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Note: My paternal great grandmother- Ellen Kelly apparently lived a hard life in hard times. What I know of her is from my dad, my mother and Aunt Al's accounts. I was also able to locate some birth and death records for her other children Felix and Ellen-of whom no one in the family ever mentioned to me.
She worked as a midwife during a time in which it must have been a most difficult job . She was a strong woman-having to bury her adult son and first born grandaughter-Mary Ellen less than 2 months apart. 2 years later in 1887, she buried her husband and 2nd grandaughter- Ceclia-this time only 5 days apart.
Shortly thereafter, Ellen found a baby (she called Sadie) in a common tenement sink and raised her as one of her own. No wonder daddy and Aunt Al always spoke of her with reverence and respect even though they had only known her as young children.
I am not certain where in Ireland she was born-the name is too common and I haven't any idea even what county she was from. I did visit her grave in Calvary-she is listed as the purchaser-there is no marker (I'm sure that would have been an extravagance for the family). There she rests in peace, with all of those that preceeded her.
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