Joseph Owen Tunney

Joe is my great-grandfather.

The younger picture was taken on Joe's 17th birthday, which is also the day he received his pocket watch (below).

October 24, 1884 ~ December 16, 1974

In the autumn of 1884, Chama, New Mexico welcomed it's newest citizen to its fold when Anna Brophy Tunney gave birth to her second son Joseph Owen. With his father Owen and older brother William, Joe completed this family of four. William was only fourteen months older than Joe, so the Tunney home must have been an active one.

A ranch near Chama.

Joe grew up in a rural part of the state. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Chama is seven miles south of the Colorado border. In the 2010 census, its population was just over 1,000 inhabitants. During the 1880's, it was a hub for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, which is where his father had a supervisorial position.

Catholicism played an important role in the Tunney household. Before Joe was two months old, on December 10th, 1884, he was baptized at St. Joseph's Church in the now defunct town of Park View.

Unfortunately, sadness would befall the Tunney household, when Joe's father, Owen, passed away when he was just two years old. 

Just after Owen's death, Anna and her boys left New Mexico for good and headed for Colorado City, Colorado, where she opened up the Tunney Hotel. Joe and William were raised by their mother and their grandmother, who was also called Anna (Kennedy). Including the family of four, Anna Tunney had 14 people living under her roof in 1900. Considering its size, I have the feeling that her hotel, was actually a boarding house.

Both Joe and William attended school and could read and write. While I don't know the extent of William's education, Joe attended two years of college. This was an extraordinary feat for this time period. While I could not find the statistics on this particular decade, twenty years earlier, only .01% of the population in the United States went on with their education past elementary school. Joe not only completed his primary education, he continued his studies in higher education, as well. 

While I do not know what he studied, I do know that he had a sharp mind for numbers, calculations and statistics. He used his gift to his advantage by becoming an avid gambler who liked to play cards and Keno. It was a well-known family fact that he was an outstanding player.

Professionally speaking, he stayed in the educational system after his studies were completed. I am not certain what his position was, but he worked for the Colorado Midland Superintendent's Office for many years. 

At some point between 1900 and 1910, Joe's grandmother, Anna Kennedy, passed away. Considering she helped to raise Joe, I can only imagine his sorrow during this time.

When Joe was 25 and William was 26, they were both still living at home with Anna. William worked as a salesman and Joe was unemployed for at least five months.

While I am uncertain when he met his beloved Winifred, I do know they lived in the same town. And on April 8th, 1915, Joe and Winnie were married in the Catholic Church by a priest named J.H. Brinker. His brother, William, served as his witness.

Nine months later, on January 19th, their first child was born. Baby Helen, Joe and Winnie lived with Joe's mother-in-law, Agnes, at her boarding house in Colorado City.

In September of the same year (1916), Joe took a trip to New Mexico to attend the Whelsh-Whit lightweight championship boxing match. It was the fourth day of the month, when the Santa Fe New Mexican reported that, "A blazing sun scorched the spectators and the majority of the men were in their shirt sleeves," (meaning, they wore their shirts without a jacket). Nearly 10,000 people gathered together inside the stadium to bare witness to the 20-round match. 

Just before two o'clock in the afternoon, calamity struck, when a portion of the south bleacher collapsed. It was estimated that approximately 300 people were injured ranging anywhere from bruising, to broken bones, to even a few fatalities. Of the 50 who were more seriously injured, 33 of them were named in the paper. Joe was one of those men. 

The accident was announced to the crowd, however, they didn't close down the arena. Instead, the various fights continued on as planned—and they began on time, as well. 

Regardless of the uncouth reaction by the powers that be, some kindness was found in the actions of the people who drove city ambulances, patrol wagons, and private citizen's automobiles to transport the injured to local hospitals. 

Although it certainly could have been much worse for Joe, the accident did change things for him. In one moment, when Joe was just thirty-two years old, he went from having full mobility, to having to use a cane for the rest of his life due to his injured ankle.

Within months of the incident, Joe must have recovered enough to make his next move for his family, because in early 1917, the Tunneys made their way to the west coast to live in California. This time they called San Francisco home, and they lived at 1281 Geary Street (at Gough). 

He was employed at the Fred Buttian Tire Company at 1414 Van Ness Avenue as a bookkeeper. Once again, he put his skill with numbers to good use. 

The United States entered into World War I in 1917. On September 12th, 1918, Joe registered for the draft. He was 34 at the time. Germany surrendered in November of that year, so Joe never had to pick up arms and fight. Not to mention the fact that he must have been denied entry due to his injury. His registration card stated that he had medium height and build, with blue eyes and brown hair (which would later turn grey).

At some point within the next two years, Joe, Winnie and Helen headed back to Colorado to live with Winnie's mother once more. 

