Joseph F Cody 1870-1927

Joseph "Joe" F Cody, Jr. was born on the 14th of November in 1870 in Peoria, Illinois. He was the son of Irish immigrants, Joseph and Mary Ann Lamb Cody. His parents had married in Peoria in 1863. Joe was the fourth of ten children. It appears as if two of the oldest children died very young as they are only listed in the 1870 census for the family. 

 Little is known of Joe's younger years. In the 1880 Peoria, Peoria County Census it showed that Joe was nine years old and attending school. 

 

 The earliest that I have found Joe working for his father as a boilermaker was in 1887 when he was seventeen years old. The family was listed in the Peoria Illinois 1888 Census, living at 815 First St. Listed were Joe's parents Joseph and Mary Cody with children Joseph, Jr., age 17, Edward, age 15, Mary, age 14, Roseanna, age 11, Margaret, age 7, and Francis, age 5. This is all the information that this census gives.

Joe Cody, Jr's father died in 1892. The same year, in the Peoria City Directory Cody and Sons was listed at 1014 S. Washington; Joe Sr's home was at 815 First. Listed as living there were: Edward M Cody, Miss Mary Cody, Mrs. Mary Cody (wid. of Joseph), Miss Rose C Cody (bookkeeper at Cody and Sons), and Joseph F Cody. 

On the 22 of January in 1896, Joe Cody married Alice Murphy, daughter of William Murphy (my gg-grandfather) in Peoria, Illinois. Witnesses to the marriage were Dennis O'Connell and Alice Smith (a cousin of Alice Murphy's). And in November of 1896, Joe and Alice had their first child, Ethel Marie Cody. She was baptized at St. Patrick's Church in Peoria. Her godparents were Patrick Murphy (Alice's brother) and Rose Cody (Joe's sister).

 The following year (1897) Joe was in Chicago at the annual convention of Knights of St. John where he was elected to the office of supreme trustees. From Wikipedia: "Today’s Catholic fraternal order of the Knights of St. John was officially incorporated May 6, 1886, though its roots run older, amongst a spectrum of Catholic knightly orders of the late 19th century. Its most valued traditions have held constant ever since: inward traditions of loyalty, fidelity, Faith, and honor, and outward traditions like its uniforms and insignia." In 1899, Joe was listed as employed as a boilermaker at Jos. Cody & Sons; He and Alice and daughter were now living at 1018 First St. in Peoria. 

 In the 1900 Peoria Census Joe and Alice were listed as living at 1018 First St. They lived there with their daughter Ethel, and Alice's two youngest brothers: Emmett, age 21, and Edward, age 19. Both of the brothers worked as clerks for the Board of Trade (Edward was my great-grandfather). Joe was listed as a Boiler Manufacturer. In 1901, Joe and Alice's first son was born. Sadly, he died in infancy. It appears that Joe and Alice had twins in 1903, a son was born named Robert, and a daughter was stillborn at birth on the 28th of November 1903.  At this time, the family had moved to a home at 1029 Moss Avenue in Peoria.

 

In 1904 Joe Cody was awarded the contract for a bridge across the Illinois River in Peoria. The price was $225,000. At this point in time, Joe was considered wealthy. His business was flourishing and he wanted to branch out. Before construction ever began there were concerns. No other bids had been considered, and Joe had never done any construction work like this. The work began in 1906 and took about 3 years. The words that Joe gave in a newspaper interview would haunt everyone- when asked if the bridge would stand Joe quipped "It will stand at least until the city pays me." A week later, a city engineer looked over the bridge and declared it consisted of "rotten cement" and "old steel". The bridge collapsed into the river on April 30th, 1909.  And in bad timing for Joe, he had just cashed the last check from the city a few days before, so his words were true (sadly for him). 

