Brian McCaffery Death Record

Brain McCaffery was born in April of 1953, son of Coll and Francis Bernerdo McCaffery Jr. who died on December 24, 1954 of Meningococcemia and WaterHouse-Friedricksen Syndrome at Roxborough Memorial Hospital. An Autopsy was performed and the child was not interred until January 26, 1955 at St John the Baptist Churchyard. Address at time of death was 618 Rittenhouse Street.

Meningococcemia is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria meningtidis.

WaterHouse-Friedricksen Syndrome is failure of the adrenal gland to function as a result of bleeding into the gland generally caused by a severe infection.

Adrenal Glands are small glands located on top of each kidney that produces important hormones in which we cannot live without.

Sad Tale of the Two Francis Bednarski's

 Francis Bednarski was born to Peter and Eva Wisloski on May 12, 1918. On May 16, 1923 Francis was hit by a car at the age of 5years old suffered a fracture skull and died at Roxborough Memorial Hospital. Francis was interred at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on May 19, 1923. There was an inquest into his death and it was recorded as an Automobile Case. Eva Wisloski was the daughter of Lucas (Louis) and Eva Dolhanceyk Wisloski.

Francis Bednarski II was born on December 5, 1924 and lived one hour. Cause of death was a Prolapsed Umbilical Cord that cut off oxygen to his brain after a Protracted Labor. Francis was also the son of Peter and Eva Wisloski Bednarski and he was named after his brother Francis who died in 1923. Francis was interred in Westminster Cemetery on December 6, 1924.

Agnes Bridget Boland McCaffery Death Certificate

I came across a copy of the actual death certificate of my grandmother's mother who died August 4, 1915 when my grandmother was three years old. I was told she died of an appendicitis. Her cause of death is listed as a bowel obstruction. What was interesting is my great grandmother (Agnes Bridget) was a patient at Roxborough (formally known as St. Timothy's Hospital) from July 20, 1915 to her death @ 11:40pm on August 4,1915. It listed the doctor who took care of her as well as her husband, parents, where they lived what her occupation was to her burial at Holy Sepulcher on August 7,1915 and the funeral director.

Merrick Family

J. Vaughn and Sophia Merrick, parishioners of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, donated $10,000 to establish St. Timothy's Hospital and House of Mercy to care for the people of the Roxborough area. St Timothy's Hospital is known today as Roxborough Memorial Hospital. It is where my siblings & I were born along with my uncles on the maternal side of the family; William, John & Coll Eugene Gallagher. The land where my house was built was once part of the Merrick Estate. The Merrick family along with other relatives are interred in the church yard cemetery at St. Timothy's Church located across from the hospital on Ridge Avenue.

Roxborough Hospital

Built in 1890 by money donated by the Merrick Family, the hospital was first known as St. Timothy's Hospital, before its name was changed to Roxborough.

This is the old part of the hospital.

This is the new part of the hospital.

History of Roxborough Memorial Hospital

Opened on June 7th, 1890 under the name of "The Memorial Hospital and House of Mercy of Saint Timothy's Church, Roxborough". By 1896, the name was changed to St. Timothy's Memorial Hospital and House of Mercy, Roxborough" and in 1920 to "The Memorial Hospital, Roxborough". Today, we simply know the hospital by its name, "Roxborough Memorial Hospital".

This hospital has a history within our family. Many of us were born here, Uncles Billy, Jack, Gene and all my siblings including myself to name a few. My great grandmother Mary (Keller) Gallagher and grandmother Anna Marie (McCaffery) Gallagher worked here. In addition, some of us died here such as my great grandmothers Agnes (Bridget Boland) McCaffery, Mary (Keller) Gallagher up to and including my great Aunt Anna Marie (Gallagher) McCaffery.

So it not surprising that I would include the hospital's history in my research.

The hospital was built on land donated by Mr & Mrs. Vaughan Merrick with 10,000 dollars in funds as a tribute to their parents. In the beginning, the hospital was under the control of St Timothy's P. E. Church's rector, churchwardens and vestrymen until 1920 when financial distress necessitated the church cut its ties with the hospital.

Over the years, the hospital expanded its buildings to include a laundry, nurses' residences and steam-heating plant in 1891. In 1894, the Eugene Nugent Ward was opened. In 1896, the Merrick Building was opened. The two buildings then were connected in 1897. The Percival Roberts Ward was opened in 1901. By 1905, the hospital had added a laboratory and isolation ward. In 1914, the hospital began delivering babies in its new maternity ward. From 1890 to 1916, ambulances were horse-drawn carriages. Another extension in the Percival Roberts Ward was completed in 1928.

Today, the above buildings and extensions cease to exist and have been replaced with new structures. Whereas, the corners of Jamestown & Ridge Avenues thu to Houghton Street were once filled with houses are now replaced with physician offices and a parking lot.

The hospital is no longer independently owned and operated but is part of a nation-wide corporation. Rumor has it the hospital is now up for sale.

Only A Family Genealogist Would Do Something Like This

Dr. Schumann founded the Ob/Gyn department in 1928 at Roxborough Hospital. My grandmother had her first child here in 1931. I wonder if all babies were born at home prior to the opening of this ward since it is the only hospital in the neighborhood's immediate area.

Yeah, that's me walking down the hospital hallway with IV poll in my lovely hospital gown and why is Bill taking a picture of me in the hospital you may be wondering. (because we are freaks) Well, it is because I discovered if I walked down this hall it would take me over to the "old" hospital building and you know how we love to investigate stuff like that.

I was born here at Roxborough Hospital along with all my other siblings. My three uncles, Billy, Jack and Gene were also born here but Roxborough stopped delivering babies about 8 years ago and today the old labor/delivery/nursery/maternity ward are used for storage. Of course, we just had to walk through here and do a little research in the process. Hey, why waste a hospital admission when you can do a little research. This is a photograph of the very small nursing station and the nursery window across the hall.

Again it is I who is walking through the "old" maternity ward. I wonder which room my mother was in?

During my walk through this hidden part of the hospital, I asked Bill to photograph these because they are the names of some of the OB/GYN doctors that once worked here.

Back here (yes, we opened the door) are the "old" labor/delivery rooms. As you can see, the area is now used for storage.