Joseph Donovan was a son of John Donovan and Joanna Hurley of MA
Mary Driscoll was a daughter of Daniel and Catherine Driscoll.

Joseph Donovan (21) of Brookline and Mary E Driscoll (21) of Holliston married in Holliston on 11 July 1880.

Children:

John H C Donovan, 22 Aug 1880

Mary Etta Donovan, 24 Aug 1882

Joseph Arthur Donovan, 17 Feb 1884

Daniel E Donovan, 6 Jan 1886

Francis Raymond Donovan, 29 Aug 1887

Catherine Blanche Donovan, 31 Aug 1889

Frederick Sprague Donovan, 3 June 1891

Clarence Oliver Donovan, 26 Aug 1893

Harold Celsus Donovan, 20 July 1895

Herman Kenneth Donovan, 24 Jan 1898

Margaret Virginia Donovan, 5 June 1901

Census 1900:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9TJ-SRV

Census 1910:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2KS-JN5

Census 1920:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX1G-2NG

We quote from the writings of Thomas J Donovan:

PART 9 - "As identified in Part 2, John Donovan from County Cork, Ireland and Joanna Hurley from Ireland, were married in 1858 in Roxbury. John was the third oldest son of Joseph Donovan and Mary Burke. Unfortunately, both John and Joanna died at an early age. Their three children were orphans. The oldest Margaret was lost in time, Joseph was raised by John's oldest brother, Jeremiah and James died at eight months old.

John Donovan (1833 - 1864) and Joanna Hurley (1839 - 1861)

Children:

Margaret (1858 - ?)     Joseph J. (1859 - 1924)     James (1860 - 1861)

We will review Joseph J., his children and grandchildren.

It took a while to sort out the two Josephs in Jeremiah's household. That done, we could follow Joseph son of John and not Joseph son of Jeremiah. Joseph needed to make up for his small family beginning with having 11 children. Need to keep the Donovan name going.

Joseph J. Donovan and Mary E. Driscoll (1859 - 1938) were married on 11 July 1880. The marriage was listed in Brookline, but may have taken place in Holliston. Mary was born and grew up in Holliston. Joseph was listed as a brakeman. In 1892, Joseph and Mary purchased a home on Walter Avenue. Guess who was the seller - Daniel Donovan, our great grandfather. So, if you are involved with real estate, you can thank your heritage from Daniel.

Joseph worked his entire life in the railroad industry. From the Boston Globe obituary, "Joseph J. Donovan, life-long residence of Brookline, for many years yardmaster for the N. Y., N.H. & H. RR. at the South Station, died this morning at his home, 58 Kent Street. Mr. Donovan was born April 23, 1859. He entered the employ of the Boston & Albany Railroad when 17 years old and later transferred to the New Haven Road. He was made yardmaster on the opening of the South Station in 1900."

Mary died 14 years later in 1938. The services held for Mary and earlier in 1924 for Joseph, were held at St. Mary's Church of the Assumption in Brookline. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury. Bethlehem, Section F, Lot 379. (see attach picture of headstone below - 7 family members).

The children:

John H. C. Donovan (1880 - 1904)

John H. C. Donovan and Mary Ann Canavan were married about 1900. No record of marriage was found. They had two children: Olivia Mary (1901 - 1905) and Mary Grace (1902 - 1969). Like his father, John H. C. was employed in the railroad industry. Sadly, John died in 1904 of tuberculosis. He is buried in Holyhood in the family grave of Jeremiah Donovan (1823 - 1901). A year later the oldest child, Olivia, died. Interestingly for a child's death, there was a death notice in the Globe. She was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden.

Mary Ann remarries to Harry Rollin McMullin (1883 - 1867). She dies in Los Angeles County at the age of 71. The daughter, Mary Grace was difficult to follow. This information is a best estimate and could be not accurate:  Her name starts out Mary Grace Donovan, then Marion G. McMullin, then Marianne.  Marion G. McMullin marries Joseph P. Mulvihill sometime in the 1930s. Mary dies in 1969 in California with the name of Marianne G Mulvihill.

Mary Etta Donovan (1882 - 1956)

Mary and James Edgar Cooney (1885 - 1972) were married in 1905. He was from Framingham and his occupation was undertaker. They had two children: Mary Cooney (1906 - 1915) and Daniel Joseph Cooney (1913 - 2006). The marriage did not last. About 1910 they were living apart. Mary Etta was listed twice in the 1910 census as living in Pawnee, Oklahoma, with James, and then back in Brookline, with family. The child, Mary died of diphtheria in 1915 at the age of 9. Mary Etta lived at 49 Kent Street, along with other family members until her death in 1972. She had completed 4 years of college and was an elementary school teacher.

Her child. If one looks up togetherness in a dictionary, one would see a picture of son Daniel Joseph Cooney and his wife Clarice Dolores Dubow (1915 - 2006). The couple were married in Brookline and lived in the Hartford, Connecticut area. Daniel worked for Pratt and Whitney for several years, then started Cooney's Painting and Papering. He was 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. Clarice worked for the Hartford Courant newspaper for 19 years, retiring in 1986. Daniel and Clarice, in their 90s, died within two days of each other. The joint funeral and burial occurred on April 5, from the Holy Family Church. Daniel and Clarice were married for 70 years, and were survived by 2 children and 6 grandchildren.

