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Cape May Orphanage - 1930s/1940s

Cape May Orphanage - 1930s/1940s

Posted: 16 May 2014 4:08AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Healy, Donaghie
Hi. I am desperately trying to find even a name for my grandfather's father. My grandfather is Stephen Healy and he was in an orphanage in Cape May with at least two of his siblings in the 30s or 40s. Father (Louis Chas. Healy) was still alive, mother (Elizabeth Donaghie Healy) died in 1938 from childbirth. I think maybe they went to the orphanage after Eliza died- it seems perhaps Lewis was unfit to care for the children (context clues from the records of older siblings indicate it was not a good household). At any rate, I've only ever found exactly three records of Lewis: a 1930 Philadelphia Census, a WWI Draft Reg form, and a 1942 WWII Draft Reg form- there is no indication he ever served. There was a fire in California in 1906 that destroyed a lot of records and this could be why Lewis seems to be a ghost, but I can't understand why he doesn't even show up after 1942 or before 1917.

Ay any rate, I would like to shed some more light on the family history in Lewis' branch for my grandfather- parents names (I know they were born in Ireland, Lewis was born in California)...A story behind why some of the kids went to the orphanage in Cape May when the family was based in Philly- anything would be wonderful. It's so frustrating!

THANK YOU!!!!
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