Hi Pat,

I had seen the census before and was sure that these were my people, but there were still so many unanswered questions. One thing I did notice is how many children William and Mary Ann had and then had die. In 1911, she was listed as "insane." I would have been too, I think!

My grandfather, who was the grandson of Michael Wilson, went back to Ireland in the 1930s to visit. I have a picture that he took of the Wilson blacksmith shop and house. It is on my Ancestry page.

It was also our understanding that all of the girls except Hannah came to America, and most of the boys went to Australia. I can't imagine my family scattering to the wind like that.

My great-grandmother, Jane Wilson Fitzpatrick, was a force to be reckoned with from what we can tell. She also lost a child at a young age (Willie, 7 yrs, died of rheumatic heart) and her daughter died in childbirth. Jane didn't talk much about Ireland, so we don't have many family stories. Plus, my grandfather, Joe Fitzpatrick, moved to Kentucky when he was in his thirties, and you know what distance does.

Anyway, thank you so much, again, for the photograph. We have little else of our ancestors, and I treasure this!

By chance, are you related to the family?

Best,
Sharron