Sherlock had his Moriarty, I now have mine!

Serendipity!  I have written about my wife’s past life regression that gave me Rebecca Putnam Andrews Browne.  The layers of cosmic connections grow and grow.  Rebecca’s father was John Hancock Andrews of Salem, prominent merchant.  I worked for a few years at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, and my connection to this institution began with just walking in the door and asking about volunteer opportunities.  Within a short time, I was working there as a researcher full time.  To this day, the biggest mistake of my life was leaving the place I loved the most.  I couldn’t handle a difficult situation that would have resolved itself in time had I just stuck it out.  An opportunity came up that allowed me to get out of a toxic situation and I took it.  To this day, I have never gotten over my deep connection to the Society and even more the library space.  It was a sanctuary for me!  I always felt something or someone guiding me while I was there.  I think I’ve uncovered my spirit guide!

George Andrews Moriarty, Jr. makes my world small and connected.  Who is he and how does he connect to me?  I will tell you!  His grandmother was Rebecca Putnam Andrews Browne’s sister, Nancy Page Andrews Moriatry!  Oh…that’s not all!  George Andrews Moriarty, Jr. was a prominent genealogist who practically lived at the NewEngland Historic Genealogical Society, mostly at their location at 9 Ashburton Place in Boston.  During his time he was considered to be the greatest antiquarian of his generation.  He was very old when the Society moved to their current location, where I worked, at 99 Newbury Street, about 4 years before he died, also when he remained at a nursing home in York, Maine.  It's highly unlikely he was able to visit the new location.  His legacy lives on through his writings in the New England Historical & Genealogical Register and other publications such as TAG (the American Genealogist).

Wait…it gets even more serendipitous!  He was a student at St. George’s boarding school in Newport, Rhode Island where I used to teach!!  St. George was established in 1896 when G. Andrews was about 14, so it's likely he was one of it's first students.  

  George Andrews Moriarty, Jr.

NGS Hall of Fame

Thank you, George, for looking over my shoulder!  I hope to make you proud by writing about you, your family, and Rebecca’s forgotten life.  Cheers, compatriot!!

The Moriarty lineage is also from Salem, dating back to the 12th century,  Lords of Loch Linn, Kunkerron, and Templenoe, staying in the Tralee area until the 18th century.  G. Andrews' 3rd great grandfather immigrated from Tralee, Ireland in 1775 to Salem.  G. Andrews' grandfather, John Moseley Moriarty (Port Physician of Boston/Gloucester) married Rebecca Andrews Browne's sister Nancy Page Andrews.  

Currently, George Marshall Moriarty, a Boston retired lawyer, who worked/works for Ropes and Gray law offices in Boston, may be connected to G. Andrews Moriarty (as he signed his name).  Ropes and Gray assisted the Society with litigation when they moved to the Newbury Street location back in the 1960’s.  George Marshall is a former president of the Boston Athenaeum and a current Councilor at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, former board president of Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.  I must contact this man to see if he will converse on this subject.  George Andrews had only one child, a daughter.  A direct lineage link doesn't look promising, but I have suspicions there is some relationship.  Hopefully, I can update this later!

I really love how history comes to life through this process.

Did I mention, I LOVE what I do!