"TRANSFORMED POSITION OF IRISH CATHOLICS IN BOSTON"

JOHN FRANCIS FITZGERALD BORN 

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On February 11, 1863, John Francis Fitzgerald*, maternal grandfather of future President John F. Kennedy, was born here in Boston.  He was the son of  Irish immigrants Thomas Fitzgerald and Rose Anna Cox.

In his first two terms in the United States Congress, John Francis Fitzgerald, representing the 9th and 10th District respectively, was the only Democrat to represent New England.

Historian Robert Dallek describes Mr. Fitzgerald as "a natural politician, a charming, impish, affable lover of people."

Facing prejudice because of his Irish Catholic heritage, John F. Fitzgerald "chose politics (as) the only field where (he) could get influence and opportunity."

In the words of Thomas Maier, John Francis Fitzgerald...

"helped transform (the Irish Catholics') position in (Boston) and their image of themselves."

*John Francis Fitzgerald (1863-1950) was educated at the Boston Latin School and Boston College.  He was accepted at Harvard Medical School but because both his parents died at a young age had to go to work.

JFF founded the Jefferson Club in South Boston & served on the  Common Council in 1891 & State Senate 1892-1894.  After his time in Congress, he was Mayor of Boston 1906-1908 & 1910-1914.

JFF predicted his grandson, John F. Kennedy, would one day be POTUS & President Kennedy named the presidential yacht, the "Honey Fitz," in honor of his grandfather's nickname.

SOURCE

"The Kennedys:  America's Emerald Kings," by Thomas Maier, Basic Books, New York, 2003.

 

 

John Francis Fitzgerald

Bain News Service

Library of Congress Photo

"YOU'RE THE FLOWER OF MY HEART"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY FITZ

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On February 11, 1863, John Francis Fitzgerald, the maternal grandfather of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was born here in Boston.

John Francis's parents were Thomas Fitzgerald of County Limerick and Rose Anna Cox of County Cavan, Ireland.  John F. Fitzgerald was educated at the Boston Latin School and Boston College.  He served twice as mayor of Boston and was elected to the United States Congress.

"Honey Fitz", as he came to be known, was a natural politician who loved people and loved to sing "Sweet Adeline*".  Honey Fitz, at age 85, advised his grandson who was running for Congress and who he predicted would one day be POTUS.

John F. Fitzgerald died at the age of 87 on October 2, 1950.  Mr. Fitzgerald left an estate of $76,000. The Fitzgerald estate was to be divided between his widow, Mary Fitzgerald, and sons John Jr. and Tom.

The mayor's daughter and JFK's mother Rose Kennedy was designated as the executrix.  Rose, however, was left "no part of the estate" for reasons "best known" to her father.

While Mr. Fitzgerald had lived long enough to see his grandson Jack elected to Congress, he had passed by the time JFK was elected to the United States Senate and the Presidency.

When John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States, he chose to be sworn in on the Fitzgerald Family Bible and he would rename the presidential yacht, the "Honey Fitz."

*Sweet Adeline (1903) is a barbershop standard with lyrics by Richard H. Gerard & music by Harry Armstrong.

SOURCE

"The Kennedys: A Chronological History" by Harvey Rachlin, World Almanac, 1986.

"Sweet Adeline"

M. Witmark & Sons Publishers

JOHN F. FITZGERALD'S GREATEST TRIUMPH

JFK'S GRANDFATHER WINS BOSTON MAYORSHIP SECOND TIME

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On January 11, 1910, John Francis Fitzgerald* was elected mayor of Boston for a second time.  Mr. Fitzgerald served as mayor from 1906-1908 but was defeated for re-election.

Doris Kearns Goodwin says the party bosses didn't think Honey Fitz, as he was nicknamed, could be re-elected as mayor because of "all the baggage he carried," but Fitzgerald was able to take advantage of reforms which provided for a new method of nomination.

Fitzgerald squared off against James J. Storrow who was a partner in Lee, Higginson and Company.  Ms. Goodwin describes him as "one of the richest men in all New England."

As a seasoned pol, Honey Fitz took to the offensive by portraying himself as "an Irish boy from the slums (vs) a wealthy, encrusted Harvard blueblood. "

The election was one of the most competitive and emotional in Boston's history, but John F. Fitzgerald won by 1,402 votes.  Goodwin says Honey Fitz called it his "greatest triumph."

