Date of Birth: 15 OCT 1859
Place of Birth: South Butler Township, Schuylkill, PA
Date of Marriage: 10 NOV 1890
Place of Marriage: St. Joseph R. C. Church
Spouse: Maggie Bradley AKA Madge Bradley
Children: Thomas J. Brady
Date of Death: 4 Aug 1914
Place of Death: Gordon, Schuylkill, PA
Crime: Destruction of Evidence that he lived for 54 years
NO PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Okay, not a bad Wanted Poster, but now let me tell you a little about my Great Grandfather. Like I told you in my last post, he was born in South Butler Township, this section of South Butler Twp would later be incorporated as Gordon Boro. He was born to Thomas A Brady and Bridget Convey, they were born in Swinford, County Mayo, Ireland (I found their birthplace listed on James' death certificate). He was born in 1859, which was two years before the start of the American Civil War. As far as I can tell, none of the Bradys served in either army.
James became a Fireman, on the railroad. I realize that that I just covered about 20 to 30 years in seven words, but I really don't know that much about him. Next thing that I know is that he married Madge (AKA Maggie, AKA Marcella) Bradley in St Joseph's Church in Ashland on 10 Nov 1890. They were married by Rev. Francis Coyle. I have a letter from St. Joseph's that says that Jacobum E. Brady and Margaretum Marcellae E Bradley were married on 10 Nov 1890, and the testes (witnesses, I hope) were Jacobus J Davis and Joanna Darrah. I am pretty sure the first and middle names are Latin.
Next event that I am aware of is the birth of my Grandfather, Thomas James Brady on 27 Aug 1891. Thomas was baptized on 30 Aug 1891 by Rev. C. F. Patterson (man they didn't waste any time getting him Baptized). The testes are listed as Joannis Davis and Lilly Bradley (Madge's sister?). This letter also cost me twenty bucks - this is getting expensive.
Then his wife dies. Here's where the facts get foggy. According the the obit that I put in the last post, Maggie was buried in St. Vincent de Paul parish cemetery on 16 Feb 1892. I can't find a headstone in the cemetery, and the church, after charging me the genealogy fee, can't find a record of her burial in the cemetery. The obit also says that she had been married less than year when she died. I must say at this point that my sister, Pat and my cousin Linda had told me that she died in childbirth. This would mean that she died sometime around the end of August 1891, or thereabouts. If that is true, she would have died before 10 Nov 1891 (her one year wedding anniversary. Did they keep her on ice (for lack of a better term) until 16 Feb 1892. Or is that fact an exaggerated fact (literary license). Death certificates were not required in PA in 1892.
Anyway, now is when James remains in Gordon, while the majority of the family moves to Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA. His son, Thomas, (my grandfather) lives with James' brother, William and his family in Scranton, then is listed living with his grandparents, Thomas and Bridget in Scranton in the 1900 census. I always wondered why James stayed in Gordon and did not go to Scranton. Was he inconsolable over the loss of his wife? Did he turn to the bottle and become an alcoholic (as his son did later in life). I don't know. What I do know is this: Thomas married my grandmother, Marguerite O'Dea on 18 Nov 1914, two months after his father died. There is also a story about James' death. I was told by my cousin Linda (I guess she heard more stories from her mother than we heard from our father, or else she just listened). But here is the story.
Legend has it that James was coming to Jersey City, NJ to see his son and his fiancee before their marriage. Supposedly he was going to give them money for their future. However, when he got to Penn Station in NYC, he was mugged for his money, and he was injured in the assault and went home and died. Now the death certificate says nothing about any injuries or assault. He died of cardiac failure. The death certificate is signed by Thomas McCutcheon, MD of Gordon PA. I always assumed that his brother, William F Brady, MD would have cared for him and sign the death certificate. Maybe there was a rift in the family, but over what? Or maybe McCutcheon was just a local doctor was was accessible and happened to be around when James died. Maybe William wasn't around when he died. Either way, the mugging story is looking less likely, but you never know.
More information is WANTED to answer the many questions that I have about James E Brady.
Stay tuned for a new Wanted Person in my next post.
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