Earle Thaddeus McGillicuddy

Cornelius Alexander "Connie Mack" McGillicuddy, Sr.  

Baseball fans of teams of the early to mid-20th century probably recognize the name.  

According to Wikipedia, Mack, Sr. was:

"Cornelius McGillicuddy, better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins, losses, and games managed, with his victory total being almost 1,000 more than any other manager."

Connie Mack was married to Margaret Hogan in 1887 and their second of three sons, Earl Thaddeus Mack was born on Feb. 1, 1890 in Worcester Co., MA.

Earle T. Mack

Earle grew up on a baseball field and in his father's clubhouse.  He wanted to be a "big league" professional baseball player but, over the years he managed to play in only a very few games. He had a mostly minor league career, both as manager and player.  Following his father's death he and another brother managed his baseball business.

While Earle was growing up, his future wife, Mary Margaret Cain was growing up in Burke Co., NC where she was born in Dec., 1890.  Her father was Corey Thomas Cain, a native of Wake Co., NC; her mother Lula Eloise Coffey, born 1866 in Caldwell Co., NC to William Elbert and Margaret Anne Kincaid Coffey.  She was the third of William and Margaret's seven children.

Earle and Mary Margaret were married on Sep. 28, 1915 in Morganton, Burke Co. and moved almost immediately to Philadelphia, the city they called "home" until 1955 when Mary passed away. I know that she was the mother of at least one child, a son, Earle T., Jr., born c1919.

Earle's obituary appeared in The Evening Star, a Washington, DC newspaper, on Feb. 6, 1967:

Earl Mack Dies, 78-Year-Old Son of Connie Mack

Upper Darby, Pa. (UPI)--Earl Mack, 78, former part owner of the Philadelphia Athletics and son of baseball's legendary Connie Mack, died Sunday at Delaware County Hospital.

Mr. Mack, the second of Connie's three sons, served with his brother, Roy, as officers of the Athletics after their father's death.  The franchise was sold in November, 1954, to Chicago financier Arnold Johnson and transferred to Kansas City.

Mr. Mack, who was around his father's clubhouse as a child, had long but undistinguished career in the minor leagues.  He played a total of five games with the Athletics in 1910, 1911 and 1914 as a catcher, third baseman and first baseman.

Following World War I, he served three seasons as player-manager at Moline, Ill., and closed his managerial career by winning the Blue Ridge League pennant with Martinsburg, W. Va.

 Margaret's obituary appeared in The Greensboro Daily News, Greensboro, NC on May. 5, 1955:

Mrs. Earl McGillicuddy

Statesville, May 4 - Mrs. Earle T. McGillicuddy, sister of Mrs. E. M. Shelton of Statesville, died yesterday at her home in Philadelphia, Pa.  Mrs. McGillicuddy was the former Mary Margaret Cain of Morganton.

She was educated at the Mary Dickson private school and the Patton High School, Morganton, and at St. Mary's and Meredith Colleges, Raleigh.  For a number of years she was organist at First Baptist Church, Morganton.  She had resided in Philadelphia since her marriage 35 years ago.

Survivors include her husband; a son, Earle T. McGillicuddy, Jr.; two grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. Shelton.

A brief funeral service will be held at the Shelton residence on North Mulberry Street Friday at 1:15 p.m. with the Rev. J. S. Potter and the Rev. Robert Marshburn, officiating.  The funeral party will go from here to Morganton, where the funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church at 3 p.m. Friday.  Interment will be in Forest Hill Cemetery, Morganton.

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Lulu's Coffey lineage:

William > Gilliam/Polly Moore > William/Annie Boone > Thomas/Sarah Fields > John/Jane Graves > Edward/Ann Powell.  See also http://coffeycousins.blogspot.com/2013/01/lula-eloise-coffey.html

Isaac J. Coffey

Isaac was a son of Elias Henry "Eli" and Hannah Bullen Coffey.  He was born in Kentucky, probably Rockcastle or Madison Co., in April, 1854.  He first married Mary Florence Hayes on Feb. 5, 1878 in Rockcastle Co. and by her fathered one child Julia Florence Coffey born in Rockcastle Co. in Feb., 1880.

Julia married Jesse B. Waller on Feb. 10, 1897 in Rockcastle Co.  He was born c1868 in TN.  With Jesse, Julia gave birth to at least two children:  Bessie in Dec., 1897 and Laura in Feb., 1900, both in Rockcastle Co.

Mary Hayes Coffey apparently died at the birth, or shortly thereafter, of Julia for Isaac married a second time on Nov. 18, 1880, in Rockcastle Co., to Lamina A. Morris, born Jul. 1861 in KY.  I have seen her named as Minnia and Minnie.  A death date for her or Isaac has not been found.  However, Isaac was alive in 1920 when he appeared as a widower and head of household in the Lexington, Fayette Co. census.  Another occupant of the household was enumerated as Minnie but named as his mother.*  In 1930, Minnie Coffey, age 68, was enumerated as a widow and the mother-in-law of Will Shelton, husband of her daughter Florida [sometimes Cora or Flora].

