William Edward Corcoran (father of Edith Frances Corcoran Lutzenberger) "Born in Kilkenny, Ireland, March 16, 1840 or 1843 (Tombstone misprinted - 1840 birth should be 1843 according to Documented, Accurate Copy of the Corcoran and Owensby Families compiled by Lois Lorraine Corcran Klein) and died in Salem, Missouri January 23, 1913. He came to America in 1858 and in 1861 enlisted in the United States Navy, serving on the Minnesota, discharged in 1864, but soon re-enlisted in the Third Missouri Cavalry remaining till close of the Civil War. He was married March 2, 1866 to Miss Mary Elizabeth Owensby, in Murphysboro, Illinois, and the following year with his wife came to Missouri, living most of the time in Dent County, at Stone Hill and Salem. A man of unusual health and vigor, his only serious sickness, that of which he died - heart complication. He was a man clear and firm in his convictions, social in his nature, having many friends and aimed as he understood his duty to be loyal and true to home, country, his brother and God. Although in Religion a professed Catholic he was liberal and cheerfully charitable to those differing from him." Excerpts from Newspaper Clipping belonging to his late daughter Edith Francis Corcoran Lutzenberger. Name spelled Corkran instead of Corcoran. Various spellings include Corcoran, Corkran, Corcran, and Cochran

Youngest of nine children, U.S. Navy Ship Minnesota 1862 1864, 3rd Missouri Cavalry Union Army 1865. Cabin boy at 9 years of age on sealing ship to America, Sailor until 15 years. Entered USA at Boston, Mass. 1858. Navy and Cavalry duty, Farmer, Carpenter, Explosive Handler, Wood Carver, Iron, Lead, and Coal Miner, Trapper, Tombstone Maker and Engraver, Quarryman, Blacksmith, Road Builder, Cement Mason, Quarry and Mine Owner. Came to Southeast Missouri in 1867 from Illinois. William had two brothers Michael and Richard and a sister Kate in Joliet, Illinois. They came to America before William. Richard had gone to Canada.

William was the youngest of nine children and his parents wanted him to go to America to join his brothers. They signed him on board a sealing ship as cabin boy. He is believed to have been about nine years of age. Their last words to him before sailing were - "there is hope from the ocean, but none from the grave." He never saw them again.

William's brothers Michael and Richard Corcoran came to America prior to William. When they were established, they sent money for their sister Katherine to join them. They settled in Joliet, Illinois, with interest in the steel mills there. Michael remained in Joliet, but Richard decided to go to Canada, and all contact was lost with him. Michael and Katherine were financially independent, and very active in the Catholic Church.

It is said William went to Montreal and seal fished with his brother Richard. For over six years he served as cabin boy and crewman on the sealing ships. Once he was shipwrecked off the coast of Newfoundland. Only a few survived, and they were found by the bloody tracks on the ice. He finished his shipping service, earned some extra money, and at 15 years of age landed at Boston, Massachusetts in 1858. The country was embroiled in the beginning of the Civil War. He was involved in the Union Service until Dec. 5, 1862, at which time he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on the ship Minnesota. Serving 2 years on this ship, being honorably discharged on Dec. 20, 1864. He then enlisted in the 3rd Missouri Calvary and remained until the end to the Civil War. Later in his life William received a pension of \$24 a month from the Navy for hearing loss - Parrot Rifle (canon) fired too close while wounded

William married a Protestant, Mary Elizabeth Owensby and used the names Corkran, Corcran, and Corcoran in Missouri. A Farmer, Carpenter, Explosive Handler, Wood Carver, Iron, Lead, and Coal Miner, Trapper, Tombstone Maker and Engraver, Quarryman, Blacksmith, Road Builder, Cement Mason, Quarry and Mine Owner he came to Southeast Missouri in 1867 from Illinois.

William and Mary had nine children; Mary Elizabeth Corcoran, James Corcoran, Martha Clementine Corcoran, William Edward Corcoran, Clara Corcoran, Michael Corcoran, Ida Ann Corcoran, John Thomas Corcoran and Edith Frances Corcoran. William and Mary lived at Stone Hill, MO until about 1902, then moved to Salem, MO. William went into the cement business with Ben Ray. They made and engraved tombstones and did cement mason work. William owned a limestone quarry and the Salem Strip Iron Mine. He leased the mine to the mining companies. Their Stone Hill farm was sold to Nathan H. Reno, who sold it to Wilbur Hughes, who sold it to Joseph Edward Fowler in 1917. William and Mary Corcoran's grandson Wilbur Clay Corcran married Fowler's daughter Cora Annis Fowler, Feb. 12, 1919. The old Corcoran farm was sold to Issac and Rose (Capps) Heddrick when the Fowlers moved to Iowa in Sept. 1919.

EDITH FRANCES CORCORAN LUTZENBERGER
Born-Sept, 14, 1888 at Stone Hill, Missouri-Dent Co.
Died-Feb, 13 1975 of cancer at Amory, Mississippi
86 yrs. 6 mo. less 1 day

Edith was the youngest of nine children born to William and Mary Ann Elizabeth Ownsbey Corcoran. She had four sisters Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. William McDuffee), Martha Clementine (Mrs. Joseph Reno), Clara (deceased at 4 yrs. 7 MO, 14 days of age), Ida Ann (Mrs. Nathan Reno and Mrs. James Hanson), and four brothers- James (died In infancy), William Edward Corcoran (married Minnie Willhite), Michael (deceased at 1 yr. 7 mo. 9 days of age) and John Thomas Corcoran who married Cynthia Ann Parks. Edith was the only surviving member of her family at her death.

