Caveny & Glennon

Patrick Caveny

Patrick Caveny was born in Ireland.

He immigrated to the USA most likely between 1845-1849 during the Irish Great Famine.
Patrick’s surname appears in US records as Caveny. No e between the n and y.

Patrick worked for the B&O Railroad Company.

In 1860 Patrick Caveny tallied his age as 50 years old (1810). In 1870 as 53 years old (1816-17). In 1880 he is enumerated at 52 years old (1828). His gravestone monument is carved with his death on January 1, 1893 at 76 years of age making his birth year 1816 yet his WV death record indicates he died of old age at 77 years old.
Documentaton lists his wife's name as Catherine.

1-1-1893

Catherine Glennon Caveny

Catherine Glennon was born in Ireland.

Catherine Caveney died 9-29-1892 in Grafton, WV . Her WV death record notes that she is 78 years old (1814) and her gravestone lists her as 76 years old in 1892 (1816). Although in 1860 she was listed as 45 yrs old (1815). 1870 at 53 yrs. (1817) and in 1880 older than her husband at 54 yrs (1826). Her age in relationship to bearing John F. Caveney is circumspect although not impossible. He could have been adopted but no oral history is known.

According to her granddaughter Loretta, Catherine Caveny’s maiden name was Glennon and Catherine was second cousin to Cardinal John J. Glennon (1862-1946). The Cardinal was from Kinnegad, County Westmeath, Ireland. While I am sure many Irish Catholics wanted to claim the Cardinal as their own kin because of his notoriety the relationship to the Caveny’s is a strong possibility. The surname Glennon is duly noted.
Catherine's father’s given name initial is E. and her Mother’s first initial C. according to the clerk of courts office in Taylor County, WV who graciously looked up the initial on the original death book since the microfilm missed it. No maiden surname was recorded on the death record.

9-29-1892

Cardinal John J. Glennon- Photo by St. Louis Dispatch

Their place of residence was Bluefield, Virginia in the 1850's based on their older children's birth reference. By 1860 they headed north and settled in Pruntytown in Taylor County, Virginia.

During the 60's the family witnessed the Civil War first hand. Taylor County had a hospital for the wounded located about 8 miles from Pruntytown.

1863 US Army hospital at Grafton WV . Photo procured from the Library of Congress

The town of Grafton, Virginia can be attributed to the B & O Railroad. Grafton was created in 1852 and given a charter on March 15, 1856 to make growth for the B & O Railroad . As a result Grafton played a role in transportation during the Civil War. It became West Virginia in 1861 after the state of Virginia split its allegiances with the eastern part of the state siding with the Confederacy and the western section loyal to the Union. In 1868 Grafton WV was chosen as a site of a USA National Cemetery. The cemetery has 2100 internments comprising mostly of Union soldiers killed during the War. In 1870 & 1880 the Caveney family is enumerated on the census in Grafton, WV. As growth continued after the War the town grew as a retail and industrial center too.
Our ancestors witnessed the growth of Grafton (a 3.8 square mile town) from its country origins with a population of 891 by 1860 to it becoming a booming railroad town with a population of 8,517 in 1920 when the last Caveny family line of John F. Caveney removed to Baltimore, MD then onwards to Pittsburgh, PA. Today Grafton has approximately 5200 residents.

1st Catholic Church in Grafton 1857 Restored by Steve Shaluta

When researching the Caveney family in Grafton, WV I came across a wonderful site: www.steveshaluta.com . This site has historical photos lovingly restored by Steve Shaluta. It takes a lot of time to restore photos and the quality of these black and white photos are superb. Take a moment and visit his site.

Children

The children of Patrick and Catherine were Anna P. Caveney Fahey born 1853, Patrick Joseph "James" "P.J" Caveney born 1855 and John F. Caveney born 1862. They all remained in Grafton WV until their parents deaths.
P.J followed in his father's footsteps and worked for the B&O Railroad Company.
What is not understood is that on the 26th of December, 1892 Patrick wrote his last will and testament. It was submitted to probate on January 7th 1893. The executor was his youngest son John F Caveny. It was probated April 3rd, 1893. The inheritance was equally divided between Annie Fahey, his daughter and John F Caveney, his youngest son. There is no mention of his son Patrick.