Elizabeth Cooper Corcoran 1881-1921

Photo in possession of cousin, Dolores Keenan

Elizabeth Cooper was the second living daughter of Alexander Sisson COOPER and Laura Jane BOYD. I originally found an Elizabeth COOPER born on 4 April 1878, in Dublin, Ireland, to above parents.

"Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FRHM-MPX : 8 December 2014), Elizabeth Cooper, 04 Apr 1878; citing Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, reference ; FHL microfilm 256,003. accessed 26 July 2003.

When Irish church baptism records were available online at www.irishgenealogy.ie, I found Elizabeth’s baptism record.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Church Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 9 Dec 2010), image, baptism registration of Elizabeth Cooper (29 June 1881, Church of Ireland’s “Parish of St. George,” County Dublin), citing Registration filed by T. S. Berry, Clergyman, page 48.

I found this Elizabeth COOPER, of same parents, with a different birthdate of 30 April 1881, three years later. Does this mean the first Elizabeth died before 1881? This is a known child naming tradition. See details of Laura Jane Cooper’s records from Rotunda Hospital with birth of unnamed daughter on 30th April 1881, mentioned in husband’s post Alexander Sisson Cooper (1854-1927) Part 1 at
http://familyfilmfabricfood.blogspot.com/2017/01/alexander-sisson-cooper-1854-1927-part-1.html

Going directly to The Irish Records website, I find an Elizabeth COOPER who died in Dublin North at the age of 0. 

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 14 January 2021), image, death registration of Elizabeth Cooper (4 April 1878, 142 North Strand Road, North Dublin,  County of Dublin, city of Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 7008735; registration filed 4 April 1878 by J. P. Nowlan, in North Dublin Registration District, J. R. Ferguson Register, folio 439, “First page,” stamped no. 07198165, entry 114.

The Coopers are living at two different addresses, which is seen in all of their children’s birth registrations or baptisms. Alexander seems to move around as his family grows.

Elizabeth COOPER marries George CORCORAN on 30 Nov 1900, in St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Chapel.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 25 January 2017), image, marriage registration of George Corcoran and Elizabeth Cooper (30 November 1900, Roman Catholic Church Chapel St. Joseph Buckley Road, County of city of Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 2451938; registration filed 6 December 1900 by Laurence Keogh, Clergyman, in North Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 489, “First page,” stamped no. 05772778, entry 57.

The following year, Elizabeth gives birth to their first daughter, "Shiela" CORCORAN, in Dublin, Ireland. See blog post The Letter that Started it All, about a letter that "Sheelagh" wrote to her uncle, John Carrick Cooper “Jack”, who was my my grandfather.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 29 January 2017), image, birth registration of Sheila Corcoran (31 March 1901, Holles Street Hospital, County of Dublin, city of South Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 167682; registration filed 8 July 1901 by John R. Condon, in South Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 678, “Second page,” stamped no. 01754923, entry 280.

Notice the date Sheila is born, 31 March 1901, the same day the Ireland Census was taken nationally by the country. While Elizabeth and Sheila were in the Holles Street Hospital, I find George later that evening visiting his brother, Thomas Corcoran at 49 Upper Dorset St. in Dublin. I am sure he is upgrading his family that this wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Sheila, are doing just fine. Another thought, where were George and Elizabeth living  when Sheila was born; 49 Upper Dorset St. or 34 Carlingford Road?

1901 Census of Ireland, County Dublin, North Dublin, District Electoral Division (DED) Rotunda, unpaginated, Upper Dorset Street, household no. 49, Thomas Wm Corcoran; digital image, National Archives of Ireland, Census of Ireland 1901/1911 (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie : accessed 25 January 2017).

Their second daughter, Dorothy was born two years later on 20 Feb 1903. My only clue that this unnamed child is Dorothy, is an 8 year old girl named Dorothy with the George and Elizabeth Corcoran family in the Dublin 1911 Census posted below.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 29 January 2017), image, birth registration of Unknown Corcoran (12 February 1903, Holles Street Hospital, County of Dublin, city of South Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 4532233; registration filed 4 April 1903 by John R. Condon, in South Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 687, “First page,” stamped no. 01754923, entry144.

I find out later that Thomas Dowling, Dorothy’s brother-in-law was married to her younger sister, Angela. Dorothy never married. She died 1 Aug 1952 in Clontarf, a suburb of Dublin.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 29 January 2017), image, death registration of Dorothy Corcoran (1 August 1952, 26 Victoria Villas, Clontarf CB,  County of Dublin, city of Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 1921834; registration filed 4 April 1903 by John R. Condon, in South Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 185, “First page,” stamped no. 04176483, entry 208.

A son, Alexander George Corcoran arrived on 13 Nov 1905. 

