Captian Thomas Florence Sullivan

1877 - 1942  (64 years)

• Name	Thomas Florence Sullivan
  	to US — Sailor
  Relationship	with Robert Alan Roy
  Birth	26 Jul 1877	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Christening	29 Jul 1877	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador   [8]
  	Christening Record of Thomas Florence Sullivan
  Immigration	28 Sep 1894 (17 years)	Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [4]
  He arrived in Gloucester, Massachusetts from Newfoundland 28 September 1894 as a minor.
  Occupation	1895 (17 years)
  He started his career as a Newfoundland mariner in 1895. He served on many ships as Able Bodied Seaman, Second Mate, and First Mate. He then became a Captain on the George T. Hayes, a China trade ship, and the Gulf Marine ship SS Ligonier and the SS Admiral Dewey.
  Naturalization	8 May 1900 (22 years)	Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [3, 4]
  Thomas F. Sullivan was made a naturalized citizen on 8 May 1900 in Boston, Massachusetts. His address at that time was 151 Meridian Street, Boston and he worked as a seaman.
  Military	15 May 1915 (37 years)  [9]
  While serving as the Captain of the SS Gulflight on 15 May 1915, she was torpedoed without warning by a German submarine. This was the first United States ship to be so attacked. He was able to bring it to safe harbor with the loss of but three lives.
  Military	1917 (39 years)  [10]
  At sea as a captain in the Merchant Marine when the first World War broke out, Mr. Sullivan was commissioned a Lieutenant Commander and carried supplies to the troops in France.
  Draft Reg	31 Aug 1918 (41 years)	Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [5]
  He registered for the World War I Draft 31 August 1918 giving his home address as 33 Bartlett Street, Beverly, Massachusetts, his age as 41, and his employer as the Guef Refining Company.
  	World War I Draft Registration Card of Thomas F. Sullivan
  Residence	Oct 1918 (41 years)	New York City, New York, U.S.A.   [9]
  At the time of his Father's death, 18 October 1918, he lived in New York City.
  Census	1930 (52 years)	Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.   [11]
  In the 1930 US Census he was recorded, age 52, living on 7116 Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. He was listed as a stevedore in a Steampluta Company. He was a naturalized citizen.
  Military	1934 (56 years)  [9]
  As a Commander in the US Navy, he had the honor of taking the USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37), an new heavy cruiser to through its sea trials.
  	USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37)
  Census	1940 (62 years)	Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.   [12]
  In the 1940 US Census he was recorded, age 62, living on 7116 Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. He was listed as a general stevedore. He was a naturalized citizen.
  Death	20 Jun 1942	Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.   [2, 6, 10]
  He died at home, 7116 Pennsylvania Avenue, Bywood, Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania of cerebral arteriolosclerosis. [2, 10]
  	Death Certificate of Captain Thomas F. Sullivan
  Obituary	22 Jun 1942 (64 years)  [10]
  T. F. SULLIVAN DIES; STEVEDORE OFFICIAL Carried Supplies To Troops in France During" World War Thomas F. Sullivan, stevedoring executive and a retired Lieutenant Commander in the United States Naval Reserve, died Saturday at his home, 7116 Pennsylvania ave., Bywood. He was 65. At sea as a captain in the Merchant Marine when the first World War broke out, Mr. Sullivan was commissioned a Lieutenant Commander and carried supplies to the troops in France. He was retired after the war and returned to the Merchant Marine. HEADED TRIAL RUN Just before organizing his own stevedoring business here in 1933, he took the 10,000-ton cruiser. U. S. S. Tuscaloosa, out of the New York Shipbuilding Corp. yards for a trial run prior to its acceptance by the Navy. Mr. Sullivan was a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, a charter member of the Alhambra, member of the Men of Malvern and ' of the Holy Name Society of St. Laurence's Church, Highland Park. He also was a director of the Vessel Owners' and Captains' Association, and a member of the Port of Philadelphia Maritime Society. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Hon-ora Agnes Sullivan, and three sons, Edmund J., Gerard J. and Thomas F. Sullivan, Jr. Solemn Requiem Mass will be sung at 10 A. M. Wednesday in St. Laurence's Church. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery. Published by the Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 June 1942
  	Obituary of Thomas F. Sullivan
  Burial	24 Jun 1942	Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Pennsylvania   [2, 6, 10]
  Siblings	4 brothers and 5 sisters
  1. Mary Anne Joseph "Minnie" Sullivan,   b. 13 Apr 1875, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador   2. Emile Sullivan,   b. 1875 + 3. Captian Thomas Florence Sullivan,   b. 26 Jul 1877, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 20 Jun 1942, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.  (Age 64 years) ▻ Honora Agnes "Agnes" Kavanaugh,  m. 6 Aug 1905 > 4. Bridget Agnes Sullivan,   b. 7 Jul 1879, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 4 Oct 1955, Audubon, Camden County, New Jersey, U.S.A.  (Age 76 years) ▻ John Thomas Keating,  m. 31 Dec 1907   5. Ellen Gertrude Sullivan,   b. 10 Nov 1880, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 30 Nov 1880, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador  (Age 0 years)   6. Annie Isabel Sullivan,   b. 28 Oct 1882, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 8 Jan 1883, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador  (Age 0 years)   7. Rose Mary Sullivan,   b. 7 Jan 1884, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador   8. John Edmund Sullivan,   b. 10 May 1885, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 2 Aug 1885, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador  (Age 0 years)   9. Florence Leonard Augustine Sullivan,   b. 28 Aug 1887, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 19 Apr 1889, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador  (Age 1 year) > 10. John Phillip Sullivan,   b. 23 Jan 1894, Fort Townshend, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 16 Mar 1979, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada  (Age 85 years) ▻ Mary Bennett,  m. 1 Apr 1939
  Oldest Known Ancestors	Paternal Line: James Sullivan,   b. —, Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland Maternal Line: Ellen McLaughlain
  Person ID, Branch	I11032	Sullivan Line
  Last Modified	2 May 2025

