henry torrey and amy frances mcconney

My great-great grandparents, Henry A. Torrey and Amy Frances McConney (McConihe), were married April 16, 1884 in Weymouth, MA, by Jacob Baker, Clergyman. Jacob Baker was the clergyman for the church in South Weymouth at the Second Universalist Society of South Weymouth, according to the book, Historical Sketch of the Town of Weymouth, page 119-120.

Henry and Amy had 3 boys and 3 girls by 1895. I could only find a couple of the birth records for their children online at newenglandancestors.org. Accroding to the records, Henry and Amy and their family lived in Weymouth up until at least 1892, when their daughter Eva was born there. Their next children, Henry and Lottie, do not seem to have a record of birth in the newenglandancestros vital records database, so I am not sure which town they were born in. By the 1900 Census, Henry and Amy's family is living in Hanover, MA. They are also found in a 1902 directory on Webster Street, in Hanover, near the Rockland Line. Henry is listed as a shoe-treer.


They did not stay on Webster Street long, as the 1910 Census has this Torrey family living at 66 Church Street in Rockland, MA. There are two other families also living at this address, the Lowell family and Meara family. This house must have been a 3 family residence, most likey the Torreys were renting at this time. Their oldest daughter, Grace, was still living with them at the age of 22, along with their youngest son and daughter, Henry and Lottie, ages 19 and 14. Their middle daughter, Eva was married in 1908, living with her husband at this time. Their oldest son, Everett, my great-grandfather, was also married living with his wife Ethel. I am not sure where their second son, Fred, was at this time. I did not find him listed in the MA Census for 1910.


Henry and Amy moved again, as listed in the 1916 Rockland directory, to 119 Spring Street in Rockland, listed as boarders. Henry is still listed as a shoe worker. By the 1920 Census though, they are now living at 323 Albion in Rockland. This is the last known residence I have for Henry, as he dies in 1923. Amy; however, is listed in the 1930 Census living as a boarder with Florence Myra at 373 East Water Street in Rockland. Amy's occupation was listed as a housekeeper to a private family. Wether that private family was the Myra family, I am not sure. It seems unlikely though, as one of the Mrya daughters is also listed as a housekeeper to a private family.


In 1930, Amy was about 69 years old, which shows she was a very hard worker to support herself at this age as a housekeeper. This time in American history was difficult for everyone, during The Great Depression. I am sure it was lonely for Amy to be without her husband and struggling on her own. Amy's children seemed to have been scattered and probably could not offer her much support. Her oldest son Everett seems to have been working and living in Milford in 1930, while the rest of his family was in Norwell. I am not sure what happened to Amy's daughter Grace (married to Minot Somers) or her son Fred. Her second daughter Eva is living in Warwick, RI in 1930 with her husband and children. I also could not find information on Amy's youngest son Henry. The child living closest to Amy in 1930 would have been her youngest daughter Lottie. Lottie is married and taking care of her 4 children in Hanover, MA on King Street. According to Google maps, this is only a little over 3 miles from where Amy is living. Hopefully they were able to spend time together and support each other during this difficult time in History.