MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER PETER ALOYISUS MULHERIN was born in Killybegs, County Donegal, Ireland in 1841. Peter immigrated to the US in the late 1800's, along with his two brothers John and Patrick. They settled in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area. Peter and his brothers left behind in Ireland their brother Thomas as well as their sister Mary. Peter and Sarah RUDDY were married about 1871, probably in Wilkes-Barre. Peter's occupation is listed as a coal miner in the US Federal Census. Peter died in Wilkes-Barre in December 1905.

SARAH AGNES RUDDY WAS BORN IN 1850 in Scotland. Her father was Andrew RUDDY, born in Ireland, and her mother Mary DEVLIN, born in Scotland. Sarah immigrated to the US from Scotland. Her year of immigration is listed as 1864 in the 1900 Federal Census. Sarah's residence was listed as Jeddo, before moving to Wilkes-Barre. Sarah had nine children in all, according to Census records, including my grandfather Andrew. Andrew's siblings were brothers Thomas and Peter, and sisters Mary, Agnes, Ellen and Sarah. Andrew's sister Sarah died the day she was born December 19, 1893. I have no knowledge of the other two children mentioned in Census records. Sarah died in Wilkes-Barre in August 1917.

MY GRANDFATHER ANDREW JOSEPH MULHERIN was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1879. Andrew lived in Wilkes-Barre near Ashley, all his life. Andrew married Theresa GALLAGHER in June 1900 in Pittston, PA. He worked as a Trainman and Conductor for the Lehigh Valley Railroad for 36 years. Andrew died in Wilkes-Barre, April 15, 1937. He died before I was born, so I never got to know him.

THERESA (GRACE) GALLAGHER WAS BORN November 25, 1873, in the townland of Magheralosk, in County Donegal, Ireland. Her parents were Manus GALLAGHER, a farmer by trade, and Mary MCGARVEY. Theresa left Ireland as a young girl, and immigrated to the US. The first record of her in the US is her marriage application in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, which lists her residence as Tunkhannock, PA. Theresa was known as Grace in Ireland, and changed her name to Theresa after arriving in the US, prior to marrying Andrew. Theresa and Andrew had five children including my mother, Sarah Agnes. Sarah was the youngest with one sister, Mary, and three brothers Peter, Andrew and Manus. Theresa died in 1958 in Wilkes-Barre.

MY MOM, SARAH AGNES MULHERIN, was born January 29, 1912 on Spruce Street in Wilkes-Barre, where she lived until she married my dad in 1939. Sarah attended St. Leo's grade school in Ashley, Pennsylvania, and G.A.R. High school until 12th grade, when she returned to St. Leo's to graduate. In her later years, after her child rearing days were over, my mom worked as a seamstress. Just one of the skills she'd acquired during those homemaker years. She could have just as well gone into the bakery field, food preparation business, counseling field, home repair business, gardening field, financial planning or any one of a thousand other trades I felt she was qualified for. My mom died in 1986 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at the age of 74.
I miss my mom.

MY DAD, HAROLD WILLIAM MEHM was born February 29, 1912 on Park Avenue in Wilkes-Barre. He attended St. Nicholas grade school, and G.A.R. High School in Wilkes-Barre, until it was necessary for him to go to work at age 15 to help support the family. My dad worked as a machinist all his life, in several shops in the Wilkes-Barre area, as well as in Berwick, Pennsylvania. My dad never talked about the past much, I guess that's the way he was raised. I wish it could have been different, there's so much more I could have learned from him. My dad died in 1971 in Wilkes-Barre, at the age of 59.

For more information on my paternal line,
see my other website: www.mehmfamily.com.

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