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George Augustus Ennis (1858-1954)

George Augustus Ennis (1858-1954)

A copy of the following newspaper article, hand-identified as being from the April 15, 1954, Tribune, was found in a scrapbook owned by Town Historian Richard Schmal:

    GEORGE ENNIS, 96, FOMER RESIDENT, DIES

    George Augustus Ennis, 96, oldest resident of Steger, Ill, passed away May 7 at the home of his son, Vernon, at 3307 Wallace Avenue.

    His nephew, Father Ed Boney of Lowell, assisted Father G.J. Karrigan in conducting memorial services held at the Spindler Koelling Chapel in Steger. Burial was in the Lowell cemetery.

    Mr. Ennis was born Dec. 21, 1858 at St. John, Ind., where his parents, John and Maria Ennis settled in the early 1830's. He was a member of the John Hack clan, founder of St. John, and a nephew of Nick Scherer, who founded Schererville, Ind. For many years George lived in Lowell. He also was a resident of Chicago Heights.

    In 1878* he married Ida Gragg, whose family came to Lowell in 1853. They were the parents of eight children. Two died in infancy. Mrs. Ennis passed away in 1948 and George, Jr., in Feb. of 1954.

    Surviving are Mrs. Marie Black and Vernon of Steger, Harold of Lansing, Mrs. Grace Gordon and Mrs. Myrtle Fancher of Lowell; also 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends.

* NOTE -- Although this article states that George Ennis and Ida Gragg were married in 1878, an Ennis family tree puts the date as Apr. 8, 1879.


Last updated on April 10, 2006.

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