Regan Family News Vol 1 #5 July/Aug 1962

Here is the link to Regan Family News Volume 1 #5

Public service announcement: I recently created a group on facebook entitled Regan Family News. I thought some people might want to share stories or information and facebook seems to be a good way to stay in touch with folks.

Happy Mothers Day
Nellie Regan
1870-1944

But on to issue #5! All in all, not a newsy issue but a great story from Ross makes this issue important.

This issue begins with an update on the health of Pop Regan's siblings, a frequent thread running through the RFN

News from

• George F. Regan
• The Postier's (Sarah, it seems that you were one of the most consistent communicators!)
• The Tom Regan's (another frequent contributor!)
• Ross Regan, publisher

The rest of the issue is dedicated to a continuation of Ross' story of growing up in NY and the move to Brooklyn. This is a must read and very informative.

Regan Family News Volume 1 #4

May - June, 1962

Here is the Link to Regan Family News Volume 1 #4

Ross makes his first of many appeals for his kin to send news. He'll gather it, type it, copy it and send it, but he begins to voice his frustration with obtaining news from family members. This at a time when letters had to be written, stuffed in an envelope and sent via the US Postal Service. Imagine! Yet somehow, he always manages to get his message across in a humorous and caring way. But he prods!

Nevertheless, there is news:

• The Postiers welcomed a new arrival
• The Mulherins spent a week in Livingston Manor
• Elaine Regan had a special visit
• Vera and Roy Johnston did some traveling (and Vera included a very newsy letter)
• Tom Regan's family visited Swago
• Young Jim Farrell had surgery

And quite a bit more, too! In fact, Ross makes this a 7 page edition. Also included:

• a fascinating and informative letter from Peter F Regan III, and Ross' response to said letter. 
• the first part of his mini-memoir regarding Regan family life in upper Manhattan during the early years of the 20th century.

As always, this makes for interesting reading. I hope you are inspired to take a look and be sure to comment and add your own memories or corrections.

Regan Family News Vol 1 #3 "Happy Easter To All"

Here is the Link to Regan Family News Volume 1 #3

This may be one of Ross' shortest editions of the RFN but it is great as always. The highlights:

• An optimistic and beautiful first paragraph where Ross looks to the future of the family and he is filled with hope. He even wonders about the future of the newsletter.
• An everpresent report on the "Hollis Regans" whom we followed in the first two newsletters and whose gravesite the RFN pointed me toward.
• John Daniel Farrell's baptism at St Aloysius Church in Livingston Manor is news
• Brother Matthew Regan had a bad break
• Mother Elaine had a visit

  

  Elaine Regan

  
  
  
  
• The Mulherins had the mumps
• News of California Jack Regan
• Corrections and additions to the original mailing list

My favorite column is "Information Which Everyone Should Have".  Just about anything I know about the Regan clan I learned from this section. Sure, my mom talked endlessly about the Regans and she and Aunt Helen would have some spirited family discussions during the holidays, so I heard plenty, but this is documentation and it never fails to answer questions I have. In this issue Ross lists the vital information of all of Peter and Nellie Regan's (hereafter referred to as Mom and Pop) grandchildren. A fine and informative list.

Pop with his sons and daughters. John, Pop, Peter, Ross,
Helen, Margaret, Vera (clockwise from top left)

And a few grandkids: Sarah Johnston Postier, Pop,
John Leddy, Jr, Dan Regan, Vera Regan (clockwise from top left)

I hope this whets your appetite! Don't just read the headlines, follow the link above for the real issue!

Enjoy!

Regan Family News Volume 1 #2

Here is the link to Regan Family News Volume 1 #2

Here is the second RFN as published by Roswell Regan in 1962.  I posted the first issue last month and I plan on posting all that I have (through 1965) periodically.  I set the privacy settings to high, requiring a password sign in.  This is because the RFN has all sorts of address and relationship information that I felt reluctant to make public, even though the material is 50 years old.  I hope this doesn't present a hardship for anyone who would like to have access to this material.  I'll send this information to any Regans I have email addresses for, which is a very short list.  So please alert me to others who might want this access.

In this issue, like many to follow, Ross talks about Pop's (my grandfather, Peter's) siblings.

Peter and Nellie Regan on the occasion
of their 50th anniversary

He clearly knew them well and kept close to them, even cared for them.  These were my great aunts and uncles but my mother hardly mentioned them and seemed not to know them nearly as well as Ross did.  There were four of them; all childless and living together at this time.  They were all to pass away before the decade ended and, in fact, we lose three during the RFN run.  I discovered through the RFN that three are buried in Farmingdale, New York, about 15 minutes from my home!  I visited the grave last month to find a single stone inscribed "Regan, In God's Care", nothing more, though there are four Regans buried there (Steven's wife and the 3 siblings).  

Ross also mentions Pop's brother David.  I have found through census records that David was four years Pop's senior, though I know nothing more about him. 

Ross then goes on to publish news from the families and what I think is the most prescient information, his "Information Which Everyone Should Have" column.  This is great stuff and I love the way he organized the family tree.  Again, what a great job Ross did with this newsletter.  I hope you find the material as interesting as I do.

Regan Family News Volume 1 #1

Here is the link to Regan Family News Volume 1#1

In February of 1962, my uncle, Roswell Regan, began publishing this family newsletter. Ross was one of six children of Peter F and Nellie Regan and this was his way of keeping the family together and communicating once Mom and Pop Regan had passed and the siblings and their children had scattered. You can read the inaugural document by clicking on the link above and I will be posting succeeding editions regularly.

Now that I am retired, I find I  have the time to satisfy a long standing inclination to learn about my family heritage. As the youngest member of my generation in both parents families, my parents in turn, each being the youngest in their families; and as an adult with no siblings, I haven't much to go on as far as research is concerned.  I have found this periodical, which as far as I know was published through 1965, to be invaluable. Ross did his family a tremendous service in compiling, writing, typing, printing and distributing this newsletter and I wish I could have the opportunity to thank him for the outstanding work he did. His writing is clear and direct and the organization is terrific. This is no seat of the pants operation;  this is a fine document and I'm privileged to read it and thankful for Ross' efforts and the efforts of those who contributed.

Most of the information I've been able to learn about the Regans comes from the RFN. I've been searching records and have been able to flesh out some interesting facts but I've only found documentation to back up what I already learned in Ross' newsletter. I hope to continue my personal research and look forward to gathering further information. Along the way, perhaps I'll get to communicate with family members, and isn't that what Ross intended all along?

A word about this publication. These pages were saved in a binder by my mother, Margaret Leddy nee Regan, and were found to be in fair condition. It took many hours, weeks, and months, as I tackled this project off and on, to scan all 180+ pages. The original document looks better than the resulting scans and some of the pages are of poor quality. I am frustrated by the lack of consistency in the final product but my novice scanning skills were a handicap and at some point you go with what you've got. Meanwhile, the result is legible and I hope that it brings joy and information to those who read it.