Joseph was the son of Irish immigrants James Plunkett and Mary O'Donnell Plunkett, who may have come to the New World due to the Irish Potato Famine. His parents settled in Dover, Dutchess County, New York, where James was working on the railroad as of the 1860 Census {Pleasant Valley Post Office, Pg 1112; Family 26} and probably during the 1865 NY State Census (Dist 1; Pg 18; Family 131).
Joseph and a younger brother James, along with their older siblings Mary, Catherine, and Thomas, appear with their parents on the 1870 Census in Dover (Wing Station Post Office, Pg 91-A; Family 252). However, the family soon moved to Brooklyn, perhaps shortly after James' death. Joseph's father still struggled as a general laborer to support his family. The family, without daughter Mary (and with ages wildly underestimated), appeared on the 1875 NY State Census at Brooklyn on York Street (Ward 5; ED 5; Pg 37; Family 381) and remained on York Street during the 1880 Census (ED 30; Pg 81-D; Family 82),where Mary rejoined the family and she, Catherine, and Thomas all worked to contribute to the family's well-being. Joseph, at 14, however, remained in school.
Joseph's mother died sometime after the 1880 Census, and Catherine married about 1884; however, Catherine, her husband John Jackson and their three children appear in the same household with Joseph and a widowed James on the 1892 NY State Census (Ward 5; Pg 4). James and son-in-law John were working as laborers while Joseph, as his brother Thomas had done, had found work as a driver.
Joseph met and married,about 1893, Harriet Deborah "Hattie" Tranter. In July 1894, their first child, a daughter named after Hattie's mother Isabella, was born. However, four days before their second daughter Ethel was born on 14 Apr 1896, Bella died. Another daughter, Gertrude, joined the family in February 1898. Sometime during the 1890s, as Joseph's family grew, his father, James, died.
Hattie was expecting their fourth child, another girl - Mary Agnes (born in October), when the enumerator came around for the 1900 Census (Ward 9; ED 113; Pg 3-B; Family 83). Joseph, by this time, was working as a shipping clerk and the family was living on Sackett Street. Harriet Grace, called Grace, joined the family in April 1903 and appears as the fourth (living) daughter on the 1905 NY State Census on Second Street in Brooklyn (Assembly Dist 12; Pg 34). Hattie was again expecting during this census and gave birth to their first and only son, Joseph Edward, on 11 Oct 1905. However, Joseph Edward died before his second birthday, in July 1907.
Joseph and Hattie had one last child together, about a year after Joseph Edward's death. Irene Theresa was born on 13 July 1908; however, not long after her birth, Hattie contracted pneumonia and died on 24 Sept 1908. Joseph was left with their four young girls and an infant for whom he couldn't properly care. His mother-in-law, Isabella Rumbold Tranter, came and helped with the household for a while. Then his sister, Kate Plunkett Jackson, and her husband took baby Irene in and eventually adopted her.
A widowed Joseph appears on the 1910 Census on Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn (Ward 9; ED 194; Pg 18-A; Family 480), still working as a shipping clerk for a box factory, with four of his daughters: Ethel (14), Gertrude (12), Mary Agnes (10), and Grace (6). Daughter Irene (15 months) appears in the Jackson household on Front Street (Ward 5; ED 42; Pg 8-B; Family 71) under her birth name but by the 1920 Census appears with them under the surname Jackson.
Joseph still struggled to support the daughters who remained with him, often, due to his excellent penmanship, taking on extra work addressing envelopes and writing invitations in his self-taught calligraphy. Nevertheless, the family never had a steady home. The 1915 NY State Census (Assembly Dist 12; Pg 34) shows Joseph and his four daughters were living on 7th Street, with Gertrude working to help her father.
Ethel married Joseph "Jay" Ostrander sometime that same year and moved out on her own. Ethel gave birth to Charles, Ethel, and William "Bill" Ostrander in the next few years before eventually divorcing and later remarrying.
Gertrude also married, for a short time, not long after her older sister as she and an 18-month-old daughter, named Harriet (after Joseph's late wife) Kulcke/Rulcke, were living with Joseph on Second Street during the 1920 Census (Assembly Dist 8; ED 458; Pg 9-A; Family 191). Joseph was listed as working as a box maker for a mail order house while Gertrude was a factory head and even 19-year-old Mary Agnes, a typist for a grocery company, and 16-year-old Grace, a clerk at a cigar store, were contributing to the household.
Daughter Mary Agnes married William Francis O'Brien in September 1922 and gave birth to her first son, William (Jr.) in August 1923. However, like Joseph and Hattie's first son (and according to family stories, Hattie's mother's first son), William died at a very young age, in Dec 1923.
