Edward Francis Fitzpatrick

Edward Francis Fitzpatrick, son of Thomas Fitzpatrick and Mary Ann Craig, was born April 6, 1859 in St. Louis, Mo. and baptized on April 17 in the Church of St. Lawrence O'Toole. At the baptism his godparents were Patrick and Mary Quinn and the priest was the Rev. J. Henry (from the Archdiocese of St. Louis). Family lore has it that Thomas Fitzpatrick left Providence RI, settling in Missouri where he purchased land and it was during that stay that Edward was born. The land was later "lost" and the family left St. Louis spending the duration of the Civil War in Pittsburgh, Pa. eventually returning to Providence ca. 1865.

     Edward, upon reaching adulthood, became a steam fitter and an influential member of the steam fitter’s union. His employment involved some travelling and it was during a steam fitting job in Cornwall, Ontario ca. 1881 that he met his wife, Adele (Delia) Denneny, daughter of Edward Denneny of Co. Monaghan, Ireland and Basilide Durocher of St. Paul, Quebec. (There are two versions to their meeting; Edward, while in Cornwall, decided to participate in a marathon. Adele one of the spectators, 1) fainted, and Edward helped revive her, or 2) was guarding some horses that became excited and Edward helped calm them down). On January 17th, 1883, Edward Fitzpatrick and Adele Denneny were witnesses at the marriage of James Kane Day and Catherine McDonald. The marriage took place at St. Columban's Church in Cornwall, Ontario and the priest was Rev. Charles Murray. Mr. Day was 30 years old and a widower, and was a machinist from Providence RI. On January 30th, 1883, Edward and Adele were themselves married at St. Columban's with the Rev. Murray again officiating. 

     After their marriage Edward and Adele resided at 529 Chalkstone Ave. in Providence, RI and it was there that their first child, Grace Theresa, was born on Dec. 20, 1885. In 1887 Edward, Adele, and Grace left Providence and took up permanent residence in New York City. Some stories have been handed down as to why the move was made from Providence to New York but none have been verified. It seems that Edward, again on a steam fitting job, came to New York City about 1880 to work one of Thomas Edison’s projects (family lore has it that he actually received a letter from Thomas Edison. According to Thomas Edison’s biography, his first generator for illuminating downtown New York went on-line in September of 1881 so Edward’s involvement in this project is entirely plausible) and it was during his stay that he realized there was plenty of employment in New York. His actual move from Providence may have had something to do with his father’s death on January 21, 1887. 

     Edward and Adele’s early stay in New York City was not an easy one. From 1887 until 1898 Adele gave birth to eight children losing five of them to illness. They initially lived on W. 40th St., later moving to Downing St, W. 27th St., W 125th St., and in 1900 on St. Ann’s Ave. in the Bronx. Edward rode his bicycle back and forth to work and taught steam fitting at home where his sons remembered there was always a blackboard. Edward and Adele are said to have been active in the Democratic Party (evidence of this is in the name of their son, William Jennings Bryan Fitzpatrick, named after the most influential Democratic politician of the late 19th century) with Adele playing the piano at most of their get-togethers. 

     Edward died of stomach cancer on October 7th, 1929 at 240 Wadsworth Ave., NYC, and is buried in St. Raymond's Cemetery, Bronx NY along with his wife and his daughter, Grace.