Daniel Tracey and family (Roscrea,
Montreal and Albany)
1. Daniel Tracey (c1795-1832), physician, journalist and politician.
The
details of his life in Ireland are sketchy. According to Mullally, the following account was printed in The
Vindicator in 1833 after his death. He was born in Roscrea,
Co. Tipperary, in May, 1795, the son of Michael Tracey, a merchant and ??? Mainfold of Erescourt, Birr Co. Offaly. He was orphaned at a young
age and an uncle on his father’s side raised him and a brother and sister. At the age of ten he was removed from a seminary in his
native town to a school in Clonmel. He was
educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and after graduation studied medicine at
the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. He practised medicine in Dublin for
several years; but in 1825 he emigrated to Canada with
his brother and sister. According to Reynolds, Dr.
Daniel Tracey (who changed the spelling of the name) was of an Irish branch of
the well-known English family, and by much the eldest of four orphaned
children, a graduate of Trinity College and of its medical school, he was a
practicing physician residing in Offaly county,
Ireland, when the accidental death by drowning of a younger brother, to whom he
was fondly attached, led him to decide on a change of residence to Canada.
After a shipwreck in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, he arrived in Montreal in the
year 1825, having with him his brother, John, then a lad of fourteen years, and
his sister, Ann, aged fifteen. The Trinity College record is as follows: Daniel
Tracey, Pen. (Mr Morris), Dec 5, 1814, aged 20; R.C.,
s. of Denis, Mercator; b. King’s Co. (Offaly). A French reference states that
his father was Denys (Denis) Tracey a merchant of Offaly and his mother Anne Manford.
His life in Canada
is well documented. He began the practise of his
profession in Montreal in 1825 and lived in either on St. James Street or in
the then St. Antoine Suburbs. In 1828 he established the Vindicator,
a Reform newspaper, and became its editor. When news of O’Connell's
electoral victory arrived in Lower Canada in September 1828 Tracey organized
the province’s first Friends of Ireland Society. In May 1832, he was elected
to represent the west ward of Montreal in the Legislative Assembly of Lower
Canada. He died of cholera in Montreal on July 18, 1832, after tending the sick Irish immigrants who had fled the
scourges of famine, disease, and impoverishment in Ireland only to contract
cholera on board ship
Riot
at Montreal New York
Spectator 1832
Finnegan,
Mary (1985) Irish-French Relations in Lower Canada. CCHA Historical
Studies, 52, 35-49
Galarneau, France, Tracey, Daniel, DBC, PUL, 1966, vol.6: 864-865.; Dictionary of
Canadian Biography Online http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=3175&interval=20&&PHPSESSID=1uh41v2msq1s5f7jhb1ru2g3b3
Galarneau, France, L'élection dans
le quartier-ouest de Montréal en 1832: analyse
politico-sociale, RHAF, vol.32 (1978-1979), 4 :565-584.;
Lapalice, Ovide (1927) Le docteur
Daniel Tracey, Bulletin des recherches historique, 33: 492-493.;
Lacoursière, Jacques (1996) Histoire populaire du Québec, tome 2, de 1791 à 1841, Montréal, Septentrion, p.446
Reynolds, Cuyler ed. (1911) Hudson-Mohaw
Genealogical and Family Memoirs.
Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Vol. I pp.255-7
Slattery. Maureen (1997) Irish
Radicalism and the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec and Ireland, 1833-1834:
O'Callaghan and O'Connell Compared CCHA, Historical Studies, 63
(1997), 29-58 http://www.umanitoba.ca/colleges/st_pauls/ccha/Back%20Issues/CCHA1997/Slattery.pdf
2. Ann
Tracey
Ann
Tracey (c1807-11th February 1879) the sister of Dr. Daniel Tracey,
married Charles Wilson (1808-1877) on the 19th May 1835, who was to serve as a representative from 1848 on, mayor of Montreal
(1851- 1854), a senator (1867-death) and a knight commander
of the Order of St. Gregory by Pope Pius IX (1855).
3. John Tracey
John Tracey (c1811- 1875), the brother of Dr. Daniel Tracey, had obtained his education and was engaged in business at the beginning of the rebellion in Canada in 1837. Although he took no part in the outbreak, word was brought him privately that an information was to be lodged against him. He quickly left Canada and came to the United States, settling in Albany in 1839. After traveling in the South, he decided on New Orleans as a location, but did not long remain there. He returned to Albany, where he later became established in successful business and prominent in civic public life. He was a member of the Democratic party, a friend of Governor Seymour and other public men of his day, receiving and entertaining them socially at his home. His residence in Albany for twenty-four years was the old Schuyler Mansion, in which he had a life tenancy during the lifetime of Mrs. Millard Fillmore, widow of President Fillmore. He served as alderman from the old First ward; member of the board of police commissioners and of the board of education; in 1872 was defeated by a narrow majority as a candidate for the state senate; was a trustee of the Albany Savings Bank, was a member of the board of trade. He was a Catholic in religion, and deeply interested in the welfare of his church and the various charities under her control. He was trustee of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, St. Agnes Cemetery, St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum and a governor of Albany City Hospital. He married, in Canada, Maria McCarthy, daughter of a retired English army officer, Lieutenant Charles McCarthy, a soldier under Wellington, debarred from higher rank through his religion and refusal to take the oath of abjuration. John Tracey died July 12, 1875. Maria McCarthy Tracey, born in the Isle of Wight in 1812, died February 5, 1880. There were nine children of this marriage, four only of whom survived infancy.
