Bill Stack,
Stowaway emigrant to America, 1917:
In 1917, during
WWI,
he stowed away on a ship to America.
He got on to the
American Line
ship
SS St.Paul
(built 1895)
coming from Liverpool.
It arrived at
Ellis Island,
New York,
on 11 June 1917,
where he
got out.
Passenger record lists him as a "Stowaway",
age 20, single,
5 ft 10 in tall, dark hair, blue eyes.
He put himself through college in US.
Studied Mine Engineering, 1921-1925, at the
School of Mines
of the
University of Missouri at Rolla, Missouri
(now Missouri University of Science and Technology).
The [Rollamo, 1923]
lists for its sophomore
(2nd year) class officers:
"William 'Pat' Stack - President".
The [Rollamo, 1924] says his
"Sole ambition is to prove the existence of vast 'goophite'
deposits which he claims are hidden back of the
Comeragh Mountains, Irish Free State".
It
lists him as member of the Prospectors Club,
and describes St.Patrick's Day
1924:
"St.Pat, who was impersonated by the popular Wm. Stack
.. delved into ancient Irish history and disclosed
to the crowd that St.Pat was the engineer who invented
the monkey wrench.
Pat then called for the Blarney Stone, and after much
confusion one of the Quo Vad kids announced
that he had found it being used by several gamblers."
He
mar Marene ---- [Marene L.].
He was a
member of the Missouri Mining and Metallurgical Association.
He
worked as engineer inspector for
Chicago
Public Works Authority.
1929 photo has him at Park Ridge, Illinois
(suburb of Chicago).
Undated newspaper cutting
refers to construction of SE intercepting sewer out
to Aurora, Kane county,
and forthcoming water works project in Chicago.
It says:
"Stack .. has established an office on the second floor of the old
post office building".
(This would refer to the post office building used before the
1921 post office building.)
Finola Flanagan
thinks Bill worked in Venezuela before settling in Florida.
Moved to Florida.
Bill was
Registered Land Surveyor,
State of Florida.
Living 1951 at
Ocala, NC Florida.
Living 1962 at
Silver Springs,
near Ocala.
Bill came to Ireland for his niece
Finola's
wedding in 1966.
First time back in Ireland since he left.
He said he regretted not coming when his
sister was alive.
Bill wrote letter 1969
from 4108 SW 22nd St, Ocala
(see map).
This
is W side of Ocala,
whereas Silver Springs is E side of Ocala.
He
died 5 Feb 1978, Silver Springs, age 80 yrs.
Funeral 7 Feb 1978, in or near Silver Springs [mass card].
Marene living 1985 in Silver Springs.
Bill and Marene had adopted issue:
Bill Stack
at
Castle Rock
state park,
Illinois.
See larger
and full size.
See other scan.
Bill Stack.
1929 photo in Chicago.
See larger
and full size.
Bill Stack.
1927 photo.
Thought to be
Marene looking out of window.
See wider
and full size.
Bill Stack and Kathy.
See larger
and full size.
See other scan.
Marene and Kathy.
See larger
and full size.
See other scan.
Bill Stack with his niece
Deirdre Flanagan.
At
19 Greenfields Rd, Galway,
June 1966.
Slightly distorted scan.
See larger
and full size.
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