|
Edward Wren [poss. descendant of Edward III],
mar 2ndly, in Ireland, 1898,
to Josephine Hickie
[born 28 May 1876],
(todo) see mar of Mary Josephine Hickie and Edward J.J. Wren in
[GROI], Listowel,
3rd or 4th qr 1898, vol 5, p 231,
Littur is not far from Killelton,
she moved to his home in Springfield, Ohio,
living (must be 1115) North Limestone St, Springfield, at dau's death 1900,
he built "The Cliff House" in Ballybunion, Co.Kerry,
for her father,
their wealth helped a number of
her siblings move to US,
the Edward Wren company's store moved 1903 to new building,
East High St, Springfield,
this was Springfield's first large
department store,
they moved late 1911
[Lucev, 2006]
to
Rockaway, Long Island, New York
and in 1912 he built there a new house at the beach,
he still ran business in Springfield and on E coast,
obituary 1917 still lists the Wren residence at 1115 North Limestone St, Springfield, Ohio
(see map),
he worshipped at St. Raphael
Catholic church, Springfield,
he also had summer home in the
White Mountains,
New Hampshire,
he died evening of Thur 25 Oct 1917 (NOT Fri 26 Oct) at his home,
Rockaway, Long Island, New York,
age 68 yrs,
see obituary,
Daily News, Springfield, Ohio, Friday, October 26, 1917,
describes him as
"merchant prince, former resident of Springfield
and founder of the Edward Wren company's dry goods store in this city",
see obituary,
New York Times, October 28, 1917,
Daily News
obituary says
body brought from NY back to Springfield,
funeral St. Raphael church, Springfield, Mon 29 Oct,
he must have been bur temporarily in Springfield,
and then the body taken back to NY in Feb 1918,
he was bur 26 Feb 1918 in the new
Wren Mausoleum
that Josephine built in the
Gate of Heaven Cemetery
(Catholic),
Hawthorne, NY,
the Wren Mausoleum is
nr grave of Babe Ruth,
Josephine's obituary says
the business was sold c.1920,
it was apparently sold for
$1 m,
this is $10-50 m in today's money,
Wren's merged into
Block's,
which later merged into the
Allied Stores chain,
Josephine's obituary says
"she left Springfield about 1925", and travelled widely,
living at times in Washington, D.C., in London, and in Ottawa, Canada,
she apparently is much mentioned in the society pages of the day,
family called her "Brammy",
house in Rockaway, New York
was sold 1930,
[Lucev, 2006]
says she
took up residence in the Blackstone Hotel, New York City,
and summered in Southampton, Long Island,
she lived in her last years at the
New Weston Hotel
(Madison Ave and 49th or 50th St), New York
(see map),
she died New York, Sun 4 Sep 1949,
age 73 yrs,
see obituary,
Daily News, Springfield, Ohio, Monday, September 5, 1949,
funeral Wed 7 Sept in St. Patrick's Cathedral,
New York,
bur 7 Sept, Wren Mausoleum,
Gate of Heaven Cemetery, NY,
had issue by 2nd wife:
The Wren family.
(Left to Right): Edward Wren, Josephine Hickie,
Ursula, Angela, Malcolm.
Photo c.1915.
At the house in Rockaway, New York.

The Wren Mausoleum, Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY.
Photo courtesy of Jenny Wren.
See full size.
Edward Wren's house, 1115 North Limestone St, Springfield, Ohio.
From Google Maps.
Click to rotate.