Michael McGeady

Paul J. McGeady, 1991

The demand for labor was high and Michael was put to work immediately. He had thrift, industry and ingenuity. Having saved a bit from his labors, he determined that mining coal was not for him. He opened a combination Grocery-Notion Store in the center of the new Mauch Chunk and immediately prospered—so much so that in a few years he owned a home worth $1000—a considerable amount of money in those early days.

Michael McGeady, merchant, was 30 years old in 1850 and he prospered. He did not forget his family back in Donegal. He remitted sufficient passage money to bring them to the new land of opportunity. His brother, Charles E., 35 years of age in 1850, had either accompanied him or arrived early, followed by brothers Daniel, age 32; Hugh Owen, age 28; and sister Shelah, age 22. In 1850, Michael married Catherine Coll (a Gweedore lass), age 25. She had emigrated with her father and her brother, James Coll, in 1848. She resided on West Broadway in Mauch Chunk prior to her marriage.

About this time it became obvious that the mountainous nature of Mauch Chunk made further housing a difficulty. Josiah White, having purchased land on the opposite side of the Lehigh River in the name of his corporation, now began the sale of the same in an area called East Mauch Chunk. Charles E. was awarded Lot #2 on North Street, and Daniel, Lot #4. Charles married Margaret. Their family consisted of Daniel, Mary, Michael and Charles.

Michael, who resided in Mauch Chunk until his death in 1903, and Catherine had ten children: Catherine, born in 1852; Daniel, born in 1860; John Alphonse, born in 1862; James, born in 1864; Margaret A., born in 1870; and Peter and Elizabeth.

Several of Michael’s children were married , but only two had a family. John married Teresa and settled in Brooklyn, NY. Peter married a local girl, Bertha, and also moved to Brooklyn for a time. Margaret A. married William Currey and had one child, Catherine. Joseph, a railroad engineer, moved to Brooklyn and later New York City. He married Christina Eyles and raised a family of six: Helen E., born in 1885 (died in 1887); Joseph F, Jr., born in 1886, married Mary; Charles, born 1890, married Elizabeth and moved to California; Roy F., born in 1894, married Ann Connolly and resided in River Edge, New Jersey; Leo D., born in 1894, married Angeline Alberti and settled in Douglastown and Little Neck, New York; Ruth married John J. Morgan and resided in Rye, New York.