William Cletus Fagan (1854 - 1935)

Born 29 Apr 1854 in Ebensburg, Cambria, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Died 24 Nov 1935 at age 81 in Butler, Butler, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography of William Cletus Fagan

William Cletus Fagan was born on April 29, 1854, in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. His parents were Jeremiah Fagan and Mary Mills. ^[1]

William grew up in Ebensburg, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. ^[2][3]

He married Sara Jane "Jennie" Hughes, the daughter of Morgan Hughes and Anna Mills in 1879 in Pennsylvania. She and her family were neighbors in Ebensburg. William's father, Jeremiah (b. bet 1831-1833), and Sarah's father, Morgan (b. 1818), were early residents of Cambria County.

The following information comes from Close Cousins: Connected and Collateral Families. The cousins are all descendants of William and Sarah's youngest child Harry Morgan Fagan. It is a very sad and tragic story of the family history of the first five children of William and Sarah: Cora, Emma, Rhoda, Jeremiah and Oscar.

With five kids, William and Jennie (Sarah) figured that their family was complete. They lived in or near Johnstown, PA. An outbreak of diphtheria occurred in 1888. One of the kids died. Amazingly, no one would help bury the victims because diphtheria was so contagious. After great searching, William found an undertaker, James, who was willing to help him bury his child. They set off "overland" (a day or more trip) to lay this tiny person to rest at Lloyd's Cemetery in Ebensburg, PA. Sara stayed behind with the other children. Upon William's return, he found that another child had succumbed. Again he and the undertaker set off on this sad and arduous journey. He repeated this process (or one closely resembling it) until all five children had died and been buried. All five kids died within a 19-day period.

Death of the five children of William C Fagan

Not being people to be trodden upon by life, William and Jennie set about to create a new family. The first born of this "new" family was Rella. The Johnstown flood in 1889 forced them to leave their home and all their possessions, but they fled with their newborn (three weeks old) daughter. They relocated to Butler County, PA. In Butler, they finished their second family with Emmett, Irene, Edna and Harry. ^[4]

They had 10 children in 20 years. In 1910, William C. Fagan was 52 years old and lived in Butler, Pennsylvania with his wife, Sarah, 5 children, and grandson, Ralph Ellenberger. In 1920, William C. Fagan was 60 years old and lived in Butler, Pennsylvania with his wife, Sarah, daughter, Rella Ellenberger, a widow, and grandson Ralph, and granddaughter Elizabeth Ellenberger. In 1930, William C. Fagan was 70 years old and lived in Butler, Pennsylvania with his wife, Sarah.

He died on November 24, 1935, in Butler, Pennsylvania, at the age of 81, and was buried there. ^[5]

Headstone for William Cletus Fagan

Sources

• 1860 United States Federal Census Year: 1860; Census Place: Ebensburg, Cambria, Pennsylvania; Roll: M653_1088; Page: 297; Image: 301; Family History Library Film: 805088
• 1870 United States Federal Census Year: 1870; Census Place: Ebensburg, Cambria, Pennsylvania; Roll: M593_1317; Page: 57B; Image: 4301; Family History Library Film: 552816
• 1880 United States Federal Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Ebensburg, Cambria, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1111; Family History Film: 1255111; Page: 478B; Enumeration District: 209; Image: 0249
• 1900 United States Federal Census Year: 1900; Census Place: Butler Ward 5, Butler, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1386; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0059; FHL microfilm: 1241386
• 1910 United States Federal Census Year: 1910; Census Place: Butler Ward 5, Butler, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1321; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0072; FHL microfilm: 1375334
• 1920 United States Federal Census Year: 1920; Census Place: Butler Ward 5, Butler, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1543; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 25; Image: 1144
• 1930 United States Federal Census Year: 1930; Census Place: Butler, Butler, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2009; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 0016; Image: 455.0; FHL microfilm: 2341743

1. ↑ 1860 United States Federal Census
2. ↑ 1860 United States Federal Census
3. ↑ 1870 United States Federal Census
4. ↑ Close Cousins: Connected and Collateral Families [1]
5. ↑ U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [2]

Photographed Sources

• Death Certificate for William C Fagan

Death Certificate for William Cletus Fagan

• News Clipping in Personal Section of Butler Citizen, 7 Oct 1897

Will Fagan, the Painter

• Death of the five children of William C Fagan (See Above)

See Also

• Close Cousins: Connected and Collateral Families [3]
• U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [4]