While still in Colorado, my grandfather, John Joseph, more commonly known as Jack, was born on June 3rd, 1920. While earlier in the year, the Tunneys were living with Agnes, by the time Jack was born, they moved 8 blocks away to 1701 West Colorado Avenue in Colorado Springs. 

The Tunneys wouldn't stay in Colorado for long. It seemed that California was calling them back to her. By 1925, the now family of four packed up their bags and headed for Los Angeles. They lived at 130 W. 46th Street and Joe was a "Restaurant Keeper." Analogous to an innkeeper, a restaurant keeper is someone who runs a restaurant. He listed his profession on the birth certificate of their third and youngest bundle of joy on July 12th, 1925, when James "Jim" Owen was born. 

Joe's mother, Anna, and his brother, William, moved to Los Angeles on or around the same time that Joe and his family did. William would stay until his death in 1936 and Anna would stay until the last couple of years of her life.

Contemporary image of their Park Blvd. home.

Anna and William may have called Los Angeles home, but Joe and Winnie and their brood of three, decided to make a change. They headed north to the Bay Area and Oakland became their newly adopted home. Initially, they lived at 2682 Fruitvale Avenue, then at 3144 27th Street, but between 1930 and 1933, they found their permanent residence at 3943 Park Blvd. 

This Craftsman style beauty was originally built in 1912. It had a lot of charming details reminiscent of the era: stained glass windows, wainscoting, a fireplace with original built-ins, a recessed ceiling, and hardwood flooring. Plus, it had a basement, which is not a common feature for a California home. While I don't know what they paid for it, I do know that in 1940, it had an estimated value of $3,500. 

Joe had many jobs in his lifetime. He meandered in and out of various sales positions over the years. He owned Sim's Delicatessen in the 1930's. He was also a baker. And around 1939, he accepted a position as a timekeeper for Southern Pacific Railroad. He worked 48 hours a week and earned $1,555 per year in 1940 from this source of income. 

A timekeeper had an important role with the railway companies, for he would have been in charge of maintaining "Railway Standard Time". Basically, that meant that all the trains around the country were on their own time, outside of local time. As a timekeeper, Joe would have used a telegraph to various trains and stations around the country to make certain that everyone was in sync with one another. The reason for this, is because local times were often askew by a minute or more. This differential could cause the train to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, which meant accidents were more likely to happen. So, the companies developed Railway Standard Time as a preventative measure. It seems this position would have been somewhat similar to today's air traffic controllers. 

Work was important to Joe, but so was his family. A few years before her death, Joe's mother, Anna, moved from Los Angeles into their home. She passed away in 1944. Although one of her obituaries was written in the Oakland Tribune, her funerary services were held in Los Angeles.

On December 7th, 1941, the United Stated entered into World War II. Once again, Joe registered for the draft, this time under what was nicknamed "the old man's draft card." On this document, he was listed as being 5 feet, 8 inches tall. He weighed 155 pounds. He had blue eyes, fair skin, grey hair, and he had a scar on his right hand between his index and second finger. The war ended in 1945 and unlike his sons, Joe never served in the military.

To say that Joe had a sweet tooth would have been an understatement. He was keen on chocolate and McFarland's Candy was his favorite. He looked forward to receiving his annual present from his grandchildren every year at Christmas.

Joe also smoked a pipe. Rich-smelling tobacco wafted through the Tunney household. I have learned that pipe smokers are not usually addicted to nicotine. They smoke for the pleasure of it and because of that the tobacco in a pipe has a higher grade than in a cigarette, hence the wonderful aroma. 

Not only did Joe enjoy smoking, he also collected pipes. He had dozens of pipes, possibly upwards of over 100. He enjoyed receiving various pipes for gifts and his family often obliged him with one or another to add to his ever growing collection.

Along with his guilty pleasures, both Joe and Winnie were active in their civic duty. Throughout their long lives they maintained their voter registrations, and presumably voted in each election. They were both registered Democrats.

Joe and Winnie (aka Nana).

After diving into the arena of my family tree, it has become quite obvious to me which couples were happy together and which ones were not. In every photo I have seen with Joe and Nana together, they always wore a smile on their face.

To celebrate their love for one another, Joe put together a lovely 50th Wedding Anniversary Party for them in 1965. It was held at the Lake Merritt Hotel (later renamed The Terrace Room) in Oakland. Family and friends were invited. It was a spectacular party with dinner and dancing and a view of the lake that was nothing short of extraordinary. They had a good life together.

Unfortunately, in the last years of her life, Winnie succumbed to dementia. She passed away on June 5th, 1971. 

After her passing, Joe began to deteriorate. His daughter-in-law, Bette, discovered him one day and realized he could no longer take care of himself. Initially, he lived with Jack and Bette and then he lived in a convalescent home. He passed away on December 16, 1974. He was 90 years old.

