The Hayes Family History Site

Many years ago, my Uncle told me a story of my Great, Great Grandfather Henry William Lewis and how he had witnessed the beginning of the Civil War.   This  story was always very interesting to me so I decided to do some research into the events of that day. There are actually many very interesting stories about Henry William Lewis that I will write about in the future, but today’s story is about his time aboard “The Nashville” and it’s role in the start of the Civil War.    The history books and buffs have many versions of how things happened that day in Charleston Bay in relation to the Nashville. But thanks to an interview with H. W. Lewis, published in “The Sun”, a New York newspaper, on May 16, 1897, things become much clearer.

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Police Officer Patrick S. Hanley, the son Ellen Hayes and Daniel Hanley and a New York City Patrolman for almost 25 years was shot in the back while trying to apprehend a man who had “shot another brother officer just moments before”.

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This is the story of how the “other” Hayes’ arrived in the United States.  The other Hayes’ meaning on the Lewis side.  Yes, I have Hayes’ from both my mother and father.  The information is compiled from many sources, including:

• Census Records: 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.
• A letter From Grace Lewis telling the story of the family.
• A bio of Edward Hayes, found in an “About Erie County” PDF.
• Information gathered by my Uncle Lloyd

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While doing some casual family genealogy research using Google’s new Newspaper Archives, I stumbeled accross one of the greatest finds yet….  A New York Times obituary with a picture of New York City Police Captain Frank A. Tierney.  He was 68 year old when he died of heart disease in Brooklyn, New York.  Frank was the brother of my Great Grandfather James F Tierney. My great Uncle  actually was a Police Inspector before being demoted to Captain just before his retirement in 1928.

He spent 32 years on the Police Force, including several years in Chinatown, heading up the move against the gangs there.  Unfortunately, he encountered some political trouble in 1918  with Police Commissioner Enright who took the opportunity to demote him.  It seems that although he was in and out of some minor trouble through his career (see the attached articles), he was generally well respected and liked.  He retired as a Captain on December 31, 1928, ending his career managing the Miller Avenue Precinct in Brooklyn.

He was survived by his three sons; John E, Frank A. Jr. and Raymond A Tierney (who later became a New York City Magistrate in 1956.)

The Obituary and Photo

• 1936: F.A. Tierney Dies; Ex-Police Captain

• 1902: Sergeant Tierney Fined
• 1913: Riley In Chinatown To Stop Gambeling
• 1918: Inspector Tierney Demoted
• 1918: F.A. Tierney Has Christmas Cheer
• 1919: Police Department Transfers
• 1922: Roosevelt Police Dinner

This last weekend, Mom, Colleen, Philip Jr., Kevin and myself all piled into the Trailblazer and headed south to Pennsylvania.  The drive down was without incident and allowed me some quality time to gather more family insight from my Mom.  She told me lots of new things, but unfortunately, I was driving and was unable to take notes.  I should have brought my voice recorder.  She promised to let me video record her at a later date.

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After studying the information provided to me in the Internment Report and comparing it to my uncle Lloyd’s notes and census records, I have identified several people buried at the Beattie plot at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn.

First, I believe “Mary Beattie & Infant” (b 1864, d. 1904) may be the wife of John J. Beattie.   John J. Beattie is the brother of Sarah Beattie, my great grandmother.  John J. Beattie and Mary had four children; John, Mary, Margaret and Angela.  Although John J. Beattie does not appear to be buried here, everything else seems to be matching up.  According to my Uncle Lloyds notes,  one of John’s children died of a brain injury in their teen years.  This appears to be John Jr (b. 1892, d. 1907).  I’ll pull the death certificate in the coming weeks in order to determine the exact cause of death and relationship.

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After waiting close to eight weeks, my long awaited Internment Report has arrived for the Beattie’s and Tierney’s buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. After paying $75 for the report, I find it raised more questions than it really resolved.

Back in July 2008, I made a trip to Holy Cross after learning from two death certificates that James F. Tierney and Mary Dillon Beattie were buried separately there. The staff at Holy Cross was kind enough to point me to the two grave sites which were on opposite ends of the cemetery.

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