Gertrude was the daughter of Martin F. Brown and Bridget Ann Moran of Wilkes-Barre, PA. She was the second born child of seventeen children. Growing up Gertrude was called out of school several times to help her mother care for her siblings, as a result of this she was forced by her parents to quit and only completed the forth grade, grandma always said she loved school and wished that she could have graduated H.S. She was self taught on the piano, and finished by receiving some music lessons. She also taught herself to play the harmonica. Before marriage Gertrude worked at Alanbra Theatre,on the Square in Wilkes-Barre playing piano, for vaudeville acts and for silent movies. She married William T. Cassidy at Holy Savior Church, Hillard Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA., on 2-20-1924. By 1932 they separate, Gertrude takes two of the daughters and moves to Wilkes-Barre, while William takes two sons and one daughter and continues to live in his parents home in Larksville. William and her son Tom both drown in the flood on 1935, Tom's body is never found, while Wm. is found three days later in Wapwallopen, PA. William is buried at St. Vincent DePaul Cemetery, Mountain Road, Larksville, PA.

Gertrude takes care of all of the children, moving into Pine Street, in Wilkes-Barre, when her youngest daughter is 16 she remarries Edward Conwell in 1946, and moves to Jackson Street, Wilkes-Barre. Edward dies on 10-23-1955 and is buried at St. Mary's Immaculate Conception Cemetery, St. Mary's Road, Hanover Township, PA. Gertrude worked at Wilcox & Wilcox as a custodial worker, retiring in 1969. Gert died 12-25-1979 at the age of 80 in Wilkes-Barre, and is buried next to her second husband.

Record Cited: Local Newspapers from local Library, Census, Family Journals, life experiences, Family photographs.

Researcher; Mary Emmett Langdon