Judge Francis
Michael Tracy (1872-1947) of
Covington
Kentucky
& Cincinnati
Ohio
|
1910 Official Souvenir of the 28th Annual Crowning
Fest of The Deutsche Schuetzen-Gesellschaft of Covington, KY |
Francis Michael Tracy One of the representative
legists and jurists of Kenton county is Judge Francis Michael Tracy, who is
now judge of the criminal and equity divisions of the circuit court of Kenton
county, with residence and official headquarters in Covington. Judge Tracy
was born in West Covington, this state, on the 5th of May, 1872, and is a son of Patrick and Julia (Aylward) Tracy,
both of whom were born in Ireland. The father was reared and educated in
the fair Emerald Isle, whence he came to America in 1840, at the age of
twenty years. He first located on Prince Edward Island, Canada, where he
remained two years, at the expiration of which he located in the city of
Albany, New York, which continued to be his home until 1850, when he took up
his residence in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was successfully engaged in the
grocery business for a number of years. In the meantime he had established
his home across the river in Covington, where he continued to reside until
his death, which occurred on the 30th of December, 1908. His wife was reared
and educated in her native land and came to America when a young woman, their
marriage having been solemnized at Covington, Kentucky. Of their nine
children six sons and one daughter are now living. Judge Tracy gained his
early educational training in the parochial schools of Covington and
supplemented this by a course in St. Xavier College, in the city of
Cincinnati, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1892. He
then entered Georgetown University, in the District of Columbia, in which
institution he continued his studies in the law department for one year, at
the expiration of which he was matriculated in the law department of the
Cincinnati Law School, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of
1894, and from which he received his well earned degree of Bachelor of Laws.
He at once established himself in the practice of his profession in Covington
and brought to bear such effective natural and acquired powers that his
success became pronounced and his reputation secure as an able and versatile
at- torney and until he was called to the bench he continued actively engaged
in the practice of his profession in Covington and as a jurist added
materially to his professional reputation. In politics Judge Tracy has ever
been aligned as a staunch advocate of the principles and policies of the
Democratic party, and he has given effective service in behalf of its cause.
In 1897 he was elected to represent Kenton county in the state legislature,
in which he served the regular term of two years and in which he made an
admirable record. In 1901 he was
elected county attorney and the popular verdict passed upon his
administration was shown conclusively in his re-election as his own
successor, in 1905. After the expiration of his second term he continued in
the active practice of his profession until the autumn of 1909, when he was
elected circuit judge for the criminal and equity divisions for the regular
term of six years. In this office he is giving a most careful and
discriminating service and his administration has fully justified the wisdom
of his election to the office. The Judge is a communicant of the Catholic
church, in whose faith he was reared and he is identified with the Kentucky
bar associations and with Covington Lodge, No. 314, Benevolent & .
Protective Order of Elks, of which he is past exalted ruler. On the 27th of
April, 1904, was solemnized the marriage of Judge Tracy to Miss Margaret C.
Brown, who was born and reared in Covington and who is a daughter of William
W. and Margaret (Cambron) Brown, both of whom were born in Kentucky. Mr.
Brown is prominently identified with business interests in the city of
Cincinnati, where he is vice president of the First National Bank. Judge and
Mrs. Tracy have one daughter, Margaret Cambron Tracy. A History of Kentucky and
Kentuckians: The Leaders and Representative Men by E. Polk Johnson, Lewis
Publishing Company. 1912 Covington
lawyer, Kenton County Attorney and Circuit Court Judge. Francis M. Tracy was
born on May 5, 1872 in Covington. His Irish immigrant parents were Patrick
Tracy and Julia Aylward. Patrick Tracy earned his living as a grocer. Francis
M. Tracy was educated in the parochial schools of Covington. He then attended
St. Xavier College (now University) in Cincinnati where he graduated in 1892.
