All That Glitters...

     I had been searching and searching for my 3rd great-grandmother, Emily who I refer to as my Irish brick wall.  I thought I found her in the 1900 federal census living with her youngest son, William.  Was that my Emily?  I don't know, I might be chasing the wrong Emily.  The 1900 census also states 9 children born, 7 now living.  I knew of five children including my 2nd great-grandmother, Teresa and that's only because these names were given to me by my grandmother's cousin.
     I found an Emily and Patrick Devine in the 1875 New York State Census.  I'm 97% sure that these are my Devines...  Four of the children listed are names I already had.  My 2nd great-grandmother, Teresa was born later in the year, in November of 1875 and guess what?  Teresa was born in Stuyvesant Falls, NY according to her baptismal record and the Devine family listed in this census were living in Stuyvesant.  This must be them...
     Three of Emily's sons are found in the 1900 federal census living in Arizona as goldminers.  I'm pretty sure that these men are my 2nd great-grandmother's brothers because their ages match up with the ages on the 1875 NY census, they have their places of birth as New York and their parents were from Ireland.  The head of household was Martin and he owned the home with no mortgage.  That doesn't tell me much, the home could've been a tent or a shack.
     Gold!  My ancestors were goldminers.  Well that's a refreshing change from the occupation of farmer which I'd seen on most censuses other than those in Brooklyn,NY or Manhattan in New York City.  I have no further information on the goldmining Devine brothers.  I don't know who their descendants were or where they died.  Just like the town they lived in which is now a ghost town, they must've faded into the dust.

     all that glitters...