Biography of  JAMES JOSEPH CONNELLY

James was born on 21 November 1882 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the fifth and youngest child of
John and Mary (nee Donahue) Connelly, and grew up in the Fishtown/Port Richmond area of Philadelphia. He was baptized on 26 November 188 at St. Anne's Church in Philadelphia, by Rev. Eugene P. McManus. His sponsors were Francis and Mary Morrissey.

He attended St. Ann's School (5th & Lehigh) in Philadelphia, but left at 9 years of age when his father died. He never stopped learning and was described as "self educated". His daughter Margaret said " He was very smart with facts and figures, even though he didn't get far in his education. We had a blackboard on our kitchen wall. After the dinner dishes were cleaned away, all the kids had to sit at the table and do their homework. Pop sat with us and if we had a problem, we had to write it on the board and he would help us with it."

James became interested in drumming while he was in school. He joined the school band, but his mother couldn't afford the uniform. He went to Father Hand (a school teacher) and told him he couldn't be in the band, and dropped out. Father Hand bought him a uniform "because he was too good to lose". He continued to play the drums into adulthood.

 Photo of James Connelly, posing with drum sticks
Concerning this photo of him posing in his Penn Treaty Band uniform with drumsticks in hand, his daughter Margaret said "Those drumsticks were his pride and joy. His kids could never go near them. He won them in a contest for best drummer. They were made of Brazilian "Amarang" and had silver caps. There was a lot of talk and write-ups about it." As an adult, he played with the "Aquilla" Band and Penn. Treaty Band. He also played in several other bands and orchestras in Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

Margaret said "He had band practice on Sunday afternoons at our house (in Philadelphia) because we were the only one out of the group with a piano. In the summer when the windows were open, people in the neighborhood would dance on the sidewalk while they played in the living room." 

He married Mary Cecelia Lynn, and they lived at 2549 Monument Ave. in Philadelphia. During World War I, he was young enough to enlist, but they wouldn't accept him because he had too many children. Instead, he worked in the Philadelphia Naval Yard.
 
 

James and family at the Jersey Shore
                      The New Jersey Shore circa 1930. Top Right to Left -> Mary Connelly, James Connelly,
                      Gert's friend #1, Gert's friend #2, Gert McLaughlin, James's nephew and his girlfriend.
                      Bottom Right to Left -> Tom Connelly, Gert's friend #3, Jim McLaughlin, Gert's friend #4
                      (Gert had a boarding house)

With nine children and living in a row home, James had dreams of moving to the country and owning a house. He bought land in southern New Jersey and with the help of his family and friends, built his own house. Since he did not know how to design or build a house, he simply would take the measurements of the city row home rooms and reproduce them in his new home in the country! The result was a tall, long house seated on several acres of wooded land. He moved his family into this home on Jefferson Avenue in National Park NJ on 3 May 1918.

James and Mary had twelve children: Dolores, James, Margaret, Mae, Joseph, Robert, Kathleen, Marie, John, Daniel, Anna, and Thomas. 

The family joined St. Matthew's Catholic Church in National Park when it opened in 1920. James and his wife Mary were very kind and caring persons. His son Joseph said, "There was always a place at our table for anyone who was hungry, and there was always a place in our home for anyone who needed a place to sleep."

He was mayor of National Park, and lived there until he died on 21 March 1960. He was buried in the New Saint Mary's Cemetery, Bellmawr, N.J. on 25 March 1960.