Timothy, son of John Kearns and Catherine McNulty, was given as 1 year of age in the 1860 census. Dying in Mobile on 1938 Feb 10, his death certificate gives his date of birth as March 01, 1878 and states he was 59 at the time of his death. This misinformation may have had to do with pension reasons or life insurance. He was a retired engineer living at Hannon Home and was still married though the census shows he had been separated from his wife for decades. The informant was Mrs. Fred Pollman, a niece, who resided at 750 S. Broad St. He was buried at the Catholic Cemetery in the Kearns plot, next to his parents.
Hannon Home was run by The Little Sisters of the Poor. Timothy died while his niece, Corrine R. Pollman, and her son, Fred, were visiting him. His last request before he died was to have a drink (liquor) which Fred went after. Upon his return, Tim was dead. A description of him is: “He was a drunk. Big drinker. Buried by Little Sisters of the Poor.”
Man, if you’ve lived to nearly 79 years of age and you’re an alcoholic and your last request is a drink, who’s to blame you. Death bed DT’s seem kind of useless.
Timothy married Abbey L. Bernard who was born 1871 in South Carolina.
Census information seems to show them having had about 4 children, only one of whom it seems survived infancy, Oliver Bernard Kearns. Born April of 1887, he died in Mobile on Oct 16 1918 at the age of 31.
Oliver, from his WWI registration card, appears to have never married. He was given as living at 10 N. Hamilton St. in Mobile. He was born April 11 1887. He was a salesman at Mobile Auto Co. He was single and his mother was dependent. He was short, slender, his hair was brown and his eyes dark blue.
I find Timothy documented before 1900.
Name: Timothy W. Kearns
Location 2: west side Cedar 2 north Palmetto
Business Name: L&NRR shops
Occupation: laborer
Year: 1890
City: Mobile
State: AL
Name: Timothy W. Kearns
Location 2: 454 Charleston
Business Name: L&NRR
Occupation: engr
Year: 1891
City: Mobile
State: AL
I’ve been unable to locate Timothy the census from 1900 to 1930. I do find his wife.
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Mobile Ward 6, Mobile, Alabama; Roll: T623 31; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 104.
252 KEARNS Abie head Oct. 1865 34 md 14 years 1 of 3 children surviving b. AL father b. Rhode Island mother b. SC
Oliver B. son April 1887 b. AL parents b. AL
PENDARVIS E. E. aunt May 1825 74 wd 3 children b. SC father b.Delaware mother b. PA
Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Mobile Ward 7, Mobile, Alabama; Roll: T624_27; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 99; Image: 598.
10/44/55 KEARNS A. L. head 40 widowed 4 children 1 surviving b. AL father b. ME mother b. SC
G. B. son 23 b. AL parents b. AL cigar and news stand
PENDARVIS CE aunt 84 widowed 1 child b. SC
DEVOLIES J. servant black 70 b. VA parents b. US
Source Citation: Year: 1920;Census Place: Mobile Ward 7, Mobile, Alabama; Roll: T625_35; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 110; Image: 740.
2/2 KEARNS Abbie L. 52 widowed b. AL father b. MA mother b. SC
THOMPSON Alice lodger 52 widowed b. AL father b. Italy mother b. AL
Roberta lodger 22 b. AL parents b. AL
1930 AL, MOBILE CO. MOBILE, DISTRICT 22
170/177 TAYLOR Hamond head Own $10,000 white 58 Single b. AL parents b. AL father b. England mother b. Switzerland proprietor for department store
KEARNS Abbie housekeeper white 59 widowed b. AL father b. illegible mother b. SC housekeeper for private family
PEARSON Victoria servant neg. 44 widowed b. LA and parents b. LA servant for private family
HICKMAN Willie chauffeur neg. 24 b. AL and parents b. AL chauffeur for private family
The above mentioned Corrine was the daughter of Elizabeth Ann Kearns Reynolds, wife of Peter, who was born 1854 Oct 12 and died 1932 Sept 15. Timothy’s other sibling, Michael Buddy Tearence Kearns, had died in 1932 Oct 21 only a brief time after Elizabeth.
Timothy’s death certificate
Right click to view larger.
Leave a Reply