Thomas Curran [DS.7]
Born in Chicago circa March 1851.
Died in St. Louis area at age 84 circa 1935.

STATE OF MISSOURI CITY OF ST. LOUIS [Stamped] 111 331 THIS LICENSE authorizes any Judge, Justice of the Peace, Licensed or Ordained Preacher of the Gospel, or other person authorized under the laws of this State, to solemnize marriage between Thomas Curran of the City of St. Louis and State of Missouri who is over the age of twenty-one years, and Minnie Humka of the City of St. Louis and State of Missouri who is over the age of eighteen years.          WITNESS my hand as Recorder, with the seal of office hereto affixed, at my office in the City of St. Louis, the 8th day of August 1881           C. W. Irwin Recorder

STATE OF MISSOURI CITY OF ST. LOUIS            THIS IS TO CERTIFY, that the undersigned J. G. Reaser did, in said City and State, on the Tenth day of August A.D.1881 unite in marriage the above named persons.   J G. Reaser;Minister of Presbyterian Ch   Cor Pestallozzi & James Sts St. Louis Filed for Record this 15th day of August 1881 C. W. Irwin Recorder

I have found no other document, or any oral history, to confirm that "Minnie Humka" was the name of the wife of our Thomas Curran [DS.7].

Thomas [DS.7] was the first child of Denis Curran [D] and Sarah McKinley [S] to be born in the United States. Circa 1860, he moved to Saint Louis with his parents and remained in the St. Louis area throughout his life.

 

Tom [DS.7] worked as a foundryman in a rolling mill called Niedringhouse [sp?]¹. It was located in the southern part of St. Louis but no longer exists. The company later moved across the Mississippi River to Granite City in Illinois. It then became the Laclede Steel Company. Thomas [DS.7] probably began working in the foundry in 1881 since that is when his occupational title changed from blacksmith to hammersmith.

 

Sometime before 1900, Thomas [DS.7] left his family and lived in the streets, in a run-down section of St. Louis, until his death. The problem was not joblessness. As a last resort, he could have returned to Chicago where his namesake nephew, Thomas Curran [DS.4.5] (1868—1928), provided a city, county, or park district job to every relative willing to work. Based only on oral history that I have heard, it seems likely that Thomas [DS.7] had a mental illness that prevented him from functioning in a rational manner. Unfortunately, tranquilizers and alcoholic beverages were the only medications available for mental illness during his lifetime.

 

On 10 August 1881, Thomas [DS.7] married Minnie Humka (died circa 1903) in St. Louis, MO. They had six children:

DS.7.1	Louis Curran [DS.7.1] Born 24 Jul 1882. Died Nov 1973 in St. Louis, MO 63125 at age 91. Social Security No. 489-01-2376 Louis was a foundryman like his father [DS.7]. Louis married Ann Koenig and had one child:
	DS.7.1.1	Georgia Curran (born circa 1905 and still living in August 1998). Georgia married a Mr. Untersinger but had no children.
DS.7.2	Howard Curran [DS.7.2] According to the census of 1920, Howard married and had four children.
DS.7.3	Phil Curran [DS.7.3] Phil disappeared as a relatively young man. He had had no children prior to his disappearance.
DS.7.4	Sally Curran [DS.7.4] No children.
DS.7.5	Larry Curran [DS.7.5] No children.
DS.7.6	Mae Curran [DS.7.6] Born 9 April 1899. Died 14 January 1994 in St. Louis, MO 63123. Social Security No. 489-68-4325 Mae [DS.7.6] lived with various siblings of her mother after Minnie died circa 1903. Mae had very little contact with her Curran relatives in St. Louis. She visited her Curran relatives in Chicago at the time of the World Fair (a.k.a. Century of Progress Exhibition) in 1933-34. Mae often described the Currans as being great singers. Mae Curran [DS.7.6] married Adolf Schicker [DS.7.6S]. Adolph was born on 8 Oct 1895 and died in St. Louis, MO 63125 in Jan 1975. His Soc. Sec. No. was 488-09-0752. Adoph was a dental technician who made false teeth. Mae [DS.7.6] and Adolf [DS.7.6S] had two sons:
	DS.7.6.1	Elmer Schicker (deceased) Formerly resided at 4414 Cayuga Dr., St. Louis MO 63123-6608 Tel 314-631-1098
	DS.7.6.2	Leroy Schicker (22 Apr 1922 — c. 23 Sep 1990) In August 1998, his widow (maiden name and dates of birth and marriage unknown) resided at 159 Kingston Drive, St. Louis MO 63125-2917 Tel 314-544-0538 Leroy [DS.7.6.2] and his wife had one child:
		DS.7.6.2.1	Kenneth Schicker 3063 McVay Trail Drive Memphis, TN 38119 1-901-756-6957