Page 4 - Johanna F. Cronin Biography

Hannah was born in Waltham, Massachusetts on November 6,

1854 and baptized in the Catholic Church on November 8 by the Rev-
erend R. Flood. She was the third child of Jeremiah J. Cronin and Julia

(Murphy) Cronin, both of whom had emigrated from Ireland. Her
older brother, Michael was born in Ireland while her older sister, Mary,

was the first of six children born in America. Hannah and Mary were
“Irish Twins” in that they were born less than twelve months apart.

Jeremiah and Julia had four more children after Hannah: two boys,
Jeremiah P. Cronin and John J. Cronin; and two girls, Catherine B. Cro-

nin and Elizabeth V. Cronin.

Hannah’s certificate of baptism which provides us with her date of birth

It is difficult to trace Hannah’s life in her early years. The family

was settled in to the Waltham community and living in a boarding
house. As she and her siblings reached their teen age years, all were ex-

pected to work and help contribute financially to the family’s expenses.

Her father was a laborer; brother Michael worked in a foundry; Mary,
Hannah, and Jeremiah worked in the cotton mill; Lizzie and John were
in school, and mother Julia kept house. I’m sure it was difficult for the

family to meet the meager expenses of a poor household. The family

was extremely close-knit as later correspondence between siblings
would indicate.