O’Grady – Many Branches, One Tree

Letter to My Great-Great Grandparents

My Dear Great-great Grandparents, François and Catherine, A reminder popped up on my calendar today that you, Francois, died of meningitis 127 years ago, on May 26, 1891. It prompted me to reflect on your lives and the values you imparted to your descendants, now seven generations strong. As one of those descendants, I write … Continue reading

Sentimental Sunday: To the Mothers in Our Lives

Happy Mother’s Day Feliz Día de las Madres Bonne Fête des Mères Buona Festa della Mamma Hyvää äitienpäivää Lá na Máthar Shona ar No matter what your language, “Mother” is the sweetest word of all. Margaret McCoy Born Ireland (abt. 1823 – abt. 1857) Catherine O’Grady Born Waterford, Ireland (abt. 1835 … Continue reading

Marriage Record of François Perrotin and Catherine O’Grady

26 January 1860 Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana This week marks the 152nd anniversary of the marriage between François Perrotin and Catherine O’Grady (also known as Catherine Grady), on January 26, 1860, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Here is a copy of their Certificate of Marriage. A transcription follows, along with a short background of a legendary Catholic priest … Continue reading

A Legacy Renewed, A Cause for Celebration

A legacy renewed, a cause for celebration On a cold wintry morning on the eve of the Civil War some 150 years ago, a dashing red-headed French baker and a wide-eyed, dark-haired Irish seamstress pledged their undying devotion in a loving embrace before God as they were joined in marriage in a small Catholic church … Continue reading

A Dream Come True

Perrotin Family Reunites for First Time in 112 Years Tonight my family and I will bust a decades-old family myth when we meet for the first time members of a branch of the Perrotin family, who were supposedly killed by a bomb during the Second World War. Their names are Don and Jennifer Murray, and … Continue reading