21 August 1875 (N) NY Death
The New York Freeman's
Journal announces the death of Mr. John Tracey, a prominent citizen of Albany,
N.Y., who died in that city on Monday, July 12, in the 66th year of his age,
and was born in Frankfort, King's County, on the 8th of December 1809. Mr.
Tracey leaves a widow and three sons, one of whom is Chevalier Tracey, of the Pontitical Zouaves. The funeral
took place from St. Anne's Church, of which Mr. Tracey was the founder.
3.1
John Tracey (Colonel), son of John Tracey, was born
November 29, 1843. He graduated at Mount Saint Mary's College, Emmettsburg, Maryland, where he took his A.B. and after a
course at the Albany Law School was admitted to the bar and began practice in
the office of Peter Cagger. After the breaking out of
the civil war he entered the army as a lieutenant, and served on the staff of
Brigadier-General Michael Corcoran, commander of the Irish brigade, seeing hard
service in the Army of the Potomac and being mentioned in dispatches for
conspicuous gallantry. He was mustered in as major of the Eighteenth Regiment,
New York Light Cavalry, October 15, 1863; was
commissioned lieutenant-colonel, December 28, 1864, with rank from November 25,
1864. He was mustered out June 12, 1865, at New Orleans, Louisiana, with the
brevet rank of colonel, being then in command of his regiment. In 1867 Colonel
Tracey married Katherine Clinion Vernam,
who survived her husband, and resided in New York City in 1911. Their children
were Minnie, Ernest Clinton and Katherine.
17 July 1867 (FJ)
The following are amongst
the latest arrivals at the Shelbourne Hotel [Dublin]...John
Tracey, Albany, New York; Mrs and Miss Tracey, do;
Charles Tracy, do; Master Tracey, do;...
31 July 1867 (FJ)
The following are amongst
the latest arrivals at the Imperial Hotel, Belfast...Mr
Tracey and family (5), USA...
3.2 Charles Tracey (General), son of John Tracey, was
born at No. 757 Broadway, Albany, New York, May 27, 1847, died in the same city, March 24, 1905. He attended
primary schools, and then entered the Boys' Academy, where he was graduated in
the class of 1866. He had a natural aptitude for military drill and was major
of the cadet battalion. In 1866 he went abroad, visited the Holy Land, and
remained in Europe some time, and during the period enlisted and served two
years in the Pontifical Zouaves, returning home in
1869. In 1870 he went to Rome and took part in the siege of that city against
the king's forces. He was captured and held a prisoner for a time. He returned
to New York City and engaged in business. He there organized the Catholic
Union, which in a short time had a
membership of over one hundred thousand, and became its first secretary. He then returned
to Albany, which was ever after his home. After returning from his military
career in Rome, Pope Pius IX, conferred upon him the
order of St. Gregory the Great with the rank and title of Chevalier.
18 October 1870 (FJ) Journal of a Pontifical Zouave
Keyes O'Clery...I was accosted on the steps of the Orlando by my
friend Mr. Charles Tracey, of Albany, who served with me in the Zouaves in 1867, and had just come all the way from New
York to take his place again at the post of danger...We left Rome...On the
following day Colonel De Charette invited me in
company with Captain D'Arcy and Mr. Tracey to go on board the French frigate L'Orinoque, which had arrived to take off the French Zouaves to Marseilles...
His life from this time was devoted to the public
service. He was an unwavering Democrat, and first held several entirely
honorary offices. He was on the staff of Governor Tilden with the rank of
colonel, and under Governor Robinson was commissary-general. In 1887 he was
nominated and elected to congress to fill a vacancy. He was elected by the large majority of 1,659 over
Hon. John M. Bailey, the popular republican candidate. He at once took a leading
position in the house, and the first fruit of his labor was the bill for
"the continuance of the manufacture of large cannon at Watervliet."
