Happy Birthday Great-grandfather Martin Garvey

Today, 22 February 2021, is our great-grandfather Martin Garvey’s 158^th birthday. Happy Birthday Great-grandpa Garvey!

To find his place on your particular branch of our family tree, start with knowing that Martin was the father of Loretta Garvey Kay, and grandfather of Marjorie Kay Whalen.

Great-grandpa Garvey was born in Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario, Canada on 22 February 1860. Although Grandma Kay, in her family bible, listed her dad as being born in 1863, we have since found his baptismal record dated 30 March 1860 and this is the date on his tombstone.

His baptism took place at St. Michael’s Church in Fitzroy Harbour. In that record, his father John Garvey’s name was misspelled as “Garvin,” and his mother Mary’s maiden name was spelled as O’Melia, that spelling used by Mary’s family at that time. (Later generations would adopt the anglicized version of the name, O’Malley.) Martin also shows up with his family in Fitzroy Harbour in the 1861 census. He is listed as less than one year old.

Martin was a first generation North American, the fourth child and third son of John and Mary O’Melia Garvey, and he was apparently named for his paternal grandfather, Martin Garvey. Martin was confirmed in St. Peter Celestine Church, in nearby Pakenham, Ontario, 10 days before his 16^th birthday, on 12 February 1876.

The family next shows up on the 1881 census records in Thorold, Ontario.  They lived near the home of Mary’s father, Peter O’Melia. Even more nearby was the home of the Charles Doyle family–which included Mary Ellen Doyle, Martin’s future wife.

Before 1890, the Garvey family had moved to Olean, New York. Martin, Mary Ellen, and some siblings from each side of the family had settled in Niagara Falls, New York.

Martin was employed as a laborer according to New York State and US censuses. He and Great-grandmother Mary Ellen lived at 540 30^th Street, Niagara Falls. Martin’s brother, Peter Garvey, boarded with them for several years.

Martin and Mary Ellen Doyle Garvey had eight children, Christine “Tine,” Loretta, whom her father called “Lollie Poolie” as she was born near Niagara River’s Whirlpool, Edward, Thomas, Mildred, Martin, called “Bae,” short for Baby Martin, Alice Genevieve, called “Gen,” and Agnes. All of the children lived in the Niagara Falls area for most of their lives, with only Tom moving out-of-state in later years for work.

Martin Garvey died on 19 May 1918 in St. Mary’s hospital in Niagara Falls. We have not seen his death certificate, but as he died in 1918, we wonder if it was of influenza.

The Niagara Falls Gazette and Olean Evening Herald reported his death as follows.

Niagara Falls Gazette, May ? 1918
Died
Garvey-At St. Mary’s hospital, Sunday, May 19, 1918, Martin J. He is survived by a wife and eight children, Mrs. G. Rodenbaugh, this city; Mrs. H.B. Kay, Youngstown, N.Y., Edward, Thomas, Mildred, Martin, Genevieve, and Agnes at home; two brothers, James, of Buffalo, John,of Olean and two sisters, Mrs. Charles Lundy and Mrs. James Allen, also of Olean. Funeral Wednesday morning at 9 o’clock from Our Lady of the Rosary Church. Burial at Riverdale.

The Olean Evening Herald, 21 May 1918
Mr. and Mrs. John Garvey, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lundy, William and Anna Lundy, Edward Grady and James Lunney have gone to Niagara Falls called by the death of Martin Garvey.

His beloved Mary Ellen Doyle Garvey passed away in 1942. They are buried next to each other in Gate of Heaven (formerly Riverdale) Cemetery, Lewiston, New York.

Sources for this posting and further information about Martin Garvey can be found on his Family Search profile.