THOMAS A. SHARKEY #33 52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS

 

Thomas A. Sharkey was a cousin of my Grandmother Isabel Tierney Moore.  He was born February 16, 1891 in Brooklyn, New York to Patrick Joseph and Alice (Delaney) Sharkey.  Thomas had a sister Alice who was born in 1889, brother Frank born in 1892 and Joseph born in 1896.

 

 

Thomas A. Sharkey Birth Certificate

 

The following is a excerpt from an 2013 blog on finding and research the Sharkey family.   

 

“During my researching of my family's genealogy, I have always been on the look out for a priest in the Tierney/Delaney branch of the family.  I remember my grandmother, Isabel Tierney Moore mentioning a priest but I never asked his name.  I found this priest, Thomas A. Sharkey in the 1900 through 1940 census records.  I am very surprised we never met him or that he wasn't asked to be at any of our family gatherings.  It was probably because my mother died early. A lot of family gatherings just didn't include her side of the family.

In researching the census records I found that Joseph Sharkey (also known as Patrick) married Alice Delaney, the sister of my great grandmother, Margaret Delaney Tierney.”

 

Thomas Sharkey was ordained a priest on May 29, 1915 when he was 24 years old, in Brooklyn, NY.  He had attended St. John University and graduated in June of 1911. In September 1926 he was appointed by then Bishop Molloy to head up the new seminary in Huntington, Long Island New York.  It was called The Institute of Philosophy at that time and was eventually named the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception.  When the seminary opened they had 25 students.  My husband and I have driven passed this seminary many times and never knew he had been there. After leaving the seminary he was pastor at several Brooklyn parish churches, St. Martin of Tours, St. Theresa’s and St. Saviours’.

 

He was also on the Board of the Little Flower Orphanage in Wading River, LI, New York.

 

 

Thomas Sharkey registered for the draft in the first and second world wars but was never called to service.

 

 

WW 1 Draft Registration for Thomas A. Sharkey

 

 

 

WW 11 Draft Registration for Thomas A. Sharkey

 

 

Monsignor Thomas A. Sharkey died January 26, 1965 the following is his obituary from the New York Times dated January 29, 1965 page 29.

 

Msgr. Thomas Sharkey, pastor of St. Saviour’s Roman Catholic Church, 8^th Avenue and 6^th Street, Brooklyn died Tuesday at the church rectory.  He was 73 years old.

 

Msgr. Sharkey who was ordained on May 29, 1915 had been at the church as pastor since 1954 having served previously at St. Theresa and St. Martin of Tours churches in Brooklyn.

 

He also served as the first rector of the Immaculate Conception Seminary, Rosemary Park, Huntington, Long Island.  He leaves a brother Frank.