Charts

• John Fitzgerald
  Descendant Chart

Photos

• Fitzgerald Photo Gallery

Cemeteries Visited

• St. Joseph's Cemetery
  New Brighton PA
• Calvary Cemetery, Erie PA

FindaGrave

• St. Joseph's Cemetery
  New Brighton PA
• Calvary Cemetery, Erie PA

Postcard IMAGES

• Beaver, Beaver Co PA

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FITZGERALD

John Fitzgerald and Mary Conway were married by Father Dan McCarthy in the Roman Catholic Parish of Ballylongford, County Kerry, Ireland on 24 Jul 1832.¹ Father McCarthy was Roman Catholic Parish Priest of Tarbert and Ballylongford from 1832 to 1859. "He was responsible for the building of St. Mary's Church in Tarbert" which was consecrated in 1833.²

John was likely a gardener by trade³ and resided in County Kerry his whole life.  John & Mary had two known children. The oldest, James ("of Tarbert") was baptized at Ballylongford.¹  Their other child, Thomas was born in June 1837⁴

James Fitzgerald (1832-   ) and Mary Sandes (1826-   , daughter of William & Johanna Linden Sandes) were married by Father D. Foley on 31 Jul 1859 in St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Tarbert, County Kerry, Ireland. James was a farmer who appears to have rented land in Lower Tieraclea, Tarbert, County Kerry, Ireland.^1,5

Tarbert was a small market town on the southern bank of the lower Shannon.

"Tarbert being the landing place for passengers from Dublin and Limerick to Tralee and Lakes of Killarney, and being situated on the high road from Limerick to the latter places, it enjoys some advantages from the visit of tourists and travellers, independent of which it is a place of but moderate trade. A variety of articles are imported from Limerick for the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood and, corn, butter, pigs and other agricultural produce are exported to that city."

I. Slater's National Commercial Directory of Ireland, I. Slater (late Pigot & Co.), Fountain-Street, Manchester & Fleet-Street, London, 1846), pages 313-314

James and Mary had five sons all of which were baptized in the St. Mary's two of which emigrated to the United States.  Their son, Thomas remained in County Kerry and is the only son who married.⁵

John (1860-1944) emigrated to the United States in 1883 settling in Kansas City, Jackson Co., Missouri where he worked as a Police Officer (later a Watchman).  He died on New Year's Day 1944 and is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Kansas City.

James (1862-   )

William Patrick (1865-   )

Thomas Fitzgerald (1868-   ) and Sarah Shanley (daughter of Richard Shanley) were married in by Father D. Folley on 7 February 1895 in St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Tarbert, County Kerry, Ireland.¹  Thomas & Sarah had three children: Mary (1895-ca 1915) who trained as a school teacher but died at the young age of nineteen; Sarah Mary (1897-ca 1898) who died in infancy; and James "Jimmy" (1900-1984) who married Nora Scanlon (1915-1987) in 1934 and had fifteen children. Thomas and Sarah Shanley Fitzgerald's family were captured in the 1901 and 1911 Ireland Censuses farming in Lower Tieraclea, Tarbert, County Kerry Ireland. In 1901, their "farm-steadings" included a cow house, calf house, dairy, and a piggery. Ten years later, they had added two additional cow houses.  Descendants of Thomas and Sarah Shanley Fitzgerald can be found in Tarbert, around Ireland and in the United States.⁵

 Maurice  (1871-   ) emigrated to the United States in 1897 and can be found living with his brother in Kansas City, Jackson Co., Missouri in 1930 and working in the stock yards.

Thomas Fitzgerald (1837-1925), was "descended from a long line of ancestral gardeners" and learned his trade as a young boy.  "For nine years he managed the grounds and hothouses of Lord Colliss of Tarbert township, County Kerry, Ireland." This was likely Stephen E. Colliss, Esq., a member of  the landed gentry who was the only landowner (163 acres) listed in the townland of Upper Tieraclea in the 1851 Griffith's Valuation.^6,7  Thomas then was "engaged with Dr. Barrington, of Glin, County Limerick, Ireland."  In 1861/62, Thomas emigrated to the Province of Ontario, settling in Hamilton.  After a couple years, Thomas wrote back to Mary Healey (1839-1916, daughter of Anthony Healey) in Ireland, to join him in Ontario.  They had met while Thomas worked in the employ of Stephen Colliss but did not marry until 12 Jun 1863.   

