Oconto County WIGenWeb Project

.FITZGERALD.

Edward and Family
of
City of Oconto
also Crane, Hall and Bitters

Descendant contact by: Carol Saric

Edward Fitzgerald 1833 - 1907	Catherine Crane Fitzgerald 1851 - 1892
Mary Thomson Crane 1817 - 1875 Mother of Catherine Crane Fitzgerald	Photos contributed by descendant: Carol Saric Edward Fitzgerald - dramatic studio portrait probably taken in Oconto and read the many memories in his intense eyes. Catherine Crane Fitzgerald - a tintype; her gown is in the fashion of the late 1860s; she wears a wedding ring and was married in Oconto in 1871; studio portrait probably taken in Oconto. Mary Thomson Crane - a tintype; her gown and hair are styled in an oriental fashion; studio portrait probably taken in Oconto where the Crane Family also lived.

Among the earliest settlers in Oconto County were Edward Fitzgerald and his wife Catherine Crane. Edward Fitzgerald was born in New Brunswick in 1833 (see family tree below). At that time each Province considered itself independent and separate, later joining together to make the country, the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Both of Edward's parents had been born in Ireland and he immigrated to the US in 1863. He married Catherine Crane in 1871 in Oconto. She had immigrated from New Brunswick, where she was born in 1851 (differing data exists, see tree below) with her parents and siblings in 1867. In 1870 she lived in Oconto, working as a domestic servant while her parents and 3 of her sisters lived nearby.

There was always much work to do and Edward was employed in the lumber mills, finally working as a night watchman in his most senior years. Catherine tended the house and raised 8 children, until her untimely death in 1892 (see obituary below). Her youngest child, Agnes, was age three when Catherine died. Agnes died at age 8 from an accident (see death notice in tree below). Edward lived and worked in Oconto County until 1907. One son George John Fitzgerald, married and moved to Oregon where he and his wife Clara Barry raised a large family. Sons David and Emmit remained single and lived in Oconto. Daughters Annabel (Anna) and Marie (Mary) married brothers William and Frank Bitters respectively and raised families in Oconto County. Daughter Minerva (Jane, Minnie) married Richard Hall, who preserved events and memories of Oconto as a local newspaper editor, book writer and historian. This couple also raised a family in the county.

Edward Fitzgerald
    born: February 2, 1833 in Campbelltown, Northumberland, New Brunswick, Canada (English); both parents born in Ireland
    father: Michael Fitzgerald - born in Canada
    mother: Catherine Ragin - born in Canada

    immigration: 1863 from Canada
    occupation: 1880: Works in Woods; 1900 Night Watchman at Saw Mill
    died: October 2, 1907 in Oconto County, WI
    burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin
+ Catherine Crane - wife of Edward Fitzgerald
    born: October 1848 (gravestone) or 1851(Canada census) in New Brunswick,Canada (English) - father born in New Bruswick, mother born in Scotland.
    father: Jeremiah Crane; born April 9 1818 in Newcastle, Northumberland, New Brunswick (now Canada); died January 22, 1895 in Oconto, WI
    mother: born 1817 in Scotland; died October 6, 1875 in Oconto, WI
    immigration: 1867 from New Brunswick
    occupation: domestic servent in 1870 in Oconto, WI
    marriage: June 10, 1871 in Oconto County, Wisconsin
    died: March 6, 1892 In Oconto County, WI
    burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin
(notes on Catherine Crane:

.Oconto, Wisconsin .
.March 6, 1892 .

In this city, March 6, 1892, Catherine, beloved wife of Edward Fitzgerald, aged 42 years, 2 monthe and 12 days.

The deceased was a native of New Brunswick but came to this city more than twenty years ago with her parents. She was an affectionate wife and mother and was held in high esteem by many friends and neighbors. She suffered from an attack of grippe more than a month ago, and an exposure before her complete recovery gave her a relapse, out of which grew other complications which ended in her death. A husband and eight children- four daughters and four sons are left to mourn their loss. The funeral occurred Tuesday, the services being held at St Joseph's Roman Catholic church, of which the deceased was a communicant..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

.Catherine Fitzgerald- Died March 6, 1892

After a two week illness with the grippe, Mrs Catherine Fitzgerald, wife of Edward Fitzgerald, of this city, died on the 6th inst. at her residence on Section street, aged 44 years, 2 months, and 12 days.

