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The McDevitt Clan
On the beach in Atlantic City (Circa early 192X ?)

Our Grandfather (Big Daddy), Patrick Joseph Mc Devitt
      1st born McDevitt grandchild, Rosemary
      Duffy, named Grandpop 'Big Daddy'..
      Note:  See post card below on right.

Circa 1955? in Chester, Pa.

Big Daddy at Christmas with his Christmas platform in the background
Aunt Peg & Uncle George's wedding - 1935

All 9 Mc Devitt "children" at Enochs on Roosevelt Blvd.
Margaret (Peg), James (Jim)
Rose, Maria (Marie), Mildred, Regina (Jean)
Elizabeth (Betty), Marian, Marita (Rita)
 
 
Aunt Betty and Uncle Larry's wedding - 1947

All 9 McDevitt 'kids' were in wedding-on St. Annes Church steps
This picture appeared in the Phila. Bulletin that day --
Peg, Rose, Marie, Mildred, Jean, Rita, Marian, Jim, & Big Daddy
Betty & Larry at top - Jack Duffy, Gert Herkenstein, unknown, & Chester Marie
Note:  Rose made all of the gowns & hats and, I believe, she & the other aunts made the flower bouquets.
 
Nov. 1963 at Pat Mills/Ray Bonowski wedding

All 9 McDevitt 'Kids':
Mildred, Jim, Rita, Marian
Rose, Jean, Peg, Marie, Betty
 
Summer of 1978 at Aunt Mildred's in Springfield

All 8 Mc Devitt sisters
Top row, on right:  Peg, Jean
Middle row:   Mildred, Marie, Rose, Rita
Bottom row:  Marian, Betty
 
McfDevitt Family Reunion Aug 1994

Six of the McDevitt sisters: Betty, Marie, Marian, Mildred, Peg, & Rita


Our Great Aunt Celia - Grandmom McDevitt's oldest sister
Great Aunt Celia (actual name Mary Celia) was married to Andrew J. Devine.  They had 3 children - Lydia, James & Marie.  She acted as guardian for Grandmom at her wedding.
In 1920, all five of the Earley children lived with the Devines - Madeline, Martin, Raymond, Robert, & Caroline.  Great Aunt Anna M. Earley and her husband, John M., had divorced.
 
 
Circa 190X ??

Our Great Aunt Rose - Grandmom McDevitt's sister - known as the prettiest Jones girl
Great Aunt Rose was married to Everett Bridgeford (a well-to-do & very handsome doctor from New York) and they had 2 children - Everett Jr. & Rosella.  They were either divorced or he passed away?  And she remarried - to Bill Huff.  She and Bill helped out in the Oyster Stores.  
Circa 190X ??

Our Great Aunt Nell - Grandmom McDevitt's sister
Nell (Helen), Grandmom McDevitt's sister, was married with no children - although she loved children.
 
There was another Nell in the family (on the Gallagher side) who was a first cousin to Grandmom:
Nell (Helen M.) Gallagher Cassidy was married to Frank Cassidy.  They had 5 children and lived in Chichester, Linwood, Pa. (right outside of Chester).  They were good friends with Big Daddy & Grandmom and often visited them on Clearfield St. The kids would sleep on the pool tables.
When they were first married, Nell and Frank Cassidy lived in the same boarding house in Chester  with John Gallagher, (another  lst cousin of Grandmom's, probably Nell's brother).
John Gallagher died on 9/29/1926 and is buried in the McDevitt plot at New Cathederal.
 
NOTE:  Grandmom McDevitt's 4th sister, Anna, married John Earley.  Unfortunately, I don't have her picture (but I'm sure she was as beautiful as all of the other sisters!). 

Circa 1907-09 ?

Our Grandmother, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Jones McDevitt 16-17 Yrs. old

On the beach in Atlantic City, summer of 1934

Our Grandmother, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Jones McDevitt, about 42 yrs. old

circa 1935-36??

Grandmon Elizbeth Jones McDevitt - from portrait handing on Jim & Helen McDevitt's wall

circa 1917

Grandparents with Jim, Peg, & Rose
Our Grandparents loved the beach!!! about 1930

Jean, Rita, Margaret Ovington (Gert Cahill's daughter) & Betty

On Atlantic City Beach - circa 1926

The 3 oldest McDevitt kids - Rose, Peg, and Jim

On Atlantic City beach, summer of 1934

Grandmom's picture above was extracted from this picture
Aunt Mildred with Jack Duffy, Aunt Marie, Marie Devine (Aunt Celia's daughter)
Gert (Cahill) Ovington (Grandmom's best friend), Grandmom,  & her oldest sister Celia Devine  (Grandmom may have been blind here (or beginning to go blind)
 
 

circa 189X ??