She and her brothers and sisters spent their childhood days on the old homestead carved from the Missouri wilderness by her parents in the 1870's. At that time, the little community of Stone Hill was about 8 miles east of the Salem, Mo. trading point. Located in the beautiful Meramec River Valley, it is just off highway 72, about 12 miles east of the present city of Salem. In those days, Stone Hill was a bustling little village with a post office, 2 doctors - Dr. Crandall and Dr. Ellis, a Pemberton and Biggs general store, the Methodist church, Stone Hill school, a blacksmith shop run by William Corcoran on the branch stream below the farm homestead, and various other small business places kept busy by the surrounding farm needs. The Stone Hill Cemetery is above the church, and many of the family members are still being buried there.

Many happy days were spent in the green woods, on the clear river streams, and refreshing one's self from the pure spring waters. These days were recalled with pleasure in Edith's later years, in spite of the hard work in the early days. She loved nature, flowers, and paintings, and was fond of traveling and sightseeing, eight years of schooling were completed at the little community school before her parents sold the farm and moved to Salem about 1901- 1902. She especially remembered the many baptisms in the creek branch. And their big stone fireplace where everyone came to dry off.

Her father joined John Reynolds Ray in the cement business in Salem, and a home was built which is in the heart of Salem now, but at that time was in undeveloped land with five acres of an Iron strip mine behind it. William leased this land to the mining companies. He owned a quarry and he and John Ray's son, Benjamin, cut limestone slabs from this for foundations. The Salem, Mo. courthouse is set on these done by William and Ben. They also made and engraved tombstones along with other mason work. Edith completed two years of High School at Salem.

Bell Telephone Company was training employees for switchboard work, paying for six weeks schooling. Edith took this training, and spent five Years in Chicago working on the West Side night crew. The hours were long, and the pay rates low. This was compensated in part by the excitement of the city, and the fun of swimming in the lakes nearby. She worked for the Monroe office of the Co., at 35 Sangamon St. and lived at 2514 Washington Blvd. Flat 1 in Chicago. It was while she was here that she visited with her father's brothers and sister at Joliet, Illinois. She was called home in the fall of 1912 by her father's Illness and soon after her mother broke her hip. She was the only one left at home to care for her parents and took care of all the burial arrangement for her father. Her mother's hip did not heal right, and she decided to stay to care for her.

Edith met her husband in Salem. He was a brakeman on the Frisco Railroad. He had been born at Sligo, Missouri-Dent Co. June 20, 1884, the son of George Herman and Julia A. Freeman Lutzenberger. George was also a railroad man, and had come from Dayton, Ohio to Missouri. Bert had 2 brothers-George Herman Jr. (married Kate Frazier), and William W. (married Bertie Young), 2 sisters- Irma (Mrs. A .E. Spiller), and Ada (Mrs. Everett Hawkins). Also two half brothers - Roe Monroe Furry (married Etta Mae Gibbs) and Louis Phillips Lutzenberger (married Sarah Catherine Carter).

Edith and Bert Ellis Lutzenberger were married Dec. 26, 1917, Salem, Mo. in the Methodist Church by Rev. Finley at 2: 00 P.M. Tues. Their witnesses were Harry Selby, Pauline Marline, and Anvil T. Warfel. They made their home in Salem, Mo., and this house was later converted into the Spencer Funeral Chapel. Two children were born to them at Salem; Bert Jerome, Jan. 30, 1919, and Elizabeth Camille, Oct. 29 1920. Bert began work for the railroad Feb. 3, 1911. His schooling had been in Salem, but he quit young to join the railroad. They sold their home and moved to Amory, Mississippi in 1928. He was a conductor and helped build the railroad to Pensacola, Florida. They raised their family in Amory, and Jerome also joined the railroad. Bert retired in 1956 after 45 years with the Frisco Railroad.

Edith worked at the Prairie, Miss. Shell Loading Plant 1941-WW II. She enjoyed fishing and visiting, and disliked being inactive, as she grew older. Bert concentrated on his rose garden after retirement. They enjoyed their home at 402 2nd Ave., North in Amory, and had many friends. The Frisco 20-Year Club, Senior Citizens Club, United Methodist Church and Friendly Fellowship Club, and her Eastern Star membership took up much of their time. Their daughter, Camille, a victim of a crippling mastoid operation while going to Memphis State College in Tenn., lived with them. Their son Jerome married Joan Yvette Armour, August 08, 1941 in Amory, Monroe County, Mississippi and two twin grandsons were born Bert Michael and Jerome Edward. The grandsons-presented them with four great grandchildren.

"EDIE", as she was known by most, had heavy, red wavy hair and Irish blue eyes, 5 ft, 10 in. tall-118 to 165 to 130 lbs. An attractive girl, but quite shy when young, she was sentimental and quite close to her family. Her nervous temperament kept her active, and she liked going out, and especially enjoyed catfish dinners. Poor circulation, back trouble, and heart trouble limited a lot of her activities in later years. Her last illness began in the spring of 1974 and was complicated by a fall in which she broke her foot (hip?) in Dec. of that year. She was moved to Gilmore Memorial. Hospital in Amory, and remained there until her death. Her daughter, Camille, was with her when she passed away at l: 00 P.M. Thurs. Feb. 13, 1975. Services were held at Pickle Funeral Home Chapel in Amory, Saturday with Rev. Truman Brooks officiating, assisted by Rev. G. R. Williams. Burial was made at Haughton Memorial, Park Cemetery Amory. Edith was Greek, Spanish, French, Irish, Scotch on her father's side, German, English, French on her mother's side.

Bert had medium brown hair that receded early. He was thin and fine featured with a nice grin, and friendly smiling, blue eyes. 6 ft, tall-140 to 180 lbs. He enjoyed people, and although blessed with quite good health, his hearing loss in later years limited his visiting with his friends as he wished to do. He liked to play cards and enjoyed the social activity. He was German and Scotch.