RIP, Mary Fitz

My first day back to work after the blur that was the holiday season, and it has to start off with some sad news from one of my New Jersey kin . . .

My Grandma G's cousin Mary Fitz (more properly Mary Elizabeth Irving FitzGerald) died in her sleep on New Year's Day. She was 86 years old.

Mary Fitz was born 11 September 1923, a daughter of Alex Irving, youngest son of my English emigrant ancestor "Honest Bob" Irving. (Yours truly is a great-grandson of Alex's sister Lil Irving Norton.)

My grandmother often told me stories about how she would babysit for Mary Fitz and her siblings after their mother's untimely death. Babysitting in those days apparently involved taking the kids to see the "picture shows."

Anyway, Mary Fitz grew up to attend Seton Hall University and worked as a public health nurse for many years in Jersey City.

I have several letters that she sent me over the years, each containing tidbits of family history.

She was a passionate promoter of literacy, and was named Literacy Tutor of the Year in 1997 by the Literacy Volunteers of America.

Mary Fitz didn't actually become Mary Fitz until late in life, when she married a Canadian fellow named John T. FitzGerald. He preceded her in death many years ago. They had no children. She was also preceded in death by her brother George Irving. Her sister Anna Mae Ness survives, as do numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Visitation will be Thursday at the McLaughlin Funeral Home on Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City, on Thursday. Funeral Mass will be offered at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on Friday at 10am, with interment to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Happy Birthday, Grandma G!

Yes, ye socks, it was on this date back in 1919, that a baby girl was born into a large Irish Catholic family in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Hard to believe that was 90 years ago today!

The world has changed an awful lot since then. And, yet, a lot of things were the same as they are today.

When my grandmother was born, an over-reaching Congress ushered in a disastrous new era of Prohibition.

And, the Nobel Peace Prize was foolishly awarded to the Democrat who was then occupying the White House.

To be sure, Woodrow Wilson was a more deserving recipient than the current occupant. At least he had forced thru the Treaty of Versailles.

I mention those two particular historical tidbits in the context of this birthday remembrance, because they both would have significant influence on the life of that baby born 90 years ago.

First of all, her father Tom Norton was good friends with a fellow named Joe Tumulty who just happened to be the private secretary (chief of staff) to President Wilson. Tom also began a very successful rum-running business the year his youngest daughter was born, the success doubtless due to his political connections. All of the fond memories she would have of making frequent trips to Manasquan on the Jersey Shore were actually designed to camouflage her father's illicit operation.

And, secondly, the well-intentioned but poorly-crafted Treaty of Versailles would eventually spark the Second World War--the seminal event of my grandmother's generation.

But, I doubt the Nortons of Jersey City were considering the impact of history on their lives on that cold winter day ninety years ago. I'm sure they were just excited about welcoming a new member to the family in time for the busy Christmas season.

Just for kicks and giggles, a list of other folks who were also born in 1919: writer J.D. Salinger; 60 Minutes commentator Andy Rooney; baseball legend Jackie Robinson; musicians Tennessee Ernie Ford and Nat King Cole; actor Jack Palance; Argentine first lady Evita Peron; mountain climber Sir Edmund Hillary; and reformed segregationist George Wallace. Interesting generation, no?!

RIP Tom McQuoid

Condolences go out to my mom's cousin Sharon, and her boys Darren and Kyle. I heard this morning that her husband of 27 years (and their dad) lost his long battle with cancer on Friday.

I understand the funeral Mass will be on Wednesday at St. John the Evangelist Church in Clinton, Massachusetts.

Donations may be made in Tom's memory to either:

The American Cancer Society
Central New England Region
350 Plantation Street
Worcester, MA 01604

or

The UMass Memorial Cancer Center
c/o UMass Memorial Foundation
333 South Street
Shrewsbury, MA 01545

On this day in 1885 . . .

my great grandfather Thomas Joseph Norton, Sr., was born in Jersey City, New Jersey.

He was the eldest son of Irish immigrant Patrick Norton (recent arrival from Ballyforan in County Roscommon) and the former Margaret Conner.

Tom was a gifted athlete at Fordham University, who often competed at Madison Square Garden in New York City; and qualified for the US Olympic Track and Field Team in 1904.

Unfortunately, his disciplinarian father wouldn't let Tom forego his college studies to attend the 3rd Olympiad out in St. Louis.

Bad news for Tom was good news for his many descendants. By not heading out to Missouri, he struck up a romance with my great-grandmother Lil Irving.

They were secretly wed in Jersey City on 26 February 1905, which caused quite a stir . . . even rated a feature article in the New York Times.

Anyway, I digress.

Happy 124t Birthday, Tom!

Carnival of Genealogy, 57th Edition

Well, ye socks, one of my old posts has been selected for the current edition of the "Carnival of Genealogy."

The topic was "I read it in the news," and posts were gleaned from across the blogosphere to demonstrate how news articles can shed light on our family histories.

To see the complete listing of selected stories, check out the 10/4/08 post at:

http://creativegene.blogspot.com

The selection they chose from yours truly was originally published right here in the dryer back on 6/23/08, and featured a transcript of an old New York Times article about the secret marriage of my grandparents Tom and Lil Norton.

