Bridget Barr

There had always been talk of a "falling out" between Martin Michael Gorman and his sister, Bridget "Dolly" (Gorman) Barr. While rumors of the Barrs putting the Gormans out on the street seem to have been greatly exaggerated, there were a few "bones of contention" between the families.

Mary (Looney) Gorman owned the house at 37 Hubbell Ave. She rented the house to her children. Upstairs was her daughter Bridget "Dolly" (Gorman) Barr with her husband and three children. Downstairs was Martin Michael Gorman with his wife and three children. It is believed that Mary (Looney) Gorman and John Gorman resided upstairs at 534 Elk Street (the location of Gorman’s Bar) at this time.

After the death of Martin Michael Gorman (1949), Mary (Looney) Gorman reduced the rent to his widow. However, the rent stayed the same for Bridget "Dolly" (Gorman) Barr and her family.

The monetary death benefits when Martin Michael Gorman passed away apparently went directly to his mother, Mary (Looney) Gorman. Not to his wife, Margaret (Farley) Gorman and her family. Some in the family think that Margaret (Farley) Gorman lowered the rent to lighten the load for the surviving Gorman family. Others believe that either a sense of obligation or perhaps even guilt over the death benefit might have more likely been the motivation for the reduced rent.

No matter what the actual reason, Bridget "Dolly" (Gorman) Barr felt unfairly treated by her mother and resented the Gorman’s for it. This grudge created a lasting uneasiness especially with her nephew Robert Martin Gorman.

When Mary (Looney) Gorman died, neither her daughter’s family nor her son’s family could afford to buy the house outright. So, as the will stipulated, the house was sold and the proceeds divided between the children.

Margaret (Farley) Gorman then moved to Armine Ave.