Joseph Benedict Fenwick Grady

JOSEPH BENEDICT FENWICK GRADY (great grandfather to C.B.GradyIII)

Born 3 Sep 1834 in Massachusetts to John Grady and Mary Jane Rachel Gray.  He had 3 older siblings: Mary Cecelia b. 1828 (m. 20 Jul 1851 William Harris) d. 16 Aug 1851, Mary Theresa b. 1830 d. 7 Aug 1851, John David William b. 1832 (Elizabeth Wingham). The two older girls were baptized at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, but there is no record for JBF’s baptism, leading us to conclude that he was raised protestant, like his mother. This was a common practice in a mixed marriage. The girls would be catholic and the boys protestant.

After Joseph was born, the family moved (sometime between 1834-7) to Brooklyn New York and had 3 more children: Charles Ignatius b. 1837 (Agnes Servoss), Mary Elizabeth b. 1839 d. 1856, Maria Jane b. 1842, d. 1843.

By age 16, in 1850, he lived in Brooklyn Ward 4, and worked as a clerk, as did his brother, John D.W. Grady.

At 20 years of age, the 1855 NY census lists Joseph as living in Ward 8, Brooklyn City, Kings, New York.

On 31 Aug 1860 he was 25 years old and married to Francis Augusta Benedict of Fairfield CT.

That is her portrait on the right. The paintings were hanging in Peter Grady’s Mt. Pocono home until he died. Mike and I photographed them when we visited Peter in 2007. They probably ended up at an antique dealer’s or in the garbage.

They lived with his mother, Mary Jane (45), John D W born in NorthCarolina, (22), Charles I ( 17)  born in New York City, and Mary E (15) born in Kings County NY. All three boys are clerks.

Apparently, in 1860, the young couple lived  in St. Louis Wd 6, Independant City, Missouri. Joesph and Frances lived with several other people (1860 census).

By in 1870, he was 35 years old, back in Ward 20, Dist 15, NY, NY and lists occupation as lawyer (1870 census). He was living in a rooming house I think …. lived without family in Ward 20, Dist 15, NY, NY .

Joseph belonged to the Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, which was the same church where Henry Ward Beecher preached at. He wrote a letter to the Eagle to help save the buildings of this historic church:

Suggests Public Subscription to Help Dr. Hllls.

” E d i t o r “Brooklyn Dally Eagle:

With loving remembrance of many happy hours spent in Pymouth  Church, with my brother, John D.W.Grady, for many years a resident and property owner In your city, when Henry Ward Beecher was pastor of Plymouth Church, let me suggest and beg of you to open your widely read leading newspaper of Brooklyn for a Subscriptlon of money from residents and former residents from one dollar and upward. We are confident this money can be raised. If you will do so and the house of the Rev. Dr. Hllls will  be saved and his library also. What a delightful remembrance It is to think of Henry Ward Beecher and his sermons. We still read his “Litp Thoughts,” taken from his sermons by one of his church members and the choIr  led by Mlss Thursby.

No one could help being blessed by attending Plymouth Church then and now. We all make mistakes. Western lands will be In demand when peace comes to war-stricken Europe.

J. B. F. GRADY. West Orange, N. J.

In 1880, he was 45 years old, listed as an accountant and living with Francis Augusta (born as her parents in Conn.) and their children, Alice , Mary, and Charles B with a servant, Cecilia McDermott 50, from Ireland. His father is listed as born in Mass. and his mother in England. They lived on South Farley Street (?), West Orange NJ.

The 1885 NJ Census lists Joseph living with his wife, and 3 children, as well a servant named Mary Cake.

In 1900 Joseph (45) lived with his wife (45)  and 3 children on 450 South Valley Street in District 113, West Orange in a heavily Irish immigrant neighborhood. Cecelia McDermott was still working with them. The city directory for 1900 lists a Joseph Grady, occupation cutter, 542 SO. av. VB

The 1902 city directory lists JBF living on Gregory av, c. Chestnut av.

In 1910 Joseph was 75 years old, living on his “own income” at  417 Gregory Ave, West Orange. He was born in Mass and lists his father now born in Ireland, his mother in England. Daughter Alice is 42 and Charles B is 31, an engineer at the electrical factory …both still living at home. There was a servant, Elizabeth Davis living with them. Francis is 70…they had their 50^th wedding anniversary. Daughter, Mary Benedict Grady had married Walter Clinton Butler and was living next door.

The 1914 city directory lists Joseph BF living in the house on Gregory.  Michael’s grandfather and Joseph’s son, Charles B.Grady, a mechanical engineer, also boards with the family.  His daughter, Alice boards there as well.

The 1915 Census lists Joseph living in West Orange, 1 ward, 1-2 district, Essex, New Jersey, United States with his wife, son Charles, and daughter Mary as well as a (servant?) Margaret Callin.

His address in 1917 was 417 Gregory Ave West Orange NJ.

He died of pneumonia on 21 Sept 1917 in West Orange, NJ. JBF was 83 years old.

His obituary was printed in the New York Times: New York Times, 22 Sep 1917, p.11

“JOSEPH B. F. GRADY, 84 years old, former Secretary and Treasurer of the Borden Condensed Milk Company of this city, died suddenly of pneumonia yesterday at his home in West Orange, N. J.”

Obituary Notes (on the same page)

“GRADY.– At West Orange, N. J., Sep 21, 1917, Joseph B. F. Grady, beloved husband of Frances Benedict Grady, in his 84th year.  Funeral services will be held at his late residence, 417 Gregory Av., on Sunday, Sept. 23, at 4 o’clock.  Internment at Danbury, Conn.”

Joseph was buried in Danbury’s  Wooster Cemetery, sec.C . He is in the Benedict plot. There are photos of the gravesite on Findagrave.

The 1927 Orange City Directory lists his wife, Frances as still living in the house on Gregory. Also listed at the same address was Alice aka Aunt Aya who remained single.

His beloved wife, Frances Augusta Benedict Grady, who died ten years later, is buried beside Joseph in Wooster Cemetery. Frances’ parents, Charles and Angeline, as well as her sisters Caroline Amanda, and  Mary Adelaide Benedict Ryder and her husband, Gen. James Ryder are also buried in Wooster. Fannie’s grandparents, Sturgis and Mary C. Selleck  are also buried in Danbury.