  
  

  Father	John J. Sullivan, J.P., K.P.M.,   b. 7 Aug 1846, Trinity, Bonavista-Trinity Census Division, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 17 Oct 1918, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador (Age 72 years)
  Mother	Annie Ellen Donaghue,   b. 1846, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 27 Nov 1894, Fort Townshend, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador (Age 48 years)
  Family ID	F7611	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Spouse / Partner	Honora Agnes "Agnes" Kavanaugh,   b. 19 Jan 1881, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 1 Feb 1953, Darby, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (Age 72 years)
  Marriage	6 Aug 1905	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador   [1, 10, 13]
  Age at Marriage	Thomas was 28 years and 1 month old - Honora was 24 years and 7 months old. (Were Married 36 years and 10 months).
  Children	4 sons and 1 daughter
  1. John Kavanagh Sullivan,   b. 12 Feb 1908, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.A. d. 26 Jun 1926, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (Age 18 years)   2. Loretta Sullivan,   b. 14 Jul 1911, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 30 Nov 1937, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (Age 26 years) > 3. Thomas Florence Sullivan, Jr.,   b. 15 Jul 1916, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador d. 31 Mar 2000, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, U.S.A. (Age 83 years) + 4. Edmund Joseph Sullivan, Sr.,   b. 27 Jul 1921, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. d. 15 Jan 2003, Media, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (Age 81 years) > 5. Gerard John "Joe" Sullivan,   b. 14 Oct 1922, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. d. 18 Nov 1980, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A. (Age 58 years)
  Family ID	F7608	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	6 Mar 2022

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 26 Jul 1877 - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Christening - 29 Jul 1877 - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration - 28 Sep 1894 - Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Naturalization - 8 May 1900 - Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Marriage - 6 Aug 1905 - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Draft Reg - 31 Aug 1918 - Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Residence - Oct 1918 - New York City, New York, U.S.A. Census - 1930 - Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Census - 1940 - Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Death - 20 Jun 1942 - Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Burial - 24 Jun 1942 - Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos

  Sullivan Family Portrait Left to Right: John J. Sullivan; Mary Anne Sullivan; Thomas F. Sullivan; Bridget A. Sullivan; Anna (Donoghue) Sullivan

  
  

• Sources

  [S311] Sullivan, Timothy Francis. Gallegher/Sullivan Ancestry, (unknown.: manuscript, 5 May 2012). [S121] Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1972, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014), Death Certificate of Thomas F. Sullivan. [S127] U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 [Indexed in World Archives Project], (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010), Naturalization Record of Thomas F. Sullivan. [S2198] Massachusetts, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798-1950, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011), Naturalization Petition of Thomas F Sullivan. [S33] U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005), Registration Card of Thomas F. Sullivan. [S14] Find-a-Grave website, (http://findagrave.com), Memorial ID 163510528 Thomas Florence Sullivan Sr. . [S2214] Anonymous. Inspector General Newfoundland Constabulary, (unknown). [S2142] Newfoundland, Church Records, 1793-1899, (Lehi, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017), Christening Record of Thomas Florence Sullivan. [S2215] Obituary of John J. Sullivan, (St. John's, Newfoundland: Evening Telegram, 19 October 1918). [S2211] Obituary of Thomas F. Sullivan, (Philadelphia: Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 June 1942, Page 16). [S20 ] 1930 U.S. Federal Census, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002), Year: 1930; Census Place: Upper Darby, Delaware, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2033; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0152; Image: 1066.0; FHL microfilm: 2341767. [S21] 1940 U.S. Federal Census, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), Year: 1940; Census Place: Upper Darby, Delaware, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3497; Page: 62A; Enumeration District: 23-198. [S2212] Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1850-1949, (Lehi, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 201), Marriage Record of Honora Kavanagh and Thomas Sullivan.