Finding a death in USA

brownangel

I wonder if anyone here has access to American newspaper archives. I am trying to trace an Irish ancestor who went to America and was killed by a police car. His name was Thomas Healy from Burnfort, County Cork and he was born around 1877. That is all I know. I guess he died between 1900 and 1950 but I don't know in which state. I would appreciate any information.

pinkypinky

That's not much to go on. I'd try finding him alive on the censuses or passenger lists first and narrow down the time frame. Do you know anything about his family or occupation?

hblock21

Fultonhistory.com is the most comprehensive newspaper archive website for NY.
Then there is also chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

hammy007

brownangel wrote: »

I wonder if anyone here has access to American newspaper archives. I am trying to trace an Irish ancestor who went to America and was killed by a police car. His name was Thomas Healy from Burnfort, County Cork and he was born around 1877. That is all I know. I guess he died between 1900 and 1950 but I don't know in which state. I would appreciate any information.

I have access to a good few databases through my old libraries, but as PinkyPink said we need more to go on. Just as an example, I ran a search with his name in Access Newspaper Archives from 1900-1950 for all states and got 167,965 results. If you can get a narrower time frame and a state I would be happy to help if you can't find it in Chronicling America or elsewhere.

brownangel

His parents were Denis Healy and Bridget Hickey, both Irish and they did not emigrate. Thomas was born in 1877 in Burnfort, Co. Cork. I don't know the state but the most likely places would be New York, Boston or Chicago. I don't know in which year he emigrated. The time frame of his death would be between 1905 and 1950. Thanks for your help.

spurious

How sure are you of the police car story?

Complete long shot.....
There was a Thomas Healy killed in a car accident in Slinger, Wisconsin, November 1926, when the car he was a chauffeur of went off the road.

brownangel

Thanks, spurious. I wasn't able to find it using FamilySearch in Milwaukee.

It's firmly believed in the family. The older generation are all dead of course, but I'm sure it's true.

spurious

It's really the very wide time period is the problem.
Do you know did he have children?

brownangel

No children. He was single.

spurious

There is 'a' Thomas Healy in the New York, Spanish-American War Military and Naval Service Records, listed with a date of birth of 6th May 1877.

Your man was born (according to birth cert) on the 8th May 1877 and no other Thomas Healy that I can find born in Ireland in 1877 has a DOB close to that.

This Thomas is listed as enlisting on 4th Oct 1899, had red hair and is shown as deserting on March 9th 1900.

Let me see can I find him in any census.

**edit No joy, I'm afraid.

brownangel

That's intriguing. I didn't know about that incident. I would agree that the close conjunction of the DOBs makes it likely that it's the same person. Thanks for that.

brownangel

Actually, spurious, I'm curious about the picture in the military records. Would you mind posting or emailing the picture, if that's possible?

spurious

Have to head out now, but Pm me your email and i will send it tonight.