Daniel Doran

Daniel Doran, a native of Ireland, (according to the Alien Docket Index, Clearfield Co. Courthouse) emigrated to the United States when he was about 27 years old. He either landed in Philadelphia, on May 2, 1864 on the S. S. Stadacona, which left Londonderry, March 31st [National Archives M425 - has a 27 yr. old Daniel Doran listed] or arrived in New York City, around August 22, 1865 [according to Clearfield Co. Alien naturalization information - however, no Daniel Doran has been found so far on NY ship passenger lists for that August]. According to oral tradition, Daniel emigrated because the English would not let the Irish off from work to go to Sunday Mass.

Somehow, somewhere, sometime between November 1867 and November 1873, Daniel Doran met, courted, and married Mary Ann Massey. In 1860 Mary's parents, John & Catharine Cooney Massey, had brought Mary & her siblings from England to the United States (according to Mary's 1900 census data). Mary Massey's photo album, given to her October 30, 1867 is filled with photographs taken mainly in the Philadelphia area, so perhaps the Massey family lived nearby.

Daniel & Mary Doran's daughter, Rose Ann, was born on July 18, 1874 in Clearfield, PA. She was baptized there at St. Francis of Assisi Church, with sponsors Patrick Clancy & Elizabeth Ann McCann. A son, David Daniel, was also born in Clearfield, a year later, July 24, 1875. Rose Ann died prior to the 1880 census, but unfortunately I don't know when she died or where she is buried.

According to Clearfield County records, Daniel and his family lived in both Bradford township and in Clearfield, PA between 1874-1875. Information from the County tax lists and license applications indicates that in 1874 Daniel paid Bradford township taxes as a laborer and in Clearfield borough as a miner. In 1875 he has been taken off the Clearfield borough tax rolls and has paid taxes only in Bradford township as a laborer, owning one horse. The tax lists also name a James Doran ( is this a relative?)

On March 21, 1874 Daniel's Declaration of Intent to become a citizen was filed in Clearfield, PA. Then, according to the Raftsman's Journal, in May 1875, Daniel Doran applied for a year long license to run a hotel in Bradford Township, Clearfield County. His application was approved in the June Court of Quarter sessions. On his application, witnessed by 13 other citizens, Daniel affirmed that he had a house of at least 4 bedrooms (8 beds) which he would rent out for less than $300 per year, with liquor sales amounting to less than $500 per year. He was given a receipt for his $40 by the Treasurer's Office Clearfield, PA on June 22, 1875. However, in 1876 he has been removed from the tax lists of Bradford township. Daniel applied for a restaurant or eating house license (Raftsman's Journal Feb. 24, 1876) for Clearfield borough, but was refused in the county's March Court of Quarter sessions.

On the Houtzdale, PA map included in Caldwell's Illustrated Historical Combination Atlas of Clearfield Co., PA, 1878, the Doran house is located at 216 Moose Alley which is between Grace & Sue, at the intersection of McAteer. The family probably was renting since no Clearfield County deeds have been found for the Dorans. Perhaps Daniel was working in the nearby coal mines. According to the family oral tradition, Daniel died about the time that his son, David, was taking his first steps. There is a brief notice in the Raftsman's Journal (Clearfield, PA) regarding Daniel Doran's untimely death on the Clearfield-Tyrone spur:

The Raftsman's Journal Clearfield, PA Dec 6, 1876 p. 3, 2nd column, top KILLED ON THE RAIL - We learn that Daniel Doran, formerly of this place, was accidentally killed near Sterling mines, on Thursday, Nov. 30th. He was walking on the railroad, and hearing an approaching train, he stepped from one track to the other, but unfortunately on to the wrong one. Several cars run over him. He was badly mangled, and died in a few minutes after the accident.

Oral tradition says that Daniel was buried in the same cemetery where his wife rests. That would be St. Lawrence Cemetery on the Houtzdale-Ramey highway. Daniel Doran left no will.

On August 10, 1877, the last child of Mary & Daniel Doran, Catherine Doran, was born. She was baptized three days later by Rev. Martin Meagher in Immaculate Conception Church, Osceola Mills, with sponsors Patrick Quinn & Mrs. McGowan. Catherine also must have died before 1880, since she is not listed with her mother in that census, but I do not know when she died or where she is buried either.

Sometime before 1880, Daniel Doran's widow, Mary Ann Massey Doran, married Thomas Allen, a shoemaker living in Houtzdale. Tom, a widower, had moved with his sons and a daughter from New York City to Clearfield County, PA sometime in the early 1870s. Tom Allen is listed in the Advertising section of the same Caldwell's Atlas mentioned above. Tom & Mary had two sons - William, born in early May 1880 [dying before the 1900 census] & Peter William, born on December 27, 1881. Both William and Peter were baptized in St. Lawrence Church, Houtzdale. [information from Christ the King Church]

Thomas Allen died in Houtzdale on August 29, 1893 and was buried in St. Lawrence Cemetery; his wife, Mary, died in Philadelphia, PA, March 7, 1906 and she rests beside Tom.

Negative Researc

Marriage: no marriage record has yet been found for Daniel Doran & Mary Massey. The State of New Jersey has no record of their marriage between 1865-1878. Clearfield Co. marriage records start in 1885. ­ St. Francis of Assisi, Clearfield has no record of Mary Doran's marriage to Tom Allen & St. Lawrence Church, Houtzdale has no marriage recorded for them either. (Judy Allen, 1994)

1870 census: no records have yet been found for either Daniel Doran or the Massey family. Where were they?

Children: In the 1900 PA census, Mary had given birth to 6 children, with only 2 still living, namely, David Doran & Peter Allen. She lost Rose Ann & Catherine Doran before 1880 & William Allen, before 1900. So I'm still missing the name of one child. (Another mystery, I have 3 lockets all with the same man's photo which I have here assumed is Daniel Doran. The largest locket, a piece of mourning jewelry, has a braid of reddish hair on the reverse. The 2 smaller lockets are inscribed, one says Willa, the other Lulu. Now who are they?)

St. Francis of Assisi Church, Clearfield, PA looked in Old Calvary Cemetery records but found no related Dorans - they have no death records 1876-1888.

Birth records & Death records for Clearfield Co.: only exist between 1893-1905 - no related Dorans found.

Baptismal records: no record was found in St. Francis of Assisi Church, Clearfield, PA for David Daniel Doran, 1875.

1880 PA census Mortality records: none exist for Clearfield Co.

City Directories: no Clearfield, PA directories for 1868-1879.

Death of Daniel: Although the Raftman's Journal, Oct. 31, 1877 mentioned that there was a Pa. RR Accident Book " a record of every person killed or injured on the road" going back to 1869, neither the Hagley Museum in Delaware, nor the Pa RRT & Historical Society (2002) know anything about it. The record, if it truly existed, was probably destroyed long ago. Christ the King Church, Houtzdale, which administers St. Lawrence Cemetery had no record of Daniel Doran's burial but they suggest we just search the cemetery.