Cornelius Deluhery/Dulohery

We know few facts about the early life of Cornelius Deluhery. We know he was born in Ireland about 1 March 1831.1 His parents were probably John Deluhery and Bridget Curtain.2 Notes written by my aunt, Margaret Deluhery, state that Cornelius had two brothers, Daniel and Charles, both of whom immigrated to the United States.3

Cornelius was about 18 years old during the fourth year of the Irish famine in 1849. He left Ireland, went to Liverpool and sailed on the SS Cornelia, arriving at the Port of New York on 11 June 1849. He was a laborer who stated his destination was Baltimore, MD.4 He may have been going to the home of Dr. John Deloughery 5 or Catherine DeLoughery,6 both of whom lived there.

His stay in Baltimore was brief, if at all. Cornelius was in Saybrook, Connecticut during the 1850 census.40 According to Viola O'Brien, his granddaughter, Cornelius went to California to search for gold. He became an American citizen on 17 August 1858, in Placerville, El Dorado County, California. 7

By the following year he had moved back to Saybrook, Middlesex County, Connecticut and married Margaret Finn on 28 August 1859. 8

Their first child, David J. Deluhery, was born on 30 December 1860. The family was then living in Chester, Middlesex County, Connecticut.9 The births of the other four children followed: Emma Bridget, on 27 January 1862,10 Mary on 18 October 1863,11 John Maurice on 11 August 1865,12 and Elizabeth on 8 October 1868.13

On 2 April 1869, Cornelius purchased a plot of land in Chester comprising about 2 acres.14 Here he built their home, referred to as “the homestead.”15

Margaret Finn Deluhery
age about 70

On October 23, 1894 their daughter Mary married Samuel Adams.16 Also about 1894 Emma married Paul Lawless.17

On 7 August 1895, John married Anastasia Lawless,18 Paul Lawless’ sister.19 My mother told us her parents eloped because Margaret Deluhery disapproved of her son John’s intent to marry Anastasia Lawless stating “Lawless by name and lawless by nature.” This may be why Anastasia and John lived in Deep River, Connecticut20 while the daughters of the Cornelius and Margaret Deluhery lived close to their parents. We don’t know where his son David lived.

On 3 October 1896, their youngest daughter, Eliza married Oscar Scoville;21 who died six weeks later of typhoid22 leaving Eliza pregnant with their daughter, Geneva who was born July 1897.23

We know David J. Deluhery married a widow named Lizzie Sizer who had two children, but no more information has been found about this couple.24

In 1900, his daughter Mary and her husband were living next door to Cornelius’ house; 25 25 his daughter Emma, her husband Paul Lawless, and their children were living in the house on the other side of Cornelius,26 both in houses and on land which Cornelius owned.27 His youngest daughter, Elizabeth (known as Eliza), a widow and her young daughter, Geneva, lived in her parents home.28

The year 1902 must have been sorrowful for the family. His daughter Emma died 22 April 1902 of a cerebral hemorrhage leaving a husband and five young children.29 Eliza died on 18 August 1902.30 She is buried with her parents at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Chester, Connecticut.31 She was survived by her young daughter, Geneva Scoville.32

Cornelius died of arteriosclerosis and acute bronchitis on 14 November 1907.33 He was survived by his widow, Margaret Finn Deluhery, sons David J. Deluhery and John M. Deluhery, and daughter, Mary Deluhery Adams.

The US Census entries from 1860 to 1900 show Cornelius worked as a laborer. He must have worked hard because he left an estate consisting of three houses and three plots of land. He left $2,401 in the bank for a total estate value of $6,783. His property was divided among his wife, surviving children and the children of his deceased daughters.34

Future Research

We do know the Deluhery/Dulohery families were in County Cork during the 1820 Griffith’s Valuation assessment. Deluhery is not an Irish name; it is probably of French derivation. There are not many people with this name, so we are believe we are all related.

We found a marriage record for a John Doohlery and Bridget Curtain,35 and the record of the baptism of their son, Daniel.36 We do have pictures of Daniel Deluhery.37 and his daughter, Annie,38 who lived in Utica, New York.39 Of Charles who moved to Texas, no record has been found.

