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Note: John, who was known as Jack most of his life, was born at home in Brookfield, Illinois. At the time his parents were living at 3907 Park Avenue. John was baptised at Sacred Heart Church, which was located at 815 West 19th Street in Chicago. The church is no longer there. The church was close to where John's Aunt Mary Delihant and her family were living at 1611 N. Halstead.
His father being a coal merchant, moved the family to Three Rivers, Michigan prior to 1920. The family had ties to Three Rivers because of the Delihant family. The Delihants employed John's father through the coal business they owned in Chicago, and the Delihants owned and raised horses in Three Rivers. John's family moved between Chicago and Three Rivers through the years.
John graduated the 8th grade in St. Joseph County, Michigan on June 3, 1927. The certificate has no school name, but most likely it was in Three Rivers. John was almost 16 years old at that time. He did not continue his education. When the family returned to Illinois, John went to work as a chaffeaur at the coal yard.
John's father James was Roman Catholic, coming from an Irish family, while John's mother was born in Germany and was Lutheran. That is probably why he was later confirmed on March 29, 1931 as a Lutheran at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Forest Park, Illinois.
John entered the Merchant Marines in 1939, which started a long career aboard cargo ships. He travelled all over the world to places like Shanhai, Hong Kong, and England. He also took part in getting supplies to troops during World War II.
He was listed on the 1940 census in April as living at home and driving a truck at a coal yard. Most likely working for his father and the Delihants. Not sure why the descrepancy with his merchant marine paperwork.
John would on occasion visit his sister Honore who was living in California. This is where he met Marion Reardon, who was Honore's roommate. John would later help move Marion's mother and young daughter, Marie, from New York to Phoenix, Arizona where John and Marion married in 1953.
John had two children with Marion, before they were divorced in 1960. John returned to the Great Lakes and the merchant marines. John retired from shipping and later settled at Sailor's Snug Harbor in Sea Level, North Carolina. When John died, his ashes were scattered over the northern part of the Great Lakes by his sister Margaret Crawford.
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