She was born in New Brunswick in 1848, and was married in 1871. She had been a resident of Oconto about twenty-six years, and had a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, to whom her sudden death is a sad blow, as she was much beloved by all who knew her. A husband and eight children are left to mourn the loss of a dutiful wife and affectionate mother.

The funeral was held from the St Josephs Church Tuesday foremoon at 10:30 o'clock, Rev Father Lochman serving mass. The remains were convyed to the Catholic cemetery, and were followed to the grave by a large number of sorrowing friends and realatives. The pall-bearers were Messrs Edward Davis, George Davis, Patrick Delaney, Daniel O'Keefe, Chas. Forestal and Frank Bitters.

    Children of Catherine and Edward:
       1. Annabel (Annie, Anna) B. Fitzgerald
            born: July 10, 1871 in Wisconsin
            died : September 19, 1948 in Oconto, WI
           burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, city of Oconto, WI
        + William Arthur Bitters - husband of Anna Fitzgerald
          born: January 5, 1871
            marriage: in Oconto County, WI
            died: April 29, 1835 in Oconto, WI
           burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, city of Oconto, WI
            Children of Anna and William
                1. Edward Bitters
                    born: June 25, 1896 In Oconto County, WI
                2. Catherine Eva Bitters
                    born: April 29, 1901 In Oconto County, WI
       2. Minerva (Jane) J. Fitzgerald
            born: March 19, 1873 in Wisconsin
            died: August 20, 1936 In Oconto County, WI
            burial: Evergreen Cemetery In Oconto, WI
        + Richard L. Hall - husband of Minerva
            born: August 19, 1866 in Wisconsin
            marriage:December 17, 1896
            occupation: Clerk in Abstract Office, Newspaper Editor, Writer, Local Historian.
            Children of Minerva and Richard:
                1. David Edward Hall
                    born: November 26, 1897  In Oconto County, Wisconsin - 1983
                2. Harry Allen Hall
                    born: April 18,1899 In Oconto County, Wisconsin - 1952
                3. Agnes Catherine Hall
                    born: May 24, 1902 In Oconto County, Wisconsin - 1959
                4. George Emmet Benjamin Hall
                    born: April 1, 1904 In Oconto County, Wisconsin - 1980
                5. Abigail Jane Hall - ? Harry G. Urguhart
                    born: August 23, 1909 In Oconto County, Wisconsin -
        3. James Fitzgerald
              born: March 19, 1875
            died: July 24, 1912
              burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin
        4. Mary Fitzgerald -
              born: February 23, 1878 In Oconto County, WI
            died: April 18, 1853 In Oconto County, WI - 1940
            burial: : Oconto Catholic Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin
        + Frank Bitters - husband of Mary Fiztgerald
              born: October 6, 1870 in Oconto County, WI
            marriage:
            died: September 29, 1940 in Oconto County, WI
            burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin
            Children of Mary and Frank
                1. Marie Catherine Bitters - + Wilfred Joseph Degeneffe (1893 - February 8, 1974)
                    born: October 25, 1896 In Oconto County, WI - February 5, 1967
                2. Henry Edward Bitters
                    born: December 16, 1897 In Oconto County, WI - Nov 17, 1953
                3. Frank Bitters
                    born: February 9, 1899 In Oconto County, WI - 1899 (WI birth/death indexs) (cemetery records date Feb 21, 1900 - Feb 22, 1900)
        5. Emmit Robert Fitzgerald
                born: May 10, 1880 in Oconto, Wisconsin
                died: August 23, 1959 in Oconto County, WI
                burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin
        6. George John Fitzgerald - Clara L. Barry
                born: October 8, 1882
                died: February 18, 1975 in Washington, Oregon
         7.  David E.  Fitzgerald
                born: July 8, 1887
                died: September 10, 1960 In Oconto County, WI
                burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin

          8. Agnes  Fitzgerald
                born: March 21, 1889 (gravestone has birth 1891)
                died: October 15, 1897 in Oconto County - Accident
                burial: Oconto Catholic Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin
(notes on Agnes Fitzgerald:
Oconto County Reporter
October 15, 1897
The eight-year-old daughter of Edward Fitzgerald, night watchman at the Holt mill, was fatally burned on Tuesday afternoon.

BACK TO THE FAMILY & BIOGRAPHY PAGE

.FITZGERALD.

.Oconto, Wisconsin . .March 6, 1892 .

.Oconto, Wisconsin .
.March 6, 1892 .