FANNIE'S STORYThe Story of
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When I first embarked upon my family history journey, I had
many unanswered questions. One of my first research attempts
was to find out why the children, of Mary Frances RYAN
and Joseph E. NORRIS, were inmates of St. Paul Roman Catholic
Orphan Asylum in 1910. I was able to determine the circumstances that led to the children being placed in the orphanage,
and, along the way, I became intrigued by the life of Mary
Frances RYAN, my great grandmother. The story of Mary Frances 'Fannie' RYAN follows.
Mary Frances RYAN was born on 2 February 1874 at 142 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. Physician, W.S. Foster, M.D assisted in her birth. Fannie was the daughter of John D. RYAN and Hannah M. RYAN. John and Hannah married on 26 December 1865 at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. John, a glass blower, was born in Ireland and Hannah was born in the USA, the daughter of Irish immigrants, Patrick RYAN and Margaret MULCAHEY. Fannie had siblings, but the only one identified is a brother, George H. RYAN, born on 26 February 1876 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. George was baptized on 19 March 1876 at St. Paul Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. About 1884, after 19 years of marriage, John D. RYAN deserted his family, and subsequent to the desertion, provided no support for them. Between 1889 and 1893, the family had no knowledge of his residence. It is possible that John D. RYAN died prior to 26 December 1919, Hannah's date of death, as Hannah is listed as widowed on her death certificate. Sometime prior to November of 1893, Fannie met Joseph E. NORRIS, and on 11 November 1893, Fannie and Joseph married. Due to the disappearance of John D. RYAN, Fannie, with the co-signature of her mother, asked that Patrick J. RYAN be appointed as her guardian. Patrick J. RYAN was appointed Fannie's guardian on 9 November 1893. Patrick signed the Consent to the Marriage of a Child or Ward on this same date. Fannie and Joseph were married at the home of Ruth Ann (NORRIS) and James T. GREER, sister and brother-in-law of Joseph E. NORRIS. The GREERS resided at 1st Street, Allegheny City, Allegheny County, PA, at the time of the NORRIS - RYAN marriage. On 7 August 1895, Fannie gave birth to their first child, a daughter, Lavina M., born in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. Lavina was named for her paternal grandmother, Lavina YOUNG Norris. A second child, son, Walter James, my grandfather, was born on 10 February 1897 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. Three more children were born in the next eight years. George Russell was born on 7 May 1900 in Allegheny City, Allegheny County, PA, Nellie Regina was born on 27 February 1902 in Glassport, Allegheny County, PA, and Edward Thomas was born on 10 February 1905 in Glassport, Allegheny County, PA. According to the 1900 PA census for Allegheny City, dated 11 June 1900, Fannie's mother, Hannah, resided with the Joseph E. NORRIS family. Apparently the census enumerators did not visit every home in Allegheny County on the same day, because Joseph E. NORRIS, is also enumerated with his brother, Isaac NORRIS, in Port Vue Borough, on 2 June 1900. Joseph may have been in the Port Vue/Glassport area in 1900 seeking employment, because on 30 January 1901, he started work as a Glassport policeman. While residing in Glassport, Fannie, Mrs. Joseph E. NORRIS, is mentioned in the McKeesport Daily News on 4 February 1901, as entertaining a friend from Pittsburgh. The birth of two of her children, Nellie and Edward, are noted in the Glassport column of the same newspaper. The NORRIS Family, along with Hannah, Fannie's mother, is listed in the 1905 Glassport City Directory. Further evidence that the NORRIS Family was still in Glassport on 11 December 1905 is confirmed by an item that appeared, in the McKeesport Daily News, on that date, announcing the candidacy of Joseph, Fannie's husband, as Justice of the Peace on the Republican ticket. The family, apparently, left Glassport in early 1906, when Joseph became ill, and was admitted to Marshalsea in Pittsburgh. This illness remains a mystery, but the cause of death, on Joseph's death certificate, is listed as tuberculosis. Joseph E. NORRIS had a well-documented and successful career as a Glassport policeman before misfortune visited this family. On 28 May 1906, four days prior to the death of her husband, Joseph, on 1 June 1906, Fannie brought the three oldest NORRIS children, Lavina, Walter, and George, to the home of a priest in Pittsburgh. The priest placed the three children in St. Paul Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, Chartiers Township Allegheny County, PA. The notation found in the orphanage record states "brought by mother who is not able to pay." Just four months later, on 26 September 1906, Fannie found it necessary to place her mother, Hannah, in a Pittsburgh facility run by Little Sisters of the Poor. Hannah remained there until her death in 1919. On 15 July 1908, Fannie's son, Walter, was released from the orphanage and given to his mother. Walter frequently ran away from the orphanage, according to recollections of stories told by Walter to his son, Kenneth. This may be the reason why Fannie resumed care of Walter, or a possible speculation, on the part of this author, might be that Walter, being of an age to work, would have been a help to his struggling mother. This is evidenced by the fact that son, Walter, age 13, was employed as a wagon driver in the 1910 census. Walter married Hildur Constance JOHNSON on 26 December 1916, had five children, and died on 17 June 1967 in Crown Point, Lake County, IN. On 8 January 1909, youngest son, Edward, age 4, was admitted to the orphanage. In 1910, Lavina, George, and Edward were enumerated at the orphanage, and Walter was enumerated with his mother, Fannie, and stepfather, Mike KEPPLE. No evidence has been found that daughter Nellie was, at any time, an inmate of the orphanage. Nellie is the only child not located in the 1910 census. Nellie is enumerated in 1920 in Steubenville, Jefferson County, OH, with Fannie's aunt, Mary RYAN Dignan, sister of Fannie's mother, Hannah. Nellie married Edmund MCMENAMIN on 15 October 1923, had four children, and died on 2 April 1968 in Steubenville, Jefferson County, OH. Fannie married, for a second time, Michael KEPPLE, Jr., on 10 November 1909, in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. Fannie and Mike KEPPLE are enumerated in the 1910 census at 1909 Wright's Alley, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. This is the same address given by both Fannie and Mike on their marriage license. On 4 April 1911, Fannie's daughter, Lavina, was released from the orphanage and given to her stepfather, Mike KEPPLE, at the request of Lavina's mother, Fannie. On 14 November 1911, Lavina was readmitted to the orphanage. Within 13 days, on 27 November 1911, Lavina was again released, and given to Mrs. F. Patrun (sp?) of West Liberty. Lavina married Frank SCHULLER on 24 August 1916, had one daughter, and died on 1 January 1935. On 13 July 1913, Fannie's son, George, was released from the orphanage and given to Miss Elizabeth ROMMELL of Glassport, PA. Elizabeth ROMMELL is a sister-in-law of Isaac NORRIS, George's uncle. George married, had a family and died on 14 March 1962. On 1 December 1918, Fannie's son, Edward, was released from the orphanage and given to his uncle, Enoch NORRIS, of 129 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. Edward was subsequently raised by two women, according to recollections of stories told by Edward to his children. Edward married Alice Catherine GEARY on 24 June 1926, had a large family, and died on 4 March 1971 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. Fannie's life was last documented in the 1911 orphanage record of her daughter, Lavina. No record of Fannie was found in the 1920 PA census for Allegheny County. A 10-year search of the Pennsylvania death indices (1911-1921) was commissioned with a No Record Certification received in July 2001. The search continues. . . Click here to view a transcription of the article re St. Paul's Orphanage which appeared in the Pittsburgh Catholic, 18 Aug 2000. |