Possible information on Frederick Connelly's death

 I had the pleasant surprise of being contacted by my second cousin from my Grandmother Connelly side of the family.  He had come across some of my research and photos tied to my Great Grandmother Mary Ann Weatherby, but new her under the name Anne.  He had heard from his Uncle Fred (my first Cousin Once Removed) that my Great Grandfather Frederick Patrick Connelly died in a fire in Boston.  So I went to see if I could find documentation of that fire but didn't come up with anything. I did find the following article from January 25th, 1924.  

F. P. CONNOLLY DIES OF GAS POISONING

West Somerville Man Victim of Accident

Frederick P. Connelly of S Cutter av. West Somerville, who was found in his room on the second floor of the house last night by patrolmen A.J. Fitzpatrick and Edward Butman of the Somerville police in an unconscious condition, suffering from accidental gas poisoning, died at the Somerville Hospital at 1 o'clock this afternoon, without regaining consciousness.

Occupants of the house detected an odor of gas and summoned officers Fitzpatrick and Butman, who forces the door of the room and found Connelly fully dressed lying on the bed in an unconscious condition.  Gas was flowing from a gas jet attached to a gas stove.  The windows were open, and the police think that Connelly was making tea on the gas stove, when the wind blew out the flame and he became suddenly ill and, falling on the bed, was overcome by the fumes of the gas.

Connelly had been rooming at the house since last May.  Mrs. N. M. Fletcher, in charge of the house, informed the police that Connelly was in the habit of cooking meals, when home, on the gas stove.

So is this my Great Grandfather?  I had Frederick living at 59 Dow Street, Arlington, MA in the 1920 census.  and the article shows this Frederick Connolly having moved to the S. Cutter Ave address in May of 1923.  I suspect this is him, and the family story has altered from death by gas to death by fire over time.

Descendants of Frederick Patrick Connolly and Mary Ann Weatherby

I've been struggling with this group, and realize I don't have a lot of information on them.  I think this will represent a future project and therefore I am only going to give a high level report here and not get into individual biographies.  I list someone as living if I don't have evidence they are not.

• Frederick Patrick Connolly(1859-UNKN)-C2 and Mary Ann Weatherby(1862-1939)-C3
• Edward A. Connolly(1888-UNKN) married Grace (1897-UNKN)
• Living Son
• Living Son
• Living Son
• Living Son
• Maud M. Connolly(1891-1975) married William Paul Gates(1893-1961)
• William P. Gates(1921-2002) married Rita Helen Buckley(1922-2006)
• Marion Louise Gates(1923-2006)
• Living Daughter
• Helen A. Connolly(1893-1985)
• Mary Gertrude Connolly(1895-1972)-C1 married Ervin Earl Putnam(1893-1988)-P1
• Robert Ervin Putnam(1927-2011)-P0 married Florence Caroline Wright(1930-2016)-W0
• Living Son married Living
• Jueannette Connolly(1897-1989)
• Madeline Carver Connolly(1899-1990) married Henry Arthur McLaughlin(1902-1989)
• Andrea Teresa McLaughlin(1936-2015) married Living

Frederick Partick Connolly(1859-Unkn)-C2

Now I am going to talk about the Connolly branch of the family for a bit.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of gaps in what I know about Frederick Patrick Connolly and Mary Ann Weatherby.  I haven't even found any pictures of them. I'm hoping as I go through my Father's papers I'll find some of the missing information or maybe some of the family can help me out.  This is our first connection to Canada and up these branches we will uncover our Loyalists ancestors.


Frederick Partick Connolly(1859-Unkn)-C2
Birth: June 4th, 1859 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Father: James C. Connolly(1837-1891)-C4
Mother: Joanna I. Eagan(1837-Unkn)-C5

Married: Mary Ann Weatherby(1862-1939)-C3 in 1887, likely in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Children:
Edward A. Connolly(1888-after 1940)
Maud M. Connolly(1891-1975)
Helen A. Connelly(1893-1985)
Mary Gertrude Connelly(1895-1972)-C1
Jueannette Connolly(1897-1989)
Madeline Carver Connelly(1899-1990)

Death: before 1930 likely in Massachusetts

1859-1890
Frederick Patrick Connolly was born on June 4th, 1859 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada to James Connolly and Johana Eagan.  His baptism was conducted by Thomas Phelan at St. Dustan's Basilica in Charlottetown on June 5th, 1859.


