Irene Catherine Coogan Ellison
Birth: 12 Sep 1891, California
Death: 31 Mar 1954, San Francisco, California
Spouse: William Norbert Ellison
Birth: 7 Apr 1890, New York
Marriage: 5 Nov 1914, San Francisco, CA
Death: 3 Jun 1971, Millbrae, California
Children: Marion Norberta (1917-2005)
William Norbert, Jr (1919-2011)
Irene Catherine Coogan was born on September 12, 1891. The family often referred to her as I. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Harrison and 23rd in the Mission. Just as she began grammar school, they moved again, this time to Jersey Street. She probably went to Fairmount Middle School and Mission High. She did have four years of high school, unlike her older siblings. (There was another Irene Coogan in San Francisco at the time who graduated from the German Nursing School and lived at 86 Portola, but this was not Mary and William’s daughter Irene.) Somewhere along the way, Irene met Bill Ellison.
Death: 31 Mar 1954, San Francisco, California
Spouse: William Norbert Ellison
Birth: 7 Apr 1890, New York
Marriage: 5 Nov 1914, San Francisco, CA
Death: 3 Jun 1971, Millbrae, California
Children: Marion Norberta (1917-2005)
William Norbert, Jr (1919-2011)
Irene Catherine Coogan was born on September 12, 1891. The family often referred to her as I. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Harrison and 23rd in the Mission. Just as she began grammar school, they moved again, this time to Jersey Street. She probably went to Fairmount Middle School and Mission High. She did have four years of high school, unlike her older siblings. (There was another Irene Coogan in San Francisco at the time who graduated from the German Nursing School and lived at 86 Portola, but this was not Mary and William’s daughter Irene.) Somewhere along the way, Irene met Bill Ellison.
3William Norbert Ellison was born on April 7, 1890, in New York City. His father was
Nathan Ellieson, a tailor from Warsaw who came to America in 1875. His mother was a Jewish immigrant who had been born in London and came to New York with her parents in 1866. Her father had also been a tailor in Russia. The Ellisons came to San Francisco in 1903 and Nathan opened a tailor shop with Isadore Cohen, another Jewish tailor. Ellison & Cohen was at 927 Market Street. The family lived at 17 Madison Avenue, just off Silver Avenue in the Excelsior District. After the Earthquake and Fire, the family moved further out Mission Street (to 705 Mission Street) into what would later become Daly City. Like many young people of his generation, Bill had to work to help support the family. But he did continue his education and, in 1908, he graduated from Humboldt Evening Academic and Technical High School. He went to work at Adams and Hollopeter, as fixture store at 708 Mission Street. He was a clerk initially, but rose to shop foreman.
According to his World War I draft card, William was 5’11.5”, 175 lbs., with light complexion, brown hair, and hazel eyes. By 1914, the family was living at 43 Merritt Street off Upper Market. This was where he was when he met Irene. It is unknown for certain if William was raised Jewish and converted, but his parents remained Jewish and are buried in Eternal Home Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery in Colma. William was Catholic by 1914, because he and Irene married at St. Phillip’s Church on November 5, 1914. The witnesses were his brother Sam and her sister Isabel.
Because of all the Williams in the family, William Ellison was generally referred to as Billy. Billy and Irene stayed in Noe Valley and in St. Philip’s Parish, moving into 1294 Noe Street near 26th Street. Billy also took a foreman position at the Thomas Day Company where he would work for 25 years. In 1917, they had their first child, Marion Norberta. In 1919, in anticipation of the birth of their second child, they moved within the Parish to a larger apartment at 903 Castro Street, near 22nd Street. William, Jr., was born there, and the family would live there for the next 15 years.
Billy and Irene were in decent shape financially during the Depression. San Francisco’s economy was not hit as hard as some places because of the bridge building and other public works, and, though Billy had lost the solid job at the Thomas Day Company, he got another job as a clerk, though where is unknown. Irene worked cleaning homes in the neighborhood in order to boost her household fund. She would help her brother and sister-in-law when she could (for instance, she bought shoes for her niece Blanche whose feet had swollen while she was pregnant and who could not afford new shoes), but she hid it from her husband. Bill was known to be extremely frugal. Some might—and did—say he was cheap.
