About the Burns (Byrne) family

The Moseleys are Dick’s mother’s paternal ancestors. Members of the Moseley line were from England. Dick’s mother’s maternal ancestors were the Burns and members of the Burns line were born in Ireland.

Dick’s mother Lillian was the only child of Edward Moseley, oldest child of William Moseley and Catherine Burns, his first wife.

Catherine was born at Castledermot, County Kildare, Ireland in 1865. She was one of seven children, all born in Ireland. When she was born, her surname was Byrne instead of Burns. Catherine’s father was Michael Byrne (born 1822) and her mother Anna Moran was born in 1828.

In about 1870, the entire Burns family emigrated to the USA and settled on a small farm in Fleming, New York near the towns of Scipio and Auburn, New York. The family name changed from Byrne to Burns when they emigrated. In 1880 the farm was 10 acres and Michael owned one horse.

Michael Burns became a US citizen in 1875. His citizenship papers show that Michael could not write.

Most of the Burns family lived in or near Auburn, New York their entire lives. Michael died in Scipio in 1888. His wife Anna lived until 1902, when she died suddenly in Auburn.