Mullingar, County Westmeath in the late 19th century
Andrew Core and Jane Grattan
3rd Great Grandparents of Jennifer Baker Franz and Jessica Baker
Richard Franklin Baker → Marcelline K. Franklin Baker → Mary Mercedes Kreckel Franklin → Mary Core Kreckel → Andrew Core and Jane Grattan
One set of Jennifer’s and Jessica’s third great-grandparents, Andrew Core and Jane Grattan, were born in Ireland, as was their daughter (second great-grandmother) Mary Core. This family was part of the great Irish migration which occurred in the 19th century. During the period of 1801 to 1921, an estimated 8 million Irishmen and Irishwomen left their homeland. In the single decade of 1846 to 1855, 2.5 million persons left Ireland. In the early years, the great migration from Ireland was a direct result of the Great Famine of the 1840’s. The family of Andrew and Jane came later, in 1875, and were part of the 4.5 million people who left between 1856 and 1914. Approximately 80% of the immigrants were young adults aged 18 to 30, often traveling alone or with siblings and friends. North America was the most common destination, but significant numbers immigrated to Australia and later New Zealand.
Andrew Core was born January 1848 and Jane Grattan was born about 1853. They were married in 1870 in Mullingar Parish, Westmeath. Mary Jane Core was the second oldest child and oldest daughter of Andrew and Jane. She was born at Mullingar in County Westmeath on 3 October 1872 and baptized 6 October 1872. The parish register of her baptism is shown below. Although Mary Core is sometimes referred to as Mary Jane in later records, she was initially just Mary and she had a younger sister named Jane. Mary's mother Jane and sister Jane both died in the 1880's and it may be that Mary adopted the middle name Jane in their honor.
After the births of their first two children, Andrew and Jane headed for Pennsylvania in 1875 and at least three more children were born after arrival in Pennsylvania. Jane Grattan died in 1885 about age 33. The family first lived in Fox, Elk County, Pennsylvania where Andrew worked in the coal mines. Fox Township was a mining town at the time and nearly every adult male in the 1880 census for the township was employed in the mines. By 1900, Andrew had moved a short distance to Bigler Township in Clearfield County where he continued to work in the mines. Coal mining was an extremely hazardous occupation.
Mary Core, age 15, married William Kreckel, age 24, at Elk, Pennsylvania 25 October 1887. The marriage registration is shown below indicating that as a minor Mary required the consent of her father Andrew for the marriage. Andrew Core died about 1910. Mary Core and William Kreckel lived their lives in Pennsylvania where Mary died in 1941 and William in 1942.
