Legacy in the Empire State: The Life and Lineage of Fredrick Gillen (1859–1941)
Each Sunday, genealogy bloggers reflect on the lives of their ancestors through the lens of an obituary. Whether clipped from a newspaper or passed down through family lore, obituaries offer a unique snapshot of a person’s final chapter—and often hint at the rich life that came before. This week, I’m honoring my 2x great-grandfather, Fredrick Gillen, by expanding on his obituary with historical records, family connections, and personal reflections.
Early Life in Manhattan
Fredrick was born around February 28, 1859, in New York City, likely in Manhattan. Fredrick is a first-generation American. Both of his parents were immigrants from Germany. Census records from 1870 place him in Ward 13, District 11, a densely populated district teeming with immigrants and tradespeople. This was a time of rapid urbanization, and Fredrick’s early years would have been shaped by the challenges and opportunities of city life.
Cropped 1870 Hardy Map of Manhattan, New York City showing Ward 13 with District 11 circled in blue. Also, the location of the World Trade Center memorial is circled in green.
http://www.geographicus.com/mm5/cartographers/hardy.txt
, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
An image of Suffolk Street, which was the eastern street border of Ward 13, District 11, from 1870.
Photo Credit: Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library. (1931). Manhattan: Suffolk Street - Hester Street.
Retrieved from
https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47dd-57cb-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
Marriage and Family
At just 19 years old, Fredrick married Mary Kraher in Manhattan in 1878. Together, they had seven children, though heartbreak shadowed their early years—two daughters, Juliana and Louisa, died young.
Their surviving children included:
- ➔Paul Frederick Gillen (1881–1966)
- ➔Frederick Jacob Gillen (1884–1972)
- ➔Anna Marie Gillen (1887–1978)
- ➔Edward Louis Gillen (1888–1969) ← my great-grandfather
- ➔Frank Charles Gillen (1891–1961)
Fredrick’s life was marked by frequent moves, reflecting both personal transitions and broader urban trends:
- ➔1880: Living in New York City with his young family.
- ➔1900: Still in Manhattan, now the head of a larger household.
- ➔1915: Relocated to Queens, likely seeking more space and quieter surroundings.
- ➔1930: Found in Middleport, Niagara County, possibly after Mary’s death in 1915.
- ➔1935–1940: Settled in North Merrick, Nassau County, where he would spend the rest of his life.
Fredrick Gillen standing outside his granddaughter's house in North Merrick, Nassau County, New York. Photo in the private collection of ©️Virginia Summers Olsen.
Final Years and Legacy
Fredrick passed away on February 8, 1941, at Long Beach Hospital, after a brief illness. He was 81 years old and had lived in North Merrick for 18 years. He was buried in Greenfield Cemetery, Uniondale, Nassau County.
He was survived by:
- Sons: Paul, Frederick Jr., Edward (my great-grandfather), and Frank
- Daughter: Anna (Mrs. Ann M. Eastwood)
- Brother: Gustave Gillen of Brooklyn
Fredrick Gillen obituary. Photo Credit: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60954652/frederick-gillen/photo
No comments:
Post a Comment