Patrick Henry McGowan of PA and AL 1861-1924 #52Ancestors #10

Patrick Henry McGowan was the oldest child of eight born to James and Bridget Conlon McGowan. He was born March 21, 1861 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

I wrote to the Diocese of Pittsburgh and obtained the following baptismal record:
St. John the Evangelist (South Side) Baptismal Records

Patrick, born 22 Mar 1861; baptized 31 Mar 1861; father: James McGown; mother: Bridget Conboy; sponsors: Albert Griffin, Anna Conlon

The 1870 census shows
1870 PA Census ALLEGHENY > E BIRMINGHAM BORO:
Series M593, Roll 1293 Page 574
James, age 36, Iron Pudler, value of real estate 1000, personal estate 100, born Ireland, father & mother of foreign birth, US Citizen.
Bridget, age 33, keeps house, born Ireland
Patrick, age 9, born PA
Mary, age 6, born PA
Joseph, age 4, born PA
Michael, age 8/12, born PA, Sept
Townloe, Mike, age 23, laborer, born Ireland

As you can see, Patrick followed his father into the ironworking profession.
The 1880 census:
James McGowan Self M Male W 42 IRE Boiler IRE IRE
Bridget McGowan Wife M Female W 40 IRE Keeping Bdg House IRE IRE
Patrick McGowan Son S Male W 19 PA Boilers Helper IRE IRE
Mary A. McGowan Dau S Female W 16 PA At Home IRE IRE
Joseph McGowan Son S Male W 13 PA Wks In Rg Mill IRE IRE
James McGowan Son S Male W 5 PA IRE IRE
Thomas McGowan Son S Male W 2 PA IRE IRE
James Conaway boarder S Male W 40 IRE Boiler IRE IRE
Edwd O'Malley boarder S Male W 30 IRE Boiler IRE IRE
William Riley boarder S Male W 36 IRE Boiler IRE IRE

Patrick married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cecilia McNamara September 28, 1888 in Pittsburgh. They had nine children:
Mary Ann born June 26, 1889 and died September 20, 1890
Thomas James born 1891, married Ora Barfield
Ella Mary born March 28, 1893, married George Clark Davis
Daniel John born December 23, 1895, married Ruby Wells
Alice C born March 12 1898, married Lyman Faith Stribling
Joseph Sylvester James born January 23, 1900
Francis Andrew "Frank" born May 5, 1906, married Ethelyne Blanche Oliver
John Raymond born November 9, 1908, married Georgia Mildred Fratoddi
There was also another child born after 1900 that died before 1910.

Patrick is found in J. F. Diffenbacher's Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities. 1889/1890
pg 760
McGowan, Patk, pud, 2518 Larkins ay (alley)
(pud is an iron puddler)

1890/1891
McGowan, Patk H, pud, 2928 Harcums ay

1888/1889
McGowen, Patk, helper, 144 s 25th

1891/1892
McGowan, Patk H, pud, 2514 Larkins ay

By 1900, Patrick had moved to Birmingham Alabama, presumably because of the ironworking opportunities in the booming city. He moved about 1896 based on birthplaces of children.
1900 Jefferson County AL, 9th ward (West End)
Patrick H, Head, age 39, b Mar 1861, in PA, says father born PA, mother Ireland, occupation Puddler Rolling Mill, can read & write, rents home
Lizzie, wife, age 35, B June 1864 in PA, 6 children, 5 liviing. Father & mother born Ireland, can read & write
Thomas J, b March? 1891 in PA, age 9
Ella, b May 1893 in PA, age 7
Dannie, son, b Dec 1895 in PA, age 4
Alice, b March 1898 in AL, age 2
Joseph, b Feb 1900 in AL, age 4/12 (4 months)
Gus Myrlen (boarder)
Joseph Schoclere? (boarder) (I wonder if this is Schilleci?)

The family was still in the 9th Ward of Birmingham in 1910. Patrick had become the tax assessor for Jefferson County (Surely that's what a Tax Asser is!)

McGowan, Patrick H 50 M W PA  Parents born Ireland,Tax Asser for County, Rents home
Lizie, wife 42, married 21 years, 9 children, 7 living, born PA, parents Ireland
Thomas, son 19 born PA, Clerk Barber Supply
Ela, daughter 17 born PA
Daniel, 14 born PA, Machinist Railroad
Alice 12 born AL
Joseph, 10 born AL
Francis, son 4 born AL
John 1 6/12 born AL
Severly?, Edward, roomer, 60, born Ireland, Parents Ireland, Labor Railroad

Patrick's wife Lizzie died November 1, 1919. By the 1920 census, Patrick's mother had come to live with the family:

Nineteenth Street
McGowen P H 55 M W PA
Tom 27? Salesman Barber Supply
Dan 24 Carpenter Steel Plant
Alice 21 Operator Phone Co
Joe 20 Labor ? Co
Frank 13, ? boy, ? Co
pg 249
John 11
Bridget, Mother, 85 born Ireland
(Patrick's married daughter Ella is in the next household.)

Patrick died May 31, 1924. He was buried in Southside Catholic Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama. That would normally be the end of his story...but the University of Alabama at Birmingham purchased the cemetery property to build the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Everyone in the cemetery was moved. I'm currently trying to locate Patrick (and Lizzie"s) final resting place. I hope to have an update soon.

If you are realated to this McGowan family, I would love to hear from you.