Michael John FitzGerald was one of 7 children of Richard FitzGerald and Bridget English who raised their family on the farm in Hospital, Limerick, Ireland. Times became very difficult in the south of Ireland due to the potato famine and the oppressive British government sending in the troops for militia rule, known as the "Black and Tans". His son, Joe, told of the stories his uncles and his father shared about the beatings, false imprisonment and murders from the Black & Tans which drove many people from Ireland. Most of whom fled to the United States, many of which settled in New York State. Michael was the first to emigrate from Ireland. He was followed by two of his brothers, Lawrence Joseph FitzGerald and Denis Michael FitzGerald. The 3 brothers got jobs in the shirt factory (collar cutters, etc.). Each saved their money carefully & moved on to other occupations. In Michael's case, he and Elizabeth opened the FitzGerald Grocery. . Her son, Joseph Denis Lawrence FitzGerald, told of how his mother and father were very hard workers and taught their sons to also appreciate the value of "work". They raised their sons during very difficult economic times. They saved the money they earned very carefully and opened the little FitzGerald Grocery in Troy, New York. Joe & his brother, Dick were trained to serve the customers in the store and deliver groceries to people in their homes on their bicycles after school. He married Elizabeth Helen Riley in St. Peter's Catholic Church 01 June 1918 in Troy, New York. Michael died suddenly just two days before Christmas. Probable cause: heart disease. Many years later, even into the mid-1960s, Michael's son, Joe, had a very difficult time as it came close to Christmas as he continued to mourn the loss of his dear father. We can almost "hear" the entire family laughing and talking over old times and tales as they're all together in Heaven where there is only peace, joy, happiness and no pain, sorrow nor suffering.