How did Cornelius and Margaret meet? The 1850 US Census lists a Margaret Finn living in Woodstock, CT. This census also lists Mary A. and Nancy Finn living in Saybrook Connecticut within nine houses of where Cornelius was living. They were probably Margaret Finn's sisters. Margaret was not listed on the same ship as Cornelius.

Deluhery Family

Research Notes on Other Deluhery/Dulohery/Delury

¹ The day of birth is taken from the Certified copy of death record for Cornelius Deluhery, Death Registry No. 50, Town Clerk’s Office, Chester, Middlesex Co., Connecticut; the month of birth is from the Cornelius Deluhery household, 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, Connecticut, Middlesex Co., Chester Twp., E.D. 270, sheet 5, page 28, dwelling 96, family 104; National Archives Microfilm Publication T623, roll 141. The year of birth is derived from the Cornelius Delowgery entry; SS Cornelia Passenger Manifest, 11 June 1849, page 5, line 26; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Port of New York, 1820-1997; Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36, Microfilm Publication M237, roll 80. This shows his age as 18.

² Chester Connecticut Register of Deaths., No. 50; the death certificate lists the parents as John Deluhery and _____ Curtain. Daniel Deluhery verified transcript, register of deaths, City of Utica, Oneida Co., State of New York., Register No. 608. Daniel's parents are listed as John Deluhery and Bridget Curtin.

³ Picture of elderly man. Under the picture is the name Dan Deluhery. On the back of the picture is written “Dan Deluhery, Annie Deluhery’s father brother of Cornelius Deluhery and Charles Deluhery of Texas, my granduncle” signed “MFD” which are the initials of my aunt, Margaret F. Deluhery.

⁴ Cornelius Delowgery entry, SS Cornelius Passenger Manifest, 11 June 1849.

⁵ R. J. Matchett, Matchett's Baltimore Directory for 1849-50, (Baltimore, Matchett Co., 1851), Library of Congress, Microfiche #89; Edward Deloughery household, 1850 U.S. Census, free population schedule, Maryland, Baltimore Co., Baltimore City, page 045, dwelling 90, family 98; National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, roll 282.

⁶ Catherine DeLoughery household, 1850 U.S. Census, free population schedule, Maryland, Baltimore Co., Baltimore City, page 045, dwelling 91, family 99; National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, roll 282.

⁷Cornelius Dulohery, Certificate of Citizenship, State of California, County of El Dorado, Placerville, 11^th District Court, 17 August, 1858. Original in possession of Thaddeus O’Brien, brother of author.

⁸ Record of Marriages in the Town of Old Saybrook, Middlesex Co., CT 1854-1906, No. 309, Family History Library microfilm #1480165.

⁹ Birth record for David J. Deluhery, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Middlesex Co., CT, p. 4, 1847-1917. Family History Library microfilm #1378292.

¹⁰ Birth record for Emma Bridget Deluhery, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Middlesex Co., CT 1847-1917, p. 15,. Family History Library microfilm #1378292.

¹¹ Birth record for Mary Deluhery, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Middlesex Co., CT, 1847-1917, p. 28,. Family History Library microfilm #1378292.

¹² The month and year of birth are from John M. Deluhery household, 1900 U.S. Census, population schedule, Connecticut, Middlesex Co., Village of Deep River., E.D. 291, dwelling 87, family 89, sheet no. 41, line 19, National Archives microfilm Publication T623, roll 142. The day of birth is from handwritten note from Margaret Deluhery, daughter of John Deluhery.¹³ Birth record for Elizabeth Deluhery, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Middlesex Co., CT 1847-1917 p. 57,. Family History Library Microfilm #1378292.

¹⁴ Quit claim from Sedley Snow to Cornelius Delury, 2 April, 1869, (recorded 16 April 1869) p. 555, Chester Land Records 1853-1875, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Family History Library microfilm #1378295.