Joseph was in ill health for quite some time, having an infection in both his kidneys and his pancreas but died of acute cardiac dilitation on 14 April 1925, about a month before the birth of his daughter Mary Agnes' daughter Eileen. He had survived his wife by more than 20 years but died at the still young age of 59.
Joseph and a younger brother James, along with their older siblings Mary, Catherine, and Thomas, appear with their parents on the 1870 Census in Dover (Wing Station Post Office, Pg 91-A; Family 252). However, the family soon moved to Brooklyn, perhaps shortly after James' death. Joseph's father still struggled as a general laborer to support his family. The family, without daughter Mary (and with ages wildly underestimated), appeared on the 1875 NY State Census at Brooklyn on York Street (Ward 5; ED 5; Pg 37; Family 381) and remained on York Street during the 1880 Census (ED 30; Pg 81-D; Family 82),where Mary rejoined the family and she, Catherine, and Thomas all worked to contribute to the family's well-being. Joseph, at 14, however, remained in school.
Joseph's mother died sometime after the 1880 Census, and Catherine married about 1884; however, Catherine, her husband John Jackson and their three children appear in the same household with Joseph and a widowed James on the 1892 NY State Census (Ward 5; Pg 4). James and son-in-law John were working as laborers while Joseph, as his brother Thomas had done, had found work as a driver.
Joseph met and married,about 1893, Harriet Deborah "Hattie" Tranter. In July 1894, their first child, a daughter named after Hattie's mother Isabella, was born. However, four days before their second daughter Ethel was born on 14 Apr 1896, Bella died. Another daughter, Gertrude, joined the family in February 1898. Sometime during the 1890s, as Joseph's family grew, his father, James, died.
Hattie was expecting their fourth child, another girl - Mary Agnes (born in October), when the enumerator came around for the 1900 Census (Ward 9; ED 113; Pg 3-B; Family 83). Joseph, by this time, was working as a shipping clerk and the family was living on Sackett Street. Harriet Grace, called Grace, joined the family in April 1903 and appears as the fourth (living) daughter on the 1905 NY State Census on Second Street in Brooklyn (Assembly Dist 12; Pg 34). Hattie was again expecting during this census and gave birth to their first and only son, Joseph Edward, on 11 Oct 1905. However, Joseph Edward died before his second birthday, in July 1907.
Joseph and Hattie had one last child together, about a year after Joseph Edward's death. Irene Theresa was born on 13 July 1908; however, not long after her birth, Hattie contracted pneumonia and died on 24 Sept 1908. Joseph was left with their four young girls and an infant for whom he couldn't properly care. His mother-in-law, Isabella Rumbold Tranter, came and helped with the household for a while. Then his sister, Kate Plunkett Jackson, and her husband took baby Irene in and eventually adopted her.
A widowed Joseph appears on the 1910 Census on Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn (Ward 9; ED 194; Pg 18-A; Family 480), still working as a shipping clerk for a box factory, with four of his daughters: Ethel (14), Gertrude (12), Mary Agnes (10), and Grace (6). Daughter Irene (15 months) appears in the Jackson household on Front Street (Ward 5; ED 42; Pg 8-B; Family 71) under her birth name but by the 1920 Census appears with them under the surname Jackson.
Joseph still struggled to support the daughters who remained with him, often, due to his excellent penmanship, taking on extra work addressing envelopes and writing invitations in his self-taught calligraphy. Nevertheless, the family never had a steady home. The 1915 NY State Census (Assembly Dist 12; Pg 34) shows Joseph and his four daughters were living on 7th Street, with Gertrude working to help her father.
Ethel married Joseph "Jay" Ostrander sometime that same year and moved out on her own. Ethel gave birth to Charles, Ethel, and William "Bill" Ostrander in the next few years before eventually divorcing and later remarrying.
Gertrude also married, for a short time, not long after her older sister as she and an 18-month-old daughter, named Harriet (after Joseph's late wife) Kulcke/Rulcke, were living with Joseph on Second Street during the 1920 Census (Assembly Dist 8; ED 458; Pg 9-A; Family 191). Joseph was listed as working as a box maker for a mail order house while Gertrude was a factory head and even 19-year-old Mary Agnes, a typist for a grocery company, and 16-year-old Grace, a clerk at a cigar store, were contributing to the household.
Daughter Mary Agnes married William Francis O'Brien in September 1922 and gave birth to her first son, William (Jr.) in August 1923. However, like Joseph and Hattie's first son (and according to family stories, Hattie's mother's first son), William died at a very young age, in Dec 1923.
Joseph was in ill health for quite some time, having an infection in both his kidneys and his pancreas but died of acute cardiac dilitation on 14 April 1925, about a month before the birth of his daughter Mary Agnes' daughter Eileen. He had survived his wife by more than 20 years but died at the still young age of 59.