Isaac and Lamina had at least six children:

Thomas J., born Oct., 1880, married Mrs. Elizabeth Fathergill in KY, c1908.  Elizabeth's first husband has not been found but, she brought three Fathergill children to her marriage with Thomas:  Flossy, born c1898, Lucas, born c1900 and Mildren, born c1906, all in KY.  They all appeared in the 1910 census at Valley View, Madison Co., KY but not in subsequent years.  I have found [potentially] Mildred in 1920 as a ward of Cordelia Kendall in the Court House Pct., Franklin Co., KY.  Flossie Fathergill was a roomer in the household of John P. Ashworth in 1920, Fayette Co.  Lucas was not found in 1920, but there exists a gravesite for a Lucas Fatheregill in the Camp Nelson National Cemetery at Nicholasville in Jessamine Co., KY.  This Lucas was born in 1898 and died in 1977.  The corresponding birth years for all three of these Fathergills closely correspond to those that Elizabeth brought to her marriage with Thomas.  I have found no children born to Thomas and Elizabeth.

Isaac's next child was Florida, born Feb., 1882.  She first married William May and gave birth to a son, Cecil E. May, born Mar. 24, 1905 in St. Clair Twp., Butler Co., OH.  In 1910 he lived with Isaac and Lamina in Madison Co., KY.  In 1920 he lived with Isaac, who claimed to be a widower, in Fayette Co. and, in 1930 lived in Fayette Co. with his mother.  By this time, Florida had remarried, this time to Will Shelton, born c1880 in KY.  The family appeared in the 1930 census for Lexington, Fayette Co.  I know of no children born to Will and Florida.

Following Florida was Cleo, born Sep., 1885.  She married Charles R. Spurlock, born in OH in 1885.  They were married on Sep. 6, 1904 in Madison Co., KY where they stayed until at least 1913.  Their first four children were born there:  Lonie, b1906; Katherine, c1908; Arnold, c1910 andVoline, c1913.  A fifth child, Marie, was born c1919 in OH.

Hattie was the fourth child, born c1887 in KY.  No further information.

Lillie, born Sep., 1891, married a Mr. Sauers and had at least two children:  Ralph, born c1911 and Lucille, born c1914, both in KY.  Lillie was a widow by 1930 and was residing with her two children in her father's residence in Lexington.

The last child that I have for Isaac and Lamina is Lucinda, born Mar., 1894 in Rockcastle Co., died there in Sept., 1894.

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*Isaac was age 63; Minnie was 59 and was probably his wife.

Sources: Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979 and 1839-1960 and 1851-1900; Federal Census records, 1880-1930; and Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962

N. B. The 1920 census for this family includes a 59-yr old Minnie Coffey whose entry appears to be "daughter" but could be "mother," indicating perhaps the "mother of the household."  If not Lamina, then who is this person?  Also included is "daughter" Flora, age 36.  Is she  Florida or Cleo?

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John Nathan & Emma Mariah McGowan Coffey

John was born in Texas on Apr. 21, 1847 to William Saunders and Elizabeth Schooler Coffey.  His parents moved from Kentucky to Texas before 1850 and settled in Lavaca Co., where John was likely born.  He was there on Feb. 15, 1872 when he married Emma Mariah McGowan, born Jan. 12, 1849 in MS.  John died Sep. 13, 1919 and Emma died on Nov. 17, 1933, both in Brown Co., TX and are buried in the Zephyr Cemetery.

John and Emma were parents of at least nine children.  At least five of those grew to adulthood.

Elizabeth J., born c1873, Lavaca Co., no further information.
William Sanders [sic], born Jul. 16, 1874, died Aug. 16, 1877 in Lavaca Co.
Lucinda Collins, born Dec. 10, 1875, died Aug. 6, 1877 in Lavaca Co.
Cecil Isadora, born Sep. 4, 1877 in Schulenburg, Fayette Co., TX; died Apr. 11, 1959 at Goldthwaite in Mills Co., TX.
Martha T. "Mattie", born Feb. 9, 1879 in Schulenburg, died Jun. 25, 1949 in Brownwood, Brown Co.
Zula P., born Apr. 1, 1885 in Brown Co., died May 4, 1973 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX.
John Narvin, born Sep. 8, 1886 in Brown Co., died Dec. 8, 1918 in Zephyr, Brown Co.
Zachriah Brooks, born Jan. 1, 1889 in Brown Co., died Mar. 29, 1967 in Brownwood.
Jesse L., born Jul. 11, 1892 in Brown Co., no further information.

Cecil Isadora was the first that I know to have married.  Her spouse was Andrew Franklin Shelton, born Jan. 16, 1871 in Jackson Co., NC, died Feb. 12, 1972 in Goldthwaite, Mills Co., TX.  Both are buried at Oak View Cemetery in Mullin, Mills Co., TX.