Just prior to his death, the extended family gathered for a huge 90th birthday celebration. It seemed to me that there were upwards of 100 guests there, although that number may be skewed from my childhood perspective. Regardless of the actual amount, there were many generations of Joe's family with him. I remember him smiling as his family celebrated his well-lived life.

Joe is buried with Winifred at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, California in Section J, Row 46, Grave #42.

Stories about Joe's Gambling:

From Susie:

"He was an expert at playing "Keno" & made many trips to Reno to play via the train. The one story I remember in particular is that Joe often went by himself, but sometimes he took Nana with him. One of the times he took her, he won quite a of of money & he had Nana hide the money in the top part of her dress (I am assuming in her bra). We always worried that they would be mugged or something as they were old, fragile & could easily be overcome by muggers, but they always returned home with their money & themselves intact. (I believe that the largest amount he made was around 10K, but I can't positively verify that amount)."

From Me (Lisa):

I was only eight years old when he passed, so everything I know about his gambling were stories I heard over the years from various family members.

It is my understanding that he could count cards and was an extraordinary card player. There was one story about him I will not forget. Apparently, there was an occasion when he went on one of his trips, but this time, he had an unusual losing streak over the weekend. Before he left on the train, he popped a coin into the slot machine and he won $500.00. For the average Joe, that would have been an extraordinary sum, but for our Joe, he was angry because that was "all" he won. He was so accustomed to winning big, that $500.00 was mere peanuts in his view.

I also heard stories how he won over a million dollars on more than one occasion but would lose it through either gambling or unsuccessful business ventures. One million dollars would have been about fourteen million in today's world and Joe and Winnie never had a wealthy lifestyle. I feel strongly that this was just part of a family legend that grew in each of its retelling. Susie's story about his $10,000 winnings seems more plausible, and in all likelihood, closer to the truth.

Susie's Cookie Jar.

Our Memories of Joe: 

From Kim:

"Grandfather Joe used to make his own birthday cards. Whatever age one of us was, he would tape that amount of coins to the card. This also included a cute rhyme or poem that he wrote. I don't know what happened to mine, but I wish I still had even one of them."

From Susie: 

"Joe and I had a special relationship. When I got married in 1969, Joe, on his own, hopped on a bus. He could no longer drive and he didn't ask my Mom to drive him. He went to downtown Oakland to Capwell's Department Store and bought us a cookie jar. He would have been 75 and I try to imagine him doing all of this on his own—walking to the bus stop and then walking to Capwell's and carrying this cookie jar which is pretty heavy, all the way back home. 

"What makes this story more poignant is that Joe was badly injured. I'm not sure of the details, but his ankle was badly broken—actually, it was more than that. It was literally crushed, and his ankle was never the same after that. They didn't repair it properly and it remained hugely swollen. He suffered with arthritis in that ankle and he was in constant pain although you would never know it. Joe walked with a cane because of it and he would often use the cane to literally strike his ankle with it. I think the pain from hitting his ankle was better than the actual pain itself. So, the fact that he made this huge trip on his own to purchase the cookie jar, is quite precious to me.

"This cookie jar has traveled to Texas, Panama, Georgia, and back to California, where it has moved several times in Alameda. If this jar broke, I would be more upset than if all my China was destroyed."

"I also remember when the Jim Tunney children, the Davidson children, and I think the Jack Tunney children may have been visiting from Virginia, as well, were all gathered at Nana & Joe's. One of the children's games we played was called "Kitty In The Corner". This game was played on their front lawn & we had at least six kids playing. Four kids each had a corner & the other kids would be in the middle of the lawn. Someone would call out "kitty in the corner" & we would all race around trying to stay in a corner spot. It seems so silly now, but at the time we stayed out of the adults hair & had a really great time." 

From Me (Lisa):

* I remember Joe as a kind man. I remember his old hands reaching out to us kids, either to comfort us, or to simply bring us closer to him. He loved his family.

* I remember Old Joe pulling out his time piece from a hidden pocket in his shirt or jacket so that he could glimpse the time before leaving his home for the afternoon. As a three year old, I had never seen anything like it, and it captured my attention immediately. Joe showed me his watch, so I could have a better view and he and the watch made me smile. 

Later, I remember that same time piece resting on a stand made especially for it, at Jack and Bette's various homes through the years. It was always there and I always noticed it. This small shimmering object captivated me from the beginning. However, when Bette showed me its inscription more than two decades ago, the words held little meaning for me.

However, after over a half century of knowing about this watch, I recently opened it up and read its inscription for a second time. While the words engraved on the timepiece didn't mean much to me before, now I hold them dear. 