1905 brought the birth of Joe's second daughter Mary A Cody. She was baptized at St. Mark's Church in Peoria. Her godparents were Mr. and Mrs. Ed Cody (Joe's brother and wife).  Joe and Alice's son Robert died in 1905 when he was two years old. A daughter, Mary A. Cody was born in February of 1905, and in 1907, their last child, Elizabeth C. was born. 1907 was when the family moved into the new home that Joe had built for them at 751 Moss Avenue (now at 1635 Moss). I was only in the home once, in 1981, after Mary Cody (Joe's daughter) died. She and her sister Ethel had lived in the home with their spouses until Mary died. The home was absolutely stunning!

 The 1910 Peoria Census showed Joe and Alice living at their home on Moss with their 3 daughters and Alice's brother Robert Emmett, age 30, listed at the Board of Trade as a Grain Dealer. And there was a servant, Orlo Sullivan, age 22. Joe was listed as a Dealer in Boilermakers. In 1911, Joe was elected as President of the Trustees of Police Pension Fund. It appears that Joe and his family were doing well during these years, though other stories that I have read have declared him ruined and penniless. 

 In the years between 1910-1920 one of Joe's brothers died, 2 of his sisters died and his mother died. That must have been a lot for the family to deal with. 

The picture above is of Alice, Joe, and Ethel Cody on the steps of their home.

 

In 1920, Joe was listed as age 48 and was a Boiler Shop Owner. He lived at 751 Moss with his wife, Alice, and their 3 daughters. In 1924 the Peoria City Directory shows Joseph F and Edward M Cody worked at Jos. Cody & Sons, and that Joe's daughter Elizabeth was a student (at Bradley University). Joe saw his first daughter, Ethel marry in 1925. 

 Joseph F Cody died on the 1st of May in 1927. He is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Peoria, His wife Alice lived until 1944.  She and their daughter Mary, daughter Ethel, and Ethel's husband Hal Johnson are all buried with Joe.

Joe's obituary stated:

JOSEPH F. CODY PASSED TO HIS REWARD, AGE 56

Prominent as Citizen and in Business

Another old and highly respected Peoria resident has passed in the person of Joseph Cody, president of the firm Joseph Cody and Sons, boilermakers who died last evening at 8:50 o'clock at the St. Francis hospital at the age of 56, and following an illness of f___ weeks duration. A heart ailment was the direct cause of death. 

Mr. Cody was of a Peoria generation whose names are writ large in terms of a city, progress, and unceasing labor or civic betterment. A man enjoying an enviable reputation in the minds and hearts of his fellows, his passing will leave a pall of grief among those who called him friend and they are legion.

In High Esteem

In this and other cities, Mr. Cody's unusual business ability was well known.  He was regarded as a man of shrewd judgment, of rare perseverance and tact, and with a genuinely friendly disposition which made and led to him lifelong associates and workers in his employment. At the time of his death, he was president of the National Steel Tank Manufacturing company of Bradford.

Mr. Cody was born November 14, 1870 in this city. His father before him was of a family well known in Peoria, especially among residents of the South Side, where the family lived. He received his early education in St. Patrick's Parochial school and later attended Brown's Business college. Later he was taken into the firm of his father's founding and upon his death ascended to the presidency.

Funeral Wednesday

On January 22, 1896, he was married to Mary Alice Murphy in Peoria and to this union were born three daughters, who with his grief-stricken widow survive: Mrs. Robert Brown and Mary and Elizabeth Cody, all of Peoria. A brother, Edward Cody, Peoria and a sister, Mrs. Charles A Rudel, Los Angeles, California, also survive. 

Mr. Cody was well known in a fraternal and social way. He was a member of Spalding Council, Knights of Columbus and of the Creve Cour club. He had been a member of St. Mark's Catholic Church for the past 25 years. He was also treasurer of the Peoria police pension fund.

Friends will gather at St. Mark's church Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock to pay a final tribute to a man who held so high a place in their affection and esteem. Rev. Father J J B? will officiate and interment will take place in St. Mary's cemetery.