Patrick Donegan (1853-1896)

Bridget Doyle was born in Ireland in December 1825, the daughter of Elizabeth (Unknown) and Michael Doyle.

Before 1853, she married Maurice (Morris) Donegan. They had 8 children. One child was named Patrick (b: Sept 1853) and another was named Michael (b: 1856). The other children's names are unknown at this time.

In approximately 1865, she immigrated to the United States of America.

She first appears in a census record in 1880. She was living in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York at 86 Marcellus Street. The census lists her son, Patrick, as head of household, his wife Ellen, Bridget, and Bridget's other son, Michael. By this time, Bridget was a widow.

In 1895, Boyd's Syracuse Directory lists Bridget as being a nurse, living at 109 Granger Street. This is the same address her mother died at the year before.

At 70 years old, on 5 May 1896, Bridget married a neighbor who was recently widowed, Eddie Welch. When he passed away, the marriage caused a lot of controversy with his family, as he left his home and money to Bridget instead of blood relatives.

Just a month after her marriage, on 16 Jun 1896, her son Patrick died. On 23 Dec 1898, two years later, her husband passed away at their home at 304 Marcellus Street.

In the 1900 census, Bridget is listed as living at 304 Marcellus with her brother and his son. The 1900 census also shows that she had 8 children, with only one left alive at that point.

On 5 Jun 1903, her remaining son, Michael, died. A month later, on 11 Jul 1903, Bridget passed away at her sister's home at 109 Granger Street. She was 77 years old. She was buried at St. Agnes Cemetery in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York.