But, that story pales in comparison to some of the others in this little carnival.

Enjoy!

The Truth Always Outs . . . even if it takes more than a century!

Thanks to my Uncle Bill for turning me on to the New York Times' searchable database of old articles dating back to 1851. It was there I found the details of a long-suppressed family "scandal" surrounding the marriage of my great-grandparents, which I will now shamelessly broadcast (verbatim) across the blogosphere:

March 10, 1905

STUDENT SECRETLY WEDDED.
Marriage Discovered by St. John's
College Faculty Member.

Thomas A. [*] Norton, a student at St.
John's College, Fordham, was married on
Feb. 26 last to Lillian [**] Irving of 179 Mont-
gomery Street, Jersey City. Norton is a
son of ex-Alderman Patrick Norton of
Jersey City, and was preparing to study
medicine. He is twenty years old. His
bride is two years younger, and was grad-
uated from St. Aloysius Academy two
months ago.

The marriage was kept a secret until
yesterday. It then was discovered by a
member of the Faculty, who informed the
young man's father.[***]

[*] Tom's middle initial was actually J, for Joseph.

[**] My great-grandmother's actual name was ELIZABETH. Her nickname was LIL, and a lot of people (including the reporter, evidently) assumed this was short for Lillian. It doesn't pay to assume, does it?!

[***] I bet daddy was so happy to receive the news from a third party . . . but, given our family's notoriously even disposition, I'm sure he handled it well!

Kathleen Norton Kinney (1922-2007)

I am sorry to report the passing of my grandmother's cousin Kathleen "Kay" Norton Kinney. Kay was a daughter of my grandmother's uncle, Dr. Jim Norton.


Like so many of the Nortons, Kay was educated at St. Aloysius Academy in Jersey City. She later graduated from Manhattanville College in New York City.


On 29 Septembrer 1945, she married at St. Aloysius Church to John E. "Jack" Kinney. As a young couple, they lived in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati before settling-down in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There they joined the parish of St. Francis of Assisi and were charter members of the Huron Valley Swim Club.


Kay was known for her creative knitting, but also for her literary skills. Not only did she edit and title her husband's acclaimed speeches, but she also published volumes of her own poetry and limericks to the delight of her family and friends.


In her spare time, Kay played bridge, volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House, and helped the Father Pat Jackson House.


She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; sisters Margaret Mary Cunniff and Patricia Mullins; and granddaughter Amy LaFata.


Survivors include her children: Kathleen, Patricia, Sheila, Marian, John, Barbara, and Eileen; grandchildren Sarah & Katy LaFata, John, Peter & Maura Diamond; Mercedes Tipre, Grace Broderick, and Theresa & Winston Murphy; and brother James F. Norton, Jr.


The funeral Mass will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Ann Arbor on Monday at 11am, with burial to follow at St. Thomas Cemetery. Family will receive visitors at Muehlig Chapel tomorrow, 4-8pm, with rosary to be prayed at 7:30pm. They suggest, in lieu of flowers, that donations be sent to either the Ann Arbor Ronald McDonald House or Father Pat Jackson House.


For you socks not in the Ann Arbor area who may wish to express your condolences to the family, there is an online guestbook at:


http://obits.mlive.com/AnnArbor/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=94873915

Rita Norton McCann

I am sorry to report the death of my great-aunt Rita last night following a heart attack in Clinton, Massachusetts. She would have celebrated her 92nd birthday in just a few weeks.

Her passing marks the end of an era, as she was the last surviving child of Thomas J. Norton, Sr. and Lil Irving Norton.

You socks who know me well have probably heard me tell tales about my Grandma G. Well, Rita was one of her three older sisters, a twin to Aunt Marie (the subject of many equally priceless tales).

In addition to her parents and siblings, Aunt Rita was preceded in death by her husband Thomas Lincoln McCann (1910-1994).

She is survived by her only daughter Sharon, son-in-law Tom McQuoid, and grandsons Darren and Kyle . . . and, of course, numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, and friends.

Robert J. McNally of Clinton will be handling funeral arrangements. The immediate family will accept visitors on Sunday. And, a funeral mass will be held on Monday.

Expressions of sympathy may be made directly to Sharon at mccsh02@comcast.net.

Norton notes

There has been a flurry of activity around here lately, lots of emails flying back and forth between a bunch of "long lost" Norton cousins.

Some great stories have been coming my way, in addition to the photos I posted earlier this week. (Too many, in fact, to post here.)

Anyway, to keep it all straight, and to make sharing easier, I am working on creating an online "presence" for all this great stuff.

Very preliminary. But, check it out, do some clicking and surfing, and let me know if you can make additions, corrections, etc.:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~oldpinecastle/norton/index.html

Cheers!

Connecting with some long-lost cousins

I was thrilled to receive email today from two long-lost cousins on the Norton side of the family: Maureen Kelly and Mary Jo Solomon.

We've been swapping info on our different branches of the family.

And, Mary Jo was kind enough to send me these old family photos. Thomas Norton (1885-1943) was my great-grandfather. The two other fellows are his brothers Jim and Harry. And, the lady is their only sister "Birdie."

Pretty cool, huh?