A gift from my cousin Kathy Kordyak-Gallagher, one of many, her mother’s, Doloris Phillips Fiorino, childhood memories. Fourteen handwritten pages on pretty pink stationary…
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
i
Gramma Brew was born Anna Louise Witt, she married Arthur Eggerson (who was a jockey). I didn’t know this until I was 13 yrs old because Gramma Brew married Michael J. Brew when my mother was 11 or 12 and he was the only Grampa I knew and I loved him. He was an architect and worked for the Broad of Education and they were divorced when I was about 7 or 8.
Gramma Phillips married again for a very short while to Patrick Gill “Paddy” and we called her Gramma Gill bur after her divorce she was back to Gramma Phillips.
When I was born I had 2 cousins Mary Ann (Mickey) and George Michael (Buddy) Hynes – Aunt Anna & Uncle Mike (who died when I was 9).
ii
Aunt Ann and Uncle Mike lived in St Bartholomew Parish in Addison a few blocks West of Ciero, he worked in the Wrigley Bldg. He had 2 brothers, John who married Ann in the 40’s and Jim (who died 1989).
The Phillips boys worked for North Western Railroad. Uncle Bob got the education & went to Notre Dame & was a civil engineer. He worked for the state of Ill. until he retired. Uncle Ben (signal man) retired from the railroad and went to work for the State also. Uncle George worked at Mayfair (ticket master) Station.
4208 N Lowell – the neighbors surrounding, neighborhood, Bowman Dairy & Mayfair train stops.
| AUNTIE | JIM & MADELINE |
| FRANK & SIS | UNCLE BEN & MARION |
| BOB & CATHERINE | GEORGE |
| BARNEY |
iii
My mother had one brother Francis “Frank” he was 5 years younger then she – Side-notes; July 1, 1903 – MA, August 7, 1902 – DAD, September 29, 1905 – Frank, August 7, 1907 – Uncle Ben.
My father had one sister Ann and four Brothers. George was the oldest and was a half brother, his mother died when he was a baby and my grandfather Phillips married my grandmother soon after. My Aunt Ann was born Nov 4, 1900, my dad Peter Patrick Aug 7, 1902, Uncle Ben also called Barney was Bernard and born on my father’s birthday August 7, 1907 (5 years later). Then Uncle Jim and Uncle Bob who’s real name was Edward Francis, but his sister called him Bobby, and so did the rest of his family for the rest of his life. But at school & work he was Ed!
Grampa Phillips died of lung cancer when Bob was a baby. He smoked Big Black cigars. *Cousin Cheryl said T.B. – Uncle Ben’s youngest girl.
iv
My mother’s name was Harriette but she was called “Henry” in school & Harriett the rest of her life. My Uncle Frank called her “Shorty.”
My grandmother’s name was Anna Louise she was born in Mo., her parents were German from Bremen – her father sold shoes, I think from horse & cart.
Gramma Phillips was born in Ireland, County of Meath – We have the “blood of Kings”she would always tell us. She lived on a farm with her Parents and they had cherry trees or at least she said they did on their farm. She was married at 16 yrs. old & was widowed at a young age with 5 children to raise. She came from Ireland with her sister Ann & they worked as “Scullery maids” – she had a brother Jim Meehan who resided in Des Plaines with his wife Liz & 5 children.
v
My father
made butterscotch, popcorn balls, cream of onion soup, loved poached eggs, put on toast with milk. Put pepper on everything and catchup too (he wrinkled his forehead a lot too).
He used to teach me how to read on his lap with the daily newspaper. He used to hold me in his arms and dance with me to the music on the radio. I remember “Paradise” & “Night & Day.”
I remember going for walks with him & my mother & brother but I remember we walked alone too. We lived near Logan Square & we would walk on the Boulevard & he would buy me candy. We would look in the store windows. He ate sardines (King Oscar) on crackers & read us the Sunday Jokes which were in color. He told us stories at bedtime & he was fun. He also made “Hootch.”
vi
He took me to my first day of Kindergarten Geothe School, bought me a pad of paper and a pencil & we walked hand in hand. He called me his “Doll.” I got pneumonia and didn’t finish and I always had trouble with my ears.
I remember one Christmas that they were making a tree out of Brown sticks & branches. This was the depression time and he worked for the railroad & his hours were not regular. I remember going to both grandmothers houses, and their smells & the love!
Another Christmas we were at Gramma Phillips’ house & they were putting together a little table for me. It had an enamel top (like our stoves) white with a Black rim and red wooden legs. When I say they it was usually Uncle Ben & Bob & “My Pop.” There was a cartoon called “That’s My Pop” he liked that one. I remember horseshoes & checkers.