Rooney Family Tree

In 1906 there was a smallpox epidemic in Kensington, and James sent Jennie and Lois by train to his parents where LeRoy was born. He and his sister Lois were then baptized in the St. Anthony of Padua church before they all returned to Kensington. Tom and Margaret Martin were LeRoy's sponsors.

LeRoy continued to work with the Soo Line Railroad after he graduated from high school, first in Eden Valley, then in Minot, North Dakota and River Falls, Wisconsin.

LeRoy MARTIN

From the Eden Valley, Meeker County "MINNESOTA JOURNAL," March 5, 1931. Front page center

Large Attendance at LeRoy Martin Funeral Yesterday

POSTAL CLERK WHO SUCCUMBED IN MINNEAPOLIS BROUGHT HERE FOR BURIAL BRINGS SHADOW OF SADNESS OVER VILLAGE.

The death of LeRoy Martin occurred at Minneapolis, at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, February 28th. Circumstantial motives surrounding the unfortunate case remain cloaked in mystery.
Deceased was home in Brooten, October 29, 1906. He was a graduate of Kensington grade school and graduated from the Eden Valley high school on June 1, 1923. In 1926 he attended the University of Minnesota. He was united in marriage to Miss Salome Rothstein at St. Paul Cathedral in the year 1926, and to this happy union three children were born, Richard, Joan, and Patrick, who survive him, together with his wife, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Martin, three sisters, Lois, Mrs. Thos. Tintes, and Gervaise, and one brother, Elmo, of this village.

Funeral services were held from St. Peter's Church in this village on Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, the Rev. H. G. McCall officiating at the requiem Mass, and interment in the parish cemetery. Active pall bearers were six of his co-workers from the postal department: AI Dargay, Albin Stenquist, Louis Blick, Clifford Carlson, Alvin Peiffer and Harold Lucking.
A very large crowd attended the funeral.
LeRoy was formerly employed in the Eden Valley Journal printer.
It is with a heavy heart that we publish this of the sad fate to the memory of one who was taken away in the prime of life. His death has brought the bitter cup of sorrow to the lips of surviving relatives and friends and to the broken hearted family, who sit in sorrow where his footsteps shall never again find echo, we extend our deepest heartfelt sympathy.
Besides the pallbearers other co-workers from the Minneapolis post of fice in attendance at the funeral were: Arthur Rudquist, Phil King, Arnold Chielik, Roy Westling, Matt Hanington, Anthony Schaeffer, S. Swanson, Lyle Martin.
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Martin, and Geo. Toomey of St. Paul; Mrs. J. Gaffney , son Jas., and daughter Mildred of Glenwood; Mrs. Will Martin, and Richard Martin of Sedan; Dr. and Mrs. J. A. Roy of Red Lake Falls; Mr. and Mrs. Leo Brandley, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Eckerson, Mrs. G. Brandt, Donald, Jack and Helen Brandley, all of St. Cloud.

CARD of THANKS
May we take this means of expressing our sincere gratitude to the many friends who have proffered their sympathy in our bereavement. We thank them also for the beautiful floral tributes and spiritual bouquets.
Mrs. LeRoy Martin and family, Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Martin & family, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tintes.

Pete Tintes's recollections: This death needs to be explored more fully. He was shot by the police but why has remained a mystery. A rumor said he was going to rob a station where people paid rent or something. The other side says he was dropping off rent when the police showed up and he wanted to get away from there and ran. We will never know but that was the time of the trigger happy police trying to enforce prohibition and the early stages of the depression results. He had a job in the Post Office so was far better off than most people at the time.
Growing up I knew a bit about the family since LeRoy's wife Salome and her second husband Ed Ficker were my god-parents. I do not recall ever meeting either of them since by the time I can recall anything they had moved to California where Salome died and Ed remarried again.
Given the times the manner of his death was never spoken about in our family. That was one of those family secrets. I was in the Major Seminary; home for mid-year vacation and starting to work on genealogy when Dad told me about it so I started looking at the journals.

Further note: Ambrose Gaffaney told David Gaffaney that LeRoy was shot while robbing a bank.