To celebrate St.Patrick’s Day I decided to write about one of our Irish ancestors, Theresa McCormack Crellin. She was Jules Leon Lamothe’s (1910-2002) grandmother.
Theresa McCormack was born on August 1854, in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana.i She was the daughter of Thomas McCormack, a native of West Meath, Ireland, and Catherine Smith. In the mid-19th century New Orleans was a vibrant and culturally rich city and a major hub of cotton and sugar trade. Between the 1850s and 1870s many Irish and German immigrant families lived in crowded neighborhoods, and children often worked to help support their families.ii There is no evidence during this time that Theresa had to find work. In 1860 Theresa (age 6) lived with her parents Thomas (age 40) and Catherine (age 33) McCormack along with siblings Mary Jane (age 9) and William (age 2). The census record states that Thomas and Catherine were both from Ireland while the three children were born in Louisiana.iii In 1870 the family remained in the 3rd Ward of New Orleans. Thomas (age 44) is listed as a laborer and Mary Jane (age 17) as seamstress.iv The family is listed in the same dwelling with other people: Gertrude Miller (age 46, white), John Miller (age 20, white), Betsy Jones (age 97, black), V. Johnson (age 18, black), Levy Thomas (age 23, black), and London Richardson (age 26, black). Perhaps they lived in a boarding house or there was some relationship with Gertrude to the McCormack family.
On March 13, 1879, Theresa married John James Crellin at St. Joseph Church in New Orleans, with J.J. Gramann (brother of Margaret) serving as a witness. In 1900, Theresa (age 42) and John (age 42) lived at 614 Magnolia Street in New Orleans. Their children were: Elvina (age 20), Theresa (age 17), Marcella (age 14), Katie (age 12), Maggie (age 8), Mary Jane (age 7), Willie (age 5) and Francis (or Frances) (age 1).v
John, whose occupation was a cab driver, passed away on October 16, 1906, at the age of 48, leaving Theresa a widow for the remaining 41 years of her life.vi According to an interview with Charles Crellin, Theresa was a religious and kind woman who wore black every day after her husband’s death.vii
In 1910 the Crellin family had moved to 2830 Palmyra Street where Theresa (age 51) is listed with her daughters Mary (age 17), Frances (age 10), and Sarah (age 8) and son William E. (age 16). Mary’s occupation was a saleslady at a millinery and William a clerk at a rubber company.viii By 1920 the family had moved to 630 Gayoso Street in New Orleans. Theresa (age 61) was living with her son, William (age 24) and daughter’s Frances (age 20) and Sarah (age 18). In addition, her widowed daughter, Marcella Fischer (age unreadable) and her children John (age 12) and Margaret (age 10 or 11) lived in the same household.ix
By 1930, Theresa (age 70) had moved to 3117 Palmyra Street. She lived there with her daughter, Marcella Crellin Fischer (age 40) and Marcella’s son John J. (age 22) and daughter Margaret (age 18). In addition, Theresa’s daughter Frances Crellin Sumner (age 28) her son Charles (age 5) also lived there. The census also lists the place of birth of Theresa’s parents as Meath, Ireland.x In 1940, she lived at 235 South Solomon. The census lists her age as 84. She lived with her daughters Marcella (age 45) and Frances (age 40) and Frances’ son, Charles (age 15).xi
Theresa McCormack Crellin lived a long life and died of heart disease on September 27, 1947, in New Orleans at the age of 93.xii At the time of her death, she had 27 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren.xiii She was buried in St. Joseph Cemetery #1, Tomb #238, in New Orleans.
Throughout her marriage (between the years 1880-1901), Theresa gave birth to 10 children. By the time of her death in 1947, most of her daughters had married, becoming Mrs. T.C. Brewster, Mrs. Marcella Fischer, Mrs. Frank Meloche, Mrs. Jules Lamothe, Mrs. Frances Sumner, Mrs. Arthur Adams, Mrs. Elvina Doody, and Mrs. Mazie Gleason. Her son William Nelson Crellin died at age 53.
i United States 1900 census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, City of New Orleans, Enumeration District No. 25, sheet 13 (handwritten), dwelling 614 Magnolia St., family number 306, Theresa Crellin in John Crellin Household; imaged, “imaged, “1900 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/records/17998048?tid=11044836&pid=-537396224&queryId=22aa81d3-db64-4e80-a912-f1c4d125825a&_phsrc=qCq221&_phstart=successSource : accessed 13 March 2025).
