Mary Sullivan Hoy, Death Certificate

Mary Sullivan Hoy (1867-1932) died on April 28, 1932 in Oak Park Hospital, Oak Park, Illinois. She was the oldest child of Philip Sullivan (1840-1915) and Ellen Connor (1843-1919). Mary was born in Chicago.

At the time of her death, she lived at 4152 W. Washington Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, with her husband Thomas.

For over two years she was afflicted with chronic myocarditis and bronchial asthma. The cause of her death is attributed to nephrolithiasis or kidney stones.

Mary was buried on April 30, 1932 in Calvary Cemetery, Evanston, Illinois.

Source: Illinois Death Certificate, Family History Library MF# 1684330, accessed January 13, 2015.

Anna Sullivan Gahagan, Death Certificate 1925

Anna (Anastasia) Sullivan Gahagan (1869-1925), second daughter of Philip Sullivan (1840-1915) and Ellen Connor (1843-1919), died on December 23, 1925 in Community Hospital, Geneva, Illinois.

At the time of her death she and her husband, James Gahagan (c1868-1930), were living in West Chicago, DuPage County, Illinois. No exact address is given. Her death certificate provides her birth date as April 13, 1869 and notes her occupation as housewife.

Cause of death is reported as chronic myocarditis with aortic regurgitation which she had over a period of two years. She also had chronic infection of the teeth for 2-3 years.

She is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Aurora, Kane County, Illinois.

From other documents I have found, there is no mention of James and Anna having children.

Source: Illinois death certificate #44515, Family History Library microfilm: #1504132, accessed January 13, 2015.

Philip Sullivan c1885

In October 2014, I had the opportunity to visit my cousin Thomas D. Sullivan's home. As I was leaving he asked if I would like to look at some of the albums his mother, Margaret Carmody Sullivan (1910-1982), had put together. Of course, I said YES!  He suggested I take one home with me so I could give a closer look at the many photos included. The one I chose was titled "Prior to 1950."

The album includes many photos of Margaret and her husband, Thomas A. Sullivan (1908-1996), but there were also several photos of ancestors of both Margaret and Tom. One such photo of Philip Sullivan (1840-1915), grandfather of Thomas A. Sullivan, I had never seen before.  It is possibly the oldest of all the photos I have of direct ancestors.

The front of the photo, which is on hard card stock, shows Philip standing next to a Victorian-style tufted chair. He is dressed formally but his cloths look warn, especially his shoes. It is not known if there was a particular purpose for which the photo was taken.  On the verso of the photograph, is the name of the photography: J. Battersby, 62 North Clark St., Chicago. There is also a 2 cent cancelled postage stamp attached with the cancellation date of February 4, 1885.

If the photo were taken around 1885, Philip would have been about 45 years old which seems to be in keeping with the age he looks in the photo.  In 1885 he was still living in Chicago and probably still running the family grocery store. All but the last (Philip M. Sullivan 1885-1959) of his 10 children would have been born by this date.

Seeing this photo gives me hope that other "old" photos of the family may still yet be located.

Source: Photo album created by Margaret Carmody Sullivan currently, 2014,  held by Thomas D. Sullivan.