Toni Lynn remembered Irene as being tall and thin, with a regal bearing. In style, she was more like her sister Isabel than like Hazel. Sandy remembered that her closet had nice cloths and hats and gloves that she wore for special occasions, like going downtown to shop. But, day to day, she dressed more plainly. She did not have stone-martens like Hazel. Like all her sisters, though, she was a compassionate individual who helped those in need who crossed her path. She usually did this secretly, because that was how she was raised. As the Bible says, “When giving alms, do not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.”
Nathan Ellieson, a tailor from Warsaw who came to America in 1875. His mother was a Jewish immigrant who had been born in London and came to New York with her parents in 1866. Her father had also been a tailor in Russia. The Ellisons came to San Francisco in 1903 and Nathan opened a tailor shop with Isadore Cohen, another Jewish tailor. Ellison & Cohen was at 927 Market Street. The family lived at 17 Madison Avenue, just off Silver Avenue in the Excelsior District. After the Earthquake and Fire, the family moved further out Mission Street (to 705 Mission Street) into what would later become Daly City. Like many young people of his generation, Bill had to work to help support the family. But he did continue his education and, in 1908, he graduated from Humboldt Evening Academic and Technical High School. He went to work at Adams and Hollopeter, as fixture store at 708 Mission Street. He was a clerk initially, but rose to shop foreman.
According to his World War I draft card, William was 5’11.5”, 175 lbs., with light complexion, brown hair, and hazel eyes. By 1914, the family was living at 43 Merritt Street off Upper Market. This was where he was when he met Irene. It is unknown for certain if William was raised Jewish and converted, but his parents remained Jewish and are buried in Eternal Home Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery in Colma. William was Catholic by 1914, because he and Irene married at St. Phillip’s Church on November 5, 1914. The witnesses were his brother Sam and her sister Isabel.
Because of all the Williams in the family, William Ellison was generally referred to as Billy. Billy and Irene stayed in Noe Valley and in St. Philip’s Parish, moving into 1294 Noe Street near 26th Street. Billy also took a foreman position at the Thomas Day Company where he would work for 25 years. In 1917, they had their first child, Marion Norberta. In 1919, in anticipation of the birth of their second child, they moved within the Parish to a larger apartment at 903 Castro Street, near 22nd Street. William, Jr., was born there, and the family would live there for the next 15 years.
Billy and Irene were in decent shape financially during the Depression. San Francisco’s economy was not hit as hard as some places because of the bridge building and other public works, and, though Billy had lost the solid job at the Thomas Day Company, he got another job as a clerk, though where is unknown. Irene worked cleaning homes in the neighborhood in order to boost her household fund. She would help her brother and sister-in-law when she could (for instance, she bought shoes for her niece Blanche whose feet had swollen while she was pregnant and who could not afford new shoes), but she hid it from her husband. Bill was known to be extremely frugal. Some might—and did—say he was cheap.
Toni Lynn remembered Irene as being tall and thin, with a regal bearing. In style, she was more like her sister Isabel than like Hazel. Sandy remembered that her closet had nice cloths and hats and gloves that she wore for special occasions, like going downtown to shop. But, day to day, she dressed more plainly. She did not have stone-martens like Hazel. Like all her sisters, though, she was a compassionate individual who helped those in need who crossed her path. She usually did this secretly, because that was how she was raised. As the Bible says, “When giving alms, do not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.”
A few days before Christmas in 1935, an off-duty firefighter was walking by 901 Castro and saw flames. He sounded the alarm and dashed in downstairs to pull two unconscious men out. Marion and Norbert rescued Irene from her sickbed where she was incapacitated by the flu. It was during the day, and Bill was working at the time. The fire became a two-alarm blaze. Three firefighters were overcome by smoke inhalation, and the off-duty fighter actually rescued two of them as well. The fire had started in the heater of the grocery and spread up the lightwell to Irene’s flat. There was $3000-$5000 worth of damage, and the family lost almost everything, including Norbert’s new suit for graduation. The family spent the next few months living at St. Phillip’s Church, while the building was repaired.
