Mary was born in Ireland and immigrated to the U.S. several years before the rest of the family (2 sisters, a brother, and her mother).  She was born in Roslahan, Belcarra (area 8 miles from Castlebar) and left Mayo about 1880.  When she first arrived in the states, it is said that she spent time in or around Meadville near Wilkes Barre with a cousin, a Dr. Higgins and his sister (both unmarried).  Eventually she went to Cleveland where she apparently had other relatives and was eventually joined by the rest of the family; her mother, brother, and two sisters.  She worked as a domestic for many years.

                She married Bryan Ward and lived on Merkel Street with Bryan (and apparently his mother, Honora or Hanna).  Bryan died March 5^th, 1894.  The papers concerning Bryan's will, or lack of, make for interesting reading.  There seems to have been problems between Mary and her mother-in-law.

                Mary subsequently married Patrick Loftus.  They had two children and one grandchild, Joan. Joan Cecilian and her husband James V. lived for many years in California, then moved to Washington.

                John Loftus the son of Patrick and Mary did office work in a bank and became a teller for Union Bank of Commerce.  He married Mildred O'Donnell.  He died on May 16, 1972.  His sister, Mary, did office work (for a time in a paint factory) and eventually became a clerk for the city division of Light and Heat in Cleveland.  She lived on Bridge Avenue, which was probably the family home.  After selling the home she moved into the Franciscan Retirement Apartments on Rocky River Drive.

                 John Loftus, Pat McCafferty's cousin, was the witness at the McCafferty/Gill wedding.  Also John Loftus was the godparent for Patrick McCafferty, Jr., and Mary (Mamie Loftus) was the godparent for John McCafferty.

¨       Baptism Record

¨       Census Record 1920