Mary Agnes Egan and her sister, Anne, born in Bonniconlon, County Mayo, Ireland, came to the United States in 1904. Upon arriving in Massachusetts, Mary lived in Chicopee on Perkins Street and worked as a weaver/warp tender at a local cotton mill. Between 1904 and 1908, she met a man and gave birth to a baby in 1908. I believe the photo on the left is a picture of her baby. The story told to my Dad was the man's last name was Gallagher and a marriage between the two didn't take place because the man was already married.

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This is the inscription on the back of the photo of the woman with the baby. At the time, "Sarah Gamble" was one of the teenage daughters in the Gamble family that raised my Dad. "From M. G." - Perhaps Mary Gallagher? Mary and the Gambles lived next door to each other on Perkins Street.

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The 1910 Chicopee census shows Mary Gallagher, age 22, with her 1-1/2 year old son, John Edward Gallagher - baby's father born in Ireland. (click to enlarge)

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Mary Egan married in February 1911 and after her second son was born in December 1911, the family moved to Maine. According to their marriage record, Mary's mother was Eliza Moran, her father, John Egan. Mary's age at the time of her marriage was recorded as 24. Her year of birth hasn't been determined (1879 - 1886)- however, she was born on October 31.

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These were in my mother's collection of old photos... left photo, I believe there is a resemblance with the boy on the left to the baby pictured in the woman's arms (above). Right photo, this boy is definitely my Dad.

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My dad, John Edward Gamble, born October 1908 - died October 1967.

	My Dad's birth certificate (click to enlarge)
	Response from Holy Name Church Chicopee, Massachusetts
	Church Baptism Record

My Dad's birth record does not show a father.  Since Mary was Catholic, our hope was my Dad had been baptized.  My sister and I contacted several nearby churches - one responded with a copy of his baptism record - the record showed the father's name - Joseph Garrigan from Portland, Maine - baptism was October 22, 1908.
 

Holy Name Church, Chicopee, Massachusetts	Some of the Gamble Family - Gamble Farm, Granby, Massachusetts - mid-1930's. Standing Left - Margaret Sitting in chairs middle and right - parents,  Jane & husband, William Sitting on ground, holding dog - Jennie

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Picture on left - Mary's home in Maine, sister, Anne; son's wife, Nancy; Mary; and granddaughter, Betty. Mary died in January 1964.   Right - Betty and husband, Bob, at Cape Cod in September 1998.

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On my next visit to the archives, I will be searching for Mary's name on a 1904 ship's passenger list. Another option - to also search for the alternate spelling - Eagan.

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Egan John Egan Eliza Moran Children Anne  John Mary (Gross)  - 1879 - 1964 Mary's Sons James Edward - 1908 - 1967 Benjamin Edward - 1911 - 1979

Gamble William -  1860 - 1943 Jane McCulley  - 1860 - 1943 Children William - 1883 - Unknown Mary - (Matchett) - 1888 - Unknown Joseph - 1891 - 1942 Samuel - 1893 - 1985 Sarah (Cross) - 1895 - 1979 James - 1897 - 1963 Jennie - 1899 - 1977 Margaret (Ryder) - 1901 - 1990

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