Monday, September 27, 2010

Welcome to the Angel Babies Memorial Project

After years of researching my family lineage, in 2007 I came to an impasse, a standstill, a “brick wall.”  I had exhausted all avenues that might lead to the discovery of my ancestors.   I thought of all the Murray, Cuddy, Purcell and Hickey family members who came before me!  All came from Ireland to New York City seeking a new and better life for themselves and their children; children who sometimes did not survive infancy due to difficulties at birth or childhood diseases. 


With that thought in mind, a light bulb went on in my head!  If I could follow the short lives and early deaths of forgotten babies who had died at birth or soon thereafter, I might be able to connect them with their families through death records, grave markers, etc.


 
My “Angel Babies Memorial Project” was born with this in mind.  It is now nine years later, and the project is in full swing.  I have fulfilled many requests made by families who want to connect with their long-forgotten babies.  This project is a labor of love dedicated to all my loved ones who had come before me.




For genealogy purposes.

10 comments:

  1. Awesome job on your first blog New York Historian. I wish you great success in your project. May these babies who have passed be remembered, in these memorials you create, forever. Thank you for your hard work and contributions to the genealogical community.
    Geri's Genes
    www.gerisgenes.com
    http://gerisgenes.blogspot.com/
    http://irishsullcony.wordpress.com/

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  2. Love the blog & The work you do for the babies!

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  3. Thank you Gerisgenes & MsMiserable for your comments, it is much appreciated.

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  4. Thanks for providing the information to help me find my great uncle who dies as an infant

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  5. I past the 1400 mark. The surnames I entered today are: Bavian, Bixley, Carcia, Celli, Defranza, Durey, Lapica, McColgan, Sheridan, Sluth, Theis, Tuebner & Zindel.

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  6. I past the 1,575 mark. The surnames I entered recently are: Reipreicht, Bike, Ryan, Flynn, Streisann, Streisant, Driscoll & Driscom.

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  7. I past the 1,612 mark. The surnames I entered are: Durrenberger, Knocke, Elsberg, StThomas, Sir, Runge, Macleen, Calleen, Hess, Nider, Gutter, Ambrose, Sullivan & Callahan.

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  8. I am so proud of you Jim ! You have worked so hard on this project, exhibiting love, a passion for family and extreme perseverance . It has paid off !

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  9. Thank you for posting "Baby Patarcity" at find a grave. I sent you a msg there.

    That baby was my father's older brother. He died the day he was born. He was the first born of Anna and Adam Patarcity who lived in Astoria. They were Austrian-Hungarian and immigrated from what was Yugoslavia at the time. The became naturalized citizens and my grandfather was a WW1 hero.

    The story of the baby, my grandmother was a very petite woman (4'10"), she was in hard labor and the baby became lodged in her pelvis. She was at a Catholic hospital. They refused to do anything and said they would both die. My grandfather took my grandmother by who was in agony to the "city hospital" where the baby was delivered by forceps, crushing the baby's skull. Needless to say, after this they did not look fondly on the church or catholic institutions.

    Thank you for the photo and I hope to one day go there.

    Best Regards, Mary Ellen Patarcity

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  10. Found my Uncle James Hector. Born to Elma and John Hector. Named after his grandfather ❤️1933-2024

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