Treasure Chest Thursday: William J. Morrissey 1831-1916

 I think perhaps the quintessential 19th century heirloom must be the tintype photograph of a Civil War soldier in uniform.  This is Michael's great-great-grandfather, William J. Morrissey, who fought in Company K of the 77th Pennsylvania Volunteers.  He enlisted on 9 October 1861 and was mustered out on 20 December 1863 having been captured and ransomed back.  He suffered from both rheumatism and night blindness and was rejected when he tried to re-enlist in 1864.  Although badly scratched you can see him.  He migrated during the Great Famine era and was naturalized in 1854.  After the war he married Bridget Cashin, the daughter of James and Joanna (Wallace) Cashin.  They eventually settled in Steelton, Pennsylvania and raised ten children, the fifth of which was Johanna Morrissey, the wife of Edmund Berrigan.  She was born in 1869 and died in 1960 and Michael remembers her.

Comments

[Dave Morehouse]

You're right, these images are quintessential heirlooms, each a real doorway to our nation's history and our personal connections to that history. A similar image of my own great-great-grandfather played a large part in triggering the early onset of my genealogical obsession!