| Harvey Girl Stories |
Mamie & Lizzie Gallagher
Mamie Gallagher and her sister Lizzie Gallagher were born in Co. Cork in
the 1870's. They emigrated to New York City with their family in 1880 and
a couple of years later were in Boston.
Perhaps there was an ad in the paper. I understand that advertisements
were put in large urban newspapers and that young women who wanted
to be Harvey Girls would get a free train ride to Kansas City to train as
Harvey Girls. Lizzie passed information on to her daughter that she and
her sister were Harvey Girls, but no specific information was passed on by
the grandson.
Mamie married and settled in Los Angeles. She left her husband at one
point and they had no children so it is difficult to know much about where
they were living when they met.
Lizzie met and married a miner, Thomas O'Malley, in Rhyolite, Nevada.
Thomas developed TB and died in Los Angeles nine years after they
married. Supposedly it was really the poison from the gas lamps that
miners used that killed him, but that is from family information; the death
record gives TB as the cause of death.
Mamie Gallagher and her sister Lizzie Gallagher were born in Co. Cork in
the 1870's. They emigrated to New York City with their family in 1880 and
a couple of years later were in Boston.
Perhaps there was an ad in the paper. I understand that advertisements
were put in large urban newspapers and that young women who wanted
to be Harvey Girls would get a free train ride to Kansas City to train as
Harvey Girls. Lizzie passed information on to her daughter that she and
her sister were Harvey Girls, but no specific information was passed on by
the grandson.
Mamie married and settled in Los Angeles. She left her husband at one
point and they had no children so it is difficult to know much about where
they were living when they met.
Lizzie met and married a miner, Thomas O'Malley, in Rhyolite, Nevada.
Thomas developed TB and died in Los Angeles nine years after they
married. Supposedly it was really the poison from the gas lamps that
miners used that killed him, but that is from family information; the death
record gives TB as the cause of death.
Helen LeVelle Childs
My grandmother was a Harvey girl in Kansas City at Union Station. She was born in Iowa just over the
Iowa/Missouri boarder. She left home at 19 came to KC, bobbed her hair, was a flapper and got a job as a Harvey
girl at Union Station. Her name at that time was Helen LaVelle Childs. There was a young 20 something fellow
named Ralph C. Hunt from Polo, Missouri who also had left home and moved to KC. During this time he caddied
at the Kansas City Golf Club and played some golf and worked for the newspaper as a rookie photographer.
Two to three times a week he would go to Union Station for a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. Helen waited on
him a couple of times. They hit it off and he started coming in more often and sitting in her station. They started
dating and ended up getting married.
She left her job as a Harvey girl and had her first child, Barbara Kathleen Hunt in 1932, my mom. Patty Hunt
(Kukuk) and Ralph E. Hunt to follow soon afterwards. This Harvey girl got married and became a mom instead of
pursuing the dream and ambition of becoming a nurse. She told me being a Harvey girl was the most sought
after waitress job and she met a lot of important people in KC politics and shady men (i.e. organized crime figures).
When the war broke out she ended up working in the Kansas City Bomber plant, which is one of the GM plants in
KC either Fairfax or Leads.
Just a footnote: The Kansas City Club was where Lose Park is today, up the hill heading south down Wornell Rd.
My granny , thats what us grand kids called her, was somewhat of a rebel and independent women in her day. I'm
sure she got the job because she was very attractive, very pretty and a perfectionist.
- Submitted by Jan Spurlock
My grandmother was a Harvey girl in Kansas City at Union Station. She was born in Iowa just over the
Iowa/Missouri boarder. She left home at 19 came to KC, bobbed her hair, was a flapper and got a job as a Harvey
girl at Union Station. Her name at that time was Helen LaVelle Childs. There was a young 20 something fellow
named Ralph C. Hunt from Polo, Missouri who also had left home and moved to KC. During this time he caddied
at the Kansas City Golf Club and played some golf and worked for the newspaper as a rookie photographer.
Two to three times a week he would go to Union Station for a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. Helen waited on
him a couple of times. They hit it off and he started coming in more often and sitting in her station. They started
dating and ended up getting married.
She left her job as a Harvey girl and had her first child, Barbara Kathleen Hunt in 1932, my mom. Patty Hunt
(Kukuk) and Ralph E. Hunt to follow soon afterwards. This Harvey girl got married and became a mom instead of
pursuing the dream and ambition of becoming a nurse. She told me being a Harvey girl was the most sought
after waitress job and she met a lot of important people in KC politics and shady men (i.e. organized crime figures).
When the war broke out she ended up working in the Kansas City Bomber plant, which is one of the GM plants in
KC either Fairfax or Leads.
