Ancestor: My maternal 2nd-great-grandmother (Catherine “Kate” Fitzgerald) (last of my 2nd-great-grandparents)
Facts:
- Born in Pennsylvania (possibly Pittsburgh) on 12 April 1854 to James Fitzgerald and Mary Sullivan.
- Had an older brother named John Fitzgerald who was born in England about 1851 (he was living with Kate and her husband John on the 1910 census).
- Died 16 January 1916 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is buried alongside her husband and 3 sons; she is the only one with a headstone.
- Family lore states that Julia Gentle, the 5th child born to John and Kate, was their last child. However, I believe John and Kate had 2 more children after Julia, Harry and Hazel, both of whom died young. While searching on the New St. Joseph Cemetery website, I found Hazel buried with other Doyles, listing her parents as “John and Catherine.” Harry was born in 1885 and died at 7 months old in April 1886; I found his death certificate online. Hazel was born in 1888 and died in February 1892, buried in John’s father’s plot. I also found her birth and death certificate. Her birth certificate listed her mother as “Katie” born in “Pitt.”
- I know Cincinnati has their old city directories online and searchable. So, I wondered if Pittburgh might have something similar. They do! I was able to search the 1856-57 directory and found a James Fitzgerald. It’s a start!