Katherine ODonnell and Her Family

Seven years ago I asked for additional information on Kathryn ODonnell (1858-1939). She was a sister of my great great grandfather, Patrick Francis ODonnell (1856-1931).

Kathryn was born in Killybegs, County Donegal, Ireland. By her first husband, Charles Mason, she had two children, Margaret and John. She then remarried to Patrick Kennedy. She died in California in 1939. I had been able to track Margaret's moves, marriage, and child.

Finally fuller stories for Kathryn's son, John Mason, and her second husband, Patrick Kennedy, have come to light!

Spoiler alert: I have not found additional information on Charles Mason, the first husband. His first and only appearance is in the 1885 state census in New Jersey. 

New Jersey State Census, 1885. Bayonne, Hudson County.
Charles Mason, Irish male, age 20-60.
Kate Mason, Irish female, age 20-60.

In the 1900 census, Kathryn was in Brooklyn with her two children but no husband. A missing husband and widowhood either meant that he died or left the family.

1900 United States Federal Census
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York
Katie Mason and her two children, Margarite and John. She worked as a nurse.

Since writing the original article in 2018, indexes of deaths have come online for the State of New Jersey and Kings County, New York. I have not found a good match for Charles Mason. Indexes for deaths in the State of Connecticut do not start until 1897. If Charles died after Kathryn appeared as a widow in the 1900 census, this record could be anywhere.

Using the newspapers now available for searching online, I set out to discover when Kathryn acquired her second husband.

Newspaper article in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
November 27, 1914.
Widow of Patrick Kennedy to inherit his estate.

Patrick Kennedy was born about 1841 in Ireland. He married Ellen Callahan and they had one son, John, born around 1872. Patrick worked as a police officer in New York City. By 1900 he was retired and worked on his land in Connecticut as a farmer.

In 1911, Ellen died. In 1912, John shot his father, Patrick. John was unable to see or hear because of typhoid fever, an infection suffered when he was a child. Yet somehow he was able to purposely carry out this action.

Newspaper article. John Kennedy held in jail after shooting his father,
Patrick Kennedy, in Stratford, Connecticut. 1914.

Patrick was not expected to live. Enter Kathryn. She nursed him from the brink of death.

John Kennedy was sent to the Connecticut State Hospital for the Insane in Middletown, Middlesex County. He died there in 1930.

Patrick and Kathryn married in April of 1914. Patrick Kennedy died on November 22, 1914. Kathryn inherited one-third of his estate.

In 1920, Kathryn was still in Connecticut. She was living in Bridgeport with her son, John Mason. By 1930 she was living in California with her daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and James Joyce.

What became of John Daniel Mason, the son of Kathryn ODonnell and Charles Mason?

Searching newspapers led to the answers- probably. (The last death certificate I ordered from the State of Connecticut took one year to fulfill. Two years and counting for fulfillment by the City of Bridgeport.) John D Mason was buried in Saint Michael's Cemetery in Stratford - the same cemetery as Patrick Kennedy. He died July 31, 1932, age 43 years. "World War . . . Co. C. 319th Inf." is carved on the stone.

An obituary appeared in a few newspapers in Connecticut and Brooklyn. A mother and sister were mentioned but not by name.

Newspaper article 1932
Johnny Mason, dancer, died in alley in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Johnny Mason danced with Lew Dockstader (1856-1924) and George Primrose (1852-1919). Is this the same John Daniel Mason? Throughout his records he listed his occupation as a laborer.

Library of Congress
Primrose & Dockstader's Great American Minstrels

I also found advertisements for a boxer or fighter by the same name.

Ad in newspaper about a boxing fight.
Johnny Mason versus Eddie Mack.
October 30, 1922 in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

I was hoping to find pictures of John Mason. He performed with some well-known personalities. Perhaps he was an unnamed background actor in the vaudeville acts.

I will order the death certificate to see if the names of the parents are Kathryn ODonnell and Charles Mason. This could take a year for Connecticut to do.

So that is the story of Kathryn ODonnell's son, John Mason, and her second husband, Patrick Kennedy. Still missing is what became of her first husband, Charles Mason.

Deadly Boating Accident 1909

John ODonnell was a paternal uncle of my grandmother. He resided in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey.

From his gravestone, I had his date of death- September 3, 1909. He was nineteen when he died.

John O'Donnell
born July 9, 1890
Died September 3, 1909
Gravestone at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City, New Jersey

I found no death certificate in the New Jersey State Archives and no obituary in newspapers from Jersey City. The Bayonne Times newspaper for this time period was destroyed.