Just a footnote: The Kansas City Club was where Lose Park is today, up the hill heading south down Wornell Rd.
My granny , thats what us grand kids called her, was somewhat of a rebel and independent women in her day. I'm
sure she got the job because she was very attractive, very pretty and a perfectionist.
- Submitted by Jan Spurlock
Agnes Vivian Crawford Hendrix - Harvey Girl & Orphan Train Rider
Agnes was one of twin daughters of James and Mary (Bradley) Crawford, born on 1 July 1879 or 4 July 1879.
She was born in a Maternity Hospital on Blackwell Island, Manhattanville, New York. (Known to be greater New
York City) Agnes was the fifth child and her sister Mary Etta was the sixth child of these parents. Due to
unfortunate circumstances they were placed in Randall’s Island Nursery.
Both girls are found on the 1880 Census New York (Manhattan) New York City (Greater) NY in the Randall’s
Island Nursery. What is known about Randall’s Island is from a “The Story of Randall’s Island and The New York
City Children's Hospital by C.G. McGaffin, MD” Jonathan Randell bought the island and sold it to New York City in
1835 for $50,000. This island housed inmates that were children over 4 years abandoned by their parents, and
children whose parents were unable to support them. A House of Refuge was there also. The Infants Hospital
housed foundlings, orphans, and others with their indigent mothers.
In the census their last name is spelled Crowford but on Agnes’ birth certificate it clearly says Crawford. James,
her father, is a painter having been born in the US and was age 29 at their birth. Their mother, Mary Bradley was
born in Ireland and was age 27. Their residence was Manhattanville. They had three other children at the time of
the twin’s birth. Mary Crowford is on the 1880 Census as being on Randall’s Island. No where is James found, nor
the other children. From information I received from an intake form for the institution Mary Bradley was born in
1852 in Ballotler, Clare County, Ireland and came to the New York Port when she was about a year old. On this
form it states that her three children are living with her sister (unnamed).
Not much is known about the family who took Agnes from there, whether she was adopted or during those times
taken to work for the family. It is not know at what age she left. There are no censuses for 1890 as they were
destroyed. They also shipped children from orphanages during that time out on trains to homes.
Photos show her as a young girl about 12, well dressed. Another photo taken of her says she is 19. In the 1910
Illinois Census she is a boarder at the home of Miles C Spaulding and his wife Lucy. They lived in Amity,
Livingston Co., IL. They must have been very important to Agnes as she kept Lucy’s obituary all her life.
There are no school records available to find the actual dates she went to school at Normal College. She has one
post card she kept of the Main Building, Illinois State Normal University in Normal, showing the cupola. On the
back she wrote her future husband that “during color rush I climbed one dark night to the top of the cupola and
tied our colors there” Normal schools were schools specifically designated for the education of teachers. . It was
here that she received her teacher’s certificate. She liked to play tennis and was on the basketball team at the
college. She put her teacher’s certificate to use and we have several photos showing her with her students.
At some point she moved to Arizona and as a child I remember it being said that she was in bad health and doctor
told her to go to a warmer climate. She made her way to Arizona and that is where she met her future husband.
Fred Harvey established a series of restaurants known as Harvey Houses along major train routes where trains
would stop. They would radio ahead as to how many to expect that would be dining when the train stopped. Fred
Harvey Company would recruit women from towns and cities across the US. The women had to be of good moral
character, have at least an eighth grade education, display good manner and be neat and articulate to work in his
restaurants. In return for employment, the Harvey Girls would agree to a six-month contract, agree not to marry
and abide by all company rules during the term of employment. Harvey Girls are the women who brought
respectability to the work of waitressing.
Agnes was one of twin daughters of James and Mary (Bradley) Crawford, born on 1 July 1879 or 4 July 1879.
She was born in a Maternity Hospital on Blackwell Island, Manhattanville, New York. (Known to be greater New
York City) Agnes was the fifth child and her sister Mary Etta was the sixth child of these parents. Due to
unfortunate circumstances they were placed in Randall’s Island Nursery.
Both girls are found on the 1880 Census New York (Manhattan) New York City (Greater) NY in the Randall’s
Island Nursery. What is known about Randall’s Island is from a “The Story of Randall’s Island and The New York
City Children's Hospital by C.G. McGaffin, MD” Jonathan Randell bought the island and sold it to New York City in
1835 for $50,000. This island housed inmates that were children over 4 years abandoned by their parents, and
children whose parents were unable to support them. A House of Refuge was there also. The Infants Hospital
housed foundlings, orphans, and others with their indigent mothers.
