John Joseph Quinn, a Native of County Galway and a WWI Veteran

John Joseph Quinn - WWI Veteran [1]

This week, in honor of Veteran's Day, I have written posts about five veterans; my parents and three veterans from Ringgold, Louisiana. This last post of the week is about WWI veteran John Joseph Quinn, my husband's great-uncle, who immigrated from County Galway in 1914. 

John Joseph Quinn, the son of William Quinn and Bridget Brannelly, was born on June 14, 1890, in the townland of Caherawoneen, County Galway.[2] In 1914, he immigrated to the United States arriving first in Boston on October 8th.[3] From there he went to Louisville, Kentucky where he had family and spent some time working in a cemetery. He later worked in Iowa and Connecticut before enlisting in the U. S. Army on May 27, 1918, in New York City.[4] 

On June 18, 1918, John became a naturalized citizen at Camp Wadsworth in South Carolina.[5] And, by June 30th of that same year, John was serving as a wagoner with the 153rd Depot Brigade in France.[6]

John's enlistment record stated that he was single and of excellent character. His vocation was that of a chauffeur. 

John was described as having gray eyes, black hair, and a dark completion. He was 27 years old and 5 feet and 8 1/2 inches tall.[7]

His daughter, Helen, said that her father loved the Army and was always interested in talking to veterans. After the war, John lived in New York City where he married, raised a family, and worked as a chauffeur and taxicab driver. He died in 1966 and is buried in Calvery Cemetery in Queens.[8]

To learn about John Quinn's family visit my post The Family of William Quinn and Bridget Brannelly.

Visit this week's posts honoring veterans. 

• Friday's Photo: Whit Criswell Bryan, A Veteran of Three Wars and a Pearl Harbor Survivor

• My Mother, A Navy Veteran

• From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: Thomas Jefferson Martin III - Resident of Ringgold and WWII Veteran

• From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: Dr. Vance W. Fletcher, Ringgold Physician and WWI Veteran

• From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: Theodore G. Smith, WWII Air Force Veteran and Native of Ringgold, Louisiana

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2021 

    1. John Joseph Quinn, photograph, ca. 1918; digital image, from the privately held photo collection of H. Quinn, 2021.

    2. Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1890/02426/1903660.pdf : accessed 11 October 2021); digital image, Joseph Patrick Quinn birth, 14 June 1890; citing Group Registration ID 9932937; filed 25 June 1890 by McNally, registrar, in the District of Kinvara in the Union of Gort in the County of Galway, unidentified register and folio, "First Page," stamped no.1903660 and 281, entry no. 223. Note that his name was recorded as Joseph Patrick Quinn, family only knew him as John Joseph Quinn. 

    3. "New York, Southern District, U.S District Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1946," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9HF-WD45?cc=2060123&wc=M5PK-T3K%3A351741801 : 12 November 2021), Petitions for naturalization and petition evidence 1929 no 161194-161450 > image 866 of 1011; citing NARA microfilm publication M1972, Southern District of New York Petitions for Naturalization, 1897-1944. Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009, RG 21. National Archives at New York.

    4. Telephone conversations between H. Quinn (NY) and D. B. Quinn (VA), between 18 September 2020 and 29 December 2020. Transcript held in 2021 by D.B. Quinn (VA).  Also, John Joseph Quinn, Enlistment Record, service no.3183230, (enlisted 1918); photocopy supplied by H. Quinn from personal family papers, 2020.

    5. "New York, Southern District, U.S District Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1946," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9HF-WD45?cc=2060123&wc=M5PK-T3K%3A351741801 : 12 November 2021), Petitions for naturalization and petition evidence 1929 no 161194-161450 > image 866 of 1011; citing NARA microfilm publication M1972, Southern District of New York Petitions for Naturalization, 1897-1944. Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009, RG 21. National Archives at New York.

    6. John Joseph Quinn, Honorable Discharge from the United States Army, service no.3183230, (discharged 1919); photocopy supplied H. Quinn from personal family papers, 2020.