Joseph Arthur Donovan (1884 - 1960)

Joseph was born in Brookline. At the time of his marriage to Ester Conley (1888 - 1974), he is a switchman. When he registered for the 1918 draft, he is working at the Boston Ice Company. In both the 1918 and 1942 draft registration, an injury to the right eye is listed. Joseph and Ester had 9 children. For the most part, mundane information is available of the children. The children will be listed in the family tree later. There are two children of interest, one tragic.

Catherine Elizabeth Donovan (1910 - 1979), the oldest child, retired as a government employee in Washington, D.C. It appears after her retirement she returned to Brookline. She was a member of St. Mary's Sodality and Brookline Court, 488, Catholic Daughters.

Joseph Alfred Donovan (1914 - 1926), the only son was killed while riding his scooter in front of his house. The car was stolen and two teens were later charged with manslaughter. One of the police officers involved in the investigation was Sargent John Donovan (note: another Donovan that may be somehow related?).

Daniel E. Donovan (1886 -1920)

Daniel was born and died in Brookline. Although, he took time out to join the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force for a period of three months. He died at the age of 34.

Francis Raymond Donovan (1887 - 1959)

Francis served in WWI, and at one point was an assistant plumber.

Catherine Blanche Donovan (1889 - 1956)

Catherine and Christopher John Gray (1891 - 1928) were married in 1917. John died in 1928 leaving Catherine to raise their 4 children. Residence was 58 Kent Street, Brookline. Residence included boarders, including John Donovan, a fireman, not the police officer, identified above. Another Donovan not directly identified in our family tree (see later Donovans of Union Hall).

Children included:

John Christopher Gray (1918 - 1995), employed at MIT. Married to Nika George Stepanoff was born in Russia.

Jeanne M. Gray (1921 - 2000), married to Kenneth K. Kisker (1923 - 2012). He was a US Navy veteran, a Pearl Harbor Survivor (USS Nevada). He received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Former Superintendent of the Brookline Fire and Police Department Wire Division.

Virginia Marie Gray (1924 - 1989), married 3x, one child.

Joseph Gray (1928 - ?)

Frederick Sprague Donovan (1891 - 1933)

Fred lived in Brookline his entire life. He was a furniture mover and electrician. Died at the age of 41.

Clarence Oliver Donovan (1893 - 1960)

Clarence served in the U.S. Army in France during WWI. In 1925, he married Grace Francis Goodman (1896 - 1963) in Ironwood, Michigan. Together the had three children. He worked his way up the ranks of the Brookline Fire Department, ultimately reaching the rank of Captain. He made the Boston Globe in September, 1936. A major fire occurred at the Brookline High School, Clarence was injured and was treated at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital.

Three children:

Lois Natalie Donovan (1927 -1954) married Herbert F. Lynn (1925 - 2010). From the Boston Globe, Cape Cod Times, Wellesley Townsman and Brookline Tab. Herbert was in the Army Air Corps, World War II, B-24 bomber pilot. Vice President, New England Life. They had three children.

Son, Brendan Joseph Donovan (1930 - 2017) married Patricia Maria Foley (1931 - ?). They raised 4 children.

Daughter, Mary Grace Donovan (1935 - 1995) married Richard Joseph "Turk" Farrell (1934 - 1977). They raised 3 children. Richard was stricken with polio before his second birthday. He wore a brace on his left leg until he was 6, and he underwent hospital treatment on a regular basis until he was 18.  According to his biography, "Dick and Grace’s marriage was initially of the storybook variety – high-school sweethearts, with the acclaimed school jock tying the knot with the majorette and lead cheerleader." The marriage ended in 1969 in divorce.

Turk had become a major league pitcher. He played for the Houston Astros and other professional teams  (see sabr.org/bioproj/person/180d81d6 for history). After retirement tragedy struck. Richard had taken a job in the oil industry. He died in an automobile accident in England in June 1977. Six months later, his son Richard Jr., at the age 21, died in a motorcycle accident in Houston.

Harold Celsus Donovan (1895 - 1927)

Harold was a graduate of MIT. Contrary to what was said earlier about the wicked smart Donovan women, Harold was a match. He was employed by New England Telephone Co., U.S. Navy and United Aircraft Co. He died during a trip in St. Louis, Missouri. Lived in Brookline his entire life.

Herman Kenneth Donovan (1898 - 1912)

Herman was a special person. At age 12, he resided at the Massachusetts School For the Feeble Minded in Waltham.  He died at the Monson Epileptic Hospital, Monson, Mass. of pneumonia. He resides with the angels. He was buried in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury.

Margaret Virginia Donovan (1901 - 1957)

Margaret married Albert George Brissette (1892 - 1927) in 1922 and lived in Holliston.. Albert died in 1927 at the age of 34. Margaret moved back to 49 Kent Street, Brookline, family home, and worked for the telephone company for a number of years.

This concludes the family of Joseph J Donovan, son of John and Ann."