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The
Best Irish Genes to Land in The USA
Matthew
J. Losty -
Editorial by S. Ellis
Matthew
J. Losty, at age 15 was working the farming fields in Russell,
Massachusetts and did so for several years until he gained
employment in the Paper Mills in Holyoke. Matthew saw an opportunity
and
took it in 1910 opening "Matthew J. Losty
& Sons Paper Ruling & Tablet Shop". Matthew, now a business owner,
provided employment for his children - both
his sons and daughters and himself. After many years of owning his Paper
Production Company and after all his children were grown, Matthew retired the Paper Shop and
built, owned, and operated the Hillside Service
Station located beside his home in 1921. A few years later
Matthew's grandson, (who is my grandfather) Russell G. Losty, in his pre/early teens,
learned by working along side of Matthew, his Uncle Burns and his
Uncle Daniel, and also just by watching, gained knowledge that would
later in life prove to be quite useful to Russell.
It goes without saying, but should be
repeated again and again so we do not forget...... Matthew J. Losty
had a lot
to teach his
children and grandchildren and
they learned from him vicariously as they were witness to his
orthodox work ethic. When his children got older they learned,
by working along side him, a man's
hands should never be at rest except on
Sunday, and Matthew's hands were never at rest except on the
Lord's holy day. I
would dare say
there
are some of us today and still some yet to come who could learn a
lot from Matthew J. Losty -- even 100 years from now. He not only managed all of
which has been mentioned above, but he also took care of his family home, which was
valued at 18,000 dollars in the year 1900, in addition he also maintained a
vegetable garden every
evening along with this wife Catherine Burns Losty.
If one were to
describe Russell's Grandfather, and I being that
one, three things come to
mind. Hard work,
Family and
the value of a
dollar.
Having
come from Ireland as a young boy, arriving in New York in 1863, two
months prior to the infamous New
York Riot outbreak in July of 1863,
Matthew knew of hardships his children
and their children would never know. By way of sheer
determination and hard work, realizing the value of a dollar and how
to spend it wisely, Matthew J. Losty provided a good life for his wife and
children. He also left a huge set of shoes to fill and a life
story that one would need to follow in order to fill those
shoes.
May nothing he did go unnoticed or disregarded, it is
he who carried the best Irish Genes that landed in this
Country.
God
Rest his Soul, his
aching back, his calloused
hands, his blistered toes, his sore muscles and his constant
worries, May Peace be with him forever and ever and ever."
It
was during these years my Grandfather, Russell Losty, spent with his Grandfather
Matthew and
Uncles who taught him the same values they practiced: Hard
work,
Providing for your family, the
value of money and one's ability to provide food
- grown and
gathered by one's own hands - and as you read the history of
Russell Losty you will see these same characteristics in him.
S.
Ellis 2004
Russell Losty's Granddaughter
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