Their children were Arthur F., born c1896; Emma Rue, born Jun. 15, 1900 in Mullin, died Aug. 11, 1957 in Bluff Dale, Erath Co., TX.  Emma married a Mr. Hancock and died in an automobile/train accident in which she suffered a severe head injury.  She was returned to Mullin and was also buried there; John Nathan, born c1902; Vada Elizabeth, born Oct. 12, 1906, died Feb. 18, 1933 in Brownwood, Brown Co., TX.  She was buried at Mullin also; William Dewey, born c1908; Homer W., born c1911; and Minnie R., born c1916.

Martha "Mattie," was married c1905 to Cecil McCutchan, born Oct., 1879 in Brown Co.  He was a son of John B. and Emma Goode McCutchan, Missouri natives who moved to TX, probably before the turn of the 20th century.  John died in 1907, Brown Co., and Emma died in 1936 at Abilene in Taylor Co., TX.  Both are buried at Zephyr in Brown Co.

Cecil and Mattie are not known to have had any children.  They were childless in the 1920 census and Cecil died on Sep. 22, 1919.  In 1920 Mattie was enumerated with an "orphan" child, Milford Tenyson, age 14.  She died in 1949 in Brownwood and was buried with Cecil at Zephyr.

Zula is named in the Texas death records as Zula K. McCown.  No other information.

John Narvin married Mollie Couch, a daughter of John Pleas and Maggie Brewer Couch.  John was born in TX and Maggie in TN.  Mollie was born on Mar. 16, 1888 in TX and died in Fort Worth on July 5, 1951.  She and John were parents of:

Effie Pearl, born Mar. 2, 1906 in Brown Co., and died in TX on May 6, 2001.  Effie married James Matthew "Jim" Jones on May 25, 1924 in Brownwood.  He was born in tX on Nov. 15, 1900 and died there on Mar. 27, 1967.  Their children were Jack R., born c1925 and Trelilita (sp?), a daughter, born c1926, both in TX.

John Pleas "Bud". born Jun. 1, 1908 in Brown Co., died Jan. 6, 1970 in Brownwood.  He married Ida Louise Hill on Dec. 7, 1930 in Brownwood.  No further information.

Annie Jessie, born Jul. 10, 1910 in Zephyr, died there of burns on Feb. 28, 1921.  She is also buried at Zephyr.

William Lynn, born Aug. 16, 1912 in Brown Co., died there on Dec. 2, 1989.  William married Sallie Venice Smith, a daughter of Thomas Greenberry and Sarah Jane Williams Smith.  She was born in Cottle Co., TX on Oct. 11, 1911 and died in Brown Co. on Mar. 8, 2004.  Both are buried at Zephyr.  Thomas and Sarah are buried at the Breckinridge cemetery in Stephens Co., TX.

Narvin Wayne, born Oct. 3, 1914 in Zephyr, became a Naval officer.  He married Bonifa A. Williams, a dauther of Russell B. and Lanie R. Williams, on Apr. 11, 1941 in El Paso Co., TX.  Narvin died on Sep. 17, 2005 in Graham, Young Co., TX.  Bonifa died there on Oct. 27, 1994.  I know of one child, Charles Noel, born Dec. 30, 1937 in El Paso Co.  There is an unexplained gap of four years between his birth and his parents marriage date.

Their last child was Lee C., born c1917 in Brown Co.  No further information.

Zachariah Brooks, born Jan. 1, 1889 in Brown Co. and died there on Mar. 29, 1967.  He married Kate Marie "Katie" Graves on Apr. 30, 1911.  Katie was born July 5, 1895 in Red River Co., TX and died in Zephyr on Oct. 5, 1984. Both are buried at Zephyr.

Their children were:

Cecil Franz, born Mar. 12, 1912 in Brown Co., died Feb. 27, 1997.  His spouse was Lee Frances Lunsford, born Oct. 5, 1923, died Dec. 16, 1948.  They too are buried at Zephyr.  Frances was a daughter of Marvin A. and Clara Mae Ramsey Lunsford.  No further information.

Allie, born c1915.  No further information.

Lowell W. "Toss", born Nov. 21, 1918 in Brown Co., died there on Sep. 6, 2002.  He is also buried at Zephyr.

The last known child of John and Emma was a daughter, Jessie L., born Jul., 1892.  No further information.

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Update Jul. 23, 2011:

The McGowan surname seems to have evolved to McCown.  I have seen some death records where it was spelled McCowan but, for the most part, the family appears to have been a bit more consistent with the McCown spelling.

Emma Mariah McCown was a daughter of James P. and Lucinda Isaacs McCown. Her sibling, Zachary Taylor McCown married Sarah Texanna Perkins c1869 in TX and, their son, Ivan Lynn McCown was the husband of Zula Coffey, mentioned above.  Zula was born Apr. 1, 1885 in Brown Co., TX and married Ivan c1902 in TX.  He died Jun. 9, 1940 in Zephyr, Brown Co., TX and is buried at Zephyr Cemetery with Zula.