As recorded in ‘More digging in the graveyard (1)’, John J McHugh married Anna (or Annie) Devereaux in November 1878. Mrs Rose Devereaux and her daughter Beatrice are listed as attending Susan (Kelly) Cronin’s funeral. What is the connection? The American custom of showing a wife’s maiden name on burial records is extremely helpful. Among the 24 records for St Marys with Cronin in the name is one for Elizabeth Cronin Devereaux (1839 – 1904). In March 1862, Elizabeth Cronin married Nicholas Devereaux (1838-1884). Elizabeth was a sister to Jeremiah, Susan’s husband. This makes them sisters-in-law.
From what I can work out (and it is getting very complicated by this stage), Rose (1837-1911) married John Devereaux (1830-1875). John and Nicholas were brothers. One researcher shows Rose as being the daughter of Malachi and Elizabeth McHugh. This would provide multiple connections between the various families. So far, I have not found much evidence to either prove or disprove this assertion. It is very plausible. If it is not correct, then the connection between Rose Devereaux and Susan Cronin is quite distant. i.e. in-laws of in-laws.
It almost goes without saying that John, Nicholas and Beatrice Devereaux are all buried in St Marys Cemetery.
A McHugh married a Kelly. A Kelly married a Cronin. A Cronin married a Devereaux. A Devereaux married a McHugh. Full circle! The common ground, literally, is St Marys Cemetery.
The challenge now is to make sense of the groups of the McHugh family, to find the common ancestors.