Sarah Rita "Sadie" Adams Fitzgerald
Vital Information
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Sarah Rita Adams | NUMIDENT |
| Known As | Sadie Adams; Sadie R Fitzgerald | Marriage index; SSDI |
| Born | 26 Oct 1912, Chicago, Cook County, IL | NUMIDENT |
| Died | Aug 1993 | SSDI |
| Father | William J Adams (~1879-1880, IL; father born Canada) | NUMIDENT; 1920 Census; 1930 Census |
| Mother | Mary Danaher (~1880-1881, IL) | NUMIDENT; 1920 Census; 1930 Census |
| Spouse | Patrick Fitzgerald (~1910, Chicago) | Cook County Marriage Index, 30 Jul 1938 |
| Children | Nancy Ann Fitzgerald (b. 16 Jul 1939, Evergreen Park, IL) | Cook County Birth Certificate |
| Siblings | May (~1902), Alice (~1904), Harold (~1906), Annabelle/Anna (~1908), Lucille (~1910), Bessie (~1913), William Jr. (~1915), Helen/Eleanor (~1916), John (~1919-1920) | 1920 Census; 1930 Census |
Their Story
Beverly, Chicago
Sarah Rita Adams was born on October 26, 1912, in Chicago, the seventh of ten children born to William J Adams and Mary Danaher. The family called her Sadie. She grew up in the Beverly neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, part of a large Irish Catholic family. Her father William's occupation has not yet been confirmed from census images, but family oral tradition (via granddaughter Susan Stokes Mullaney) holds that the Adams family owned a funeral home.
William J Adams's father was born in Canada, an unexpected detail for a Beverly Irish family. His mother was born in Illinois. Mary Danaher's parents were both born in Illinois.
The Adams Children
The 1920 and 1930 censuses document the full household. All ten children were born in Illinois:
| Name | Birth est. | 1920 Census | 1930 Census |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | ~1902 | age 18 | age 27 |
| Alice | ~1904 | age 16 | age 26 |
| Harold | ~1906 | age 14 | absent |
| Annabelle / Anna | ~1908 | age 12 | age 23 |
| Lucille | ~1910 | age 10 | age 19 |
| Sadie (Sarah Rita) | 26 Oct 1912 | age 8 | age 16 |
| Bessie | ~1913 | age 7 | age 15 |
| William Jr. | ~1915 | age 5 | age 14 |
| Helen / Eleanor | ~1916 | age 4 | age 12 |
| John | ~1919-1920 | 1 month | age 10 |
Harold appears in the 1920 census (age 14) but is absent from the 1930 census, likely having left home by then (~age 24). Per Susan Stokes Mullaney, Harold later took over the family funeral home after William's death but was "a terrible business man" who "destroyed the business."
Marriage and Family
Sadie married Patrick Fitzgerald on July 30, 1938, in Cook County. Patrick was approximately 28 and Sadie was 25. Their daughter Nancy Ann Fitzgerald was born on July 16, 1939, in Evergreen Park.
By the 1940 census, the young family lived in Chicago's Ward 18. Patrick was 30 and Sadie was 26, with infant Nancy Ann.
Sadie died in August 1993.
Document Sources
| Document | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NUMIDENT (Sarah Rita Fitzgerald) | federal record | Confirms full name, DOB, parents William J Adams and Mary Danaher |
| Cook County Marriage Index, 30 Jul 1938 | vital record | FamilySearch ark:/61903/1:1:Q212-YJJR |
| US Census 1920, Chicago ED 264 | federal census | Adams household, Sadie age 8 |
| US Census 1930, Chicago Districts 2377-2626 | federal census | Adams household, Sadie age 16 |
| Cook County Birth Certificate #713, 23 Jul 1939 | vital record | Daughter "Fitzgerald," parents Patrick Fitzgerald and Sadie Adams |
| SSDI | federal record | Sadie R Fitzgerald, d. Aug 1993 |
| FamilySearch tree person G6MC-TKC | compiled tree | Links all above records |
Open Questions
- William J Adams's occupation: was he the funeral home Adams? Census images needed.
- Identity of Adams-Feldhoff & Whitesel Funeral Home (1811 W 103rd St, Beverly border): could the "Adams" in the firm name be William J?
- Harold Adams (~1906): present in 1920, absent in 1930. Fate unknown.
- Patrick Fitzgerald's parents: not yet identified.
- Mary Danaher's parents: not yet identified.
- Did Sadie and Patrick have children beyond Nancy Ann?