I expanded the search to include newspapers from all over. Newspapers in New York City and even Alabama carried articles about John's death.

John was employed as a deckhand on the tug boat R B Little. He was sleeping after working the night shift when his boat collided with another, bursting steam pipes. John awoke and attempted to escape the room in which he was sleeping. John was crushed and scalded. Accounts differ as to the timing of his death in relation to these traumas. The other man in the room, John Lavin, lived. I have not determined when he died.

Newspaper article from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, describing John's death as instant

Newspaper article from The Sun detailing John's attempt at escape before being scalded to death

Vital records for New York City are online, but not all years are available yet. 1909 is among the ranges of unavailable years for death certificates. Online indexes list a death for John ODonnell for September 3, 1909.

New York City index of deaths
entry for John ODonnell, 1909.
Son of Patrick [ODonnell] and Delia [Joyce].

Earnings reported to Social Security

The Itemized Statement of Earnings for my grandmother, Jeannette ODonnell (1920-1993), arrived from the Social Security Administration. This information was requested in June of 2023 for a fee of $100. Proof of death and direct descent was required. (Form SSA-7050-F4.)

The point of requesting this information was to see when and where she worked and possibly ascertain when important life events happened.

The Social Security Act of 1935 created federal old age benefits. Not all workers and employers were required to participate.

One of many newspaper articles explaining the new Social Security Act of 1935.

Jeannette was born in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey in 1920. She applied for a Social Security Number on December 2, 1941. 

Form SS-5 "Application for Social Security Account Number"
completed December 2, 1941.
The year of birth and name differ, but that's another story.
To locate a deceased individual's Social Security Number, search in the Social Security Death Index.
Then fill out form SSA-711 and submit $30.

Jeannette probably worked before December of 1941. The wages were not reported to Social Security.

Her first reported employer was W T Grant. She earned $39.55 in the last quarter of 1941 and $26.75 in the first quarter of 1942.

W T Grant was a bargain store that sold household items. In 1975, the national chain declared bankruptcy, hence the attorney name of Joseph Pardo and the address in New York City. Jeannette probably worked for the store located at 493 Broadway in Bayonne.

Advertisement of sale for W T Grant Co Store in Bayonne.

Help Wanted ad for W T Grant Co Store.
Maybe Jeannette saw this in her local paper.

In 1942 Jeannette began working at the telephone company. This was a national chain, so the current names and addresses do not reflect their names and addresses when Jeannette worked for them. Her last reported earnings from a telephone company were in 1957. Some quarters were little or no earnings. This is probably when she needed time off to have babies.

Jeannette's yearly earnings from what is now called AT&T and Verizon.

Jeannette is seated and third from the left, wearing the dark suit.
Supposedly the other people are her coworkers at the phone company.

Help wanted ad for New Jersey Bell Telephone Company, 1944.
"The telephone company needs more girls to handle war calls."

Jeannette needed a paycheck for personal reasons. The country was at war and women were called upon to work outside the home. This could have made Jeannette's jobs seem natural for the time period without indicating problems in her personal life.

Wages for operators and service assistants at Bell Telephone.
This was published in 1950 to address concerns over rate hikes.
We do not know Jeannette's hours, so we do not know her hourly rate.

After twenty years of no reported wages, Jeannette returned to work in 1978 at Freedman's Bakery in Belford, Monmouth County, New Jersey. She worked there until 1981. This was another national chain, so the current address of the employer is not where Jeannette physically worked.

Jeannette's earnings at Freedman's Bakery 1978-1981

Jeannette behind the counter at Freedman's Bakery

Ad for Freedman's Bakery, Monmouth County locations

The printout of earnings by quarter provides leads as to Jeannette's whereabouts and activities during her younger years. This was worth the fee and effort to obtain.

Gone Ten Years

Judith Haas Lutter (1950-2013)

December 29^th is the anniversary of my mother's death. 2023 marks ten years.

She died before I unraveled the mysteries of her origins and discovered three siblings she was unaware of.

1950 Census Debuted Today

The United States federal census of April 1, 1950 was released publicly today- 72 years after it was recorded. Various websites host images; some have indexes. I used enumeration district maps at Archives.gov to locate enumeration districts. This technique only works with specific addresses.

This is the first census to feature my father. He lived at 55 Chester Avenue in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.

United States Federal Census, 1950. New Jersey, Essex County, Newark. Enumeration District 188.

Lutter at 57 Chester Avenue:

Clifford C, head; age 35; married; born in Pennsylvania; occupation special officer for bar and grill protection.

Beulah C, wife; age 28; married; born in [New Jersey].

Clifford E, son; age 4; born in NJ.

