On 14 April 1875, a child was born at 312 Durham Street in Baltimore City, Maryland. The child was the 2nd or 3rd of the mother’s (the certificate was filmed out of focus), was male and white. The mother was Susan McCordock, whose maiden name was also McCordock, born in Ireland. The father was William McCordock, a porter, born in Ireland. The medical attendant was Mary A. Allwell of 279[?] N.[?] Gough[?] Street. [Baltimore City, Maryland, Certificate of Birth 2354.]

1880 U.S. Census, Baltimore City, Maryland
Enumeration District 14, Page 25
Enumerated on 5 June 1880
37 North Wolfe Street
Dwelling 178, Household 225
McCordick, William, white, male, age 35, married, clerk in store, born in Ireland, both parents born in Ireland
McCordick, Susan, white, female, age 35, wife, married, keeping house, born in Ireland, both parents born in Ireland
McCordick, Ann, white, female, age 7, daughter, single, at school, in school within the past year, born in Maryland, both parents born in Ireland
McCordick, William, white, male, age 5, son, single, born in Maryland, both parents born in Ireland

The 1890 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 782:
McCordick Susan wid Wm, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J, printer, 1831 e Fayette

The 1891 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 808:
McCordick Susan wid Wm, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Annie E, dressmkr, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J, printer, 1831 e Fayette

The 1892 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 784:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Annie E, dressmkr, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J jr, printer

On 16 April 1892, a classified ad under Religious Notices in The Baltimore Sun stated:
FAIRMOUNT METHODIST CHURCH,
Fairmount and Collington avenues,
FIRST ANNIVERSARY
11 A. M., Regular Service and Sacrament; 2.30 P. M., Sunday-School; 7 P. M., Young People’s Meeting, led by WM. J. McCORDICK; 7.30, Anniversary Service of a simple character, old time singing and jubilee, followed by an address on the great success of the church by W. M. MITCHELL. The poor always welcome.
[The Baltimore Sun, 16 April 1892, page 2.]

The 1893 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 900:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J jr, printer, 1831 e Fayette

The 1894 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 887:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Patk, lab, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J jr, printer, 1831 e Fayette

On 24 December 1894, a marriage license was issued to William J. McCordick, a resident of Baltimore City, 23, white, single, and Beneta Magill, a resident of Baltimore City, white, single, no relation to one another. The marriage took place on 25 December 1894, officiated by Jos. K. Snyder. The return was filed on 7 January 1895. [Baltimore City, Maryland, Marriage license index.]

The 1895 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 904:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J jr, printer, 1831 e Fayette

The 1896 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 972:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J, printer, 130 n Washington

The 1897 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 992:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J, printer, 1806 Ashland av

On 16 April 1897, a child was born at 837 Montford Avenue in Baltimore City, Maryland. The child was a white male, the second child born to Benetta McCordick, who was born in Baltimore, maiden name Magill. The father was Wm F. McCordick, a printer, born in Baltimore. [Baltimore City, Maryland, Certificate of Birth 82359.]

The 1898 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 964:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J, feeder, 1712 n Gay

The 1899 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 932:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 1831 e Fayette
McCordick Wm J, pressman, 1734 n Duncan

1900 U.S. Census, Baltimore City, Maryland
Enumeration District 121, Sheet 7, 9th Ward
1718 Bradford
Dwelling 145, Household 152
McCordick, William J, head, white, male, born 14 April 1875, age 25, married 5 years, born in Maryland, both parents born in Ireland, occupation printer, 0 months unemployed during past year, can read and write, speaks English, rents house
McCordick, Bennetta, wife, white, female, born 8 July 1871, age 28, married 5 years, has had 2 children [may have said 3; there is a blot] of whom 2 are living, born in Maryland, both parents born in Maryland, can read and write, speaks English
McCordick, William M, son, white, male, born 11 April 1897, age 3, single, born in Maryland, both parents born in Maryland
McCordick, Annie E, daughter, white, female, born 28 December 1899, age 5/12, single, born in Maryland, both parents born in Maryland
McGill, William, boarder, white, male, born 12 April 1856, age 44, single, born in Maryland, both parents born in Maryland, occupation shoe burnisher, 0 months unemployed during past year, can read and write, speaks English

The 1901 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 934:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 140 n Washington
McCordick Wm J, printer, 1718 n Bradford

The 1902 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 1038:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 140 n Washington
McCordick Jos, clk, 140 n Washington
McCordick Wm J, printer, 1718 n Bradford

On 18 September 1902, The Baltimore Sun reported:
Mr. McCordick Writes Home.
Mrs. McCordick, wife of Mr. William J. McCordick, 1817 North Bradford street, who disappeared from home last Sunday morning, received a letter from him yesterday under date of New York. Mrs. McCordick reported the receipt of the letter to the police of the Northeastern district, but did not state its contents.
[The Baltimore Sun, 18 September 1902, page 12.]

