Patrick Madigan

Patrick Madigan
Sketch made of Patrick Madigan c1890

About Patrick Madigan and Bridget Thompson

About Patrick Madigan and Bridget Thompson

Patrick Madigan and his wife were both born in Ireland. Patrick was born April 1, 1850 in Coonagh, Killeely Civil Parish, County Limerick, Ireland, the son of Patrick Madigan (c1809-1884) and Margaret Fitzgerald (c1806-1886). Bridget, known for most of her life as Bessie, was born October 8, 1852 most likely in or near Limerick City, County Limerick, Ireland, the daughter of John (Thompson) Thomas (1831-1904) and Bridget Reidy (1831-1900). They both immigrated with their families to Chicago, Patrick in 1872 and Bridget in 1866. They married at Old St. John Church in Chicago on February 24, 1878. Together, they had seven children: Mary (Mayme) (1879-1955); Ellen [Sullivan/Madigan Blog] (1880-1966); Nanette (1881-1963); Thomas (1883-1898); Patrick (Harry) (1885-1956), John (1887-1983); and, James (1890-1909). Patrick was a laborer who died January 15, 1890 when he was only 39 and just a few months before the birth of his last child. Bessie ran a grocery store while raising the seven children as a single parent. She managed to own her own home on the west side of Chicago. She died from myocarditis on December 31, 1935.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Patrick and Margaret (Fitzgerald) Madigan Gravestones

Another birthday and another gravestone.  This year I decided to order a gravestone for the parents of Patrick Madigan (c1850-1890).  Patrick (c1850-1890) was my first gravestone order.  His parents, Patrick Madigan (1809-1884) and Margaret Fitzgerald (1806-1886) are buried with another son, Thomas (b1853-1875), also in Calvary Cemetery, Evanston, Illinois. Thomas is buried in the same grave as his mother.

When I went to Calvary Cemetery's Sexton's office they told me there was no marker for these graves. When I walked the area, I couldn't find a marker either. So off we went to Gast Memorials. We were told that Calvary Cemetery will not allow a single, long gravestone to cover the two graves but we can order a smaller marker at the head of each of the graves.

Since Thomas and his mother were buried in the same grave, I thought I'd do that marker first and then next year install the companion marker for Patrick Madigan (Sr.). Gast helped design the two stones so this could happen.

In late August, the new stone was installed.


You can see from the design above, it is intended to have a stone to the right which would have Patrick (Sr.) carved on it with his death date and a Celtic cross on the right side of the stone.

I went to the cemetery, so excited to see the stone. I cleared off the new dirt and as I was photographing it, I noticed another stone in area, but not very close to the above stone. It read simply "Madigan."



I went back to the cemetery office to find out who this was. Of course, I thought it was yet another Madigan relative I didn't know about.

I learned it was the stone for the Madigan grave that I just purchased the new stone for!!!

I asked why the stones, if intended for the same gravesite were placed so far apart, actually in a different row. They didn't have an answer. They sent a person out to make sure the new stone was correct.  And, I am told it was.

So, I decided to have the original Madigan head stone moved to sit to the right of the new stone. The original Madigan stone now sits over the grave of Patrick Madigan (1809-1884).  I'm sure future genealogists checking out the cemetery will be confused by why the stones read the way they do. Perhaps they will find this blog site and get their answer.



As of October, 2014, the two stones are now in place.

Photography: Elaine Beaudoin

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