Edward Carlton Garrity (1898 - 1950)

Born 11 Jan 1898 in Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Irene McCaffrey — married 26 Dec 1917 in Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

Descendants

Died 23 Nov 1950 at age 52 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Edward Robert Garrity [send private message]

Biography

Edward Carlton Garrity was born on 11 January 1898 in Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA to Frank J. Garrity and Ellen M (Morrissey) Garrity. ^[1]

In 1900, Edward was 2 years old, living in Ward 6 of Fitchburg City with his family. Mom (Ellen) and dad (Frank) were 34 and 38 years old. His siblings were Harry J. (14yrs), Elaine F. (9yrs) and Elsie M. (7yrs). They were living on Boylston Street. ^[2]

The complete street address was 11 Boylston Street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The street number was determined by looking at his father's entry in the 1900 Fitchburg City Directory.

Edward's father, Frank, died on 1 July 1907. He was 44 years old and Edward was 9.^[3]

In 1910, Edward was 12 years old. In the Federal Census his only brother, Harry J., was 24 years old and Head of Household. His mom Ellen was 42. His sisters were Elaine F. (19yrs), Elsie M. (17yrs) and Barbara A. (6yrs). Uncle Andrew Morrissey (38yrs), Mom's brother, was living with them. They were living on Highland Avenue. ^[4]

On 26 December 1917, Edward married Irene C. McCaffrey. It was Irene's 18th birthday. Edward was 19, soon to be 20.

On 5 July 1918, Edward and Irene's son, Edward C. Jr., was born.

On 12 September 1918, Edward signed his World War I draft registration card. He and Irene were living at 11 East Street, Fitchburg. He was working as a machinist at Fitchburg Machine Company located on Main Street. ^[5] Probably located on 68 Main Street, based on Fitchburg City Directory business listings.

In January of 1920, Edward (21yrs) and Irene (20yrs) were living on Harrison Street in Ward 1 of Leominster. Son Edward C. Jr. was 1. Edward's occupation was "Sprayer" in a piano shop. The 1920 Federal Census was taken in January. ^[6]

On 14 January 1920, son E. Robert Garrity was born.

According to Edward Carlton Garrity's (1898-1950) obituary, provided at the bottom of this biography, he left Fitchburg in 1921. The years between 1921 and 1926 are currently (August 27, 2017) unaccounted for. He may have been in Leominster for the beginning of that time. He was in Boston in 1926. Edward and his first wife, Irene, divorced. I had conjectured that this occurred sometime between 1920 and 1926, but since I had not found a source yet I also realized it could have occurred later. Now it is Saturday April 1, 2023. I recently found a divorce decree in some papers that my father kept. The final divorce did come later. It became final on 26 December 1931. He remarried in 1936 as stated further below.

From 1926 until sometime in 1936, Edward managed the Lowe's Columbia Theater formerly located at 978 Washington Street in Dorchester, Massachusetts. This was determined by looking at the entry for Edward C. Garrity in each Boston City Directory for the years 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934.

During his employment, "vaudeville and second-run films alternated with Sam Cohen’s Sunday amateur nights." "The Columbia Theatre was demolished in 1957. A parking garage for Teradyne Corporation now occupies the site ...". ^[7]

An article in the Fitchburg Sentinel, dated Saturday, May 23, 1936 stated: "Edward Garrity, formerly of this city, and formerly manager of Loew's Columbia Theater in Boston, has been appointed manager of the Lancaster theater in the same city."

On 12 October 1936, Edward married Mary G. Moran in Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire. ^[8]

In 1940 he lived in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, USA

Edward Carlton Garrity died on 23 November 1950 in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

The following obituary was in the Fitchburg (Mass.) Sentinel, Friday, November 24, 1950.

Edward C. Garrity, 52, of 60 Virginia street, Dorchester, a customs inspector and former theater manager, died suddenly in his home yesterday. He was a son of the late John F. and Helen M. (Morrissey) Garrity.

Mr. Garrity was formerly manager of the Lyric theater in this city and later managed the Loew's Coumbis [Columbia] in Boston and had been an inspector at the customs house in Boston for more than a year. He left Fitchburg in 1921.

Besides his wife, Mrs. May (Moran) Garrity, he is survived by two sons, Sgt. Edward C. Garrity with the U. S. Army in Germany and E. Robert Garrity of Shirley, and two sisters, Mrs. Gale Savage of Nahant and Mrs. Edward J. Hart of this city.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. The calling hours in the Malahy funeral home in this city will be Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 10 o'clock.

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXNF-YBR : accessed 25 March 2016), Edward Carlton Garrity, 1898.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M9BS-3M8 : 6 March 2015), Edward C Garrity in household of Frank J Garrity, Fitchburg city Ward 6, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; citing sheet 10A, family 218, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,692.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NWRW-XGM : 10 December 2014), Frank J Garrity, 01 Jul 1907; citing Fitchburg,,Massachusetts, 321, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,217,172.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M22J-VN5 : 29 October 2015), Edward C Garrity in household of Harry J Garrity, Fitchburg Ward 5, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1742, sheet 2A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,641.
5. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZJS-2XN : 12 December 2014), Edward Carlton Garrity, 1917-1918; citing Fitchburg City, Massachusetts, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,685,193.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MF9L-4JN : 14 December 2015), Edward C Garrity, Leominster Ward 1, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; citing sheet 11B, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,747.
7. ↑ http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/12260
8. ↑ "New Hampshire Marriage Records, 1637-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLHT-PVB : 12 December 2014), Edward C. Garrity and Mary G. Moran, 12 Oct 1936; citing Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 2,069,162.