Joseph was the son of Irish immigrants James Plunkett and Mary O'Donnell Plunkett, who may have come to the New World due to the Irish Potato Famine. His parents settled in Dover, Dutchess County, New York, where James was working on the railroad as of the 1860 Census {Pleasant Valley Post Office, Pg 1112; Family 26} and probably during the 1865 NY State Census (Dist 1; Pg 18; Family 131).
Joseph and a younger brother James, along with their older siblings Mary, Catherine, and Thomas, appear with their parents on the 1870 Census in Dover (Wing Station Post Office, Pg 91-A; Family 252). However, the family soon moved to Brooklyn, perhaps shortly after James' death. Joseph's father still struggled as a general laborer to support his family. The family, without daughter Mary (and with ages wildly underestimated), appeared on the 1875 NY State Census at Brooklyn on York Street (Ward 5; ED 5; Pg 37; Family 381) and remained on York Street during the 1880 Census (ED 30; Pg 81-D; Family 82),where Mary rejoined the family and she, Catherine, and Thomas all worked to contribute to the family's well-being. Joseph, at 14, however, remained in school.
Joseph's mother died sometime after the 1880 Census, and Catherine married about 1884; however, Catherine, her husband John Jackson and their three children appear in the same household with Joseph and a widowed James on the 1892 NY State Census (Ward 5; Pg 4). James and son-in-law John were working as laborers while Joseph, as his brother Thomas had done, had found work as a driver.
Joseph met and married,about 1893, Harriet Deborah "Hattie" Tranter. In July 1894, their first child, a daughter named after Hattie's mother Isabella, was born. However, four days before their second daughter Ethel was born on 14 Apr 1896, Bella died. Another daughter, Gertrude, joined the family in February 1898. Sometime during the 1890s, as Joseph's family grew, his father, James, died.
Hattie was expecting their fourth child, another girl - Mary Agnes (born in October), when the enumerator came around for the 1900 Census (Ward 9; ED 113; Pg 3-B; Family 83). Joseph, by this time, was working as a shipping clerk and the family was living on Sackett Street. Harriet Grace, called Grace, joined the family in April 1903 and appears as the fourth (living) daughter on the 1905 NY State Census on Second Street in Brooklyn (Assembly Dist 12; Pg 34). Hattie was again expecting during this census and gave birth to their first and only son, Joseph Edward, on 11 Oct 1905. However, Joseph Edward died before his second birthday, in July 1907.
Joseph and Hattie had one last child together, about a year after Joseph Edward's death. Irene Theresa was born on 13 July 1908; however, not long after her birth, Hattie contracted pneumonia and died on 24 Sept 1908. Joseph was left with their four young girls and an infant for whom he couldn't properly care. His mother-in-law, Isabella Rumbold Tranter, came and helped with the household for a while. Then his sister, Kate Plunkett Jackson, and her husband took baby Irene in and eventually adopted her.
A widowed Joseph appears on the 1910 Census on Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn (Ward 9; ED 194; Pg 18-A; Family 480), still working as a shipping clerk for a box factory, with four of his daughters: Ethel (14), Gertrude (12), Mary Agnes (10), and Grace (6). Daughter Irene (15 months) appears in the Jackson household on Front Street (Ward 5; ED 42; Pg 8-B; Family 71) under her birth name but by the 1920 Census appears with them under the surname Jackson.
Joseph still struggled to support the daughters who remained with him, often, due to his excellent penmanship, taking on extra work addressing envelopes and writing invitations in his self-taught calligraphy. Nevertheless, the family never had a steady home. The 1915 NY State Census (Assembly Dist 12; Pg 34) shows Joseph and his four daughters were living on 7th Street, with Gertrude working to help her father.
Ethel married Joseph "Jay" Ostrander sometime that same year and moved out on her own. Ethel gave birth to Charles, Ethel, and William "Bill" Ostrander in the next few years before eventually divorcing and later remarrying.
Gertrude also married, for a short time, not long after her older sister as she and an 18-month-old daughter, named Harriet (after Joseph's late wife) Kulcke/Rulcke, were living with Joseph on Second Street during the 1920 Census (Assembly Dist 8; ED 458; Pg 9-A; Family 191). Joseph was listed as working as a box maker for a mail order house while Gertrude was a factory head and even 19-year-old Mary Agnes, a typist for a grocery company, and 16-year-old Grace, a clerk at a cigar store, were contributing to the household.
Daughter Mary Agnes married William Francis O'Brien in September 1922 and gave birth to her first son, William (Jr.) in August 1923. However, like Joseph and Hattie's first son (and according to family stories, Hattie's mother's first son), William died at a very young age, in Dec 1923.