ii Synopsis on life in New Orleans between the 1850s and 1870s, Microsoft Copilot, (https://copilot.microsoft.com/chats/Y2LmSLCdfaccRcQvfXcej : generated 17 March 2025).
iii United States 1860 census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Population Schedule, City of New Orleans, 5th Ward, page 190 (handwritten), dwelling 1031, family 1399, Theresa McCormack in Thomas McCormack Household; imaged, “United States, Census, 1860,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/records/38345085?tid=11044836&pid=-537396224&queryId=358296ad-5c3a-4183-b7d6-5eb72bce407a&_phsrc=qCq235&_phstart=successSource : accessed 13 March 2025).
iv United States 1870 census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Population Schedule, New Orleans, 5th Ward, page unreadable (handwritten), dwelling 361, family 577, Theresa McCormick in Thomas McCormick Household; imaged, “United States, Census, 1870,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/records/26415818?tid=11044836&pid=-537396224&queryId=c73ea588-710c-4846-9e1d-0595a3439ef6&_phsrc=qCq244&_phstart=successSource : accessed 13 March 2025).
v United States 1900 census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, City of New Orleans, Enumeration District No. 25, sheet 13 (handwritten), dwelling 614 Magnolia St., family number 306, Theresa Crellin in John Crellin Household; imaged, “imaged, “1900 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/records/17998048?tid=11044836&pid=-537396224&queryId=22aa81d3-db64-4e80-a912-f1c4d125825a&_phsrc=qCq221&_phstart=successSource : accessed 13 March 2025).
vi Personal records of the author, Deborah K. Werling, [email protected], John J. Crellin’s Death Certificate in the Parish of New Orleans on 16 October 1906.
vii Personal records of the author, Deborah K. Werling, [email protected], notes from an interview with Charles Crellin, date unknown.
viii United States 1910 census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Population Schedule, New Orleans, Enumeration District 48, sheet number 7A (handwritten), dwelling 2830 Palmyra, family 136, Theresa Crellin head of household; imaged, “United States, Census, 1910,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/records/9277843?tid=11044836&pid=-537396224&queryId=1bd83855-9ad1-40b4-9e38-f519d4603fc6&_phsrc=qCq242&_phstart=successSource : accessed 13 March 2025).
ix United States 1920 census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Population Schedule, New Orleans, Enumeration District 53, sheet number 4A (handwritten), dwelling 630 Gayoso, families 90 and 91, Theresa Crellin and Marcella Fischer heads of household; imaged, “United States, Census, 1920,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/records/60440513?tid=11044836&pid=-537396224&queryId=921c91f0-1bce-4958-ae94-e3d41af966ea&_phsrc=qCq260&_phstart=successSource : accessed 13 March 2025).
x United States 1930 census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Population Schedule, New Orleans City, Enumeration District 36-27, sheet number 21B (handwritten), dwelling 3109 Palmyra, family number 321, Theresa Crellin in Marcella Fischer household; imaged, “United States, Census, 1930,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMYB-VP8?lang=en : accessed 19 March 2025).
xi United States 1940 census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Population Schedule, New Orleans City, Enumeration District 26-64, sheet number 9A (handwritten), dwelling 235 Solomon, household number 197, Theresa Crellin head of household; imaged, “United States, Census, 1940,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442/records/126031504?tid=11044836&pid=-537396224&queryId=46fd1d42-58f6-4c95-a19c-470a6b734956&_phsrc=qCq237&_phstart=successSource : accessed 13 March 2025).
xii Louisiana State Department of Health and The City of New Orleans Department of Health, Certificate of Death, 5 421, Orleans County, Theresa McCormack Crellin, died 27 September 1947; issued 29 September 1947 to Deborah Werling, Rogersville, Tennessee.
xiii “Deaths,” The New Orleans Item, 29 September 1947, page 7, column 1; imaged, Genealogy Bank (https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A1228C1F96EAE924B%40GB3NEWS-158E3F4C6A92344A%402432458-158CA2C30A70E229%406-158CA2C30A70E229%40?rect=0.014070%2C0.430420%2C0.139790%2C0.505170 : accessed 17 March 2025).