    7. John Joseph Quinn, Enlistment Record, service no.3183230, (enlisted 1918); photocopy supplied by H. Quinn from personal family papers, 2020.

    8. Telephone conversations between H. Quinn (NY) and D. B. Quinn (VA), between 18 September 2020 and 29 December 2020. Transcript held in 2021 by D.B. Quinn (VA). 

New Quinn Family Finds and More Questions

Brothers, John and William Quinn. Photos taken in the late 1920s.

My husband had a close DNA match on his Quinn side and I spent several weeks looking for more about his grandfather's siblings. I thought it would be easy, but not so much. 

Ellen Buckley and John Quinn
November 22, 1927

John Quinn was one of my targets. He is an older brother of my husband's grandfather, William Quinn (#2). I was excited to find his wife's (Ellen/Ellie Quinn) naturalization papers at Ancestry. In the papers, I found her maiden name (Buckley), her place of birth (County Kerry), John's date of arrival from Ireland, and exactly when and where he completed his naturalization. 

According to Ellen's papers, John was naturalized June 8, 1918, at Camp Wadsworth, in South Carolina. I didn't find those records online so moved on to his arrival in the states. It was written that John entered the United States on October 8, 1914, in Boston. I had never looked in Boston.

I searched the Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963 at Ancestry.com. Only one John Quinn was found traveling from Ireland to Boston in 1914. This 21-year-old, John Quinn, was the son of Peter Quinn of County Kerry. He arrived in Boston on May 14, 1914. 

I did find a Willie Quinn arriving in Boston on October 6, 1914. I believe this might be John Quinn who for some unknown reason used his brother's name. The ship record indicates he was the son of Mrs. William Quinn in Caheravoneen, Kinvara and was going to live with his sister, Margaret Quinn, in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Click to enlarge

Although it is possible that William Quinn traveled to the United States in October 1914, I believe the Willie in the above clip from the manifest is actually John. It would be nice to have more input or suggestions as to where else I might look. Here are some of the facts I considered. Please tell me what you think. 

• Mrs. William Quinn in Caheravoneeen was the mother of both men. 

• Margaret Quinn, sister to John and William, was living in Louisville.

• John Quinn arrived in the United States in October. The date on his wife's naturalization record is October 8, 1914. On his passport application, he stated he came over on October 28, 1914. The actual arrival date of "Willie Quinn" was October 6, 1914. 

• On the ship manifest, Willie's age is 19. John would have been 24 years old and William / "Willie" 20 years old. 

• According to the ship's manifest Willie (maybe John) was 5 feet 9 inches tall, had a dark complexion, dark hair, and brown eyes. The description of William Quinn on the ship's manifest in 1921 stated he was 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a dark complexion, black hair, and brown eyes. On the more specific draft registrations in 1942, John's eyes were gray-green and he had a ruddy complexion. William's eyes were hazel and his complexion was ruddy. 

• On William Quinn's pension record from the Irish Defence Forces Military Archives in Dublin, Ireland. William wrote that in 1914 he joined the Irish Volunteers, Kinvara Company and he was active in drilling, training, and organizing. His participation in the company increased in 1915.

• William Quinn came to the United States in 1921. It was written on the manifest that it was his first time in the USA. 

I was told that William Quinn did not use his real name when he traveled to the USA in 1921, but I was able to easily find him on a ship's manifest as William Quinn. Maybe the story was about John. And, if John felt the need to use William's name when he left Ireland, what was the reason?

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2019

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn. 

Family photographs from the collection of Mary Meaney Weber. Used with permission.

“Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963 for Willie Quinn.” https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/8745/MAT843_229-0296?indiv=try&h&db. Accessed 24 Feb. 2019.

New York, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1794-1940 for Ellie Quinn.https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2280/31301_168092-00911/3985051?indiv=try&h&db. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

Quinn, Diana B. “Moments in Time, A Genealogy Blog: The Family of William Quinn and Bridget Brannelly.” https://momentsintimeagenealogyblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-family-of-william-quinn-and-bridget.html. Accessed 24 Feb. 2019.