 Their first child was Patrick, at Hamilton, Ontario in 1865. Shortly afterwards, Thomas and his family moved to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area where he worked as a gardener for a number of prominent men who "owned large and hansom properties," including those of Mr. Murrdick, Mrs. Denny, Mr. Charles McGee, Mr. M.C. Miller and the Dixmont State Hospital. While in Pittsburgh area, Mary and Thomas had four children (John E.; Thomas M.; James S.; Anna).  During the mid-1870s, Mary Healey Fitzgerald returned to Ireland with her five children to visit her ailing mother-in-law.  A few years later, they returned with the addition of Thomas & Mary's sixth child, Mary Catherine born in Tarbert, County Kerry, Ireland.  Mary and her six children arrived in New York City in steerage on the ship "Idaho" on 15 May 1878.

Thomas & Mary Fitzgerald eight children are: 

Patrick Joseph (1865-1884) is the only child of Thomas & Mary Fitzgerald born before their immigration to the United States (likely Hamilton, Province of Ontario).  The 1880 U.S. Census captures "Patrick J." as a 14 year old "laborer" living with his parents.  He likely went by his middle name with other sources (1870 Census; 1899 & 1914 Beaver County Family Biographical Sketches) listing him simply as "Joseph."  Nothing in known of Joseph's life or the circumstances of his death at the young age of eighteen.  Patrick's death does not appear in the Pittsburgh City Death Index 1870-1905 (doesn't show as Joseph either).

John E. (1866-1934) was born in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania and became a plumbing supplies salesman and Secretary for the Duquesne Sanitary Company.  He moved to Erie, Erie Co., Pennsylvania (circa 1912) where he managed the Western Pipe & Supply Company and rose to become the Secretary & Treasurer of the National Supply Company.  John remained unmarried and died in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Thomas M. (1862-1942) was born on Forbes Road in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania in what's now Pittsburgh's Oakland Neighborhood.  In 1903, its believed his specific birthplace became part of the Pittsburgh Pirates' new Forbes Field.⁸  In the mid-1870s, he returned to Ireland with his mother and siblings, for a three year extended visit. Thomas married Nora Minihan (1862-1942, daughter of Jeremiah & Catherine Donovan Minihan) in June 1895.  Like his father and grandfather, Thomas became a well respected gardener & florist. He started his florist business in Beaver, Beaver Co., Pennsylvania with only $100 and built it into one of the leading florists in Western Pennsylvania. Thomas and Nora had six children: Mary Catherine (1896-1968); twins John Leo (1898-1978) & Joseph Thomas (1898-1965); Helen Pius (1900-1985); Anna Geertrude (1902-1979); and Agnes N. (1905-1996).  Thomas M. Fitzgeralds family and business are well documented in:

Thomas M. Fitzgerald's Obituary (1916)
Fitzgeralds Greenhouses..Beautiful Plants (1906)
Thomas M. Fitzgerald - Biographical Sketch (1899)
Fitzgerald Family of Beaver County Pennsylvania (1914)

James Stanislaus (1869-1932) was born in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania and married Sarah Gertrude Potts (1872-1939) on 21 Jun 1899 in Pittsburgh.  Shortly before 1920, James & Sarah moved to Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio and later to Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio where James worked as a salesman for the Flexible Steel Lacing Company. James died in Columbus in 1932 and Sarah moved back to Cleveland Heights where she passed away in 1939.  There are no known children.

Anna (1870-1909): Little is known of Anna's life or the circumstances of her death in 1909 at the young age of thirty-eight.  In 1900, Anna was living with her sister, Mary Catherine in Pittsburgh and working as a Florist. Anna never married.  

Mary Catherine (1875-1905) was born in Ireland during her family's extended return in the 1870s.  In 1900, Mary Catherine is living with her sister, Anna in Pittsburgh and working as a dressmaker.  Mary Catherine married Edward F. Kennedy (1875-   , son of Bernard & Kate Kennedy) on 11 Nov 1903 in Allegheny County (probably Pittsburgh).  Edward worked as a printer for the Pittsburgh Gazette Times.  Within eighteen months, Mary Catherine had passed away (circumstances & location  unknown).  Mary Catherine Fitzgerald Kennedy's death likely occurred outside of Pittsburgh since it isn't listed in the city death index.  Edward F. Kennedy hasn't been located until his death in 1918 in Albuquerque, Bernalillo Co., New Mexico.  His death record indicates he was married but doesn't list a spouse's name.  There were no known children.