Our GreatGrandmom Rose Catherine Gallagher Jones -- Grandmom McDevitt's Mom
GreatGrandmom Rose Catherine Gallagher Jones -- Grandmom McDevitt's mother.  See 1880 Census below.  She was from Manchester, England; her father was from England; her mother was from Ireland.
 

Circa 1949 ?? in Chester, Pa.

Big Daddy and 'Chester' Marie - our Step Grandmother
'Chester' Marie L. Reynolds (nee Dawson)  was the woman Big Daddy married after Grandmom passed away.  The story goes:  our Grandparents had family (at least Grandmom's lst cousin Nell's family) and friends who lived in Chester, Pa.  When Grandmom passed away, Grandpop continued these friendships.   'Chester' Marie was a friend of Nell. Nell bought Marie down to visit Big Daddy.  She had been married to Robert J. Reynolds, who had passed away.  She had a son, named Robert J. Reynolds Jr., who was married to XXXXX XXXXXX.  He was a U.S. Navy pilot, a 2nd Lt. stationed at Pearl Harbor.  He was killed coming out of church on Dec. 7, 1941.  Marie was devastated by this and Big Daddy comforted her.  Shortly after, they were married in early 1942 at St. Robert's Church in Chester (Note: they were married by April 1942 per Big Daddy's WW II Draft Registration - see Family History Page).  Aunt Betty said Robert Jr.'s wife, who was really beautiful, also remarried.
When Big Daddy passed away on 7/20/1956, Marie married a man named XXXX Riggins.
She passed away in in May, 1985.
 
Step Grandmom Marie:
  - born Marie L.  Dawson in
         Chester, Pa. on Aug. 23,  1903
  - married Robert J. Reynolds, who
         passed away (? 19XX)
  - had a son, 2nd Lt. Robert J. Reynolds Jr.
         who was killed 12/7/41 at Pearl
         Harbor while coming out of a church.
  - married Big Daddy (in early 1942)
  - Big Daddy passed away 
       July 20, 1956
  - married XXXXXX Riggins in 19XX
  - she passed away in May 1985
 
Does anyone know, or can confirm, the details of Chester Marie?


Big Daddy sent this postcard to our Grandmother when he was 'wooing' her - probably in 190X.   (they were married on Dec .26, 1911).  The song on the front of the postcard is an old Irish song.  (Grandpop liked to sing and this must have been one of his favorites).  It's called 'Eileen Alannah'. I found it on ITUNES.  He also must have liked the tune 'That's me, Harrigan!' -- because that's how he signed the card.  I'm sure Grandmom must have 'swooned'' when she got this card!
 
(Big Daddy lived at 2727 E. Cambria St. with his parents at this time (see Census on History Page) -just 2 blocks down Richmond St. from 2806 E. Indiana Ave.-Grandmom's rooming house.  He was 18-19 yrs. old; she was 17-18 yrs. old).  (Pictures of houses taken on April 2, 2009).

2806 E. Indiana Ave. - east of Richmond St.

Where Grandmom boarded when she got postcard from Grandpop (per post card)
Big Daddy probably slipped the post card under this door (because there was no postage on the card).

2727 E Cambria St. - west of Richmond St.

Where big Daddy lived with his parents - when he 'wooed' Grandmom (per marr. license)

3268 E. Gaul St. (1 1/2 block N. of Allegheny)

Where Grandmom boarded when she married Grandpop (per marr. license)
GreatGrandmom Rose C. Gallagher Jones 1880 Census

She was a servant to the Solomon Weiner family at 1710 Gratz St. in the 1880 Census

The Garden Pier - Boardwalk & New Jersey Avenues

This is Pier showing in left corner in Grandpop's beach pic. He was on beach to right of Pier
Built in 1913, it's just north of The Showboat at New Jersey Avenue.  The bldg. at the end of the structure was a ballroom - it was washed away in a hurricane in 1944.  The Pier now contains the Atlantic City Art Center - the bldgs. on the left; and the Atlantic City Historical Museum - the bldgs. on the right.  The Historical Museum is a worth-while place to visit.  It has many historical
items and a very good video of A.C.'s history.

I'm guessing the pic is 194X or 195X ??

THIS is Big Daddy with "Chester" Marie's Family!!!!
This is Big Daddy with some members of Chester Marie's family (the Dawson's):
  - Marie's sister, Teresa (born 1919)
  - Big Daddy 
  - Teresa's husband (name ?)
  - Agnes husband - Bill
  - Marie's sister, Agnes (born 1912)
  - Marie's Mom - Teresa M.
     (nee Glennan;
     born 1886-in Penna.;
     her parents were born in England;
     she died shortly after Big Daddy
     passed away)
 
Marie probably took the picture - that's why she is not shown?
(Marie was born in 1903).
 
 

Click to see Chester Marie's Family's 1920 Census - (see line 86).

 
The McDevitt Coat of Arms