John F. Caveney was born June 1862.
His parents were documented as Patrick Caveney (1817-1893) and Catherine Glennon (1816 -1892).
Catherine birth dates vary but all seem to indicate that she had John late in her child bearing years. If we go off her inscribed gravestone then she would have been 46 years old.
There is the possibility that John F. Caveney was an adopted cousin as a John F. Caveney was born in 1860 to a Martin and Maria Caveney in Maryland. This is pure speculation as I have no oral history. It is just interesting that John named his eldest child Maria and moved to Baltimore for a short while in 1920. I cannot locate where this family went after the 1860 census (Martin, Maria, John F. and sister).
John’s documented siblings were Patrick Joseph “James” ‘PJ” Caveney (1855-1914) and Anna Caveney Fahey (1854-not confirmed yet).
On April 20th, 1896, John F. Caveney wed Mary Ellen McManinnon (McManimon) ( born September 15th, 1892 and died June 29,1947).
John appears in the 1900 census with his wife Mary, daughter Marie and infant daughter Catherine . They are living with his wife’s parents, Peter and Mary McManinnon on 148 Main St in Taylor County, Grafton, WV. Her parents were noted as being born in Ireland.
John F. Caveney subsequently appears in a multitude of publications listing his prominence in the Grafton community. His children seem to have lived a successful lifestyle based on their education, accomplishments and travel.
In 1900 an article appeared in the newspaper that John F. Caveney, a hardware merchant received treatment for a dog bite. During that time rabies provoked hysteria and fear in the community and was known to cause people to go mad. Louis Pasteur and Emile Roux had just developed a vaccine in the mid 1880’s and many areas in the US were still treating rabies with home remedies or cutting away the flesh around the bite. Fortunately for John according to the article, he received treatment at the Pasteur department of the City hospital.
In a 1911 American Machinist book J. F. Caveney is incorporated as an owner for the Grafton Electric Construction Company.
March 16, 1912 John F. is listed as purchasing an apple orchard for commercial reasons in the Fruit Trade Journal .
John F. is registered as having natural gas well.
In 1915 John F. was listed as being on the board of directors of the Grafton Building and Loan Association as President.
January 31, 1916 Board of regents at the new Grafton General Hospital.
In 1918 the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad purchased property from John to enlarge their office space.
In 1920 John and his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland near the university. He appears with his family in directories and the 1920 census.
In 1926 the John F Caveney family was living on Beatty St. in Pittsburgh according to the Pittsburgh Daily Post when they announced the engagement of daughter Genevieve on June 6th. Soon after he purchased another home on Kentucky Avenue.
1. Maria born December 16th, 1898 is noted to be the only graduate of St. Augustine parochial schools in June of 1915 in Grafton, WV. In 1919 she was the first graduate of Seton Hill College in Greensburg, PA and received her bachelors of Music degree. Maria continued studies in Europe and the USA under many well known musicians. On June 17th, 1930 In London, England, Maria Louise Caveney wed Robert A. Coolahan from Baltimore, MD (born 12-18-1899 and died 3-25-1973 Delaware) Robert’s registration card for World War Two lists his place of employment as the Hercules Powder Company. His obituary in 1973 noted that he retired from Gulf Oil Corp in 1966. It seems Robert and Maria hardly lived together during their marriage. According to various documents they seem to be busy traveling separately for their careers. One such instance was when Robert was living in Delaware and Maria was listed in 1952 as living at 616 Howe St. in Pittsburgh, PA. according to the newspaper article when a run away anti-aircraft gun crashed in her house. She was still referred to as Mrs. Maria C. Coolahan. See article in gallery below. Apparently, Robert and Maria divorced before 1954, the year he married Elizabeth Dobrick. In 1954 a musical research book was published by Spaeth and Periman. Maria’s credentials are listed. Articles about Maria's voice and musical abilities were plentiful and full of distinguished praise. Maria died 11-30-1992 in Pittsburgh PA at the age of 93 with the surname Coolahan. It appears from records that she had no children.
2. Katherine was born March 3rd, 1900. She attended Sacred Heart High School in Pittsburgh. Her sister Maria documented that Katherine was a violinist. In July of 1926 Katherine married L. Edward Meyer (born 9-20-1900 died 2-29-1988) of Pittsburgh. In the 1930 census Edward’s occupation was as an adjuster for the automobile industry. She died Dec 19, 1987 and is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband. No children were listed in her obituary.
3. Genevieve was born May 11th 1902. She married John A. Daschbach of Pittsburgh, PA (1901-1982) John was the son of Anna McDermott Daschbach (1883-1916). Genevieve was found many times in the editorial page of the Pittsburgh newspapers commenting on the social injustices of the day. Her husband must have been of like mind as he had an article as well. 1930 census shows Genevieve and her husband renting on 5602 Walnut St in Pittsburgh. His occupation is listed as a Clerk for a pressed steel car company. In the 1940 census they appear in Pittsburgh PA with husband and child. Living on 5448 Wilkins Avenue. Her sister Maria mentioned in a publication that Genevieve was an artist and played the flute. Genevieve also attended Seton Hill College in Greensburg, PA. Genevieve and her husband list Rockville Center NY as a US residence in 1951 on a trip bound for LeHavre, France on the ship Liberte. The manifest indicates that they will spend 4 years abroad. Their 18 year old son John born in 1932 accompanied them. A return voyage in 1955 from England on the SS America showed that 14 pieces of luggage came back with them! Genevieve Died March 15, 1995 in Alexandria Virginia.
- John A. Daschbach, Jr. was the son of Genevieve Caveney and John A. Daschbach . He seems to be the only grandchild of John F. and Mary E. Caveney according to the 1947 obituary of his grandmother Mary Ellen in 1947. He is documented in the Social Security Death index as John Alfred Daschbach born October 11, 1932 and deceased December 2nd, 2005 in the District of Columbia USA. I cannot find any records that he married or had children. In 1993 he is in the public records index as living at 1250 4thSt. SW Apartment W701 in Washington DC and selling this property listed in 2002 of the Washington Post for $91,000. Other addresses on record are 2512 Q St NW, Washington, DC, 20007 and 1250 4th St SW, Washington, DC, 20024.
Gallery of Photos and Documents:
Click to Enlarge
