http://www.cooganresearchgroup.com/crg/index.htm

14 October 2012

COOGAN story 

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(appearing in "New York Times", 22 JUL 1880, PAGE 3):

COOGAN IN SEARCH OF A FATHER:
THE STRANGE TALE OF A MAN FROM GREAT BEND

For several months past a man giving his name as Francis Coogan has
been haunting the office of Superintendent Walling and the Bureau of
Vital Statistics, making inquiries and searching the records in an
endeavor to establish his identity and discover his parentage.  
Coogan is a laborer, and his home is at Great Bend, Jefferson County.  
He says he was brought up in the family of one James Cleary, a 
prosperous farmer, of Kirkwood, Broome County, and for a great many 
years believed himself to be a son of Cleary, being always treated as 
such by the other members of the family.  In 1861, when but 16 1/2 
years of age, he enlisted in the Eighty-ninth Regiment, New York 
State Volunteers, in which he served 18 months.  At the expiration of 
his term of enlistment he re-enlisted, and, he says, sent his pay and 
bounty to Cleary.  He participated in the battles of Camden Mills, 
South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg.  He was wounded in the 
head at Fredericksburg, and became deaf in consequence.  He returned 
to what he supposed was his parents' home at Kirkwood, and in the 
Summer of 1864 he went to Tennessee, and remained there until August, 
1865.  During this period, he says, he sent all his savings to 
Cleary, amounting to over $1,000.  On returning to Kirkwood, he 
worked on Cleary's farm.  In 1868, he got married, and removed to 
Great Bend, N.Y.  Previous to this, however, in 1863, Micheal Cleary, 
a son of John, whom he had always regarded as his brother, quarreled 
with his father, and was turned out of the house.  He then told 
Coogan that he [Coogan] was not in any way related to the Cleary 
family, but was a child of a neighbor, who had been kidnapped from 
New York by the elder Cleary for some sinister purpose.  Coogan 
repeated this story to the elder Cleary, and asked what truth there 
was in it.  Cleary said that there was no truth in his son's story, 
and Coogan believed him.

Cleary had promised that when Coogan got married he would give him 
$1,000 and furniture to furnish a home for himself.  This promise he 
is said to have failed to keep, and this led to ill-feeling between 
them.  Finally, Coogan says, Clearly gave him about $50 worth of 
furniture and two lots of little value, but the estrangement 
continued.  Soon after his marriage Coogan and Cleary had a bitter 
quarrel, and Cleary is said to have then admitted that Coogan was not 
his child, but had been placed in his charge soon after his birth by 
his father.  Since that time Coogan has been unremitting in his 
endeavors to find his parents.  He has discovered that his father was 
Peter Coogan, who kept a cigar store in this City about the year 1845.  
His mother died on the 13th of June, 1845, when he was but 1 week old.  
She was 34 years of age, and her death occurred at No. 80 Warren-
street, in this City.  She was buried by Undertaker Hart, in the 
cemetery attached to St. Patrick's Cathedral.  Michael Cleary, who 
was a friend and customer of his father, lost a child by death on 
June 13, 1845.  Peter Coogan placed his infant child in the charge of 
Cleary, to be cared for until a Mrs. Walsh, an aunt of the infant, 
could take charge of him.  Coogan has ascertained that his father 
went to the Mexican War, and as he has not been heard of since that 
time he is supposed to have been killed in Mexico.  Coogan believes 
that some property was left him by his mother, and charges that 
Cleary was induced by some interested person to take him away from 
this City so that they might obtain the property.

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(appearing in "Broome Republican" [Binghamton, NY], 01 SEP 1880):

A GREAT BEND CITIZEN LEARNS HIS HISTORY
[Correspondence of the REPUBLICAN]

GREAT BEND, Aug. 30 - [...other stories...]