In September the appropriation for the Watervliet gun
factory was passed and signed by President Cleveland. In 1888 he was renominated and elected for a second congressional term. On the occasion of his re-nomination the Albany
Morning Express (rep.) very generously remarked: "Gen. Tracey is young,
energetic, intelligent, with plenty of leisure for his public duties, and the
tastes which lead him to enjoy their punctilious discharge." Gen. Tracey
was elected over his political opponent, Moses V. Dodge of this city, by a majority
of 2,306. He
served that term with especial credit and benefit to his district. He
introduced and forced to passage many important measures, one of which was
"to enforce the eight-hour law on government premises." So well was
his work appreciated that in 1890 he was again elected to congress. He was elected over Mr. A. McD.
Shoemaker, the republican nominee, by the magnificent majority of 5,078. He was especially honored
by President Cleveland, and was his spokesman on the floor of the house. He
rounded out his last congressional term full of honors, leaving a record
without a stain, and at the time of his death was the national chairman of the
Gold Democratic party. He took strong ground on sound
money, tariff and labor questions. He was quiet, unassuming in manner, sunny in
disposition, firm in his opinions, an ideal, true and courageous standard
bearer. He held many positions of honor and trust outside of his political
ones. For nineteen years he was a trustee of the Albany Savings Bank, as was
his father; was a director for fifteen years of the National Commercial bank;
trustee of the Boys' Academy; St. Agnes cemetery; manager of St. Peter's
hospital, trustee of the House of Refuge, at Hudson, appointed by Governor
Cleveland and reappointed by Governor Hill. He was a Catholic in religion, and
when he was on his deathbed, Pope Pius X cabled the papal benediction, an honour conferred on prelates of the church. The beauty
and purity of his life is thus expressed by a friend:
|
"He kept the
faith, he chose the purer thought, |
|
In 1883 General Tracey
married Hermine, daughter of Colonel Duchesnay, of Montreal. They were the parents of four
children, Marie T., Charles, Philip and John.
3.3
Eliza Tracey (Sister), daughter of John Tracey, was
a member of the Franciscan Order, in which she has taken the name of Sister
Ambrosia and was in 1911 Mother Superior in charge of St. James' Hospital,
Newark, New Jersey.
3.4
James Francis Tracey (Judge), youngest son of John
Tracey, was born in Albany, New York, May 30, 1854. He was for four years a student
at the Boys' Academy, and toured Europe for two years as part of his
preparatory course. He entered on his return Georgetown University, where he
was graduated A. B., class of 1874. He was graduated LL.B. from the Albany Law
School, and was admitted to the New York bar in 1875. He studied in the office
of M. T. and L. G. Hun, and in 1882 formed a partnership with James Fenimore Cooper, and his father, the late Paul Fenimore Cooper, who was senior counsel, under the firm
name of Tracey & Cooper, which continued until 1893. In that year Albert Rathbone was admitted, and the firm became Tracey, Cooper
& Rathbone, continuing until Mr. Rathbone's removal to New York City, when he withdrew. His
place was taken by Frederick Townsend, the firm now being Tracey, Cooper &
Townsend, conducting a general legal business. Mr. Tracey served as state
examiner of corporations under John Bigelow when secretary of state, and was
lecturer on the law of corporations at Albany Law School for fifteen years.
From 1884 to 1886 he served as president of the Young Men's Democratic Club of
Albany, which did effective work towards securing for Grover Cleveland the
support of the party organization and in promoting his nomination. In 1905
President Roosevelt appointed him associate justice of the supreme court of the
Philippine Islands, and he took up his temporary residence in Manila. On
January 8, 1908, the president sent his name to the United States senate as
member of the Philippine commission with portfolio as minister of finance and
justice. This appointment he declined, and on February 1, 1909, resigned from
the insular service, and, returning to Albany, resumed practice of the law with
his old firm. He is connected with various Catholic charities, and belongs to
the Cathedral congregation. In politics he is a Democrat, and at times has
taken an active part in political movements, but has never been a candidate for
political office. He belongs to the Fort Orange, University and Country clubs
of Albany; the University and the Catholic of New York City, and the University
of Manila. In 1910 he received the degree LL. D. from his alma mater,
Georgetown University.
Judge Tracey married on
May 10, 1893, Lucianne Bossé,
of Quebec, Canada, daughter of Joseph G. Bossé, judge
of the Court of Queens Bench (Court of Appeals), and
his wife, Amelie de Salaberry,
of an old French family which yet retains its ancestral seats upon the Loire,
and at St. Jean Pied du Port in the Pyrenees. She is a great-granddaughter of
Colonel de Salaberry, who commanded the British and
Canadians at the battle of Chateaugay in 1812, when
the Americans were defeated. Judge James F. and Lucianne
(Bossé) Tracey have one son, Walter aged sixteen
years.
Reynolds, Cuyler ed. (1911) Hudson-Mohaw
Genealogical and Family Memoirs. Lewis
Historical Publishing Company, Vol. I pp.255-7
Noted living
Albanians and state officials. A
series of biographical sketches. (1891).