Howard W, son; age 3; born in NJ.

David R, son; age 1; born in NJ.

My mother was created around April 1, 1950; thus, I was very interested to see where her mother, Jeannette ODonnell (1920-1993)  was living for this census. I have not found her yet. Possible addresses (96 Lord Avenue and 1962 West 9th Street in Bayonne and 331 Broadway in Newark) yielded no Jeannette.

The Remarriage of Frank ODonnell in 1940

Francis "Frank" Patrick ODonnell (1888-1959) was one of my great grandfathers. In the prior article, I wrote about the death of his first wife, my great grandmother, Anna Preston, in 1921.

On August 7, 1940, Frank remarried to Gertrude Farman, the widow of James Paradine, in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey. This marriage certificate is below.

The prior week, Frank had arrived in New York City from Bombat, India.

I did not know what Frank may have been doing so far away from Bayonne until I saw this story published at Ancestry:

Eddie O’Donnell told Kelly on 5/4/09

Posted 04 May 2009 by Joy Peck

Frances O’donnell (Frank) first wife died when the kids were young. The kids were raised by Aunt “Kate” Catherine.
Then Frances re married Getrude Last name unsure but thinks Paradine
Frances worked in the oil fields in Saudi Arabia when they first discovered oil there.

[Links to tree: ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/11067954/

Frank died October 31, 1959 in Bayonne. He was 69 years old. Gertrude was listed as his wife. 

Frank was buried at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City. Nobody is in this plot with him.

Gertrude was the daughter of Miles Farman and Mary Doyle. Her first marriage was to James Paradine in Bayonne on July 19, 1925. She was 21 years old; he was 27. Their marriage certificate is below.

Four and a half months after marrying, James died. An article appeared in the Jersey Journal about an accident at James' job with the Petroleum Terminal Corporation in Bayonne on December 2, 1925.

Gasoline Fumes From Tank Car Kill Workman

Overcome by gasoline fumes in a tank car which he was cleaning at the plant of the Petroleum Terminal Corporation, First Street and Avenue A, Bayonne, at 9 a.m. today [December 2, 1925]. James Paradine, 26, of 11 Cottage Street, Bayonne, died an hour later in Bayonne Hospital, despite the efforts of two physicians, who had labored over him constantly.

Two men working near Paradine saw him topple over. They summoned the company physician, Dr Duffy, and a Bayonne Hospital ambulance. Dr A E Solomon came from the hospital. Paradine died shortly afterwards, at 10 o’clock. His body was taken to Nugent’s morgue.

---The Jersey Journal, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey. Wednesday, December 2, 1925, page 1.

James' death certificate gives the cause of death as "accidental inhalation of gasoline fumes while cleaning tank car." He was 27 years old. Burial was at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City in the Farman plot.

The following month, Gertrude was awarded money for James' death, with a provision to increase the award pending birth of their child.

$3,675 Award for Widow of Gas Victim

Compensation Given Widow of Oil Company Worker  - Other Awards

James Paradine of 11 Cottage Street, Bayonne, employed as a pipe fitter by the Petroleum Terminal Corporation of Bayonne was asphyxiated by gas fumes while repairing a car on December 2, 1925. Referee John J Stahl of the Compensation Bureau, State Department of Labor, in his court at 571 Jersey Avenue yesterday afternoon handed down a decision awarding $3,675 and an allowance for funeral expenses of $150. The compensation may be increased for the benefit of a dependent child yet unborn.

---The Jersey Journal, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey. Friday, January 22, 1926, page 2.

As of this writing, birth records are not publicly available in New Jersey past 1923, but an index of births was recently made public. James Paradine was born January 29, 1926 in Bayonne.

archive.org/details/njgeographicbirthindex

In the 1930 census, Gertrude, age 26, was living with her son, James, age 4, and her mother and brother at 297 Avenue C in Bayonne.

James, the son of James and Gertrude, died in 1982. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, Bergen County, New Jersey. His mother was buried with him, though she is not on the stone and her obituary lists her place of burial as Holy Name.

Gertrude died June 28, 1987. Her obituary is below.

Paradine-O’Donnell

Gertrude Paradine-O’Donnell, 84, a lifelong Bayonne resident, died Sunday at the Jersey City Medical Center after a long illness.

She worked for General Cable Company, formerly of Bayonne.

Mass will be offered 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at St Andrew’s Church, Bayonne. Internment will be at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City.

Kohoot Funeral Home of Bayonne is handling the arrangements.

