Person:George McBRIDE (2)

George Francis McBride, the fifth child of George and Malinda Curtis McBride, was born on November 24, 1883. His birth certificate lists only “Male McBride”, so his birth record was hard to find in Rock Island County records. Francis was in poor health all his life according to Russel McBride. This fits with information from Rock Island city directories and census records which show that he lived with his parents most of his life and was unemployed most of the time after 1917. He never married. He does not look very healthy in the only photo of him that I have. After his father died in 1927, Francis and his mother moved to Erie and lived with Francis’ sister, Hannah McBride Miller. According to Russel McBride, they lived across the street from a church, where Francis served as the church maintenance man. The 1930 census shows that he worked as a laborer at odd jobs. Sometime after his mother died in 1932, Francis moved back to Rock Island and lived with his brother, Walter, for about a year. Francis was living with Walter in 1936. Perhaps in the same year Francis entered the East Moline State Hospital, a facility that primarily treated mental patients. He died following an operation in August 1938 at the age of 54.

Rock Island City directory information: 1905: works at Rock Island Sash Works; lives at 2823-6th Ave. 1913: laborer; same house; living with parents 1915: laborer; same house 1917-1919: no occupation given; living with parents at 2823-6th Ave. 1920 census: living with parents; unemployed. 1921: living with parents at 2525-5 1/2 Ave., Rock Island. 1923: as above. 1924-1933: no occupation, same house 1930 census: living in Erie with mother, sister Hannah and five of her children; Buddy Krause, foster child; laborer at odd jobs. 1936: no occupation, but living with Walter McBride at 820-47th Ave, Rock Island.

George’s death certificate lists the cause of death as carcinoma of the stomach and pancreas; a secondary cause was neurosis; he had an operation the day before his death; the informant for the certificate was Beulah Wade, presumably a hospital worker. Francis had an autopsy. He is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery, Rock Island, IL, in a plot with his parents. His grave was unmarked until I had a diorite headstone installed in 2003. I do not recall any family conversation about George Francis.

“GEORGE FRANCIS MCBRIDE George Francis McBride, 53, of Erie, Ill., a former resident of Rock Island until 10 years ago, died at 9:40 o’clock this morning in a local hospital after an operation which followed an extended illness. He was born in Rock Island on Nov. 25, 1884, and was reared and educated in this city. At various times he was employed by the Rock Island Sash and Door works and the Peoples Power Company. He was a member of the Erie Methodist church and a former member of First Methodist, Rock Island. He never married. Surviving are three brothers, A.R., C.C., and W.E. McBride, all of Rock Island, and a sister, Mrs. John Witherspoon of Blue Island, Ill. He was preceded in death four years ago by a sister, Mrs. Hannah Miller of Erie and about seven years ago by his parents, George W. and Malinda A. McBride. The body was removed to the Knox Mortuary, Rock Island.”

The obit is in error by one day of the date of birth and one year for his age., , ,

1. ↑ Birth certificate verification for “Male McBride”: birth number 83000702..
2. ↑ Illinois state document number 19425.
3.   Obituary in The Rock Island Argus, Aug. 4, 1938..