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 29 January 2017), image, birth registration of Alexander Corcoran (13 November 1905, 49 Upper Dorset Street, County of Dublin, city of South Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 493199; registration filed 29 January 1906 by John O’Mill, in North Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 453, “First page,” stamped no. 01694330, entry 484.

In 1933, Alexander married Kathleen, Dowling, daughter of Thomas Dowling. 

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 25 January 2017), image, marriage registration of Alexander Corcoran and Kathleen Dowling (16 August 1933, Roman Catholic Church St. Paul, County of city of Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 1202838; registration filed 23 September 1933 by William J. Byrne, Clergyman, in North Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 348, “Second page,” stamped no. 05251773, entry 237.

Eleanor Laura Corcoran came on 26 Jan 1908; she died of acute meningitis four years later on 26 Feb 1912.

“Quarterly returns of births in Ireland 1864-1955,” database, FamilySearch., Ireland. General Register Office; Ireland. Custom House. Eleanor Laura Corcoran, 26 January 1908; First Quarter 1908 Volume 2, page 436. FHL microfilm 258,052. Accessed 26 September 2009.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 29 January 2017), image, death registration of Eleanor Laura Corcoran (26 February 1912, 12 Poplar Row, County of Dublin, city of Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 5221366; registration filed 26 April 1912 by Thomas Donnelly, in South Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 391, “First page,” stamped no. 04499047, entry 240.

I find the Corcoran family in Dublin in the Ireland 1911 Census at 12 Poplar Row.

1911 Census of Ireland, County Dublin, North Dublin, District Electoral Division (DED) Mt. Joy, unpaginated, Poplar Road, household no. 12, George Corcoran; digital image, National Archives of Ireland, Census of Ireland 1901/1911 (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie : accessed 25 January 2017).

Finally, Angela Corcoran was born on 19 Aug 1915. Notice the address of 12 Annesley Place from Sheelagh's letter dated 1917.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 29 January 2017), image, birth registration of Angela Corcoran (19 August 1905, 12 Annesley Place, County of Dublin, city of North Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 1443525; registration filed 27 October 1915 by John O’Mill, in North Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 406, “Second page,” stamped no. 01564117, entry 34.

I later find out that Angela Corcoran married Thomas Dowling, Jr., the brother of Kathleen Dowling. Alexander and sister, Angela, married two other siblings, Kathleen and brother Thomas Dowling. In genealogy terms, their children are called "double cousins." Interesting how this family tree intertwines!

I will have to order Angela and Thomas's Marriage Registration from Roscommon. They were married on 19 Aug 1945, as told by one of their granddaughters.

I do not know much about Elizabeth COOPER Corcoran and her family as to what is shared here in my blog. I hope to find more answers with these clues found here by hearing from descendants of George and Elizabeth CORCORAN. 

POST SCRIPT: 

I wrote this blog several months ago, waiting for the proper place to add Elizabeth’s story. This past month, I found a connection on Ancestry.com with a possible second cousin here in the United States. I gave him a call. He was a match! He also connected me with more of his family who could fill me in with answers to the questions filling my head as I researched my grandfather’s older sister.

I have been in touch with several Corcoran cousins from Ireland and Canada with phone calls and e-mails sharing photos and stories that confirmed with me what I already had discovered, but with no verification. The information now all makes sense. Elizabeth's photo above is from one of these cousins.

I was told that Elizabeth died in 1921. That was the same year her mother, Laura Jane, died. I found her death registration on www.irishgenealogy.ie as well as most of the above images.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 29 January 2017), image, death registration of Elizabeth Corcoran (11 September 1921, 12 Annesley Place, County of Dublin, city of Dublin), citing Group Registration ID 3388444; registration filed 7 October 1921 by John P. Condon, in North East Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 322, “Second page,” stamped no. 04397782, entry 389.

She died on the 11 Sept 1921, two months before her mother. The cause of her death was Disseminated Sclerosis which she dealt with for 3 years. Today it is called Multiple Sclerosis.  Her children: Sheelagh (Irish spelling) was age 20, Dorothy age 18, Alexander age 16, and Angela age 6. Angela shared her memories with her children of sitting with her mother on her wheelchair. Both Alex and Angela were sent to live with a Corcoran uncle and aunt. Their father, George Corcoran, remarried six years later in 1927. George died on 13 Sep 1937. 

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 30 January 2017), image, death registration of George Corcoran (13 September 1937, Hardwicke Hospital, County of Dublin, city of Dublin North), citing Group Registration ID 1296027; registration filed 12 October 1937 by J. Condon, in North East Dublin Registration District, unidentified register, folio 243, “First page,” stamped no. 04283008, entry 177.

I will share more about this family as their stories come to life!