Anne Laurentine Treacy FENLON (1909-1985)
My paternal grandmother Anne L. Treacy Fenlon was born in Syracuse on this day 108 years ago, Tuesday 21 Dec 1909. She was the second of three girls born to John Aloysius Treacy (1874-1954) and Janet (Jennie) MacDonell (1875-1967). Her older sister was Mary (Madie) Genevieve Treacy Degnan (1906-1969) and her younger sister was Catherine (Kay) Victoria Treacy Kelly (1912-1971). My Aunt Janet provided some additional details:
"Janet and John Treacy were both redheads and they had three daughters. Mary, the oldest, had light red hair, Anne, the middle child, had strawberry blond hair, and Catherine (Kay), the youngest, had auburn hair. Janet and John selected traditional first names and when it came to middle names they picked more unusual ones. Grandpa Treacy (John) always said that Catherine's middle name Victoria was for Our Lady of Victory. It was never intended to refer to Queen Victoria. The Treacys were Irish Americans of course. Sometimes in the family they called Anne 'Annie Laurie', which is a famous Scottish ballad. Janet Treacy was born in Glengarry, Ontario and her ancestors came to Canada from Scotland."
The news headlines on the day Anne was born include NYC mayor-elect William Jay Gaynor complaining about the press, news about British royalty, the use of cars in labor strikes by shirtwaist workers, concerns about both the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Interior, and doubts on the proof provided by explorer Frederick Albert Cook that he was the first to reach the North Pole.
Anne grew up in Syracuse, first at North 114 Wayne Street then at 123 Woodland Avenue. I am not sure where Anne attended primary and high school, but her sister Mary went to St. John's School and then St. Anthony's convent school. I believe Anne attended primary school at St. Mary's Academy as I found a newspaper story stating that when she was in the sixth grade she "attained a standing of 100 in the arithmetical contest for the diocese." When she was in high school she played tennis competitively. Anne attended Syracuse University, where she was in the College of Liberal Arts and a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Lambda Theta. She also worked on the literary and humor magazine, The Orange Peel.
Anne grew up in Syracuse, first at North 114 Wayne Street then at 123 Woodland Avenue. I am not sure where Anne attended primary and high school, but her sister Mary went to St. John's School and then St. Anthony's convent school. I believe Anne attended primary school at St. Mary's Academy as I found a newspaper story stating that when she was in the sixth grade she "attained a standing of 100 in the arithmetical contest for the diocese." When she was in high school she played tennis competitively. Anne attended Syracuse University, where she was in the College of Liberal Arts and a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Lambda Theta. She also worked on the literary and humor magazine, The Orange Peel.
After graduating in 1935 she taught history at Lowville Academy in Lowville, NY for three years. She married Emmett Martin Fenlon at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse, on 28 May 1938. The reception was held at the Treacy home at 123 Woodland Avenue.
Anne and Emmett had five children between 1939 and 1948 and eight grandchildren between 1968 and 1981. As of today their descendants include five great-grandchildren. Anne taught in Copenhagen and in Syracuse. She died 3 April 1985 in Copenhagen, NY, just 15 days after Emmett passed away. They are both buried in Fairview Cemetery (St. Mary's) in Copenhagen.
Interesting history Ed. Thanks for doing this.
ReplyDelete