One Frank Clarie, a life resident of this neighborhood, has, as he
claims, made the recent discovery that his real name is Francis 
Coogan, born in New York, in 1845, as the vital statistics of St.
Peter's church will show; that he was spirited away when an infant,
and that large rewards were offered for his recovery, as copies of
New York dailies will now show.  By a curious web of circumstances
he a few days ago found his father, Peter Coogan, a tea broker doing 
business at 1,411 Warwich street, who, according to a telegram
received this morning, will be here to-morrow, and on the track of his 
abductors, who still are all living.  Lawyer Whitney, of Binghamton, 
is one of the parties having the matter under legal charge.

http://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html

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(appearing in "San Francisco Bulletin" [PA], 17 SEP 1880):
   NOTE - originally posted in the "New York Herald" ["this city"]

A STRANGE STORY

A Man Searching the Death Record for 
Traces of his Parents - A Tale of Duplic-
ity and Cruelty

The application of a gentleman this morning to search the records of
the Bureau of Vital Statistics for information in regard to the death
of his parents developed a history that astounded the officials, and
but for the presentation of convincing proofs, would be considered
almost incredible.  That a child of six years left by its parents to
board with a neighbor should be kidnapped and brought up to work and
drudge for a family in the belief that his persecuters were his 
rightful parents, until the age of manhood was reached, presents a
story that seems beyond belief.  But documents of a convincing 
character held by the gentleman attest the truth of his statements.
A motive further than the simple abduction of the child is hinted at,
and, from investigations already made, has led him to believe that
certain property left by the mother in trust for the child was
appropriated by his captures to their own use.

The story as told by the gentleman is as follows: In 1845, a man named
Peter Coogan kept a liquor saloon at No. 80 Murray street.  He had a
wife and child, a boy of two years, at that time.  In the latter part
of the year, his wife died suddenly. The husband was inconsolable. The
blow seemed to stagger him.  He grew reckless, began to drink, and for
the child's safety placed it in the care of a man named Michael 
Cleary, who resided in Twenty Second street, stipulating that [$2.50]
should be paid weekly until the child attained an age when he could be
sent to school.  The property left at the mother's death was left in
the guardianship if an aunt, who paid great attention to the child
and made weekly visits to see him.  A year after his wife's death, 
Coogan sold out his business and entered service in the Mexican war.
Shortly after Coogan's departure Cleary disappeared from the city with
the child.  This was the last seen or heard of Cleary until some time
afterward, when he was found the owner of a large farm in Kirkwood,
Broome county, New York.  His wife and a son about the age of young
Coogan comprised the entire family, and upon the latter attaining an
age sufficient to understand, he was christened Francis, and was made
to believe his protectors were his rightful parents.  He continued to
grow up in this belief, and as he grew older the treatment of the
pretended father grew harsher and he used to beat him unmercifully.
At sixteen years of age the lad became tired ot this constant abuse,
and running away enlisted in the Eighty-ninth New York Volunteers.
He served during the years 1861 and 1862.

In 1863 he returned to New York. It was then that the first knowledge
of his parentage came to him.  The father had quarreled with the son,
James Cleary, and the latter, who was acquainted with the early 
history of Coogan, swore he would reveal the secret of Francis' birth
in revenge.  True to his word, Francis was informed, and the latter
immediately sought old Cleary for an explanation.  Cleary at first
denied the statement made by the son, but afterward acknowledged his
duplicity and made Francis acquainted with the history of his parents.
Francis Coogan came on to New York about three months ago, and began
his search of the records.  He says he has found the church records
correct.  He has met a man who saw his father five years ago in this
citym and he had no doubt whatever that he is alive to-day.  He says:
"I will leave no stone unturned to discover his whereabouts, and hope
ere long to find him." - "N.Y. Herald"

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(appearing in "Philadelphia Inquirer" [PA], 25 DEC 1880):

TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION

A singular story is related of a farmer from New York, who recently
discovered his father in this city, from whom he had been separated
from infancy.  The story told by the man is a singular one, and if
he succeeds in establishing his identity he will certainly be entitled
to great credit for his perseverance in unravelling the tangled thread
of his life's story.  He claims that he spent his days with a farmer
by the name of Cleary, whose name he bore, and whom he had always been
led to believe was his father until a few weeks since, when, in a fit 
of anger, Cleary told him that his name was Coogan, and that he had
been placed in his charge when a boy.

After visiting New York and conferring with the police department,
he discovered a clew [sic] which let him to this city, where his
father, who had long mourned him as dead, was found.  Coogan claims
that there is a large amount due him from the estate of his mother, 
who died during his infancy, and he is now engaged in obtaining
sufficient evidence to establish his identity before the courts, where
he will bring action against the persons whom he alleges have 
wrongfully appropriated the money belonging to him.  He is now 
corresponding with an uncle who he has discovered in California.  An
uncle in New York refuses to believe in Coogan's identity.

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