Newly married at Holy Name Cathedral in 1900 and returning from their honeymoon on the east coast, James and Bezzie Renn must have felt like a team that could take on the world. James, with his older brother Patrick as partner, had a successful business as a contractor constructing sewer lines for the city of Chicago. The third oldest brother, John Francis, worked for the city  as a plumbing inspector. Bezzie had been teaching in the Chicago Public Schools, but the couple embarked quickly on producing the large family that they hoped to have.

Their first child, Mary, was born in 1901 and baptized at Holy Name Cathedral. The young couple chose a sibling from each side of the family as godparents: Mary Connelly, Bezzie’s eldest sister, and Thomas Reynolds, the brother of James’s mother.

Next was Catherine, born in 1903 and also baptized at Holy Name Cathedral. Her godparents were Sarah Connelly, Bezzie’s second eldest sister, and Patrick Renn, James’s older brother and business partner.

After the birth of their second child, James and Bezzie moved out of the Renn family residence at 227 Townsend Street into a home they bought on 1125 Herdon Street (now 3820 Lakewood). There baby James Renn was born in 1904 and baptized at St. Andrews Church, as were the rest of James and Bezzie’s children. The godparents were John F. Renn (brother of James) and Mary Donovan nee Canavan.

Note: Mary is one of only two godparents (out of 16) for whom I can’t identify a close family relation. Mary’s father, James Canavan, was born in Balla, County Mayo, in the same Irish parish as my Golden and Connelly ancestors were from, so a close relation likely existed. She eventually married Eddie Connelly, my grandmother’s brother after her second husband and Eddie’s mother (great-grandmother Catherine Connelly neé Golden) died.

Five more children were born to James and Bezzie Renn at 1125 Herndon Street: John G. in 1906, James Joseph in 1908, Agnes in 1910, Helena Frances (my mother) in 1912, and Rose in 1914. Three of the eight died in childhood. James Renn died of meningitis at age two. James Joseph died of a skull fracture at age two. And Rose died of meningitis, at age one. The large family of children that my grandmother hoped for did not come to pass and John, the one boy to survive childhood, died at age 27 of nephritis. One more sorrow was that my Aunt Agnes was born with a mental disability. She was a gentle soul watched over by her parents and siblings throughout her life.

James and Bezzie did well, though, raising five children and prospering financially through the plumbing business. They both came from immigrant families who, in the late 19th century, had little. As young adults, they moved themselves up from surviving to thriving. It is an oft repeated trope, but, truly, via hard work, education, and family bonds , they rose. The story is not that simple, though, and before I was born death, the Great Depression, and a family battle led to the loss of almost all that had been gained.

What persisted, however, was enough for the surviving children of James and Bezzie to once again rise. One could say there were enough tools and skills. Or one could say there were enough ambition and edge. One could also say there were enough love and family stick-togetherness. All would be true. My generation experienced all of it. And what are we passing on? I think we’re still working on that. Work, education, and family bonds – yes. But also trying to soften the edges – and still learning to love.