Ann Scott McCloskey

     Ann Scott McCloskey was born circa 1834 at Dudley, Worcestershire, England. She was the daughter of John McCloskey and Mary Kelly.

Resarch Note: Mary Kelly is indicated as a mother-in-law in the Ann Grady household on the 1861 Dudley census but because of her connection with Sarah and Luke Scott (all three were lodgers in the 1851 Dudley household of Martin McNaught) she may be Ann Scott Grady's step mother rather than mother to the two Grady brothers, Thomas and Patrick.

Ann Scott McCloskey was enumerated with Michael Heaney on the census of 30 March 1851 at Dudley, Worcestershire, England, as Nancy Scott. Ann is a 17 year old female and works as a general servant. She is unmarried and was born in Dudley.

Research Note: That Nancy Scott and Ann Scott McCloskey are one and the same is a small leap of faith. Nancy is a diminutive of Ann, they are both 17, they are both born in Dudley and the proximity to not only Thomas Grady on Wolverhampton Street but only two doors from Mary Kelly, Sara Scott and Luke Scott in the NcNaught household point to the possibility that they are one and the same.

Marriage banns for Ann Scott McCloskey and Thomas Grady were published between 6 July 1851 and 20 July 1851 at St. Thomas, Dudley, Worcestershire, England.¹

Ann Scott McCloskey married Thomas Grady, son of Michael Grady, on 5 August 1851 at St Thomas of Canterbury, Dudley, Worcestershire, England. Thomas and Ann were married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church after banns.In the presence of John and Eliza Tingram. James C. Brown D/L Vicar officiated.

     The marrage of Roman Catholics in the Anglican Church was quite common practice after Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1754 right up until 1837 when Civil Registration was introduced. However, 1851 is quite late to find Catholics still marrying in the Established Church. It is possible that Ann was not a practicing Catholic at the time of the marriage.²

Ann Scott McCloskey is head of household on the census of 7 April 1861 at Dudley, Worcestershire, England, as Ann Gready. Ann is 27 years old and married. She works as a chain maker and was born in Dudley. Enumerated with her were William Grady, Michael Grady, Patrick Grady, Patrick Grady and Mary Kelly.³

Ann Scott McCloskey died circa 1866 at Ashland, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania; Family lore from the Curtin family suggests that Ann McCloskey did immigrate to the United States and is the mother of Joseph Grady born in Ashland, PA circa 1865. She died sometime after his birth in Ashland, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

If Ann McClouskey did die in England as suggested by some family tradition than she could not be the mother of Joseph Grady, who was born in Pennsylvania abt 1865. A name that is seen in several documents is Catherine Elizabeth McDermott. William Grady states in his marriage entry at St. Bridget's that his mother was Ann McDermott and his death certificate indicates his mother as Catherine Elizabeth McDermott. Notes from Mary Grady Lenski also indicate that William Grady's mother was Elizabeth McDermott. This is not accurate as his birth certificate indicates his mother to be Ann (McGlousgy) Scott. But the name may be a clue to the mother of Joseph Grady.^4,5,6

     The marriage certificate for Ann indicates her maiden as Ann McGlousgy, daughter of John McGlousgy. The register entries at St. Thomas in Dudley for all of her children indicate her maiden name as Ann Scott. The birth certificates for four of her five children indicate her maiden name as Ann Scott. For one child, Michael, born 6 Jun 1858, her maiden name is indicated as Ann Glousgy. It is likely that the surname McGlousgy is a corruption of the name McCluskey. It is possible that her family name is McCluskey or McCloskey and spoken with an Irish accent to an English registrar, it may have been mis-heard, which was not an uncommon occurrence. William Grady who was 6 yrs or younger when his mother died recalled her name as Ann McDermott which is entered in the register at St. Bridget's on his marriage entry.