The 1903 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 1118:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 140 n Washington
McCordick Jos, clk, 140 n Washington
McCordick Wm J, printer, 912 n Wolfe

On 19 October 1903, The Baltimore Sun’s List of Letters remaining at the Baltimore post office included one to McCordick Wm J.
[The Baltimore Sun, 19 October 1903, page 1.]

The 1904 Polk’s Baltimore City Directory lists on page 1079:
McCordick Susan Mrs, 140 n Washington
McCordick Jos, clk, 140 n Washington
McCordick Bennetta Mrs, 1415 n Dallas

A 14 March 1905 article in The Baltimore Sun stated:
HELD AS IN A FURNACE
Mrs. McCordick And Both Children Fatally Burned.
ESCAPE CUT OFF BY FLAMES
Mother Dies Some Hours After Her Little Daughter — Boy’s Death Is Expected At Any Time.
As a result of the midnight fire at 1014 North Washington street, as told in THE SUN yesterday, a mother and child are dead and another child is dying at St. Joseph’s Hospital. The dead are:
MRS. BENNATTA MCCORDICK, 30 years old,
ANNIE MCCORDICK, 5 years old.
The death of the other victim, William McCordick, 7 years old, is expected at any time by the physicians.
The building, which is a three-story structure, was occupied on the first floor by Mr. Wm. Greaves as a grocery and provision store. Mr. Greaves’ apartments were on the second floor, which he also partly used as a storeroom. The McCordicks occupied the two rooms on the third floor.
The origin of the fire is not known, but the flames were detected shooting from the window of the store by Mr. Solomon P. Lowenstein, 1002 North Washington street. He rushed to a nearby box and sounded an alarm. By the time the fire department arrive the store was enveloped in flames, which were rapidly leaping up the front of the house.
The clamor of the engines aroused the sleeping occupants of the neighborhood and their cries were said to have awakened Mrs. McCordick, who was asleep in the front room. She was seen to appear at the window and beckon for the firemen to come to her assistance.
Chief Emerich and Captain Emerson, of No. 5 Truck Company, leading a party of firemen, placed ladders to the window. They hurriedly ascended and on reaching the sill Captain Emerson leaped into the room, which was suffocating with heat and smoke. The mother and two children were found in an unconscious condition crouched against a chair near the side of the bed.
Ropes were used to lower them from the windows, and in the meantime the ambulance of the Northeastern district had been summoned. Before St. Joseph’s Hospital was reached Annie McCordick died. Mrs. McCordick died shortly after 6 o’clock yesterday morning without regaining consciousness. Coroner Caruthers gave a certificate of accidental death.
After the rescue the wildest excitement prevailed in the neighborhood and the work of the firemen was witnessed by a large crowd of half-clad men and women. The flames were soon extinguished. The damage to the stock in the store is estimated at $800, of which $400 is covered by insurance The damage to the property, which is owned by Mr. C. W. Hurst, is estimated at $1,000.
Investigation showed that the flames had crept up the stairway to the third floor, but scarcely got into any of the rooms. From this it is supposed that Mrs. McCordick, with her two children, attempted to descend, but was driven back by the flames. All three were terribly burned from the shoulders down.
William McCordick, the dead woman’s husband, disappeared from his home about three years ago, and nothing has been heard from him since. It is, believed, however, that he is at work in Philadelphia. Mrs. McCordick maintained herself and two children by sewing. She attended services at Holy Redeemer Independent Mothodiest Episcopal Church on Sunday evening and returned home about 10 P. M. For a time it was thought that Mr. Greaves as asleep in the house, but he did not return home until after the fire.
Mrs. McCordick is survived by three brothers and two sisters — Messrs. William H., Joseph and Andrew Magill, Mrs. Jos. Briscoe and Miss Mollie Magill.
The funeral of the victims will take place tomorrow afternoon from the home of Mrs. John E. C. Briscoe, 1210 North Bond street, a sister of Mrs. McCordick. Services will be conducted by Rev. J. K. Snyder, pastor of the Holy Redeemer Independent Methodist Church. The bodies will be interred side by side in the Old Methodist Cemetery, on the Philadelphia road. Undertakers Geo. Schilling & Son have charge of the arrangements.
[The Baltimore Sun, 14 March 1905, page 7.]