Stories about T.J. O'Donnell

Grandpa O’Donnell (aka, T.J.) was a colorful character.  I was especially fond of him. 

Off the top of my head and without digging into files, these are some of the things I remember about him.

He was the youngest of three boys, all rather close in age.  His oldest brother was John; the middle brother was Frank and last but not least came T.J.  They grew up on a farm with their mother (Annie Clarke O’D) and their father, (Thomas O’Donnell) in a tiny hamlet, St. Joseph, in what is known as the “endless Mountains” of Pennsylvania.  St. Joseph is located about 26 miles south of Vestal, NY in the southern tier of NY State.  

When they became of age the three brothers left the farm in Pennsylvania and migrated to the New York City area.   John, Frank and T.J became police officers with the New York Police Department and they all settled in Brooklyn, NY.

T.J. married a girl from the “country” (the area including and surrounding St. Joseph, Pa.). Margaret Mary Coleman was someone T.J. knew from his youth.  Miss Margaret Coleman grew up in a nearby hamlet known as Middletown Center.  She completed “normal school” in order to become a teacher and she taught in Pennsylvania schools (one room school houses) for 11 years before marrying T.J. and moving to New York City.   I love the story that my grandmother, Margaret, was teaching school in one of these one- room schoolhouses, when the postman brought her a package in the mail.  When she opened to discover an engagement ring, she was so excited that she dismissed the students and sent them home early.   I guess I can understand her glee, since Margaret was almost 29 at the time of her marriage and in 1916 that was pretty much considered an old maid.

T.J. always remained very fond of the area where he was raised and would take his grandchildren (including yours truly) on tours of his old homestead and the surrounding countryside. 

After Marilyn Fitzgerald’s wedding to Jim Incitti, T.J. led a caravan of cars to St. Joseph, Pa and brought us in and out of the homes of the people who knew in the area.   He proudly referred to the area as “God’s Country” and “the garden spot of America”.    It was and remains a beautiful place.  Years ago many Irish immigrants settled in the area because it reminded them of the lush green hillsides of Ireland.  As a matter of fact, there is an area in nearby Friendsville called “Irish Hill”.