John Michael McElhone
John Michael McElhone
This photo of the author of "The McElhone Family" was taken outside his Torrington home on Migeon Avenue in 1935. John was born in Goshen May 31, 1869, the firstborn son of Patrick and Margaret Cleary McElhone. The 1900 census of Goshen states he lived with his mother and younger sister Margaret in the homestead of Asaph Hall, the famed astronomer who discovered the moons of Mars. His mother was Mr. Hall's housekeeper. (Asaph Hall is mentioned in Carol Hanny's page on the Town of Goshen.) John's occupation was listed as "machinist (bicycle)". He was at that time employed at a manufactory in Hartford. A 1938 reference to him in his brother Alexander's obituary stated that he was "a yard superintendent for Hotchkiss Brothers" in Torrington. (He held that position more than 40 years, retiring in about 1941, according to his own obituary.) John's niece, my Aunt Louise Cecilia McElhone Grimshaw, stated in a July 1998 letter that he was once employed by Torrington Brass, but I have not verified this.
John and his mother moved to 434 Migeon Avenue, Torrington in 1901. John's obituary in The Torrington Register stated he was "widely known throughout the city," that he was "a communicant of St. Francis church, a member of Torrington lodge B.P.O.E., Sons of Veterans of the Civil War, and the Torrington Country club."
"Mr. McElhone had a remarkably retentive memory," the obituary further states. "He was deeply interested in Goshen and the surrounding towns, and was a prolific source of information on the early families and events in this vicinity.
"He read widely, especially in the field of history, and was a frequent visitor of the Torrington library in search of additional data on events and figures of world history. He had a wide local reputation as a mathematician of considerable authority."
John died in 1943 at age 74 and is buried in New St. Francis Cemetery, Torrington. For a close-up of this photo, Click Here. To return to the page his history appears on, Click Here. To see the complete index of McElhone photos, Click Here.
