Wedding 28 June 1893 |
50th Anniversary 28 June 1943 |
On 28 June 1893 Michael Joseph Connery and Alice Fleming
were joined in marriage by Fr Michael Fleming, the brother of the bride. The ceremony took place in the home of the
bride’s sister Mrs Thomas (Mary Ann)
Walsh in Port Huron, Michigan. Witnesses
were Kate Connery, sister of the groom, and John Dority both of Chicago. [i]
The couple returned to Chicago where MJ was a saloon keeper
at 161 N Paulina and resided at 191 N Paulina.[ii] In 1893 Chicago was home of the World’s Fair
or the Columbian Exposition and excitement abounded. This was the era of Daniel Burnham, Marshall
Field, and George Washington Gale Ferris inventor of the Ferris Wheel. The 500 foot Ferris Wheel dominated the
landscape of the fairgrounds built on the city’s lakefront. Marshall Field’s
new store was a shopping mecca and the new Mrs Connery was a patron for many
years.[iii]
As the young couple established their home on the west side
of Chicago, they became members of St Columbkille Parish in Chicago. It is of
note that there was also a Michael M Connery family, married in 1892,
living in the same parish. Both families
began having babies baptized in the same time frame and same parish making identifying children
difficult. Children came to the family Mary Elizabeth, Kathleen Frances, Leo, and
Alice Josephine, were all baptized at St Columbkille.[iv]
Around 1902 MJ built a two story, ten room stone home at
1993 Washington Blvd and the family became members of St Mel Parish where Pauline
Jeanne, Thomas Joseph, John Clement, Eleanore Virginia, and Elizabeth Mary were
baptized.[v] All of the children were born over a period
of 24 years.
The family grew up and moved on as families do but the house
on Washington Blvd remained a hub of activity.The two oldest daughters, who
entered the Order of St Dominic in Adrian, MI, returned home often as their
teaching positions permitted. Three of
the daughters, Pauline, Eleanor, and Elizabeth were married from that house. Kathleen never left as her choice was to
remain single and work with her father in the travel business. Several of the grandchildren came to the
house as the first stop after leaving the hospital. Others returned to be baptized at St
Mel. The oldest son Leo died at age
seven and was buried from St Mel.[vi]
Over the years MJ changed from saloon keeper, to restaurant
owner, to owning several bowling alleys, to realtor, to finally owning his own
Real Estate firm, M J Connery Real Estate established around 1915. [vii]
Eventually travel and insurance businesses were added to the real estate
business. MJ moved his family several times
between 1893 and 1902 but after the house was built they remained in the home
at 1993 (re-numbered in August 1909) Washington Blvd until after his death in
1953.
(492)
Excellent details about Michael J and Alice! Very interesting information - and oh my, I love the photographs. Simply wonderful!
ReplyDelete