Ellen (Callaghan) Fitzgerald (1860 - 1950)

Theresa (O'Keeffe) Middleton lived with her grandmother, Ellen Fitzgerald, for 4 years until 1942 while Theresa went to school in Gatton. Theresa says that for most of her life, Ellen had problems with her sight. She says doctors put bluestone in Ellen's eyes at the age of 19, but that just made the problem worse. Theresa says that Ellen's eyes were almost colourless and she had a lot of problems with ingrown hairs. In the last few years of her life, she was completely blind. Theresa remembers an orphan boy from Nudgee Orphanage named Don who lived and worked on the Fitzgerald farm for a few years. By the time Ellen died in 1950, he was a young man of 23 and he came to her funeral. He said to Theresa "Poor Gran. She's dead. I think I helped her. I'd pick her up when she fell over collecting eggs".

According to oral family history, when Gran Ellen Fitzgerald was pregnant with a child (almost certainly Ellen), she fell asleep by the window in the dining room and had a dream. In the dream, a hearse pulled up outside with a white coffin on board. Gran Ellen vividly saw the coffin. The undertaker came in. Gran told them they were mistaken and must have come to the wrong place. Gran's baby Ellen was born on 10 February 1888 and died one week later on 17 February 1888.

Three years later, Ellen Fitzgerald gave birth to another daughter, who she also named Ellen. This Ellen grew up, married Hugh Doyle and had six children, four of whom survived to adulthood.

This story from Ellen's granddaughter, Margaret (Fitzgerald) Wichlacz