Tuesday, November 29, 2016

John Geraghty



John Geraghty was born in Carrownaclea on 15 May 1864 to Patt Geraghty and Mary Killeen. The birth was reported by his grandmother Judy Ludden, who made her mark.  Ludden is the maiden name of Edward's wife, Judy, and Edward is still alive.  Although unusual in Irish records it appears her maiden name was used.


John was christened either the 15 or the 20 of May depending on the source.  The record found for 15 May gives a first name of Thomas rather than John.  It does appear to be a report of fees collected for the christening, so it may have been created at a later date and errors might have occurred.

Having grown up in poverty, John joined his father working in England as he got older. The family emigrated to Minnesota when John was twenty and he joined in the family efforts to build a house for all.

On 22 Sep 1891 he married Mary Walsh.  No record has been found to show whether Mary and John knew each other in Ireland, but they both lived in the same parish and were of similar age, so it seems likely that they had at least seen each other there.  No explanation of how they met in St. Paul exists, either and no family tales have been passed down.

John, like his father, worked for the water company.  He and Mary settled at 424 Charles.  It appears that the house in the South Frogtown area of St. Paul, no longer stands (although other streets had there houses renumbered so that isn't certain).

Over the next six years John and Mary had four daughters. Mary Agnes bn 1892, Julia Vereena bn 1894, Winnifred Irene (Minnie) bn 1895, and Angella Genevieve bn 1897.  Minnie died in 1896 and Angella in 1898.

St Paul Globe 5 Dec 1897 p.10
John died on 27 Nov 1897 of phthisis pulmonalis (tuberculosis) and the age of 33.  He was mourned by his parents, siblings and wife.  Mary told her daughter that his parents blamed her for his death.  Whether that is true or just a perception on her part we will never know.  Mary Agnes and Julia lived with their grandparents and often visited their doting Uncle Edward, so any bad feelings definitely did not transfer to her children.





After his death, Mary bought a cemetery plot in Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul for $35 and had a tombstone erected.  Today, the badly worn stone bears the names of her husband, Minnie, Angela and Mary, herself.


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