He attended both Georgetown College in Washington D.C. and the Cincinnati Law
School. He earned a bachelors degree in Law in 1894 and began practicing in
Covington. Francis Tracy successfully campaigned for the office of Kenton
County Attorney in 1901 as a Democrat and was re-elected in 1905. In 1909, he
ran against Republican incumbent Judge W. McShaw for the office of Circuit
Court Judge. The outcome of the race was one of the closest in Kenton County
history. The final count recorded 7160 votes for Tracy and 7159 votes for
McShaw. As a Circuit Court Jude, Tracy fought to close the various gambling
parlors and poolrooms in Kenton County. He was also responsible for
implementing election reform in his jurisdiction. Tracy was re-elected to the
bench in 1915 and 1921. Tracy resigned as Circuit Court Judge in 1924 to
begin a law practice with attorney Maurice Galvin. The firm of Galvin and
Tracy was located in the First National Bank building in Cincinnati. Francis
M. Tracy was active in many charitable and benevolent societies. He was the
chairman of a major fundraising drive for St. Elizabeth Hospital and was a
member of the Knights of Columbus, Elks, the St. Xavier Alumni Association
and the Holy Name Society of the Covington Cathedral. Tracy was also one of
the first members of the Fort Mitchell Country Club. Francis M. Tracy died on
March 6, 1947 at his home in the Arthur Apartments on Greenup Street in
Covington. His wife, Margaret Brown, died in 1942. He was survived by his
only child, Miss Cambron Tracy and several brothers and sisters: Edward J.
Tracy, Joseph P. Tracy, James W. Tracy and Sister Mary Tracy (a Sister of the
Sacred Heart of Clayton, Missouri). Mass of Christian Burial was held at St.
Mary’s Cathedral in Covington with burial at St. Mary Cemetery in Fort
Mitchell, Kentucky. Kentucky Post, March 6, 1947, p. 1; Commonwealth of
Kentucky Death Certificate, 1947. http://www.kenton.lib.ky.us/genealogy/bios/detail.cfm?recordID=65 |
FAMILY HISTORY
1850
Census - Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio
Joseph Marty. 40. b. Germany, merchant...
Patrick Tracy, 25, b. 1825 Ireland, clerk
1860
Census - 14th Ward Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio
Patrick Tracey, 37, b. 1823 Ireland, grocer
Theresa Tracey, 36, b. 1824 Ireland
August Hess, 21, b. Hesse?, clerk
Cecilia Murphy, 64, b. 1796 Ireland
Alice Lowry, 22, servant, b. 1838 Ireland
A
history of Montana
...Coming
with his parents
to America in
1848, John Hines [of Kilkenny] attended the
public schools of
Cincinnati until sixteen years
old. Beginning life
then as a wage
earner, he was
for three years
[circa 1860] a clerk in
the grocery establishment of
Patrick Tracy, whose
store was located at
the corner of
Central avenue and
McFarland street...
