The Wall Family: Mom’s Irish Side
Eleanor "Babs" Wall is your maternal grandmother. Married 64 years to Francis Swift Perry.
Your maternal grandmother Eleanor L. Wall’s entire family traces to Ireland. Wall, Thornton, McCoy, Connolly, Maloney, Kennedy, Simpson, Bree. These families crossed the Atlantic during and after the Great Famine and settled in the industrial cities of Massachusetts.
Herbert Miller Wall (1900–1963)
Herbert Miller Wall was the son of William Edward Wall and Mary Isabella Simpson. He married Catherine Louise Thornton (b. June 27, 1896). Herbert is buried at Newton Cemetery, Newton, Massachusetts.
Note: FamilySearch lists Herbert’s birth as 15 Dec 1899; Aunt Nancy’s handwritten notes give 1900. Further records review needed to reconcile.
Herbert’s paternal grandfather is said to have captained a barquentine named White Wing, sailing out of the Port of New York.
Research needed: ship registry records for the barquentine White Wing out of New York. Customs house registers, NARA maritime records, or the New York Maritime Register may confirm.
Wall/Kennedy Line
| Name | Born | PID | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●Eleanor L. Wall | 1926 | G8D9-8ZF | Maternal grandmother via the Wall line |
| ●Herbert Miller Wall | 1900 | LQYK-5LF | Maternal great-grandfather via the Wall line |
| ●William Edward Wall | 28 Mar 1861 | L1YK-1BX | 2nd great-grandfather via the Wall line |
| ●Edward Wall | 17 Mar 1823 | L1YV-CQP | 3rd great-grandfather via the Wall line — Ireland |
| ●John Wall | 1800 | G8Z2-NB4 | 4th great-grandfather via the Wall line — Ireland |
| ●Margaret Kennedy | 1833 | KGJG-BFZ | 3rd great-grandmother via the Wall line (Kennedy branch) — Ireland |
| ●Patrick Kennedy | ~1803 | L1YT-C9Q | 4th great-grandfather via the Wall line (Kennedy branch) — Ireland |
Simpson/Bree Line
Aunt Nancy’s notes give Herbert’s mother’s name as “Mary Isabella Simpson” (FamilySearch has “Mary Isabel Simpson”).
| Name | Born | PID | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●Mary Isabella Simpson | 1861 | L488-C4T | 2nd great-grandmother via the Wall line (Simpson branch) |
| ●Mark Simpson | ~1839 | LWDB-1CD | 3rd great-grandfather via the Wall line (Simpson branch) — Ireland |
| ●Mary Bree | ~1837 | K2ZX-GDV | 3rd great-grandmother via the Wall line (Bree branch) — Ireland |
| ●Martin Bree | ? | L18W-3HF | 4th great-grandfather via the Wall line (Bree branch) — Ireland |
Thornton/Maloney/McCoy Line
Michael Thornton emigrated from Galway, Ireland. He and his wife Bridget (b. 1854) married around 1858 and had eight children. Both are buried at Holy Hood Cemetery, Charlestown, Massachusetts.
Note: Aunt Nancy’s notes say “Galway, Co. Mayo” — however Galway city is in County Galway, not County Mayo (neighboring counties in the west of Ireland). The exact county needs verification.
Note: FamilySearch lists “Bridget E. McCoy, b. 1857” as Michael Edward Thornton’s wife. Aunt Nancy’s notes give “Bridget Thornton, b. 1854.” The relationship between this Bridget and the elder Michael Thornton’s family needs clarification — she may be Michael’s wife (not Ellen Maloney) or a different generation. Eight Thornton children are documented in the source notes (dates to be transcribed).
| Name | Born | PID | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●Catherine Louise Thornton | 27 Jun 1896 | G8Z2-KLP | Maternal great-grandmother via the Wall line (Thornton branch) |
| ●Michael Edward Thornton | 29 Jun 1852 | L5PK-JJ2 | 2nd great-grandfather via the Wall line (Thornton branch) |
| ●Michael Thornton | ? | G8DM-5WB | 3rd great-grandfather via the Wall line (Thornton branch) — Galway, Ireland |
| ●Ellen Maloney | ? | G8DM-LNQ | 3rd great-grandmother via the Wall line (Thornton branch) — Ireland |
| ●Bridget E. McCoy | 1854/1857 | L5PK-K23 | 2nd great-grandmother via the Wall line (McCoy branch) |
| ●Michael McCoy | 27 Oct 1827 | KGKH-DTX | 3rd great-grandfather via the Wall line (McCoy branch) — Ireland |
| ●Anne Connolly | 1836 | KGKH-DTN | 3rd great-grandmother via the Wall line (McCoy branch) — Ireland |
Sources
Much of the biographical detail on this page derives from handwritten family notes compiled by Aunt Nancyand shared with Uncle Bruce, who passed them to John at Christmas. These notes are the primary source for Herbert’s birth year, burial location, the White Wing ship claim, Michael Thornton’s Irish origins, Bridget’s birth year, Holy Hood Cemetery burials, and the eight Thornton children.
Primary source: Aunt Nancy’s research, shared via Uncle Bruce. FamilySearch PIDs cross-referenced where available. Discrepancies between the handwritten notes and FamilySearch records are noted inline above.
Additional Verified Ancestors
Surfaced from the archive CSV audit (April 2026). Wall-side Irish ancestors with two or more sourced records.
| Name | Born | PID | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●Margaret Kennedy | 1833 | KGJG-BFZ | 2nd great-grandmother via the Wall maternal line to John, Perry, and Patrick |
| ●Michael McCoy | 1827 | KGKH-DTX | 2nd great-grandfather via the Wall maternal line to John, Perry, and Patrick |
| ●Anne Connolly | 1836 | KGKH-DTN | 2nd great-grandmother via the Wall maternal line to John, Perry, and Patrick |