Allen Edward Brady 1897 - 1950

I was thinking last week of writing another post, after all it had been a few months and I need to get back in the swing of things.  So I was looking in my tree for someone to do some research on, and I settled on Allen Edward Brady.  He was the last child born to John J Brady and Annie Butler Brady. He was born 21 Sep 1897, in Scranton, Pa.  The day of his birth is the same day that the New York Sun published it's famous "Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus" editorial.  So I guess his life started on a good note.

Allen lived in Scranton, and the next time I see him is 12 Sep 1918, still in Scranton and registering for the draft for WWI.  According to his draft registration he is living at 522 Ripple St with his family in Scranton, but he works for the Illinois Steel Co. as a "Pit recorder".  Here is the odd part -  the Illinois Steel Co. is located in Gary, Indiana.  So he lives in Scranton, works for the Illinois Steel Co and that is located in Gary, Indiana.  I assume he served in WWI because the 1930 census indicates that he is a veteran of WWI.

In 1920, the census says he is still living in Scranton and working as a store clerk.  Then on 10 Oct 1923, he marries Margaret A Powers in Gary, Indiana.  By the time of the 1930 census, Allen and Margaret live on W. 45th Ave in Gary, with Margaret's widowed father and her two brothers.  Allen works as a painter on the steam railway to support his wife and three daughters: Alice, Patricia, and Nancy.

By 1940, Allen is a paint contractor, and it looks like he works for the city of Gary, where they still live.  Now Allen rents a home on Broadway, where he and Margaret raise their three girls.  Now the story gets sad, in 1943.

10 Jan 1943 finds us in Baker County, Florida where a marriage license is filed for Allen E Brady and Margaret A Powers.  In case you fell asleep halfway through this, they have already been married for 19 years.  Maybe they are just renewing their vows.  That is what I thought until I found Margaret's death certificate in Indiana, while typing this post  She dies on 15 Oct 1943, at the age of 42, nine months after marrying her husband again.  She had apparently been ill with pulmonary TB for 5 years.  Why this reunion took place in Florida I don't know, I thought maybe they moved there for the weather or something, but she dies in Indiana nine months later.  So I have no idea.

Now Allen is widowed with his three girls in Indiana and 1950 rolls around.  We find Allen's death certificate.  He dies 23 Sep 1950, two days after his 53rd birthday.  He dies of a coronary occlusion, which I think may be a heart attack, and an autopsy was performed, but there is no indication of the results of the autopsy.  He was employed as a supervisor for the Gary Housing Authority and the informant on his death certificate is listed as Pearl Brady.  Who is Pearl Brady?  This will take some more research.

Then last, but not least, on 29 Sep 1950 Allen and Margaret's youngest daughter, Nancy L Brady marries Gerald Mulloy, only 6 days after the death of her father.  That is a rough way to start a new family.

To end this on a somewhat happy note, I have a photo of Allen and his family that was "donated to my family archive" by my cousin Peggy from Scranton, who I met in 2004.