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Classification: Bible
Message Board URL:
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Message Board Post:
Mary, it seems we are somehow related. My great grandfather was Matthew J Carolan, son of
Michael Carolan (born c. 1836) and Martha Gaynor (born c. 1852) who would be my
great-great grandparents. This is what I know...Matthew was one of 9 brothers and 2
sisters. He worked on the Irish Railroads as a fireman. He emigrated along with his
brother Christopher J Carolan to America. They moved to Denver, CO and opened a livery.
They chauffered those old open aired touring cars, but winters in Denver was too much so
they moved to Pittsburgh and opened a battery shop (Liberty Battery) They prospered,
Chris got married, and this led to dissension between the brothers. Matthew moved on to
the Steel Mills (Jones & Laughlin). Being a union organizer led to his unemployment.
He then returned to chauferring for a family. He met Catherine Spellman who did domestic
work for the family and they were married and moved to Los Angeles. They had my
grandfather John in 1914, sister M!
arie Evelyn and brother Frank. John Francis Carolan married Helen Courtemanche and had
three children, James 1938, Joseph 1944, and Janice 1947. My father is James. Catherine
Spellman had booked passage on the Titanic in 1912 on the maiden voyage but could not get
aboard, thank goodness. She then came to America on the next ship, the Mauritania. She
had been sponsored by an aunt in Pittsburg.