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Articles

Articles

December 7, 2020
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December 7, 2020

Seducing the Canalwer Workforce

The C. & O. Canal, and many public works like it, relied heavily on Irish laborers. Promised steady wages, food, and lodging, these men endured perilous transatlantic voyages, malnourishment, and exploitation before even stepping onto the canal line. Recruitment was aggressive, often deceptive, and the living conditions upon arrival were barely better than those in the homeland. Pushed to the limits of survival, the Irish would come to dominate public works labor, their skills and resilience making them indispensable to early American infrastructure.
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December 6, 2020
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December 6, 2020

The Entrance of the C&O Canal

The C. & O. Canal relied on thousands of transient laborers to build locks, culverts, and canals through difficult terrain. Contractors, often inexperienced and underfunded, frequently abandoned work, leaving laborers unpaid and vulnerable. Workers faced nonpayment of wages, scrip currency, and deductions for board, tools, or lost days. Despite exploitation, harsh conditions, and financial instability, these transient laborers became the backbone of canal construction, navigating a system marked by contractor failures, unpredictable pay, and the relentless push to complete one of America’s largest public works projects.
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December 5, 2020
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December 5, 2020

Hard Work, Living, and Liquor

Irish laborers were the backbone of U.S. canal construction, enduring long hours, minimal pay, and squalid shanties while navigating unreliable contractors and social exclusion. Despite harsh conditions, drinking, gambling, and frequent violence, they built communities bound by religion, ethnicity, and shared hardship, with women and children contributing to the work. Through resilience, courage, and sheer endurance, these workers earned reputations for strength and fearlessness, surviving a life defined by unimaginable poverty, mobility, and constant struggle.
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October 29, 2020
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October 29, 2020

Identifying the father of Annie G. Murphy

Annie Gertrude Murphy Welsh was born in Maryland in 1840 to Irish immigrant parents. Raised among various Irish households in her early years, she finally settled after marrying Thomas Buchanan Walsh in 1858 at St. Peter’s Church, Harpers Ferry. Identified as the daughter of “B. Murphy,” this research explores possible fathers and Annie’s family connections.
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August 15, 2019
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August 15, 2019

The unveiling of Elizabeth Slavin

By the 1860 census, a young Irish girl had taken residence with Thomas and Annie Walsh in Bolivar, [West] Virginia. Who is she and why did she live with Tommy and Annie?
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Timeline Help

A chronological listing of historical events which may have affected the lives of residents in eastern Jefferson County and surrounding areas.
1Where is this information from?
The vast majority of these accounts are taken from newspaper articles of local papers of the time period.
2How can I apply this information to my own research?

We use this timeline to help us understand the events that may have affected or shaped a person's life. Here are some ideas as to how this timeline may help your further your own research:

  • View events that may have affected a particular ancestor or their family members.
  • Uncover events which an ancestor may have participated in, leading to more sources of information.
  • Discover more about the history and culture of the area in which an ancestor lived.
  • Evaluate possible concerns and popular pastimes of an ancestor.
3I want to view a timeline of events in a specific area.
Click on "Location" in the "Filter by" bar. This will drop down a list of locations which currently have happenings in the timeline. Clicking on a location will show only events related to that specific area. Note that clicking on a county or state will show all happenings related to any location within that county (and any county within a state).
4I want to see timeline items between two years.
Click on "Years" in the "Filter by" bar. This will drop down a form which accepts a starting year and an ending year. Filling out both fields will display timeline items which took place in and between the two years. Filling out only one field will display all timeline items beginning at or ending on the years inputted.
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