By 1938, Billy had become an estimator and salesman for Boyd Lighting Fixture Co. This was a larger wholesale electrical fixture house on 12th Street. Occasionally, he also made lamps, some examples of which his grandson Jerry saw and appreciated. The new job provided enough financial security that the Ellisons bought the three-bedroom, one-bath house at 1953 – 20th Avenue, in St. Anne of the Sunset Parish. The 1940 Census noted that it was worth $3000. Before 1917, the Sunset was a vast, sparsely inhabited area of large sand dunes and coastal scrubland known as the "Outside Lands." Development was initiated in the 1870s and 1880s with construction of Golden Gate Park, but it did not reach a full scale until after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, when the tract homes now characteristic of the neighborhood were built. Development had increased by the 1930s, and the Sunset was built and developed into a streetcar suburb.
By 1938, Billy had become an estimator and salesman for Boyd Lighting Fixture Co. This was a larger wholesale electrical fixture house on 12th Street. Occasionally, he also made lamps, some examples of which his grandson Jerry saw and appreciated. The new job provided enough financial security that the Ellisons bought the three-bedroom, one-bath house at 1953 – 20th Avenue, in St. Anne of the Sunset Parish. The 1940 Census noted that it was worth $3000. Before 1917, the Sunset was a vast, sparsely inhabited area of large sand dunes and coastal scrubland known as the "Outside Lands." Development was initiated in the 1870s and 1880s with construction of Golden Gate Park, but it did not reach a full scale until after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, when the tract homes now characteristic of the neighborhood were built. Development had increased by the 1930s, and the Sunset was built and developed into a streetcar suburb.
In 1939, Irene became a grandmother for the first time with the birth of Marion’s daughter Sandra, the first member of the new generation. Sandy was followed by four siblings and a cousin over the next ten years. Irene would take the train down to South San Francisco most Tuesday mornings to help her daughter, but she always was back home in time to fix Billy’s dinner. Her granddaughters remembered Irene taking the bus down and walking from El Camino to Laurel Street, always with a bag of goodies for her grandchildren. The children would wait at the corner of Laurel and Anita for “Granny.” Going shopping down on Market Street with Granny was a special treat.
Sandy remembered always feeling loved and cared for by her Granny. The Scattinis came up to the Sunset for Sunday dinners, and, on special occasions, Irene laid out the table with her best linens and china. Dinner was often a leg of lamb with mint jelly. The kitchen, with its big wood-burning stove, was always warm and welcoming. It also usually smelled of fresh baked cookies. Irene did not have a washing machine and used to wash the clothes in a washtub in the basement, stirring the sheets with a big stick. They would be hung in the yard to dry among the roses and lilies that Bill had planted. The sheets always smelled of the garden.
Irene was never in great health. She had measles early in her life, and it caused recurring problems, especially with her eyesight later. But she never complained Living near Shriners’ Hospital, she saw people daily who had a harder life. She preferred to “do for others,” rather than dwell on her own, smaller problems. This was a trait and attitude she passed to her children and grandchildren.
Sometime in the early 1950s, Irene was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, treating cancer with chemotherapy was in its early stages. The effectiveness of alkylating agents had only been investigated during the War. ASccording to the National Cancer Institute website,
Paradoxically, the notion of using alkylating agents, such as mechlorethamine and busulfan, to treat cancers came about after seamen were exposed to mustard gas as a result of an explosion in the harbor of Bari, Italy, during World War II. The servicemen later developed marrow and lymphoid hypoplasia, giving researchers the idea of using nitrogen mustard analogs to treat lymphomas.
Irene’s sisters and sister-in-law stepped in to help care for her. Eda visited every day until she became ill as well. Hazel was there every night after work and on weekends. According to a letter from Hazel, she gave “her last dollar” for Irene’s treatment. Irene’s granddaughter Sandy remembered sitting by her bedside and mopping her brow.
Irene died at her home on March 31, 1954. She was 67 years old. Carew & English took care of the funeral, which was held at St. Anne Church. She is buried in Section V Row 1A at Holy Cross Cemetery. Billy must have paid extra for this plot as it is right next to the rode, and the headstone is easily visible.