*John Francis "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald (1863-1950) was born in Boston, the 4th of 12 children of Irish immigrants Thomas & Rosanna Fitzgerald.
He married Mary Josephine Hannon in 1889 & their 1st child, Rose, was to be JFK's mother.  JFF served on Boston's Common Council, in the Massachusetts State Senate, in the United States Congress & as Boston's mayor.

SOURCE

"The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys:  An American Saga," by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1987.

John F. Fitzgerald

Mayor of Boston

Library of Congress Photo

".

JACK, YOU WILL WALK ON A FAR LARGER CANVAS THAN I

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2217

THE INFLUENCE OF A POLITICAL GRANDFATHER

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On February 11, 1863, 154 years ago today,  John Francis Fitzgerald*, the maternal grandfather of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was born here in Boston. "Honey Fitz", as he came to be known, was a natural politician who loved people and loved to sing "Sweet Adeline".

There should be little doubt of the impact Honey Fitz had on the early political success of his grandson.  According to Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jack Kennedy recalled that his grandfather was "the only person he knew in Boston" when he began his run for Congress.

JFK set up his headquarters in the Bellevue Hotel just down the hall from where Honey Fitz and his wife had lived for ten years and the old man accompanied his grandson as he campaigned in Boston's North and West Ends.
As Billy Sutton said, "Fitzgerald was a cheerleader with the elderly."

On June 18, 1946, Jack voted with his grandparents & when he was declared the winner, Honey Fitz jumped up on a table at Kennedy Headquarters, danced a jig & sang "Sweet Adeline."

In the future president's last conversation with Honey Fitz, DKG tells us that he said to Jack...

"You are my namesake.  You are the one to carry on our family name.  And mark my word, you will walk on a far larger canvas than I."

John F. Fitzgerald died at the age of 87 on October 2, 1950.  

When John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States, he chose to be sworn in on the Fitzgerald Family Bible and he would rename the presidential yacht, the "Honey Fitz."

*John Francis Fitzgerald (1863-1950) was the son of Thomas Fitzgerald of County Limerick and Rose Anna Cox of County Cavan, Ireland.  JFF was educated at the Boston Latin School and Boston College.  He served twice as mayor of Boston and was elected to the United States Congress.

JFF was chairman of the Royal Rooters, a club supporting Boston's baseball teams & he threw out the 1st pitch for the opening of Fenway Park on April 20, 1912.On his death the Boston Post described JFF as "one of Boston's most beloved figures."


SOURCES

"The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys:  An American Saga by Doris Kearns Goodwin," Simon and Schuster, New York, 1987.

"The Kennedys: A Chronological History" by Harvey Rachlin, World Almanac, 1986.

John Francis Fitzgerald

George Grantham Bain Collection

Library of Congress Photo

Life Preserver on

JFK's Presidential Yacht

BIRTHDAY OF JFK'S GRANDFATHER HONEY FITZ

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1856

JOHN FRANCIS FITZGERALD BORN 153 YEARS AGO

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) 153 years ago today, February 11, 1863, John Francis Fitzgerald, the maternal grandfather of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born here in Boston.

John Francis's parents were Thomas Fitzgerald of County Limerick and Rose Anna Cox of County Cavan, Ireland.  John F. Fitzgerald was educated at the Boston Latin School and Boston College.  He served twice as mayor of Boston and was elected to the United States Congress.

"Honey Fitz", as he came to be known, was a natural politician who loved people and loved to sing "Sweet Adeline".

At the age of 85, he advised his grandson, John F. Kennedy, who was running for Congress in 1946.  Honey Fitz predicted JFK would one day be President of the United States.

John F. Fitzgerald died at the age of 87 on October 2, 1950.  Mr. Fitzgerald left an estate of $76,000 according to his will filed in Suffolk probate court on December 8, 1950.  The Fitzgerald estate was to be divided between his widow, Mary Fitzgerald, and sons John Jr. and Tom.

The mayor's daughter and JFK's mother Rose Kennedy was designated as the executrix.  Rose, however, was left "no part of the estate" for reasons "best known" to her father.

While Mr. Fitzgerald had lived long enough to see his grandson Jack elected to Congress, he had passed by the time JFK was elected to the United States Senate and the Presidency.

When John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States, he chose to be sworn in on the Fitzgerald Family Bible and he would rename the presidential yacht, the "Honey Fitz."

SOURCE

"The Kennedys: A Chronological History" by Harvey Rachlin, World Almanac, 1986.