Mary Ellen McCormick

     
Mary Ellen McCormick was also known as Molly.

Donald Coonrod remembers her this way: I met my grandmother McCormick twice. I remember her delicate potato soup with a little butter in it. She was pleased by a smile the first thing in the morning. She was a great worker, a doer. She also loved a good book, and a really good one could induce her to put everything aside until it was read. She and grandpa lived into ripe old age together and died within three months of each other in 1958.² She was born on 24 April 1874 at Shenango Twp, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.³ She was the daughter of Bernard McCormick and Ellen O'Hara. Mary Ellen McCormick was baptized on 24 May 1874 at Neshannock Catholic Church, Neshannock, Mercer County, Pennsylvania,Father Skopez baptized her.³

Mary was enumerated with Ellen O'Hara on the census of 18 June 1880 at Shenango Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, as Mary McCormick. Mary Ellen is 6 years old and lives at home. She attended school the previous year. She was born in Pennslyvania and both of her parents were born in Ireland.⁴ Mary Ellen McCormick was the godparent at the baptism of Elizabeth Ann Harrigan on 27 February 1887 at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas.⁵

Mary Ellen McCormick witnessed the marriage of William Grady and Barbara McCormick on 23 October 1889 at St Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas.^6,7

The following appeared in the Scammon paper on 4 Nov 1892: Miss Mollie McCormick went to Pittsburg Monday where she will remain this winter.⁸ Mary Ellen McCormick was the bridesmaid at the marriage of Patrick Hunt and Ellen McCormick on 27 September 1893 at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas; Rev J.J. Dunning officiating.^9,10
A notice in the Scammon paper indicating that Molly McCormick was the bridesmaid at the Patrick Hunt and Ellen McCormick wedding was the first evidence that John McCormick, son of Bernard McCormick, and Ann Hughes had left issue. John and Molly McCormick were siblings but she and Ellen, her neice, were close in age. There is also another child born to John McCormick and Ann Hughes, a son Patrick. Both Ellen and Patrick were born in Mercer County. After the death of John, Ann Hughes will marry James McLean and they eventually find their way to Scammon where they will raise a large family near Mineral. I spoke with some of the McLean descendants in 1998 in Scammon but little is known of Ann Hughes McCormick McLean. There were at least two daughters born to Patrick Hunt and Ellen McCormick. They were in Scammon in the 1940's looking for relatives. They were both from Kansas City.

Mary was enumerated with Ellen O'Hara on the census of 1 March 1895 at Mineral Township, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas, as Mary McCormick. Mary Ellen is listed as a white female aged 24 years. She was born in Pennsylvania and came to Mineral Township from Pennsylvania.¹¹ Mary Ellen McCormick was the godparent at the baptism of Mary Grady on 3 June 1896 at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas.^12,13

Mary Ellen McCormick married James E Fern, son of John Fern Sr and Mary Rice, on 25 June 1896 at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas.^14,15 The 1900 US Census listed Mary Ellen McCormick along with John Paul Fern in the household of James E Fern in Mineral Twp, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas.¹⁶

Mary was enumerated with James E Fern on the census of 22 March 1920 at Ross Township, Cherokee County, Kansas, as Mary Fern. She is a 55 year married white female born in Pennsylvania. Both of her parents were born in Ireland.¹⁷

Mary was enumerated with James E Fern on the census of 12 April 1930 at Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas, as Molly Fern. She is a married white female 55 years of age. She was first married when she was 22 years old. She was born in Pennsylvania and both of her parents were born in the Irish Free State.¹⁸

Mary Ellen McCormick died on 13 January 1958 at a nursing home, Concordia, Cloud County, Kansas, at age 83.¹⁹ She was buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Shawnee, Johnson County, Kansas.^20,21