritage. He could dance a mean Irish Jig, and even won a loving cup at Coney Island on Irish Day one year. His children stated that he never lost his Irish brogue.

Catherine was quite petite, perhaps not even reaching five feet tall. She is shown in the center of the photo below with her daughter-in-law and two of her granddaughters. The photo gives perspective to Catherine's height.

Catherine Colgan Crusham, center

Marriage Application

Michael and Catherine appeared before Herman Goebel, Probate Judge, on 6 July 1887 to apply for a marriage license. The Marriage Return at the bottom of the document indicates that Michael Cresham (interesting to note that his last name is misspelled) and Catherine Colgan were married on 21 July 1887 by John M. Mackey, a Catholic Priest. They may have been married at Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral at 8th and Plum Streets as that is where John Mackey was assigned in 1887. Saint Peter first opened in 1845, and its single spire was the tallest man-made structure in the city for many decades. The church is located very near City Hall, and not too many blocks from where the Crusham and Colgan families lived, so it is very conceivable that this was the location of their marriage ceremony.

Saint Peter in Chains

Conceive is a good word for this couple, as they did a lot of it over the next 21 years.