The Tale of Three Sisters: Mary, Margaret and Sarah Ann Donohoo

Mary Donohoo was born in 1809 in Baltimore, Maryland, the first daughter and second child of Patrick and Sarah Donohoo. Margaret Donohoo was born in 1816 in Baltimore, Maryland, the second daughter and fifth child of Patrick and Sarah Donohoo [1]. Between the years of 1816 and 1818, the young family migrated to Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky [2]. Sarah Ann Donohoo was born about 1823 in Nelson County, Kentucky, the seventh child and fourth daughter of Patrick and Sarah Donohoo [3].

On 14 May 1839, Margaret Donohoo was married to John Theodore Frilling by the Catholic priest [4]. Sadly, less than six months after their marriage, John Theodore Frilling passed away at the age of 25. He was buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky [5]. The couple did not have any children during their short marriage.

In 1844, Sarah Ann married William C. Bishop. Her father, Patrick Donohoo acted as bondsmen [6]. In 1845, they welcomed their first daughter, Susan (Sudie) Bishop. In 1848, a second daughter, Mary A. Bishop, was born. By 1850, William C. Bishop had died (exact death date unknown).

In the 1850 U.S. Census, Sarah Bishop lived in her parents’ home with her two daughters and several siblings, including fellow widowed sister, Margaret Frilling, and single oldest sister, Mary Donohoo [7]. The three sisters lived in their parents’ home throught the 1860 census as well. Mary, Marg and Sarah work as seamstresses to support the family, along with their father’s shoemaking [8].

After the death of their parents, the three sisters moved together to St. Louis, where they lived from 1865-1874. The sisters supported themselves by dressmaking and taking in boarders. They moved residences four times in St. Louis. Throughout her time in St. Louis, Margaret is listed in the city directory as Margaret Frilling, widow of John. Sarah is listed as Sarah Bishop, widow of William C. [9].

The 1870 census shows the family in St. Louis, Missouri. Sarah Bishop, age 42, is head of household. Mary Bishop, age 21, Margt Frilling, age 48, (occupation: mantua maker, i.e. dressmaker [10]), Mary Donohoo, age 50, and the Marsh & Sudie (Bishop) Taylor family: Marshall, age 35, born Indiana, Sudie, age 23, and William, age 1, born in Missouri, are all enumerated in the household [11].

It was during the time the sisters lived in St. Louis that Margaret died and was buried the 13 December 1872 in the Calvary Cemetery in that city [12]. Her short, two line obituary from the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, simply states: “Deaths. Frilling- In St. Louis, at the residence of her sister, Mrs. Bishop, Mrs. Margaret Frilling. [Louisville papers copy]”[13].

By 1876, the two remaining sisters, along with Sarah Bishop’s two daughters, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren, moved to Chicago, Illinois. There, they continued to take in boarders to support themselves [14].

The following chart of city directory entries for the family members from St. Louis, Chicago and Washington, D.C. for the years 1865-1884, helped me corroborate the movements of the family. Although the entries are not entirely consistent, there is a pattern showing the family members moving addresses together.

In 1879, Sarah’s daughter, Sudie, was widowed, leaving two widows, two single women, and two children in the household [15].

The 1880 Census shows 58 year old, widowed Sarah Bishop as head of household, with daughter Mary Bishop, age 22 and single, Mary Donohoo, sister, age 72 and single, Susie Taylor, widowed, age 28, with children William J. Taylor, age 11, and Sadie L. Taylor, age 8, living at 25 Park (although the city directory for this year places them at 25 Woodbine Pl.), in Chicago, Illinois [16].

By 1884, the family moved to Washington, D.C., although they did not all live in the same household any longer. Sarah Bishop and Mary Donohoo, however, do appear in the 1884 Washington, D.C. city directory at the same address: 1211 I nw [17]. In their advanced years, the sisters supported themselves by house cleaning.

On 16 March 1885, Sarah Bishop died at the age of 60 in Washington, D.C. She was buried on 18 March 1885, in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Washington, D.C [18].

