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| Nell Madigan, c1900 |
Ellen “Nell” Madigan Sullivan was born in Chicago, Illinois
140 years ago today on May 29, 1880. The second oldest of seven children of
Irish immigrants, Patrick Madigan (c1850-1890) and Bridget “Bessie”
Thompson/Thomas (1852-1935) both from County Limerick, she grew up on the west
side of Chicago. When she lost her Dad of pneumonia at only 10 years of age,
her Mom was pregnant with her sixth sibling. It must have been a most difficult
time for the family. She would
eventually meet the love of her life, John J. Burke
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| John J. Burke, 1900 |
and get engaged,
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| Engagement ring, three opals in a gold setting |
but sadly
before they married, he also died of pneumonia. Life went on and she then met her
future husband, Alexander Aloysius Sullivan (1880-1956)
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| Cropped from a photo with Claude Cooley c1907 on Filmore Street, Chicago |
and married on 20
August 1907 at St. Agatha Church in Chicago. She had two children, Thomas A.
Sullivan (1908-1996)
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| Thomas A. Sullivan c1909 |
and Helen May Sullivan (1914-2008).
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| Helen M. Sullivan c1916 |
Around 1918, Al and
Nell bought a two flat home further west in Chicago at 18 N. Latrobe Avenue
where they lived the rest of their lives.
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| 18 N. Latrobe, c1933 |
Her daughter and family moved into
the first floor flat in 1949 and lived there until 1967 with Al dying in 1956
and Nell passing away in 1966. Nell Madigan Sullivan lived a happy life in
adulthood involved in her church at St. Thomas Aquinas, her bridge club and
watching after her family. I had the pleasure of living with my grandparents
for most of my childhood, moving into my grandmother’s apartment when her
husband died. Rest in Peace, Nellie, your are still much loved.
Sources: Information collected by Elaine McIntyre Beaudoin in her genealogy research. www.McIntyreGenealogy.com. Photos: In the collection of Elaine M. Beaudoin.
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