May 20, ‘Obituary for Owen Gallagher’

May 20, 2014 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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The 84th Precinct Community Council is holding a meeting in Downtown Brooklyn at 7 p.m. There will be a special presentation on domestic violence, a vision zero follow-up report which will discuss issues such as slow zones and truck enforcement, and a crime report. Transportation to and from the meeting is provided by the NYPD. Call Community Affairs at 718-875-6850. … The Cobble Hill Association’s spring reception and general meeting is today at 7 p.m. (reception) and 7:30 p.m. (meeting) at the Kane Street Synagogue. NYC Comissioner of Transportation Polly Trottenberg will be the keynote speaker. The event will serve to welcome new officers and recognize volunteers, present the Cobble Hill Hero Awards and elect Cobble Hill Association officers. … Community Bookstore and 826NYC are holding a reading and discussion with writers Brian McGreevy and Philipp Meyer behind the secret door of the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. at 6 p.m. Maureen O’Connor will moderate the conversation. … The first ladies of Brooklyn (councilmember Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.’s wife Michelle, DA Thompson’s wife LuShawn Thompson and others) are hosting a First Food Festival for expectant mothers at 11 a.m. today at Restoration Plaza. The event will feature vendors, games, breastfeeding experts and giveaways. The festival is sponsored by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Breastfeeding Empowerment Zone and Worksite for Wellness.

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Notable people born on this day include soccer player Iker Casillas, who turns 33; “Moonstruck” actress and singer Cher, who was born Cherilyn Sarkisian, and turns 68; U.S. Senator Michael Crapo; “The Good Wife” actor Matt Czuchry,who turns 33; cyclist Chris Froome, who turns 29; “Scandal” actor Tony Goldwyn, who turns 54; “Damages” actor Timothy Olyphant, who turns 46; and “Cool Hand Luke” actor Anthony Zerbe, who turns 78.

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It is the anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s Atlantic crossing of 1932. Leaving Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, Canada, at 7 p.m. Amelia Earhart landed near Londonderry, Ireland. The 2,026 flight took 13 hours and 30 minutes. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

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It is a national holiday in Cameroon today, commemorating the adoption of the constitution in 1972.

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It is the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea I. It was the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church, called by Constantine I, first Christian emperor of Roman Empire. Nearly 300 bishops are said to have attended this first of 21 ecumenical councils which was held at Nicaea in Asia Minor (today’s Turkey). The council condemned Arianism (which denied the divinity of Christ), formulated the Nicene Creed and fixed the day of Easter—always on a Sunday.

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It is the anniversary of the Lindbergh Flight, in 1927. Captain Charles Augustus Lindbergh, a 25-year-old aviator, departed from rainy, muddy Roosevelt Field in Long Island alone at 7:52 a.m. in a Ryan monoplane named Spirit of St. Louis. He landed at Le Bourget airfield in Paris at 10:24 p.m. Parisian time, on May 21, winning a $25,000 prize offered by Raymond Orteig for the first nonstop flight between New York City and Paris. The “flying fool” as he had been dubbed by some doubters became “Lucky Lindy,” an instant world hero.

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On this day in 1895, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle printed an obituary for Owen Gallagher, who had “died at his home, 168 North Sixth [S]treet,” a day earlier. “He was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, 70 years ago, and settled in Williamsburgh when he was 20 years old,” the paper reported. “He established an undertaker’s business at what is now known as 201 Bedford [A]venue in 1845 and continued business there until he died. In his younger days he was known for his public spiritedness and took an active part in politics, although he never would hold public office. It was largely through his influence that the late Francis Nolan, who was a charities commissioner, became prominent in politics. Mr. Gallagher had but one coach and one team of horses when he started. His business grew rapidly and when he died he had personally conducted more than 25,000 funerals and had made more than 25,000 internments in Calvary Cemetary. He leaves an estate valued at $500,000. Mr. Gallagher was one of the founders of Sts. Peter and Paul’s church, he having settled in the village of Williamsburgh shortly before the Rev. Sylvester Malone went here to establish the first Roman Catholic church.”

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