Florence Ahl (Smithson) O'Connor (1884 - 1989)

Born 27 Mar 1884 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Michael Joseph O'Connor — married about 9 Jul 1912 in Pennsylvania, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 5 Dec 1989 at age 105 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States

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Florence (Smithson) O'Connor was a centenarian, living to age 105.

Biography

Early Life

Florence was born on 27 Mar 1884 in Pittsburgh, the daughter of Albert Smithson and Carrie Sopp. She was named for her father’s cousin Florence Ahl, born around 1867. She was the oldest of two daughters and was very close with her sister Nellie.

She was a school teacher before she got married.

1900 ^[1]

1910 ^[2]

Marriage & Children

9 Jul 1912 marriage to Michael O'Connor.

Florence Smithson and Michael O'Connor's children:

1. Mary Jane O'Connor, born 1914
2. John Albert O'Connor, born 1917
3. Joseph Michael O'Connor, born 1920
4. Florence Margaret “Mikey” O'Connor, born 1922
5. Rosemarie “Bay” O'Connor, born 1826

1920 ^[3]

1930 ^[4]

1940 ^[5]

1944 death of husband Michael Joseph O’Connor Sr. He was 83 years old.

1950 ^[6]

Her son Joseph never left home and she carried for him for his entire adult life. Family stories suggested he may have had a developmental disorder.^[7]

Death & Legacy

She passed away in 1989. She said she needed to lay down for a nap. The only time she’d had a nap.

Research Notes

9 Jul 1912 marriage to Michael O'Connor. Unsure where this date comes from. From 1920 census marriage estimate would be 1915.

Was named for her father’s cousin (1st cousin, once removed), Florence Ahl, born abt 1867, daughter of Mary Smithson.

See Also: https://weardley.com/smithson-dna-project/

Records

• 1900 census, Baden Borough, Beaver, Pennsylvania lists Florence A Smithson, age 16 birthplace Pennsylvania, born Mar 1884, with parents Albert D and Carrie, sister Nellie, and grandmother Ellen. Albert is a clerk at the railroad. Florence and Nellie are in school. No address is given, but the house is owned, free, and not a farm.^[1]

• 1904 teaching certificate

• 1910 census, Wilson, Allegheny, Pennsylvania lists Florence Smithson, age 26 birthplace Pennsylvania, with father A D and sister Nellie Hull and brother-in-law Oscar Hull. Florence is a teacher in a public school. Their address is Third Street, and rented.^[2]

• 1920 census Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania lists Florence O’Connor, age 35 birthplace Pennsylvania, with husband Michael, and children Mary Jane 6, John A 2, Michael J 2 months. They live at 2215 Glenarm Ave, it is rented. Michael is a salesman of machinery. Also listed is Sophia Frieth, from Germany, no occupation.^[3]

• 1930 census Brentwood, Allegheny, Pennsylvania lists Florence O’Connor, age 46 birthplace Pennsylvania with Michael and children Mary J 16, John A 12, Joseph M 10, Florence M 8, and Rosemarie age 4. They live at 3022 Churchview Ave, the house is rented for $70 month, they own a radio. Michael was 52 when he was married, Florence was 29. Michael is a chemical salesman.^[4]

• 1940 census Brentwood, Allegheny, Pennsylvania lists Florence O’Connor, age 56 birthplace Pennsylvania, with husband Michael, children Mary Jane 26, John 22, Joseph 20, Florence 18, Rosemarie 14. Also daughter-in-law Mary Jane, (John’s wife) and grandkids Louann age 2 and John? 2 months. Also a boarder William Lehr, age 36, born in Baltimore. They all live at 3110 Elroy Street, the house is rented for $60 per month. They all lived at the same address in 1935 except the boarder and grandkids (not born). Michael has had 4 years of school, Florence has 7, all children have at least one year of high school. Daughter Mary Jane is a teacher who made $1400 in 1939. Son John is a railroad clerk who made $1200 in 1939.^[5]

• 1950 census, Brentwood, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, lists Florence O'Connor, age 66 born Pennsylvania, with her adult children, Joseph 30, John 32 and his second wife, Mary Jane 32. John worked 60 hours last week as a salesman for a soap company. They all live at 3013 Pyramid Ave. ^[6]

• 5 Dec 1989 death in Brentwood, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3MN-4YD : accessed 26 November 2019), Florance A Smithson in household of Albert D Smithson, Economy Township, Precinct 1 Baden borough, Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 3, sheet 1B, family 15, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,374.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGQZ-JN5 : accessed 26 November 2019), Florence Smithson in household of Oscar A Hull, Wilson, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 283, sheet 6A, family 101, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1298; FHL microfilm 1,375,311.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6TV-BY9 : accessed 26 November 2019), Florence O'Connor in household of Micheal O'Connor, Pittsburgh Ward 19, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States; citing ED 622, sheet 7A, line 23, family 146, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1523; FHL microfilm 1,821,523.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCH8-QHC : accessed 26 November 2019), Florence O'Connor in household of Michael J O'Connor, Brentwood, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 529, sheet 3B, line 52, family 64, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1961; FHL microfilm 2,341,695.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQQ9-LGG : 28 July 2019), Florence O'Connor in household of Michael O'Connor, Brentwood Borough, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 2-59, sheet 16A, line 3, family 222, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 3399.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XBV-7Q8R : Sun Jan 29 21:32:11 UTC 2023), Entry for Florence O'Connor, 24 April 1950.
7. ↑ Personal recollection of events by Louann O'Connor as remembered July 2015
8. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VSG9-JMH : 20 May 2014), Florence Oconnor, 05 Dec 1989; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).