Sunday, March 16, 2014

My Grandfather's Keys

My grandfather, TJ O'Donnell, was born on 22 March 1885 to Thomas O'Donnell (DOB: 18 Sept 1845) and Annie (Clark) O'Donnell (DOB about 1850 -she came to America as a very young infant and therefore we do not have her date of birth since she was born in Ireland).  Grandpa TJ was the youngest of three boys.  He grew up on his parents' farm in St. Joseph, Pa, in Susquehanna County.
TJ left the farm as a young man and came to the NYC area. He eventually became a NYC Police Officer and lived with his wife, Margaret Coleman ( born 16 Feb 1887 in Middletown, Pa), in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.   My mother, Rita Mary Agnes O'Donnell Fries, (DOB 25 March 1917)was TJ's oldest child.  These keys were found in my father's (Charles A. Fries (DOB 2 Nov 1915)  basement after his death on Sept 11, 2013.  I believe they were TJ's set of keys from when he lived on the farm in St. Joseph, Pa.  Grandpa loved to visit the old homestead with his family (children and grandchildren)  in toe. Although he left the farm as a young man and spent most of his life in the big city, he was very proud of his birthplace and referred to his old homestead as "God's Country"and "the garden spot of America."  The house is still standing today.  TJ would probably love to have his family stop there and pay homage. 

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