Edward Lawrence (1879-1931) served as a private in Company B, 10th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Spanish American War.  His regiment participated in the Battle of Manila in 1899.  After the war, Edward worked as a Machinist and lived with his parents in Turtle Creek, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania.  It was in Turtle Creek were he met and married Catherine Elizabeth Conville (1883-1983, daughter of Patrick & Catherine Killinger Conville) on 14 Aug 1901.  Edward & Catherine's four children (Harry, J. Edward, Rose, R. Thelma) were all born in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.  In the early 1910s, Edward moved up to Erie, Erie Co., Pennsylvania to help his brother John with his plumbing supply company (worked as a clerk). Edward & Catherine both had health issues with Edward suffering with cancer for ten years before his death in 1931. Despite Catherine's chronic health problems, she lived to just six months short of her hundredth birthday.     

Edward L. Fitzgerald Obit (1931)

William (1881-1884) was born in New Castle, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania but tragically died in Pittsburgh, less than four years, of Scarlet Fever. 

 Thomas and Mary Healey Fitzgerald later moved to Beaver to help in their son Thomas M. Fitzgerald's greenhouses.  Mary Fitzgerald died in Beaver, Pennsylvania on 28 Apr 1916.  Thomas passed away nine years later on 8 Jan 1925.

Two published biographical sketches provide great insight into the life of the Fitzgerald's of Allegheny and Beaver County Pennsylvania.

Thomas M. Fitzgerald - Biographical Sketch (1899)
Fitzgerald Family of Beaver County Pennsylvania (1914)
Thomas & Mary Healey Fitzgerald's Obits (1925, 1916)

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Footnote(s)

Information and several photos were provided courtesy of Daniel T. Dougherty (grandson of Thomas M. & Nora Minihan Fitzgerald) and Noreen Lennon (granddaughter of James & Nora Scanlon Fitzgerald).

(1) "Church Records," Irish Genealogy Website hosted by the Ireland Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht online www.irishgenealogy.ie

(2) Father Daniel McCarthy (1799-1859) was ordained in 1822 and acted as the the assistant to Father Daniel O'Sullivan the Parish Priest of Tarbert and Ballylongford until Father O'Sullivan's death in 1832 when he took over as Parish Priest.  "He built St. Mary's church, Chapel St, Tarbert, the first permanent Catholic church in Tarbert after the ending of Penal Times, building started 1830, church consecrated in 1833." Source: Humprys Family Tree, The Genealogy Site of Mark Humphrys (viewed 28 Mar 2012) which sourced, Tarbert An Unfinished Biography, Patrick J. Lynch, 2008

(3) Beaver County Biographical Sketches (1899 & 1914) indicate Thomas (Sr) was descended from a long line of gardeners and his son, Thomas M. Fitzgerald's obituary, mentions his grandfather was a gardener.

(4) Beaver County Biographical Sketches (1899 & 1914) list Thomas Fitzgerald (Sr) birthplace as Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland.

(5) Noreen Lennon, "Fitzgerald family of the Steeple Road, Tieraclea, Tarbert, County Kerry, Ireland," e-mail messages to Walter E Fred, Jan - Mar 2012

(6) "General Valuation of Ireland" (Griffith's Valuation), Kilnaughtin Parish, Iraghticonnor Barony, County Kerry, Ireland (1851)

(7) In 1870, Stephen E. Collis had 3,598 acres in County Kerry, Ireland

(8) Thomas M. Fitzgerald's obituary (Daily Times, 14 Nov 1916) indicates he was born on Forbes Street in Pittsburgh and according to family lore, was born in a house which later became the approximate location of First Base in Forbes Field (source: Daniel T. Dougherty, grandson of Thomas M. & Nora Fitzgerald).  His 1895 Marriage Application & 1899 Beaver County Biographical Sketch lists Hulton Township as his birthplace. Hulton does not appear to have been a township, but Jonathon Hulton was one of the first landowners in the Oakland Neighborhood of Pittsburgh where Forbes Field was built.

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Attachments

Book of Biographies - Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Biographical Publishing Company (Buffalo NY, 1899)

Fitzgerald, Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County Pennsylvania, under the editorial supervision of John W. Jordan, LL. D. Volume II, Lewis Historical Publishing Company 1914, New York   (source: Carnegie Free Library, Beaver Pennsylvania)

I. Slater's National Commercial Directory of Ireland, I. Slater (late Pigot & Co.), Fountain-Street, Manchester & Fleet-Street, London, 1846), pages 313-314

Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland by Sir Bernard Burke, C.B. LL.D., and revised by A.C. Fox-Davies,  Harrison & Sons (London : 1912), page 123-4

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