The Descendants of Francis Reid


			GENERATION I

	1. FRANCIS REID was born in Ireland, about 1824. [I seem to
	have nothing to substanciate ANYTHING about Frank I]. 
	He died February 23, 1874, at the age of 50. [Source?]

	Little is known by direct evidence of him, but a general picture of
	his background and life can be assumed from circumstance.
	He was a Catholic, and
	he emmigrated from Ireland in 1848 when he was about 24.
	At this time, of course, many Irish were fleeing the country
	for the US due to the widespread starvation and destruction of
	homes caused by the combination of potato blight, British
	political policy, and the economic self-interest of the 
	landlords.  All this is well recorded [give a reference book].

	We may assume, then, that Frank was not a man of means, and that
	he left Ireland for survival.  We do not know anything of his 
	parentage, nor if he had siblings, nor if he came alone or
	with other family.

	We do know that he turned up in Waterbury Connecticut, a laborer
	at the brass mill.  At that time, Waterbury was a major center
	for brass production, and the labor for the mills was provided
	by a large population of Irish immigrant labor.  At that time,
	to be Irish was to be on the bottom of the white world.  Although
	not slaves, there were few opportunities open to Irish, and they
	lived in their own ghetto known as the Abrigador, which is
	the hillside overlooking the brass mills.  Every day, six
	days a week, for a 12 hour day, the Irish would walk down the
	hill to the factory; and twelve hours later back up the hill.
	It was not a good life, but it was a step above the utter destruction
	going on in Ireland.

	At some point, he married a Mary Ryan, who was also born
	in Ireland.  Mary died at age 45 on Sept. 15, 1877, three and 
	years after Frank's death, of an abdominal tumor.  [MMJ 10,
	Waterbury CT Vital Records].

	The two of them lived on Niagara Street near East Main for
	most of their life together.
	[MMJ 2 - Waterbury CT Directory 1868-1879]  

	Issue:
		i. Augustus H. Reid b. 1857 Waterbury CT, d. August 3 1884
		Waterbury CT, mar. Katherine Mulvaney.

					
					- Roger Reid, 1994