Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 23, James William McGreevy

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This is week 23 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.

James William McGreevy was born on April 2, 1892 (or 1893 per his death certificate) in Savannah, Chatham County, Virginia to Richard McGreevy and Rosa Ellen Remley McGreevy.

I had little information on James, but, I do maintain his memorial on Find A Grave.   Recently, a volunteer from Find A Grave sent me a correction, as originally I had his birth place and death place on his memorial as unknown.  This volunteer also posted a copy of an obituary.  I did not have this obituary, I did have a funeral notice.  Can we thank volunteers enough??  I don't think so.

I found James on census enumerations for 1900, 1910 and 1920 living with his mother, Rosa.  The following text is taken from her biographical information on my data base.  James is highlighted in red.

Rosa was enumerated on the 1900 U.S. Census of Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia:  Richard McGreevy, born July 1858, age 42, married for 12 years, born Ireland, both parents born Ireland, came to US in 1885, been in US 15 years, policeman; Rosa E., wife, born April 1871, age 28, married for 12 years, 4 children, 3 of whom survive, born Georgia, both parents born Georgia; James, son, born April 1892, age 8, born Georgia; Lucy M., daughter, born July 1894, age 5, born Georgia; Alice H., daughter, born March 1893, age 7, born Georgia.

Rosa is enumerated on the 1910 U.S. Census of Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia:  Richard McGreevy, age 54, married one time for 22 years, born Ireland, both parents born Ireland, came to the US in 1885, naturalized, policeman, police department; Rosa E., wife, age 40, married one time for 22 years, 5 children, 4 of whom survive, born South Carolina, both parents born South Carolina; James W. (given name indexed at Ancestry.com as Janes), son, age 18, single, born Georgia, clerk shoe store; Lucy M., daughter, age 16, born Georgia, clerk in bicycle store; Helen A., daughter, age 13, born Georgia; Richard E.P. son, age 2, born Georgia.

Rosa is found on the 1920 US Census of Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia enumerated as "mother-in-law", her entire family is listed, her daughter Nellie's husband is listed as head of household. The listing: Rhnold Ulmer, head, 24 years old, married, born Georgia, both parents born Georgia, clerk for the rail road; Nellie, wife, age 22, born Georgia, father born Ireland, mother born Georgia; Richard McGreevy, father-in-law, age 63, married, immigrated to the US in 1885, naturalized, born Ireland, both parents born Ireland; Rosa Ellen, mother-in-law, age 49, married born Georgia, both parents born South Carolina; James W., brother-in-law, age 27, single, born Georgia, father born Ireland, mother born Georgia, accountant for a shoe house; Lucy M., sister-in-law, age 26, single, born Georgia, father born Ireland, mother born Georgia, stenographer for insurance company; Richard E. P, brother-in-law, age 11, born Georgia, father born Ireland, mother born Georgia.

While writing this post, I realized I did not have James enumerated in 1930, so, of course, I went looking.  I believe I found him in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas, ED 188-9, Supervisors District 1, Sheet 9A, stamped page number 218.  James W. McGreevy was living at 1404 Pierce Street, there are 3 other families living at that same address.  He rented his "home" for $50.00 a month, he was single, 31 years of age and his parent's birthplace as well as his own was listed as United States (suggesting that someone else provided the information, not James, which allows for his age to be in error).  James was an accountant for the railroads.

In 1917 James registered for the World War I draft.  He stated he was born in 1892 in Savannah, Georgia, that he was an accountant, that his father was an invalid.  (Note to Carol, see if there is a better image of this record somewhere.)

On July 31st, 1932 James died in Savannah, Georgia.

Prior to Candace Smiths posting the obituary, this is all I had managed to locate for James, his funeral notice which was published in a Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, newspaper, August 2, 1932:

"McGreevy - - The relatives and friends of Mr. James W. McGreevy and family are invited to attend his funeral this (Thuesday) morning at 9:15 o'clock from the resident of his sister, Mrs. P. L. Fenchel (hard to read) No 321 East Waldburg street. Services will be conducted at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist at 9:30 o'clock. Interment Cathedral Cemetery."

Candace provided the following obituary, for which I am eternally thankful.

"James W. McGreevy
Dies in Savannah

Interstate Commerce Examiner Widely Known

(Special to the Bulletin)

SAVANNAH, Ga., James W. McGreevy, a widely known accountant and traveling examiner for the Interstate Commerce Commission with headquarters at Houston, Texas, died here July 31st at the home of his siser, Mrs. P. L.Fenchel after an illness of four months.  For a number of years Mr. McGreevy was connected with the Central of Georgia Railway as an accountant.  Surviving in addition to his sister are two sons, Robert and Edgar McGreevy, Miami; his mother, Mrs. Rosa McGreevy, and a brother, Richard McGreevy, Camden, J. J.

The funeral was held with a Requiem Mass from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, with interment in Cathedral Cemetery.  The pallbearers were James. A. Cronk, Sanford P. Butler, Dr. Marion Thomas, Elmo Curtis, Dr. T. A. Bremer and John Crotty."

When Candace wrote suggesting changes I went looking for James' death certificate.  And, found same:

Wish list for James:  Better copy of the World War I Registration form.  Clean up the sourcing a bit, the names of the newspapers need tweaking.  A photo of James would be nice.  Information on his wife, as I was unaware of his marriage. Information on divorce.  Will be researching the children listed in his obituary.

* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.

** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.

*** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site.  Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc.  Find A Grave is a free site. None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them.  See my Disclaimers page for further details.

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