Patrick Gleason

Hello bloggers!

This week we have been given the assignment of research a past family member. I took interest in my great-grandfather, Patrick Gleason.

Patrick Gleason was born in 1893 in Tipperary, Ireland and lived there during his childhood years. However, he grew tired of his life in Ireland and longed for a life in the United States. In the year 1911, he decided to run away from home and board the Arcadian to begin his new life.

Dark green represents Tipperary

Once getting to the United States, my great-grandfather chose to live in Philadelphia on Bambrey Street. When try to find more information about my great-grandfather, my mother mentioned this street and explained that she spent a lot of her childhood traveling into the city to visit her grandparents.

Street view of Bambrey St.

Patrick Gleason kept his Irish roots alive even though he was now living in the United States. My mother had told me that St. Patrick's Day was very important but not for the drinking, for the food. He never missed the traditional meal of corn-beef and cabbage with mashed potatoes. Although he loved his Irish background, he never returned back to Tipperary. Instead he lived out the rest of his life in Philadelphia with my great-grandmother.

My mother also revealed to me that my great-grandfather was not a fairly religious man. Interestingly enough, none of my great-grandparents were heavily religious but their children (my grandparents) were.

The lack of religious values means that when Patrick Gleason passed away in 1978, he was cremated and did not have a headstone made. My mother said that they spread his ashes in one of his favorite places, Avalon, New Jersey.

Unfortunately, my mother does not have any pictures of the late Patrick Gleason but that does not mean that he is not still remembered by all of his living family members. I am proud of my Irish history and make sure to mention my great-grandfathers bravery of running away from home to a new country at such a young age.