Elizabeth Grady

      Elizabeth Grady was also known as Lizzie Grady. She was born on 1 October 1871 at Ashland, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.¹ She was the daughter of Thomas Grady and Ellen McNamara. Elizabeth Grady was christened on 7 October 1871 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Ashland, Schuylkill Co, Pennsylvania.¹

Elizabeth Grady was enumerated with Thomas Grady on the census of 1 June 1880 at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, as Elizabeth Grady. Elizabeth is listed as a white female age 8. She is a daughter and goes to school. She was born in Pennsylvania and both parents were born in Ireland.²

Elizabeth Grady married John Walsh Curtin circa 1893 at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Joseph Lieberman: Ellen Grady still had her milk shop late in the 1880's when her teenage daughter, Elizabeth, was delivering milk to the mansion of P.J. Ferguson, the richest man in Shenandoah. He lived on White Street where Irish doctors, lawyers, bankers, brewers and businessmen lived congenially, socially accepted among some of the town's most affluent Protestant families. John Walsh Curtin, an immigrant newly arrived from County Kerry, Ireland, was staying with his first cousin, Mary Agnes O'Connor, Ferguson's wife. At the first sight the stunning, black-Irish beauty, he announced to his host that someday he would woo her and wed the girl.^3,4

Barbara Huber: I remember seeing pictures of Great-Grandmother Grady (Elizabeth Grady Curtin). She was quite a beauty, and has passed her lovely cheekbones to several members of the family.⁵

Elizabeth Grady was enumerated with Ellen McNamara on the census of 11 June 1900 at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, as Lizzie Curtin. Ellen was enumerated as a 28 year white female born in Nov 1872. She was born in Pennsylvania and has given birth to 4 children with all 4 surviving. She has been married for 7 years and both her parents were born in Ireland.⁶

Elizabeth Grady was enumerated with John Walsh Curtin on the census of 25 April 1910 at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, as Elizabeth Curtain. Elizabeth is a white 38 year old female married for 17 years. She is married and has given birth to 8 children with 8 children surviving. She was born in Pennsylvania and both parents were born in Ireland.⁷

Elizabeth Grady was enumerated with John Walsh Curtin on the census of 22 January 1920 at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, as Elizabeth Curtin. Elizabeth is enumerated as the wife and is a 47 year married white female. She was born in Pennsylvania and can read and write. Both of her parents were born in Ireland.⁸

Elizabeth Grady was enumerated with John Walsh Curtin on the census of 9 April 1930 at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, as Elizabeth Curtin. Elizabeth is listed as a white female 51 years old. Her husband is John and she was married when she was 18 years old. She was born in Pennsylvania and both of her parents were born in the Irish Free State.⁹

Elizabeth Grady died on 30 April 1938 at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, at age 66.¹⁰

The obituary for Elizabeth reads as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth Curtin, widow of John W. Curtin, and member of one of the most prominent families in Shenandoah, died before noon today at her home, 17 South White Street, following an illness of about eight weeks. She was born in Ashland but lived in Shenandoah since a young girl. She was a member of the Annunciation Church, the church sodality, and the Catholic Daughters of America. Through her long residency in Shenandoah she became one of the well known women of he community whose demise is widely mourned.
She leaves eight children. They are Attorney Thomas J. Curtin, a US Assistant D.A; Dr. John J. Curtin and Mrs. John Doughety, Philadelphia; Mrs Francis I. Fallon and Attorney Charles A. Curtin, NYC; Mrs Edward V. Tolan, Pottsville, Mrs. Joseph A. Lieberman, Mahanoy City; and Miss Margaret M. Curtin at home, ateacher in the local public schools. Besides, there survive a sister, Mrs. Ellen McGuire, Shenandoah, and a brother, Frank Grady, Philadelphia; a brother in law, Judge Charles A. Curtin, NYC, and several grandchildren at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.¹¹