¹⁵ Estate of Cornelius Deluhery, Middlesex County Court of Probate, Saybrook Connecticut, page 1, Family History Library microfilm #1378295.

¹⁶ Marriage record for Mary Deluhery and Samuel Adams, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Middlesex Co., CT, 1847-1917, p. 378. Family History Library microfilm #1378292

¹⁷ Date estimate based on age of oldest child.

¹⁸ Marriage record for John M. Deluhery and Annastasia Lawless, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Middlesex Co., CT, 1847-1917, p. 450. Family History Library microfilm #1378292.

¹⁹ Handwritten by Margaret Deluhery, daughter of John Deluhery, on the back of a picture of a young man “Paul Lawless, brother of Mrs. John Deluhery. “

²⁰ John M. Deluhery household, 1900 U.S. Census, population schedule, Connecticut, Middlesex Co., Village of Deep River.

²¹ Marriage record for Oscar Scoville and Elizabeth A. Deluhery, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Middlesex Co., CT, 1847-1917, p. ?. Family History Library microfilm #1378292.

²² Homer W. Brainard. Scovils or Scovills in England and America; Seven Hundred Years of History and Genealogy (Hartford: Privately printed, 1915), 483.

²³ Cornelius Deluhery household, 1900 U.S. Census, Middlesex Connecticut County, Chester Twp.

²⁴ Picture with the name Lizzie and information written on back of picture by Margaret Deluhery, granddaughter of Cornelius Deluhery.

²⁵ Samuel Adams household, 1900 U.S. Census, population schedule, Connecticut, Middlesex Co., Chester Twp, E.D. 270, sheet 5, p. 28, line 90. dwelling 95, family 103, National Archives Microfilm Publication T623, roll 141.

²⁶ Paul Lawless household, 1900 U.S. Census, population schedule, Connecticut, Middlesex Co., Chester Twp, E.D. 270, sheet 5, p. 28, line 96, dwelling 97, family 105, National Archives Microfilm Publication T623, roll 141.

²⁷ Estate of Cornelius Deluhery, Middlesex County Court of Probate, Saybrook Connecticut.

²⁸ Cornelius Deluhery household, 1900 U.S. Census, Middlesex Co., Connecticut.

²⁹ Death record for Emma B. Lawless, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Connecticut, 1847-1917, p. 270. Family History Library Microfilm #1378292.

³⁰ Death record for Elizabeth Scoville, Registry of Vital Statistics, Chester, Connecticut, 1847-1917, p. 272. Family History Library Microfilm #1378292.

³¹ Picture of tombstone with St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Chester, Connecticut written on back by Margaret Deluhery.

³² Estate of Cornelius Deluhery, Middlesex County Court of Probate.

³³ Certified copy of death record for Cornelius Deluhery.

³⁴ Estate of Cornelius Deluhery, Middlesex County Court of Probate.

³⁵ Marriage record for John Doohlery and Bridget Curtain, 25 May 1827, unpaginated, St. John the Baptist, Matrimonial Registry Book for United Parishes of Ballyclough and Kilbrin, Diocese of Cloyne, National Library of Ireland, Microfilm publication 5009.

³⁶ Baptismal record for Daniel Delohery, 6 January 1839, unpaginated, Immaculate Conception, Newmarket, Co. Cork, Diocese of Cloyne, Ireland National Library of Ireland, Microfilm publication 5010.

³⁷ Picture labeled Dan Deluhery.

³⁸ Handwritten on the back of a picture of a young woman “Annie Deluhery, daughter of Dan Deluhery.”

³⁹ Daniel Deluhery household, 1920 U.S. Census, population schedule, New York, Oneida Co., Utica,. E.D. 169, sheet 4, page 98, dwelling 508, family 102, line 95, National Archives Microfilm Publication T625, roll 1244.
⁴⁰ Ezra S. Southworth household, 1850 US Census, Middlesex Co., CT, Population Schedule, Saybrook township, page 238, dwelling 257, family 272; National Archives microfilm publication M432, roll 44. Cornelius Duholery is the last name in this census record, where servants were generally listed.