Joseph was in ill health for quite some time, having an infection in both his kidneys and his pancreas but died of acute cardiac dilitation on 14 April 1925, about a month before the birth of his daughter Mary Agnes' daughter Eileen. He had survived his wife by more than 20 years but died at the still young age of 59.
Joseph and a younger brother James, along with their older siblings Mary, Catherine, and Thomas, appear with their parents on the 1870 Census in Dover (Wing Station Post Office, Pg 91-A; Family 252). However, the family soon moved to Brooklyn, perhaps shortly after James' death. Joseph's father still struggled as a general laborer to support his family. The family, without daughter Mary (and with ages wildly underestimated), appeared on the 1875 NY State Census at Brooklyn on York Street (Ward 5; ED 5; Pg 37; Family 381) and remained on York Street during the 1880 Census (ED 30; Pg 81-D; Family 82),where Mary rejoined the family and she, Catherine, and Thomas all worked to contribute to the family's well-being. Joseph, at 14, however, remained in school.
Joseph's mother died sometime after the 1880 Census, and Catherine married about 1884; however, Catherine, her husband John Jackson and their three children appear in the same household with Joseph and a widowed James on the 1892 NY State Census (Ward 5; Pg 4). James and son-in-law John were working as laborers while Joseph, as his brother Thomas had done, had found work as a driver.
Joseph met and married,about 1893, Harriet Deborah "Hattie" Tranter. In July 1894, their first child, a daughter named after Hattie's mother Isabella, was born. However, four days before their second daughter Ethel was born on 14 Apr 1896, Bella died. Another daughter, Gertrude, joined the family in February 1898. Sometime during the 1890s, as Joseph's family grew, his father, James, died.
Hattie was expecting their fourth child, another girl - Mary Agnes (born in October), when the enumerator came around for the 1900 Census (Ward 9; ED 113; Pg 3-B; Family 83). Joseph, by this time, was working as a shipping clerk and the family was living on Sackett Street. Harriet Grace, called Grace, joined the family in April 1903 and appears as the fourth (living) daughter on the 1905 NY State Census on Second Street in Brooklyn (Assembly Dist 12; Pg 34). Hattie was again expecting during this census and gave birth to their first and only son, Joseph Edward, on 11 Oct 1905. However, Joseph Edward died before his second birthday, in July 1907.
Joseph and Hattie had one last child together, about a year after Joseph Edward's death. Irene Theresa was born on 13 July 1908; however, not long after her birth, Hattie contracted pneumonia and died on 24 Sept 1908. Joseph was left with their four young girls and an infant for whom he couldn't properly care. His mother-in-law, Isabella Rumbold Tranter, came and helped with the household for a while. Then his sister, Kate Plunkett Jackson, and her husband took baby Irene in and eventually adopted her.
A widowed Joseph appears on the 1910 Census on Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn (Ward 9; ED 194; Pg 18-A; Family 480), still working as a shipping clerk for a box factory, with four of his daughters: Ethel (14), Gertrude (12), Mary Agnes (10), and Grace (6). Daughter Irene (15 months) appears in the Jackson household on Front Street (Ward 5; ED 42; Pg 8-B; Family 71) under her birth name but by the 1920 Census appears with them under the surname Jackson.
Joseph still struggled to support the daughters who remained with him, often, due to his excellent penmanship, taking on extra work addressing envelopes and writing invitations in his self-taught calligraphy. Nevertheless, the family never had a steady home. The 1915 NY State Census (Assembly Dist 12; Pg 34) shows Joseph and his four daughters were living on 7th Street, with Gertrude working to help her father.
Ethel married Joseph "Jay" Ostrander sometime that same year and moved out on her own. Ethel gave birth to Charles, Ethel, and William "Bill" Ostrander in the next few years before eventually divorcing and later remarrying.
Gertrude also married, for a short time, not long after her older sister as she and an 18-month-old daughter, named Harriet (after Joseph's late wife) Kulcke/Rulcke, were living with Joseph on Second Street during the 1920 Census (Assembly Dist 8; ED 458; Pg 9-A; Family 191). Joseph was listed as working as a box maker for a mail order house while Gertrude was a factory head and even 19-year-old Mary Agnes, a typist for a grocery company, and 16-year-old Grace, a clerk at a cigar store, were contributing to the household.
Daughter Mary Agnes married William Francis O'Brien in September 1922 and gave birth to her first son, William (Jr.) in August 1923. However, like Joseph and Hattie's first son (and according to family stories, Hattie's mother's first son), William died at a very young age, in Dec 1923.
Joseph was in ill health for quite some time, having an infection in both his kidneys and his pancreas but died of acute cardiac dilitation on 14 April 1925, about a month before the birth of his daughter Mary Agnes' daughter Eileen. He had survived his wife by more than 20 years but died at the still young age of 59.
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