Patrick Lannigan: Family
Stuff
My Mother's Name was Marie Bourque
(Born in 1937 Scoudouc, New Brunswick, Canada)
(Died July 27, 2003)
My Father's Name is Patrick Lannigan
(Born in ?? - St. John's Newfoundland, Canada)
I've worked with (and
for) many people with privileged family backgrounds. They lived in the
right areas of town and went to the right schools. My heritage bears no resemblance to that.
My father was born to John (Jack) Lannigan
in St. John's Newfoundland, who was the son of John Lannigan Sr., a Master
Cooper.
As the story goes John Lannigan Sr. did
well for himself, as a master cooper, and family folklore has it that he
had the street he lived on (Buchanan Street, in St. John's Newfoundland)
named after his wife's maiden name. The earliest record of John Lannigan
Sr. is found in a St. John's directory here.
John Lannigan Sr. married Sarah (Buchanan?). Their respective wills can be
found here
and here:
Judging by their wills it looks like the
Lannigans were doing very well. Yet, our family's small fortune soon
passed (the depression?).
John Lannigan Jr., of St. John's Newfoundland
married Bridget Kennedy, from Pilley's Island, in Newfoundland. Their life
was a life of poverty, for the most part. My father (Patrick Lannigan Sr.)
wanted out. He forged his mother's signature to join the military at the age of 17.
In the late 50's my father met Marie
Bourque, my mother, at a dance in Moncton New Brunswick, Canada. The "Bunk House
Boys" were playing "The Tennessee Waltz". My father must
have been magnetized by her beauty (and if you saw pictures of her from
that time you would know why) because he felt compelled to ask her to
dance. She accepted, and a love was born. All was not smooth, however. My
mother was Acadian French, and he had to win over her side of the family.
Also, my father was being shipped overseas with the military for two
years.
..... to be continued ....
(go
here for an index of images)