https://archive.org/stream/historyofmonta021913sand/historyofmonta021913sand_djvu.txt
Teresa Tracy of 120 Central Avenue, b. Ireland,
died 29 Dec 1865, Congestion of brain 4 days, filed 4 Jan 1866 (Page 11 1865)
Patrick Tracy, 46, b. 1822 Ireland, parents born
Ireland, d. 1908, lives Cincinnati O, 2nd marriage, grocer, married
Julia Aylward , 23, b. 1845 Ireland, parents born Ireland, d. 1886, lives Covington Ky, 1st
marriage, 03 Feb 1868 Kenton, Kentucky
1870
Census - West Covington, Kenton, Kentucky
Patrick Tracy, 45, grocer, b. Ireland
Julia Tracy, 25, keeping house, b. Ireland
John Tracy, 1, b. Kentucky
Annie Bowan, 35, domestic servant, b. Ireland
1870s
P. Tracy & Co [with M. Mockler]
Tracey, Joseph
Mother: Aylward, Julia
Birth Date: 28 Jun 1876
Race: W
Gender: M
Residence: W. Covington, KY
Father: Tracey, Patrick
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Place of Birth: W. Covington, KY
Remarks: Alive
Soundex:
T620 A463 T620
Kenton County Birth Records 1852-1859 &
1876-1877
Tracy, Julia Aylward
Church: Cathedral Basilica of the
Assumption
1880
Census - Covington, Kenton, Kentucky, United States
Patrick Tracy Self
M 50
Ireland, grocer
Julia Tracy Wife
F 32
Ireland
John Tracy Son
M 12
Kentucky, United States
Frank Tracy Son
M 8
Kentucky, United States
Joseph Tracy Son
M 3
Kentucky, United States
James Tracy Son
M 0
Kentucky, United States
Mary Wansborough Other
F 21
Kentucky, United States
1900
Census - Precinct C Covington city Ward 6, Kenton, Kentucky, United States
Patrick Tracy Head
M 77
b. Dec 1823 Ireland, widowed,
grocer, Immigration Year 1845, naturalised
Frank M Tracy Son
M 28
Kentucky, laywer
Joseph P Tracy Son
M 24
Kentucky, grocer clerk
James W Tracy Son
M 19
Kentucky
Mary E Tracy Daughter
F 18 Kentucky
Edward J Tracy Son
M 16
Kentucky
Elizabeth Alyward Sister-in-law
F 38 New
York, house keeper
Mary Dean Servant
F 41
Kentucky
1902
Cincinnati city directory
Frank M. Tracy (s. of Patrick Tracy & Julia
Aylward) d. 1947 Covington Kenton Kentucky, United States. Spouse's Name:
Margaret Brown
Tracy, Frank M.
Admitted: 1 Jan1924
Discharged: 1 Jan1924
Age: 51
Gender: M
MaritalStatus: M
Occupation: Judge
Religion: C
Place of Residence: 6th & Greenup.
Cov., Ky.
PlaceofBirth: US
Cause/Ailment: Tonsillectomy
Remarks: (12/28/23)
Page: 624
Soundex: T620
St. Elizabeth Hospital Patient Records 1861-
Tracy, Frank M.
Admitted: 28 Dec 1923
Age: 51
Gender: M Marital Status: M
Occupation: Judge
Religion: C
Place of Residence: 6th and Greenup
Place of Birth: US
Remarks: Transferred 1924
Page: 617
Soundex:
T620
St. Elizabeth Hospital Patient Records 1861-
Edward J Tracy, lawyer, of 104 Orchard Road Fort
Mitchell Kenton Kentucky (s. of Patrick Tracy & Jula Aylward both born
Ireland), b. 20 Oct 1883 Covington Kentucky, 64 years, d. 18 Nov 1947 Hamilton
Cincinnati Ohio.Spouse's Name: Angela Harker
Joseph Patrick Tracy, b. 28 Jun 1876 Kentucky (s.
of Tracy & Ayward) d. 22 May 1952 Santa Barbara, California, United States
Saint
Mary's Cemetery, Fort Mitchell, Kenton County, Kentucky, USA
Patrick Tracy (1821 - 1908 (aged 86–87))
Julia Aylward Tracy (18 May 1845 Ireland - 20 Feb
1886 (aged 40) Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, USA)
Children
Francis M. Tracy 1872–1947
Charles Julian Tracy 1886–1886
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83104144/patrick-tracy
Edward Joseph Tracy (1883 - 1947 (aged 63–64))
Angela Harker Tracy (1885 - 1975 (aged 89–90)
Children
Edward Joseph “Ned” Tracy Jr. (Aug 1925 Fort
Mitchell, Kenton County, Kentucky, USA - 13 Jun 2001 (aged 75) Fort Mitchell,
Kenton County, Kentucky, USA)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/238511108/edward-joseph-tracy
Last
update: 30 November 2023