The Young Hannigans Move to Chicago

To recap from The Hannigans of Western NY:Thomas Hannigan is 68 and Margaret is 65 years old in the 1870 census and they have moved to a new farm in Leicester, Livingston County just a few miles up the road from their previous residence. Their son, Patrick, married a widow, Jane Manning, who had four daughters, Agnes, Bridget, Susan, and Mary Anna. Susan and Mary Anna were married and had started families of their own but the new couple lived with Patrick's parents. Two new babes had been born to Patrick and Jane: Alice is two years old and her brother, Francis Charles Hannigan, is eight months old.


In the 1875 census below, Alice is 7, Frank is 5, and a brother John is 3 years old. The young Hannigans had moved to neighboring Wyoming County, a few miles away, but Patrick died in his early 40s. The county only started keeping death records in 1875 so I have not been able to locate any news of his early passing. 

1875 Census

Jane took her young children back to Livingston County and lived a few doors down from Patrick's parents as seen in this 1880 census.

Chicago

Most 1890 censuses were lost in a fire in the National Archives in Washington D.C. so we have to speculate about how Alice and Frank made their way to Chicago. We do know there was regular rail service from Western New York to Chicago. 

The census shows that Alice married John Leonard in 1896 and started a family; Her brother, Frank, lived with them. 

The Leonard Family 

In the 1900 census below, the Leonard family lived in the 4th ward, 3642 Fifth Ave which is now S. Wells St. according to Long Lost Loop Lanes. The White Sox baseball field now occupies that address.

Alice and John Leonard lived next door to his parents who had emigrated from Ireland in the 1840's. Joseph Leonard, the patriarch's occupation is listed as Police Officer. John's occupation is listed as Switchman on the Railroad, but his son, Joe Leonard, will become a Chicago police officer like his grandfather. (see photos below)

Frank Hannigan, 26 years old, was employed as a Tinner building railway cars for International Manufacturing. This news report about the International Car Company mentions the plant was at 42nd and Wood Streets:

Fire at the plant of the International Car Co. at Forty second and Wood streets June 1 practically destroyed the blacksmith and repair shops. Insurance to $125,500 was carried and the loss is total to that amount.    
From June 1914, Iron Trade Review: http://tinyurl.com/gqdlntn

Below is a photo of O'Leary's at 4183 South Halsted. Next door is their German neighbor, the Pfaelzer Market. The Irish and Germans living side-by-side. In this prosperous melting pot, Frank Hannigan would meet Catherine Braun. (The Braun family history)

  DN-0003965, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum. 

Frank and Catherine Hannigan

Frank Hannigan and Catherine Braun married about 1903. Frank still worked as a Tinner for International Manufacturing and they lived at 5606 Paulina Ave. They had three children: Francis, Jr. born in 1906, Gerald Joseph in 1909, and Catherine in 1912. 

Below is Gerald's baptismal record from St. Brendan's parish. The church at 67th and Racine is no longer standing but the convent houses a recovery home for women. The witnesses are Joseph Klaus, Mary Braun Klaus's husband, and Frances Fitzgerald, Gertrude Braun Fitzgerald's sister-in-law.

When Frank registered in 1917 for the WWI draft, he was still working for International Car Company.

Frank and Catherine Hannigan
 Gerald, Catherine, and Frank ~1917-18

Although it seems like a curious background for a family photo the Dickinson building in the background is the Dickinson Seed Company at 35th and California

 

While I believed this to be the three Braun sisters, my cousin corrected me to say the young lady in the center is Francis "Fanny" Fitzgerald. If this is indeed about 1918, she would have been about 23 yrs old in this picture.
The Fitzgerald Family has a true Chicago history. Read about it here.

From L. to R. Back Row: Dave Fitzgerald, David Jr., Gertrude Braun Fitzgerald, Fanny Fitzgerald, Catherine Braun Hannigan, Frank Hannigan, Sr. Bottom Row: Catherine Hannigan, Gerald Hannigan, Elmer "Bud" Fitzgerald, Frank Hannigan, Jr. 

Fanny Fitzgerald and Catherine Hannigan

Catherine Hannigan

These wonderful photos of the Leonard and Hannigan families were shared with me by my cousin Sean. Joseph and Exilda Beauchamp Leonard's two little girls were born in 1921 and 1922 so this event should have taken place in about 1923. (See the 1940 census below)

It seems pretty safe to say that these photos were taken at 5821 Rockwell where Frank and Catherine lived after S. Paulina. 

By 1920, Gertrude Braun Fitzgerald had had two more children, Joseph and Elmer, but she passed away in that year. Joseph and Mary Braun Klaus moved to Antioch in 1920 and dear Mary passed five years later, in 1925. That same year, her young son, 14 year old Roy moved back to Chicago to live with the Hannigans on Rockwell. 

Frank Hannigan, 56 years old, died the following year in 1926 and was originally buried in St. Boniface cemetery on the north side of the city. Gerald continued to help his mother with the upkeep of the home on Rockwell. When Catherine passed away in the 1940s, his children moved Frank's body to St. Mary's in Evergreen Park to be with his wife. 

Billy Klaus 1929

By 1935, Gerald Joseph Hannigan met the lovely and vivacious Lucille Bechtloff and they were married.

Jerry and Cille welcomed a bouncing baby girl, Mary Lu, a few years later and then a son, Gerald Jr. 

In 1940, Chicago was a blossoming city as described in this video of the same era. The Hannigans lived in Englewood near the beautiful Hamilton Park designed by the Olmsted Brothers and Daniel Burnham. The famed John Warner Norton painted this mural.

1940 Census

Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Jerry Hannigan rose up the ranks in the Chicago Fire Department, eventually earning the rank of Captain. Noted in the local paper, he was invited to speak at the Family Council Meeting. Lucille's twin sister, Louise, married Ray Heineman who was also a Chicago Firefighter. Ray was on the scene at the Green Hornet Streetcar Disaster.

Captain Hannigan in the news