Bernard McCauley (II) (1877-1923) married Susan Reilly (1888-1918) in 1911 and in 1915 were living at 1118 Washington Avenue in the Bronx in the same building as James and Susan Carraher. Susan McCauley Carraher was Bernard’s younger sister born just after him.   Bernard McCauley and Susan Reilly had two sons before Susan passed away in 1918.  Both sons, Bernard (1912 -1975) and Thomas (1914-1955) were later admitted to the orphanage at Mount Loretto, New York, as Bernard had become injured in an accident while working on the construction of the subway system in New York.

Bernard left Mount Loretto when he became of age, most likely around 1928.  He lived with the Carraher family before moving north to settle in Rensselaer.  This must have been in 1933 as the picture below captures Bernard McCauley (III) and Anna Korn on his left, The couple on the right-hand side of the photo is not identified.  This photo seems to indicate that Bernard was living up in the Albany/Rensselaer area.  The date on the photo appears to be Anna Korn’s handwriting.

Bernard McCauley (III) would marry Anna Koren in February 1934 in Watervliet, NY.  That marriage produced two children.  Bernard (IV) was born on October 9, 1934. Patrica McCauley was born three years later November 23, 1937. 

Bernard the III served in the Navy during WWII from July 1943 until November 1945. He was a Machinist Mate Second class and served with the Sea Bees in the Philippines.  Below is a photo of him with his unit mates.  Bernard McCauley III is in the center of the photo wearing a pith helmet.

Bernard McCauley (III), Anna McCauley, Bernard McCauley (IV) and Patricia McCauley are captured in top photo above. This photo taken presumably in July 1943 before Bernard (III) left for service.  The next photo down was shared with me by Kathleen Matthews and there is a date of 1943 on the back. The third one above was also shared by Kathleen Matthews and does not have a day, but Bernard and Patricia both look a year or so older.

Anna would raise the two children on her own during this time.  Anna was not one to shrink in the face of a challenge.  She was a hard worker and ensured everyone did their part to contribute.  Her first job was at the age of 16 doing clerical work at a lumber mill.  Anna McCauley often worked outside the home. Some of her jobs included after-hours cleaning at an auto dealership, pressing and mending clothes, and working at Huyck’s mill in Rensselaer, NY.  In addition, the 1950 Us censes indicates that at that time Anna held a full-time job at the Health Department.

Below is a grouping of Photos:

 1) Photo of Anna McCauley Outside her home on 321 Columbia Street, Rensselaer, NY in the late 1930’s .

 2) Edward Matthews holding his dog Jack, Bernard McCauley, (III) Anna McCauley, Marilyn McCauley holding Kevin McCauley, and slightly out of frame is Bernard McCauley (IV) at the Christening of Keven McCauley in April 1960.

 3) Anna and Bernard (III) McCauley at Christmas dinner at the home of Bernard McCauley (IV) in 1972.

 4) The headstone of Bernard and Anna McCauley, Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Rensselaer, NY.

Thomas Patrick McCauley

Thomas’s life has become a bit of a mystery.  He was said to be restless and moved around frequently.  I wonder how his upbringing in the Mount Loretto Orphanage affected his ability to form healthy relationships.  Thomas was released from Mount Loretto possibly around 1931 and my father’s notes indicate he went to live with Aunt Ellen and after some disagreements, left her family to to wander the country.

Thomas took a trip to Ireland, perhaps in the hope of moving there. The passenger manifests below document his trip in November 1934. The only close relative in Enniskillen at the time was Agnes McCauley-Kelly. Upon examination of both passenger manifests, one can conclude that the visit lasted only one month.  Aunt Patricia passed a comment once that she understood Thomas did not like it there as Agens him smoke and play cards in the barn. There are similar indications in my father’s notes.  Below are the travel manifests documenting Thomas’s travel to Enniskillen and his return.  The return trip manifest has a return address at 276 Meagher Drive in the Bronx. The address of the Carraher family.   

My father’s notes imply Thomas traveled the country by rail in the 1930’s.  This is the reason my grandmother developed the kindness of feeding some of the men down on their luck along the railroad tracks as she hoped that someone would show that kindness to Thomas, wherever he was. This was the time of the great depression, and many men were out of work and traveling to find employment.

 Thomas moved to Rochester sometime after 1935.  Thomas is listed as an Albany resident in 1935 in a Rochester 1940’s Federal Censes. Thomas did find work in Rochester New York. The same 1940’s Censes finds him working as a Porter in the Regent Theatre.  Honest work and it could have been a fun job.  A behind-the-scenes position that ensures patrons have a good time.  At that time the Regent would have produced some live shows, in addition to showing films.  

I have also found a copy of Thomas’s 1940 draft card.  He was 5′ 3’‘tall and 115 lbs.  He served at Fort Dix for three months in 1944 and was training to be a member of a tank battalion. He was discharged from the Army due to an undisclosed medical condition. This may have been when he first learned that he had Syphilis My father’s notes indicate he died in the Poughkeepsie Psychiatric hospital in 1955 due to complication of Syphilis. His death record confirms the location but indicated death was caused by a pulmonary issue.  In the 1950’s there were no medications to successfully treat this disease.  It affected the nervous system including the brain and could lead to mental decline, personality change, and the disease could attack other vital organs of the body.  No stories were passed along telling how Thomas came to be enrolled in the psychiatric hospital, but there would have to be significant challenges to his safety and well-being to have him admitted.  An attempted search for his hospital clinical file was thwarted as no one in the NYS Office of Mental Health could direct me to the repository or indicate if they even still existed.

 Thomas was reported to have been married and have a son also named Thomas.  My father indicates that in his notes.  I have not found a record of a child or the marriage either in The Albany or Rochester Area. The search will continue.

Below are my father’s notes regarding Thomas McCauley after he interviewed his mother Anna Korn McCauley in February 2002.

Thomas Patrick McCauley is buried in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Rensselaer, NY.  Anna McCauley helped to secure him a burial plot and applied for his military burial benefit.