Sandy remembered always feeling loved and cared for by her Granny. The Scattinis came up to the Sunset for Sunday dinners, and, on special occasions, Irene laid out the table with her best linens and china. Dinner was often a leg of lamb with mint jelly. The kitchen, with its big wood-burning stove, was always warm and welcoming. It also usually smelled of fresh baked cookies. Irene did not have a washing machine and used to wash the clothes in a washtub in the basement, stirring the sheets with a big stick. They would be hung in the yard to dry among the roses and lilies that Bill had planted. The sheets always smelled of the garden.
Irene was never in great health. She had measles early in her life, and it caused recurring problems, especially with her eyesight later. But she never complained Living near Shriners’ Hospital, she saw people daily who had a harder life. She preferred to “do for others,” rather than dwell on her own, smaller problems. This was a trait and attitude she passed to her children and grandchildren.
Sometime in the early 1950s, Irene was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, treating cancer with chemotherapy was in its early stages. The effectiveness of alkylating agents had only been investigated during the War. ASccording to the National Cancer Institute website,
Paradoxically, the notion of using alkylating agents, such as mechlorethamine and busulfan, to treat cancers came about after seamen were exposed to mustard gas as a result of an explosion in the harbor of Bari, Italy, during World War II. The servicemen later developed marrow and lymphoid hypoplasia, giving researchers the idea of using nitrogen mustard analogs to treat lymphomas.
Irene’s sisters and sister-in-law stepped in to help care for her. Eda visited every day until she became ill as well. Hazel was there every night after work and on weekends. According to a letter from Hazel, she gave “her last dollar” for Irene’s treatment. Irene’s granddaughter Sandy remembered sitting by her bedside and mopping her brow.
Irene died at her home on March 31, 1954. She was 67 years old. Carew & English took care of the funeral, which was held at St. Anne Church. She is buried in Section V Row 1A at Holy Cross Cemetery. Billy must have paid extra for this plot as it is right next to the rode, and the headstone is easily visible.
Irene died at her home on March 31, 1954. She was 67 years old. Carew & English took care of the funeral, which was held at St. Anne Church. She is buried in Section V Row 1A at Holy Cross Cemetery. Billy must have paid extra for this plot as it is right next to the rode, and the headstone is easily visible.
Shortly after Irene’s death, Billy sold the house in the Sunset and moved to an apartment near Capuchino High School in Millbrae to be near his daughter and grandchildren. His daughter–in-law Orline remembered that he took trips later in life with his sister-in-law Hazel and the YLI.
On June 3, 1971, Bill died of a brain tumor. He was 81 years old. His rosary was at the Chapel of the Highlands, and the requiem mass was at St. Dunstan’s Church in Millbrae. He is buried with Irene in Section V of Holy Cross. Like his brother-in-law Will Coogan, he had been a member of the Improved Order of the Redmen, though he left Ahwashte Tribe No 89 when he moved and joined Montezuma Tribe No 77.
Shortly after Irene’s death, Billy sold the house in the Sunset and moved to an apartment near Capuchino High School in Millbrae to be near his daughter and grandchildren. His daughter–in-law Orline remembered that he took trips later in life with his sister-in-law Hazel and the YLI.
On June 3, 1971, Bill died of a brain tumor. He was 81 years old. His rosary was at the Chapel of the Highlands, and the requiem mass was at St. Dunstan’s Church in Millbrae. He is buried with Irene in Section V of Holy Cross. Like his brother-in-law Will Coogan, he had been a member of the Improved Order of the Redmen, though he left Ahwashte Tribe No 89 when he moved and joined Montezuma Tribe No 77.
Irene was a loving, generous, and stoic individual. Billy was a hardworking, self-made man who some considered more frugal than was necessary. Because of that, her sisters would say, “Poor I. She never got to have a life.” Irene would have disagreed. She had a loving family and tremendous grandchildren, and she constantly showed them her love. As her granddaughter said, “She was one of the people who were waiting for us to be were born. Such true love you cannot forget.” No matter what anyone thought of Billy, she knew he loved her and she loved him. She was compassionate and empathic toward others, and she recognized the burdens of others as an opportunity to help them rather than pity them. Her faith supported her through difficult times, but she never considered it anything she could not handle as long as she had God and family.