Patrick Burns and Ellen Kiernan Burns

Patrick Burns was born in Ireland sometime between 1816 and 1820. It is believed he is of Scotch- Irish descent. In the 1840’s the immigration of the Scotch Irish was due to the economic conditions and famine. He married Ellen Kiernan. She was born in Ireland about 1814. They emigrated from England between 1838 and 1840. Patrick’s occupation was recorded as a Tailor. Names like Francis and Patrick and the Tailoring connection might tie in with the Burns family in Derry Island, Monaghan County, Ireland, they were known as the “Tailors of Monaghan”. It is most likely he was from that county in Ireland. The population of Monaghan County dropped almost one-third around the 1840’s as emigrants flooded out of the county.


Patrick and Ellen lived in England where Mary was born about 1838. They emigrated to the United States and their first son, our direct ancestor, John J. was born about 1840 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The subsequent children Francis Palmer born 1842, James born 1845, Ellen born 1847, Anna A. born 1849 and Margrett born in 1854 all were born in Philadelphia. Patrick and Ellen had two children die in infancy. Catherine was born 1843 and died September 14, 1843 of asphyxia. Born in 1852 Catherine J. died at the age of 2 years 6 month old on February 7, 1854. Catherine J. was buried in Old Cathedral Cemetery located at 48th Street and Lancaster Avenue. The plot is three adjoining lots owned by Patrick Burns, lot number N-6-39; there are no head stones as markers. It can be assumed there was no family plot at the time of her death since she was the first to be placed in it over a month after her death on March 14.

Immigrants and immigrant children took over the old row house neighborhoods.

They tended to live near their jobs and members of their own ethnic group and family. They shopped on local streets; the individual neighborhoods were where they lived their lives. The 1850’s and 60’s showed Patrick was living in a rented house in the Village of Southwark in the county of Philadelphia, Pa. They were sucked into the city of Philadelphia in 1854 when the county gobbled up all the villages and small towns to become the city it is now. One of the City’s worst neighborhoods included Southwark below South Street. In a jumble of small streets, courts, alleys scattered with warehouses, factories and markets were the homes of our immigrant families. A family could rent a two-story six-room row house for less than $20.00 a month. Patrick had a Tailor Shop on South Street until late in the 1850’s. During that time, the family helped others by letting them live with them.

Hugh Welsh was born in Ireland. His occupation was a Tailor and he was 22 years old where, along with his wife Mary 21 years old also born in Ireland were living with Patrick Burns and family in 1850. Hugh died on March 9, 1862 while residing at 21 Reed Street. Francis Palmer Burns and family resided at that location. Francis’ daughter Regina married an Arthur Welsh. The 1910 Federal Census shows Francis P. Burns residing at 234 Daly Street with grandson Frank Welsh, 15 years old, born in 1895. Hugh Welsh may have started out an immigrant in need of help, but I believe he became family.

1870 Federal Census shows our ancestors lived in the 2nd District of the 1st Ward. This area of Philadelphia was from Wharton Street to Passyunk Avenue, from Broad Street to the Delaware River and encompassed the village Southwark. Patrick stayed in this area for the rest of his life. He always rented. He did not own property. He was a family man. John J. lived at the residence with wife Margaret O’Shea with four children. Anna was 6 years old, John Jr was 4 years old, Kate was 2 years old and Teresa was 1 year old. Patrick’s son James and daughters Maggie, Mary Devir, Anna Rival along with Granddaughter Maggie Rival also lived in the same house. The occupations in the household varied; Patrick still a Tailor, John was an Iron Moulder he worked in an iron foundry and poured molten iron from the furnace into moulds for casting iron. James was a Waterman; he transported passengers across and along the river. Francis Patrick Burns live near his father, in the same area. He was a bricklayer or Mason who laid brick to construct brickwork. In England, bricklayers were known as “brickies”.

Even though I cannot find the 1880 census for Patrick, the Philadelphia city directories have made it possible to prove our ancestry. Patrick’s daughter Mary Burns married Edward Devir between 1860 and 1869. He died before 1870. She moved home with her parents as the 1870 Federal Census shows. The census listed her as his Daughter. The 1881 Philadelphia City Directories show her as “Mary widow of Edward Devir.” Patrick and Mary Devir resided at 1822 South 2nd Street. Another one of Patrick’s daughters, Anna Rival, also lived with Patrick in 1870. She died on February 27, 1872; her residence was 1820 South 2nd Street on the death certificate; and buried in New Cathedral Cemetery along with her parents, Patrick Burns and Ellen Kiernan. The 1887 Philadelphia City directory lists Patrick Burns and Mary Devir residing at 1543 Moyamensing Avenue. These documented facts prove this is our family.

We find John J. Burns and Margaret O’Shea renting a house at 2120 S. 10th Street near the south Philadelphia area where he grew up. Francis Palmer Burns owned his house. The number changed several times throughout the years due to the changes that the city when through; finally it was set as 21 Reed Street. The 1880’s decade showed how similar John J. and Francis P. were to their father. John like Patrick never owned a house. Francis took people who needed help into his home.

As the turn of the century approached, our family began to change. The patriarch of our family had past away on January 30, 1894 at the age 73. The death certificate for the city of Philadelphia reported his birth in the year 1821 and in Ireland. He was a widower and his occupation a Tailor at the time of his death. His residence was 1438 S. 3rd Street off Moyamensing Avenue, in ward 1, having lived in the area for over fifty years. The cause of death was Capillary Bronchitis, which caused inflammation of the tiny branches of air tubes in his lungs. Before him, Ellen Kiernan Burns went to her death at the age of 75. She died July 24, 1888. New Cathedral cemetery, 2nd and Butler streets, their final residence together; although there is no headstone; Family is a beautiful monument to their long life together.