On 13 April 1886, Mary Donohoo died in Washington, D.C. at the age of 79. She outlived her sister Sarah Bishop by nearly exactly a year. She was buried 14 April 1886, in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Washington, D.C., the same cemetery where her sister was buried [19].

Sources & Research Notes:

^[1] Mary Magdl Donoho, 1809, page 374. Catholic Church records (Baltimore, Maryland), 1793-1920. Catholic Church. Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Baltimore, Maryland). Catholic Church. St. Peter’s (Baltimore, Maryland). Baltimore, Maryland: Filmed by the Maryland State Archives, 1977. St. Peter’s baptisms, 1801-1811B [SCM 1510-1, Special Collections 2707].
Rosanna Margaret Donoho, Register C, page 295. Catholic Church records (Baltimore, Maryland), 1793-1920. Catholic Church. Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Baltimore, Maryland). Catholic Church. St. Peter’s (Baltimore, Maryland). Baltimore, Maryland: Filmed by the Maryland State Archives, 1977. St. Peter’s baptisms, 1812-1826 [MDHR M1511-5-6]. Family History Library, US & Canada B1 Access Services, Film 2209348 Items 1-2.

^{The 1830 U.S. Census for the household of Patrick Donohoo enumerates 1 female under 5 (presumably Elizabeth), 1 female 5-10 (presumably Sarah Ann), and 2 females 10-14 (presumably Catherine and Margaret), and 1 aged 20-29 (presumably Mary).}

^{The girls were likely born before 1810 and 1816, before the family migrated to Kentucky. (see [2])}

^{[2] Patrick Donohoo is listed in the 1814 Baltimore City Directory, “Donohoo, Patrick, cordwainer, Saratoga near Charles st”. His daughter, Catherine is consistently listed as being born in Kentucky. These two facts give a window of migration for the Donohoo family from Maryland to Kentucky between 1814-1818.}

^{Lakin, James. The Baltimore Directory and Register for 1814-15. Baltimore: J.C O’Reilly, 1814. Page 72. Accessed on 9/18/2014 at http://mdhistory.net/msa_sc5923/msa_sc5923_1_1/pdf/msa_sc5923_1_1_bwocr.pdf .}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1866 Full Name: Bishoff, Jacob Surname: Bishoff Given Name: Jacob Publisher: Edwards Greenough and Deved Page Number: 232}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1867 Full Name: Bischer, Henry Surname: Bischer Given Name: Henry Publisher: Edwards Greenough and Deved Page Number: 199; and Page 353}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1868 Full Name: Birmingham Surname: Birmingham Given Name: ‎[Blank]‎ Publisher: Richard Edwards Page Number: 174}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1869 Full Name: Bird, Abram T Surname: Bird Given Name: Abram T Publisher: Richard Edwards Page Number: 174; and Page 332}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1870 Full Name: Bischoff, William Surname: Bischoff Given Name: William Publisher: ‎[Blank]‎ Page Number: 152}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1871 Full Name: Bishoff, George Surname: Bishoff Given Name: George Publisher: ‎[Blank]‎ Page Number: 108}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1872 Full Name: Biser, Charles T Surname: Biser Given Name: Charles T Publisher: ‎[Blank]‎ Page Number: 99; and Page 272}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1874 Full Name: Birsey, William Surname: Birsey Given Name: William Publisher: David B Gould Page Number: 122}

^{Source:Fold3 Publication Title: City Directories for St. Louis, Missouri State: Missouri City: St. Louis Short Description: Locate residents, organizations, and businesses in St. Louis within its city directories, 1863-1923. Year: 1874 Full Name: Birsey, William Surname: Birsey Given Name: William Publisher: David B Gould Page Number: 122}

^{[10] A mantua maker sews women’s gowns. Source: Webster’s Dictionary 1828: Online Edition. Accessed on 1/11/2015 at http://webstersdictionary1828.com.}

^{[11] Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: St Louis Ward 6, St Louis, Missouri; Roll: M593_816; Page: 173A; Image: 7; Family History Library Film: 552315. Source Information:
Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census ‎[database on-line]‎. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Minnesota census schedules for 1870. NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.}