Catherine "Kate" was born to Hannah and Daniel Collins in 1876 in Newton. In 1892 she married Tom Kerivan and had six children. Tom and Catherine rented the house next door to the Collins' residence, known as the "Panella" house. Catherine died in childbirth with her sixth child, Richard, who was a stillborn. Catherine's sisters, Mary and Annie, always blamed Tom for her early death because the couple had so many children. The sisters also disapproved of him because he was an alcoholic. After Catherine's death, her four boys, Dan, Frank, Ed, and John were sent to live with Gram Hannah Collins, down the street from the Collins' residence. Gertrude, Catherine's only daughter, was sent to live with her Aunt Nell in Boston, who raised Gertrude like she was her own daughter. One day, Mary and Annie, who had by then inherited the Collins residence, saw all four Collins boys marching down the yard each holding a brown paper bag with all their belongings. Gram Hannah Collins sent the boys back to live with Mary and Annie, who raised them for the rest of their childhood.

Mary and Annie lived their entire lives together in Newton Upper Falls. Mary worked at Willett & Chadwick Coal Company in Needham as a bookkeeper and was the primary breadwinner. Annie worked in the Silk Mill in Newton Upper Falls, and was the primary homemaker. Neither Mary nor Annie ever married. Mary was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis when she was 14 and was disabled for the rest of her life. In order to get up in the morning she had to take eight aspirin, plus more over the course of the day. In order to get to her job, her boss Mr. Chadwick would pick her up every single day.

John Kerivan was the son of Catherine Collins Kerivan and Tom Kerivan, born in July, 1897. John was born with a large birthmark across the side of his face. He opened up his own company called the Kerivan Plumbing Company. However, the success of his business was sometimes affected by his disfigurement as "people didn't like to see him at the door" (S. Gould). John passed away in 1942 from an infection, which was a result of cutting his birthmark while shaving. After his death, his wife took over the Kerivan Plumbing Company. About ten years after his death, John's Kerivan's nephew, John Lane took over the business and the Kerivan-Lane Company was founded.

Sally Lane Gould is the great-granddaughter of Daniel and Hannah Collins. Sally is a proud Radcliffe alum and she met her husband Forrest while at Harvard. Together they co-founded the Forrest Gould Plumbing and Heating Supply Company and raised five children in Needham. Sally has had an interest in family history and genealogy for years and was a great resource for this interview.