Patrick* Duffy was born in Ireland in about 1812. This date is based on census answers and the inscription on the memorial at his gravesite, which states that he was 67 when he died in 1879.

He married Elizabeth Dillon, who was also born in Ireland.

 

We are not yet sure whether they married in Ireland or the U.S., but they were probably married around 1837, since their first child, John, was born in 1838.

That John was born in New York tells us that the Duffys came to the U.S. by at least 1838, and perhaps earlier. The Duffys first settled in Orleans County, New York, but soon moved to Lockport, Niagara County, New York, where the couple would spend the rest of their lives.

Patrick Duffy and his family are listed in the 1840 federal census in Lockport, Niagara County, New York. At that time, no name other than the head of household was listed, but judging by the ages of the other household members, the family consisted of Patrick, Elizabeth, and John.

In the 1850 federal census, Patrick’s occupation is listed as “lab[orer].” He owned land worth $500 and could read and write.

The family had grown — the children listed are John, Mary, Elizabeth and William. By the end of that year another child, Margaret, was born.

From the inscriptions shown below memorial monument/gravestone in St Patrick’s Cemetery in Lockport that other children — Joseph, George, Sarah, and Elizabeth — were born to the couple but did not survive childhood. It is most likely that this infant Elizabeth was born before the surviving daughter of that name.

 

So the five surviving children were:

John Duffy (b 1838)

Mary A. Duffy (b 1841)

Elizabeth Duffy (b 1844)

William George Duffy (b 1846)

Margaret J. Duffy (b 1850)

The 1855 state census shows that Orleans County was the birthplace of John Duffy, which is how we know Patrick, Elizabeth, and John lived there at one point. All the other children were born in Lockport.

Patrick is also listed as a laborer in this census. At 15, John was farming the home land.

In the 1860 federal census, his occupation is listed as “drayman.” Historically, this was a person who owned a low wagon without sides. Drays were drawn by horses or mules, and used for transporting goods to and from a port. Lockport, on the Erie Canal, would have had plenty of work for a drayman.

By that year, his son John had married and moved away to his own home.

In 1860 Patrick’s land was worth $1000 and his personal property worth $300. In the 1865 New York State Census, he was working as a laborer — probably still as a drayman.

An 1868 Lockport City Directory lists his occupation as “junk dealer.” The directory says that he lives on Glenwood near Lock Street.

By 1870, when he was 58, he was listed in the census as a farmer. His land was worth $3000, his personal property $500. Only his wife, Elizabeth, and their two youngest daughters lived at home.

The 1871 Lockport City Directory lists his occupation as “peddler.” As in previous records, the family home was on Glenwood.

On August 13, 1879, Patrick died in Lockport. He was 67 years old. His cause of death is listed as “soft of the brain” in a mortality census for New York state. This is probably a shortened version of “softening of the brain,” or encephalomalacia. One online source for archaic medical terms, Old Disease Names by Sylvain Cazalet, says “softening of the brain” was the “result of stroke or hemorrhage in the brain, with an end result of the tissue softening in that area.” The attending physician was Dr. Gallagher. The death record indicates that he had been a resident of the county for 42 years. The brief time in Orleans County was probably added in to that number.

Patrick Duffy is buried in St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in Lockport, New York.

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*Although some family histories list him as William Patrick Duffy, in census and other records he is simply known as Pat or Patrick Duffy.

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Contents of this post and all others on this site ©2016 Jan Burke

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Among others, sources for this post include:

“United States Census, 1840” Lockport, Niagara, New York, Roll 311, Page 63 Image 131; FHL Film 0017199

“New York State Census, 1855,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-25918-9964-36?cc=1937366 : accessed 7 May 2016), Niagara > Lockport, E.D. 1 > image 5 of 43; county clerk offices, New York.

“United States Census, 1860,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCWJ-GPX : accessed 7 May 2016), Pat Duffy, 1860.

“New York State Census, 1865,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-13031-126099-13?cc=1491284 : accessed 7 May 2016), Niagara > Lockport, E.D. 01 > image 3 of 52; State Library, Albany.

“United States Census, 1870,” 1st Ward, Lockport, Niagara County, New York, page 87, line 40; census taken 28 June 1870. (Accessed 7 May 2016) http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1870usfedcen&h=31519124&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

“U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885” 1880, Enumeration District 197, Line 24. (Accessed 7 May 2016)

 

Photographs of Duffy gravestones and memorial monument in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Lockport, New York. All photographs ©2012 by Jan Burke

Please note that information posted on this site may change as new sources are discovered. 

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Contents of this site, except where noted, are ©2016-2019 by Jan Burke. While I hope you find this site useful in your family history research, please do not copy material you find here onto your Ancestry trees, etc. without permission.

Information presented here is based on my interpretation of the sources I’ve found. As new sources are found or inaccuracies discovered, the site will be updated.

Always happy to hear from cousins.