It was a gift from his mother. That much is clear from the text. But when I was in my thirties, who his mother was remained a mystery to me. Back then my eyes just brushed over the words with little interest. But now I see his mother as a living breathing three-dimensional person. She was Anna Brophy Tunney. She was a mother and my 2nd great-grandmother—and I know her story. 

Moreover, while I could see the date written on the watch the first time I read it, I didn't know its significance when Bette showed it to me all those years ago. But now I know that Anna had given it to Joe on his 17th birthday. As I picked it up this time, knowing what I know now, I could literally feel the history behind this watch. I could sense the multi-generations who have touched it—and it was all the more special to me. It is a gift that has transcended time by remaining in our family after all these years. 

Joe comforting a teary great-granddaughter (me) on the left. 
Joe reaching for his great-grandson Joe (right image).

* I remember their Park Blvd home being dark, with a lot of wood features. I remember a pipe and a magnifying glass. In my research, I came across an image of what was once Joe and Winnie's front room. It is owned by different people now and the home has been lightened up with lighter colored paint and is clearly staged for selling, but I include the image below, because of all the architectural details. I remember all the wood in the house, The stairwell, the wainscotting, the trim and the fireplace, so I include this image to get a sense of how their home looked. Although Joe and Winnie used the front room as their dining space, it's interesting to see the structure of the building.

A contemporary view of Joe & Winnie's front room

If you would like to share a personal story about Joe, please send it to me via email and I will add it here.

Supposition:
* Jack and Bette met when they were 12 and 13. If they met the same year Jack moved to the neighborhood, then the Tunneys would have moved to Park Blivd. in 1933. 

* Jack always told me that his family felt the economic pangs of the Great Depression. It is possible that is why Joe changed positions often. Salespeople in particular would have had a difficult time selling their wares during this time frame.

* I am curious why Joe, Winnie and Helen moved from San Francisco back in with his mother-in-law in Colorado, just to turn around and head back to California. The Great Depression hadn't hit at this point, so people weren't out of work en masse like they would be in a few years time. It's possible he lost his job or maybe he lost a great deal of money gambling. It's also possible they moved back to help with ageing Agnes, however, she was active in the community until she died. So, that hypothesis doesn't feel right. I don't have any records claiming the reason. Of course, we will likely never know, but I do think of the possibilities out there.

* I have seven different documents that state that Joe was born born on October 24th, 1884, including his Christening log, his death index and grave marker, as well as the watch given to him from his mother. However, there are two records, including his social security application in 1937 and the "Old Man's Draft Registration Card" that state that his birthday is listed as January 19th, 1892 and on the latter, it says he was 50 years old. Initially, I thought the documents with the wrong birth date might be for a different Joe Tunney, but after further review, I knew they were for our Joe, because of the matching addresses and matching family members listed on all the documents. Plus, he died in 1974 and he definitely had a 90th birthday party, which means he had to be be born in 1884 or before. Moreover, I have been told by Susie that she had some records from 1881 or 1882. 

So, while I am certain he was born on October 24th, 1884, I am uncertain why there are records that have erroneous birth dates. Was he trying to be younger than he was so he could serve in the military? He was injured, so that doesn't make any sense. Did he simply want the world to think he was younger than he actually was? Most men aren't that vain and why change the month and day? It's also possible that the person writing the record was not him and they may have transposed the wrong information. Of course, he was literate, having two years of college, so I am not sure if that is the case either. It's a bit of a mystery that may never be solved. 

* It seems to me that Joe and Nana were quite a happy couple. It would stand to reason that their children all learned about having successful marriages from their parents.

The Meaning of His Names:

Personal Name Meaning: Joseph ~ From Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek Ιωσηφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add", from the root יָסַף(yasaf). In the Old Testament Joseph is the eleventh son of Jacob and the first with his wife Rachel. Because he was the favourite of his father, his older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became an advisor to the pharaoh, and was eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. This name also occurs in the New Testament, belonging to Saint Joseph the husband of Mary, and to Joseph of Arimathea.

In the Middle Ages, Joseph was a common Jewish name, being less frequent among Christians. In the late Middle Ages Saint Joseph became more highly revered, and the name became popular in Spain and Italy. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation. This name was borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Portugal. Other notable bearers include Polish-British author Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) and the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin (1878-1953).


Surname Meaning: Tunney ~ Irish (now rare): reduced form of O'Tunney, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Tonnaigh 'descendant of Tonnach', a personal name meaning either by the sea or by the wetlands.

* Susie was kind enough to fill me in on a lot of details that were not in the records, including: the 50th anniversary party, the chocolate, the pipe collection, not to mention the personal stories. THANK YOU, SUSIE!
* Chama information regarding the railroad from Genealogy Trails.
* Additional Chama information from Wikipedia.
* Railroad Timekeeper Information.