I Don't have much information on him until his marriage to Mary Ann Weatherby(1862-1939)-C3 in 1887.  This was likely in Charlottetown and could have occurred at the Basilica, as they were both Catholic.

Their first child, Edward A. Connolly(1888- after 1940) was born in November of 1888 in Prince Edward Island.  This was probably in Charlottetown, but I haven't found the documentation yet.

1891-1910
Their second child, Maud M. Connolly(1891-1975) was born on November 2nd, 1991 in Prince Edward Island.  The family moved from Prince Edward Island after her birth and before the birth of their next child.  Helen A. Connelly(1893-1985) was born in Massachusetts on June 29th, 1893.  Their next daughter, Mary Gertrude Connelly(1895-1972)-C1 was born on June 6th, 1895 in Needham, MA.



They moved back to Charlottetown, PEI before the birth of their next daughter in 1897.  Jueannette Connolly(1897-1989) was born in Charlottetown, PEI on October 7th, 1897.  Their last child, Madeline Carver Connelly(1899-1990) was also born in Charlottetown, PEI on April 25th, 1899.

According to the 1900 U.S. Census, the family was back in Massachusetts and renting at 24 Washburn Ave., Cambridge, MA.  Frederick, listed as Fred, had been married to Mary Anne, listed as Annie, for 13 years and had first immigrated to the U.S. in 1889.  He is listed as being a carpenter and could read, write and speak English.


1910-1930
By 1910, according to the 1910 U.S. Census, they had moved and were renting at 50 Cedar Street, Cambridge, MA.  He is still working as a house carpenter along with his son.  He has not become a citizen yet, but his son has.  The census has him immigrating in 1885, his wife in 1880, his oldest children in 1892 and his youngest in 1900.  This seems to show that he and the family moved between Charlottetown, PEI and Massachusetts multiple times before finally settling permanently in Massachusetts.

He filed for Naturalization on May 8th, 1920.  The record stated that he was born on June 4th, 1859.  He immigrated from St. John, New Brunswick to the United States on May 12, 1912 arriving by train in Vanceboro, Maine. He was age 60, 5 foot 11 inches, 155 lbs with light gray hair and blue eyes.  He continued to work as a carpenter and was living at 59 Dow Street, Arlington, MA.  Interestingly, his wife Annie was still living with the children at the 50 Cedar St. address.

I lose all track of him after this.  I may have found him in the 1920 census living at 186 Amory St in Boston, MA but he is listed as being away and there is not enough info to prove it was him.  The 1930 U.S. Census lists his wife Annie as being a widow, so he seems to have passed away between 1920 and 1930 but I have not been able to find a record of his death or where he is buried.  I'll continue to search and maybe uncover something to share in the future.

Sources:

• Web: Prince Edward Island, Baptism Index, 1788-1943; christening date: 5 Jun 1859 christening place: Prince Edward Island, Canada Name: Frederick Patrick Connolly birth date: 4 Jun 1859 birth place: Charlottetown, Queens, Prince Edward Island, Canada
• 1900 United States Federal Census: Year: Database online. Year: 1900; Census Place: Cambridge Ward 5, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: T623_31077_4113842; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0730; FHL microfilm: 1240657.
• 1910 United States Federal Census: Year: Year: 1910; Census Place: Cambridge Ward 11, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: T624_597; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0789; FHL microfilm: 1374610
• Massachusetts, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798-1950; National Archives at Boston; Waltham, Massachusetts; ARC Title: Petitions and Records of Naturalization , 8/1845 - 12/1911; NAI Number: 3000057; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: RG 21
• 1920 United States Federal Census: Year: 1920; Census Place: Boston Ward 15, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_736; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 404; Image: 1200