Mary Agatha McCarthy graduated in 1904 in the FIRST CLASS of the St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing.
She was born at Houtzdale, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania on October 20, 1980 to Daniel P. McCarthy and Ellen Fitzgerald, both born in Ireland.
At the time of the 1910 census, Mary, 29, was residing with her family at Irving Place, Pittsburgh. Mrs. Ellen McCarthy had given birth to 10 children, 9 of whom were living. Mary was employed as a hospital nurse. Her sister, Nell, was a nurse, as well. Also living there was Nurse Mary Schenk, another graduate of the first class at the St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing.
The Pittsburgh City Directory of 1912 lists Mary McCarthy as a nurse, residing at 201 Lehigh Ave. Her siblings, James P., Daniel, Anna, Ellen/Nell, Catherine, and Nurse Mary Schenk, were also at that address.
Three of Mary's sisters also became nurses: Ellen (Nell), Catherine and Anna.
At age 36, Mary Agatha McCarthy married Francis Patrick Graham in Pittsburgh on July 27, 1916.
The father, Daniel, died February 5, 1920. His obituary states he was survived by three sons, James, Charles and Daniel, and by six daughters, Mrs. F. P. Graham [Mary], Sharpsburg, Mrs. H. J. Ries [Nora], Bellevue, Catherine, Nell, Frances [later Speicher] and Anna.
Mary Agatha McCarthy Graham died October 24, 1924, and she is buried at Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Clarion, Clarion County, Pa. Following her death, an excellent obituary was published in the Clarion Democrat newspaper:
GRAHAM, Mary Agatha McCarthy - Clarion Democrat, October 30, 1924 -- In the case of the serious sickness of Mrs. Francis P. Graham, of Clarion, a spirit of hopefulness prevailed among her many friends and neighbors that she might ultimately be restored to health, and when she went to the hospital at Clearfield that hope was strengthened. But all did not know how serious her case was and that for several years she had been a patient sufferer from internal disease that proved to be deep-rooted. An operation after she entered the hospital seemed to give promise of good results, but feeble vitality could not regain strength to overcome and the patient, weary sufferer yielded and she slept quietly into the rearm beyond on Saturday, October 25, 1924. Mary Agatha McCarthy was born October 20, 1880, at Houtzdale, Clearfield County, Pa., the daughter of Daniel A. and Ellen McCarthy, her mother still surviving. The family removed to and made their home in Pittsburgh while the deceased was quite young. When she reached womanhood's estate she became a trained nurse, graduating from St. Francis Hospital. It was in 1910 while she was the nurse in charge of Mrs. Catherine Graham, mother of her husband, Francis P. Graham, that she became acquainted with him. This acquaintance ripened into love and they were married at Pittsburgh on July 27, 1916, in St. Lawrence Church. They established their home at Phillipsburg, Pa., where they lived about four years, removing to Pittsburgh. About a year ago they established their residence at the corner of South St. and Sixth Avenue where they have since lived. Mrs. Graham is survived by her husband and one little son, Patrick Joseph, aged six, and by her mother and five sisters, Miss Ann, Ellen and Frances McCarthy, Mrs. B. A. Foley and Mrs. H. W. Ries and by three brothers, Charles, Daniel and James McCarthy, all of Pittsburgh. Mrs. Graham's life was a beautiful and useful one. Truly Christian in character and in all of its contact with life. She was a devoted wife and loving mother, and one of the choicest of friends. She was a noble, charming dispositioned woman and made friends of all whom she met. The body of Mrs. Graham was brought to Clarion last Saturday evening and taken to her late home where many called to pay their tributes of respect. The funeral services were held at the Immaculate Conception Church on Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock, being conducted by her pastor. Rev. Fr. A. A. Fischer, who celebrated Requiem High Mass, and interment was made in Clarion Catholic cemetery with Jno. A. Ditz, Geo. A. Ditz, Frank X. Frederick, Thos. P. Howard and Wm. J. O'Brien and E. H. Banner as pall bearers. Among those from a distance who attended the obsequies were the following: Charles McCarthy, Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel McCarthy, Francis McCarthy. Mr. and Mrs. James McCarthy, Misses Anna and Nell McCarthy, Mrs. Ries, Mrs. Foley, Mrs. McNulty, Mr. and Mrs. James O'Brien, John Stubler, and John N. Coleman, of Pittsburgh; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wiest, Miss Mary Wiest, Mr. and Mrs. Courson, Mrs. Marcus and Miss Gintling, Phillipsburg; Mr. and Mrs. McCann, Osceola Mills; Mrs. Jos. Graham and Miss Mitchell, Warren; Mrs. Frank Ditz and Charles Ditz, of DuBois; Joseph Bower Sr. and Joseph Bower, Jr., Misses Carrie and Bird Bower, Miss Elizabeth Albaugh, John M. Breene, Mr. and Mrs. George Stubler, Alfred Stubler, Mrs. Charles Summers, Matthew Malerich, Mrs. James Reidy, Mrs. Thomas Moran, Martin Reidy and Jack Cafferty, of Oil City; Mr. and Mrs. Killian Beichner. Mrs. Anna Seigel, Miss Francis Ditz, Michael Ditz, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hook. M. W. Faller, of Fryburg; Mrs. Mault and Mrs. Gribben, of Franklin; Thomas Richards and Miss Veronica Richards, of Emlenton, and Mr. and Mrs. Abel Sterck, of Brookville.
The mother, Ellen Fitzgerald died April 3, 1930.
Daniel, Jr. died January 9, 1961. Ellen "Nell" died January 12, 1963. Katherine C., married name Foley, died May 3, 1961. They are buried at Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh. James P. died of pulmonary tuberculosis December 13, 1937; buried at St. Marys. Nora, wife of Harry Ries, died November 9, 1936; buried at North Side Catholic Cemetery.
Compiled by Linda Cunningham Fluharty, 2016.
