SUNDAY'S OBITUARY - Charlotte McCluskey McCaffrey (1838-1917)

Charlotte Elizabeth McCluskey McCaffrey

Charlotte Elizabeth McCluskey, my 3rd great-Grandmother, was the second of five children born to Patrick McCluskey (1810-UNK) and Mary (1805-UNK), Irish immigrants. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 15, 1838. Her father Patrick, my 4th great-Grandfather, was a milkman at the time of the 1850 U.S. Census. On August 15, 1853, when Charlotte was just 15 years old, she married Thomas Joseph McCaffrey (1832-1896), a 21 year-old pattern maker (at a foundry) from Boston, Massachusetts. They were married at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Philadelphia.

Almost exactly 9 months to the day after their wedding Charlotte gave birth, at 16, to the first of thirteen children - 7 girls and 6 boys. Four of her children died before their 6th birthday - Susie, at age 5; Mary Frances, not quite 6 months old; John Beauregard, 7 months old; and Marie, just one day old. My great-great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Agnes "Lizzie" (1858-1922), was their third child. When the Civil War began, Thomas moved to Shelby County, south of Birmingham, in Alabama, to work at the foundries there, as a pattern maker, creating the "pattern" in which the cannon to be formed. At this time Charlotte stayed with her young children at their home in Washington, DC, until, according to her husband's obituary, Confederate wives were forced to leave Maryland, some time after 1863. By 1865 they were again together, living in Selma, Alabama. By 1872 the family had relocated permanently to Rome, Georgia.

While her husband became involved in the building of the Water Works in Rome, as well as local politics - including serving 2 terms as the Mayor of South Rome, Charlotte raised her family, kept her home and, no doubt, was involved with St. Mary's Catholic Church. In 1896, Charlotte's husband died. Charlotte eventually moved to Birmingham, the home of her daughter (my great-great-Grandmother) Lizzie and her husband Charles "Charlie" Flemming (1854-1932) and their eight children, including by great-Grandfather Harry Flemming (1878-1955). By 1910 Charlotte was living with her youngest child Agnes Gertrude O'Brien (1879-1919) and Agnes' husband and five children.

At 3:30 AM on June 12, 1917, Charlotte died at her daughter Agnes' home at 1021 N. Central Street in Birmingham. The cause of death was listed as "mitral insufficiency" - where the mitral valve in the heart doesn't close all the way causing blood to regurgitate back into the left atrium. It is one of the two most common forms of vascular heart diseases in the elderly. By the time of her death, Charlotte had buried 4 of her children before the age of 6 and four more children as adults, as well as her husband. She was survived by five children and twenty-nine grandchildren.

Former Citizen Passes Away in B'ham

 "Mrs. Charlotte McCaffrey, age 79, a former resident of this city, died shortly after 3:00 this morning in Birmingham.

The news of the death of Mrs. McCaffrey will be learned with regret by scores of her friends and neighbors in Anniston.

She is survived by four daughters and one son. Her daughters are Mrs. E.J. O'Brien, Mrs. C.C. Fleming (sic), Mrs. W.F. Morris of Birmingham, and Mrs. Reese Miller of Rome, Ga. Her surviving son is  J. W. McCaffrey of this city. The body will be taken from Birmingham to Rome, Ga., Wednesday, for internment." (from Anniston Star )

Died at Birmingham -

"While visiting at the home of her daughter, Mrs. E.J. O'Brien, yesterday, Mrs. Thomas J. McCaffrey, long a resident of Rome, died in the Alabama city. She was 79 years of age and had lived here many years, one of the city's highly esteemed women. The body will reach Rome today and funeral arrangements will be announced." (from Rome Tribune)

Obituary

MOTHER
Charlotte McCaffrey
Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 15, 1838
Died Birmingham, Alabama
June 12, 1917
Aged 79 Years
(Myrtle Hill Cemetery)

"The body of Mrs Charlotte McCaffrey, well known and beloved former Roman died Monday, in Birmingham, reached here yesterday and was carried to the home of her daughter, Mrs. H.R. Miller on Third Avenue. A number of sorrowing friends and relatives accompanied the body here and will attend the funeral, which will be held this morning at 9 o'clock from St. Mary's Catholic church. The services will be conducted by Rev. Father Marren of Atlanta, the pastor, interment will be in Myrtle Hill Cemetery where decedent's husband Thomas J. McCaffrey rests.
The honorary pall-bearers will be Messrs. J P Byars, S N Kuttner, James D'Arcy, F J Kane, W F Miller, Richard Harris, Thomas Fahy and Dr. R M Harbin. The active pall-bearers will be the six grandsons of Mrs. McCaffrey who are Harry C Flemming, W J McCaffrey, H B Amberson, J W Roser, T J McCaffrey and A A Perry. They are requested to meet at the residence at 3:30 o'clock." (from Rome Tribune)