Thomas Greenan - Buffalo, NY

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Thomas Greenan Family

Buffalo, New York

Smith Family Genealogy

Introduction                                                                 

 From “Irish” John Smith’s travel logs we know he visited relatives in Buffalo, New York.  On August 18, 1908 he wrote: “Went through Rochester NY a bout 6 a.m. and to Nyagra Falls N.Y. 8 a.m. then went to See the Falls and then to Buffalo to See my Cousin T Greenen and the Duffeys and found them all and in good health”.  We are not sure who the ‘Duffeys’ are but it appears John was referring to Thomas Greenan in his writings.   John’s whirlwind tour of the world allowed him to visit kin who he probably never saw before.  Thomas indicated in the 1900 US Census he had immigrated to America in 1840.  If so, then John probably met this family before. 

So how are the Smith siblings related to the Thomas Greenan family?  We will take a guess later; however, the following chart illustrates where the surname, Greenan, enters our own family tree: 

Erie County is located in western New York State. The county seat is Buffalo, organized in 1810, incorporated as a village in 1816 and as a city in 1832.  The County was formed in 1821 from part of Niagara County.  Niagara County was formed earlier in 1808 from Genesee County.  Thomas Greenan, as you will see, lived in both Erie and Genesee Counties. 

The following records are taken from various census records dated 1870 to 1910, and most relate to the Thomas Greenan family.   

1910 US Census 

State of New York, Department of Commerce and Labor – Bureau of the Census, County Erie, Thirteenth Census of the United States:  1910 – Population, Name of Incorporated Place - Buffalo City .  Enumerated by me on the 18 Day of April, 1910, Address:  88 Galewood (?)  

• The census indicates Cecilia has 7 living children and 3 children were born stillborn.
• Thomas Greenan was living with the Michael A. Clark family.

Irish John also wrote this in his journal on August 19, 1908:  “Morning a little dark and rainy But cleard off went to see my Second Cousin in the Convent of Mercy in Buffalo N.Y. and found Her all well Her Father and Sister was with us and we had a pleasant visit”.   We don’t know if this reference is to a Greenan or to a Duffey relation.  John only talked about a second cousin once, so we assume he named ‘first cousins’ or ‘first cousins once removed’ in his journal.  In 1910 Buffalo had over 600 Sisters living in the area.  While I was able to find a 1900 census record for the Convent of Mercy, I was unable to find this convent listed in the 1910 census. 

                         Old Mount Mercy, Buffalo, New York

 Other Greenan Families in Buffalo - 1910 

There were other Greenan families living in Buffalo during this time; however, John does not mention these other families.  The following information was taken from the 1910 census again: 

There was a Charles A. Greenan (age 32) family living in Buffalo, Ward 3, Erie County, New York.  Others in this family included Clara Greenan (age 26); Myrtle Greenan (age 9); Herald Greenan (age 6); Lillian Greenan (age 4); and Gordon Greenan (age 9 months).  There was also a Frank E. Greenan (age 22) family living in Buffalo, Ward 19, Erie County, New York also.  His wife was named Grace.  Another Greenan family was headed by Mary Greenan (age 46) and the following lived in her household:  May E. Greenan (age 25); Edward J. Greenan (age 22); and Olive A. Greenan (age 16).  They lived in Buffalo, Ward 20, Erie County, New York.  Finally, there was a William and Ida Greenan identified as lodgers living with the Walter R. Jones family.  They lived in Buffalo, Ward 21, Erie County, New York.  I mention these families because we don’t know their relation, if any, to our own family.   

1900 US Federal Census 

In 1900 we see Thomas still living in Buffalo; however, we see his wife (Catherine) listed. 

Twelfth Census of the United States,   State:  New York, Schedule No. 1 – Population, Township or other division of county:  Buffalo.   Enumerated by me on the First day of June, 1900.  Address:  16 Prospect 

 One other Greenan family lived in Buffalo in 1900.  This family lived in Buffalo, Ward 20, Erie County, New York.  It was headed by Edward Greenan (age 48), Mary Greenan (age 32), Mary Greenan (age 16), Edward Greenan (age 12), Frank Greenan (age 10), Olive Greenan (age 6), John Greenan (age 2).  In addition, this household listed 5 servants and 2 boarders. 

1880 US Federal Census

Very few US census records exist for the year 1890 as most were destroyed by fire.  The next available census record is dated 1880, and here we see the Thomas Greenan family living in neighboring Genesee County, Pembroke Township, New York.  Pembroke Township is located on the western edge of this County and adjacent to Erie County, New York.  The county was named for the Seneca Indian word meaning ‘Beautiful Valley’.   

Schedule 1 – Inhabitants in Town of Pembroke 1^st Dist., in the County of Genesee, State of NY.  Enumerated by me on the 7^th day of June, 1880 

1870 US Federal Census 

Schedule 1 – Inhabitants in the town of Pembroke, in the County of Genesee  , Of New York, enumerated by me on the 8^th day of June, 1870. Post Office:  West Batavia 

Before 1870 

Unfortunately, we cannot find any information regarding this family before 1870.  In the 1900 Census Thomas Greenan stated he immigrated to America in 1840.  During the famine years the National Archives registered one immigration record for a Thomas Greenan, and that was in 1851.  This other Thomas Greenan was born in 1830 too; however, this appears to be a coincidence.  The National Archives contains famine immigration records from 1846 to 1851 only.