---The Jersey Journal, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey. Monday, June 29, 1987, page 12.

www.rcancem.org/find-a-loved-one-search/

I don't know what relationship, if any, my grandmother had with her stepmother. She never told me about Gertrude.

Anna Preston 1890-1921

November 22, 1890 was the birthdate of my great grandmother, Anna Preston. She was the mother of my maternal grandmother. She died May 10, 1921 at the age of thirty. I remember my grandmother telling me stories about Anna's early death. My middle name is in honor of Anna.

I have no pictures of Anna, unfortunately. I have documents instead.

Anna's death certificate lists the cause of death as otitis media followed by mastoiditis. Meningitis was contributory. An operation was performed six days before her death. 

My grandmother's family was very good about putting full names of parents on records.

Transcription of obituary:

Mrs Anna ODonnell died yesterday at her home 162 Orient street, after a brief illness. She had been a resident of Bayonne for over 21 years and was very well known in the Point section.

Mrs ODonnell leaves her husband, Frank ODonnell, five children; a father, John Preston; four brothers, John, George, Walter and Henry of Newark; three sisters, Mrs Mary Late [Lake], Thomas Burns [Hannah Beirne], and Miss Catherine Preston.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday morning when a solemn high mass will be celebrated at St. Andrew’s R. C. Church at 10 o’clock. Interment in family plot in Holy Name Cemetery under directions of Thomas M O’Brien.

  

Anna's obituary states that she died at home, 162 Orient Street in Bayonne, New Jersey. Note that the death certificate states that she died at Bayonne Hospital. She was survived by seven siblings- two had predeceased her.

Anna was the eighth of ten children born to John Preston (1857-1928) and Bridget Sheehy (1857-1916). I did not find a birth certificate for her, but she was probably born in Independence, Warren County, New Jersey. The family relocated there around 1884 from Stanford, Dutchess County, New York.

The day before Anna turned 21, she married Francis Patrick ODonnell (1888-1959) at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Bayonne, November 21, 1911.

Their first child, John Edward, was born in 1912. Four more children followed:

Rita Ann, 1914

Francis Leo, 1916

Claire Veronica, 1918

Jeannette Elizabeth, 1920 (my grandmother).

The 1920 census was the last in which Anna is enumerated. Frances and Anna were living at 140 Lord Avenue in Bayonne with four children. Their final child, Jeannette, had not yet arrived.

142 Orient Street was the address of Anna's father, John Preston. Perhaps the family moved in with him when she became ill?

Nine months after giving birth to Jeannette, Anna was dead. She was buried in the ODonnell plot at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City.

Baby Jeannette moved in with her paternal grandparents, Patrick ODonnell (1856-1931) and Delia Joyce (1862-1929). They were also buried in this plot.

I always wished for a picture of Anna. I wondered if Jeannette had a picture of the mother she lost so early, depriving her of a memory. A cousin sent me pictures of Anna's parents.

Happy Century, Jeannette

Today would have been the hundredth birthday of my maternal grandmother, Jeannette. She died in 1993 when I was seventeen years old.

Her stories about her family inspired my interest in genealogy.

Her secrets became the focus of my searches.

Jeannette Elizabeth ODonnell was born on July 30, 1920 in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey. She was the fifth and final child of Frank ODonnell and Anna Preston. Anna became ill shortly after the birth and died the following year. Jeannette lived with her paternal grandparents, Patrick ODonnell and Delia Joyce. Jeannette told us about Delia's blindness. Jeannette was very fond of her Aunt Kitty. Many relatives were killed in train accidents. She didn't get along with her siblings because they were raised apart.

Her best friend was her cousin, Edna. Jeannette said that they used to pay one nickel each to get a pack of cigarettes to share.

Edna told my mother and me that she promised to take Jeannette's secrets to her grave. She did. She died four days ago at the age of 98.

My mother, Judith, was born in 1950 when Jeannette was thirty years old. As a child, I didn't notice that Jeannette's stories left out the time period of her young adulthood, from the late 1930s and through the 1940s. All I remember is that she said she was a switchboard operator for the phone company. She had a switchboard plug that she said was used to connect calls.

When I began requesting family documents and photos, my mother told me that I would find discrepancies in Jeannette's story of her life and that if I ever found the truth, she wanted to know.

Jeannette may have discarded her copies of official records of births and marriages, but the State of New Jersey preserved their copies. So did newspapers. DNA testing was unfathomable until recently. That was the key to unlocking more secrets.

As I find out more about the events in Jeannette's life, I can't help wondering how she felt. She hid tragedies. I try to remember her stories for hints or clues, but I come up with no indications of what transpired in her young adulthood.

Happy 100th Birthday in Heaven, Grammy.