In the census their last name is spelled Crowford but on Agnes’ birth certificate it clearly says Crawford. James,
her father, is a painter having been born in the US and was age 29 at their birth. Their mother, Mary Bradley was
born in Ireland and was age 27. Their residence was Manhattanville. They had three other children at the time of
the twin’s birth. Mary Crowford is on the 1880 Census as being on Randall’s Island. No where is James found, nor
the other children. From information I received from an intake form for the institution Mary Bradley was born in
1852 in Ballotler, Clare County, Ireland and came to the New York Port when she was about a year old. On this
form it states that her three children are living with her sister (unnamed).
Not much is known about the family who took Agnes from there, whether she was adopted or during those times
taken to work for the family. It is not know at what age she left. There are no censuses for 1890 as they were
destroyed. They also shipped children from orphanages during that time out on trains to homes.
Photos show her as a young girl about 12, well dressed. Another photo taken of her says she is 19. In the 1910
Illinois Census she is a boarder at the home of Miles C Spaulding and his wife Lucy. They lived in Amity,
Livingston Co., IL. They must have been very important to Agnes as she kept Lucy’s obituary all her life.
There are no school records available to find the actual dates she went to school at Normal College. She has one
post card she kept of the Main Building, Illinois State Normal University in Normal, showing the cupola. On the
back she wrote her future husband that “during color rush I climbed one dark night to the top of the cupola and
tied our colors there” Normal schools were schools specifically designated for the education of teachers. . It was
here that she received her teacher’s certificate. She liked to play tennis and was on the basketball team at the
college. She put her teacher’s certificate to use and we have several photos showing her with her students.
At some point she moved to Arizona and as a child I remember it being said that she was in bad health and doctor
told her to go to a warmer climate. She made her way to Arizona and that is where she met her future husband.
Fred Harvey established a series of restaurants known as Harvey Houses along major train routes where trains
would stop. They would radio ahead as to how many to expect that would be dining when the train stopped. Fred
Harvey Company would recruit women from towns and cities across the US. The women had to be of good moral
character, have at least an eighth grade education, display good manner and be neat and articulate to work in his
restaurants. In return for employment, the Harvey Girls would agree to a six-month contract, agree not to marry
and abide by all company rules during the term of employment. Harvey Girls are the women who brought
respectability to the work of waitressing.
Around 1923-24 they moved to California and settled in a community called Tolenas, outside of Fairfield, Solano
Co., CA. Her daughter’s husband died when he was 22 and left her daughter with two small children 1 ½ and six
months. Her daughter had to live someone else to work and support her two children and her, by then elderly
parents. Agnes raised her two granddaughters until they were about 9 or 10 when her daughter remarried. She
died there on 20 Feb 1960. Sadly missed by her granddaughters, Vivian Toepfer and Jacklynn Kershaw.
-Submitted by Vivian Toepfer & Jacklynn Kershaw
Co., CA. Her daughter’s husband died when he was 22 and left her daughter with two small children 1 ½ and six
months. Her daughter had to live someone else to work and support her two children and her, by then elderly
parents. Agnes raised her two granddaughters until they were about 9 or 10 when her daughter remarried. She
died there on 20 Feb 1960. Sadly missed by her granddaughters, Vivian Toepfer and Jacklynn Kershaw.
-Submitted by Vivian Toepfer & Jacklynn Kershaw
At the Harvey House
(Escalante) in Ash Fork,
Yavapai Co., AZ she met her
husband, John Charles
Hendrix. John was a chef.
He was proud to put on that
white uniform and hat. They
were married in Prescott,
Yavapai Co., AZ on 26 May
1919. The marriage
application states that John
was 45 and Agnes was 34.
They were married by Justice
of the Peace, Charles H
McLane. They still lived in
Ash Fork at the time of the
1920 Census taken on
January 29, 1920. Agnes is
listed as being a teacher, as
once you are married you
can no longer be a Harvey
Girl. There is a photo while
they were in Ash Fork of John
in front of their own
restaurant.
(Escalante) in Ash Fork,
Yavapai Co., AZ she met her
husband, John Charles
Hendrix. John was a chef.
He was proud to put on that
white uniform and hat. They
were married in Prescott,
Yavapai Co., AZ on 26 May
1919. The marriage
application states that John
was 45 and Agnes was 34.
They were married by Justice
of the Peace, Charles H
McLane. They still lived in
Ash Fork at the time of the
1920 Census taken on
January 29, 1920. Agnes is
listed as being a teacher, as
once you are married you
can no longer be a Harvey
Girl. There is a photo while
they were in Ash Fork of John
in front of their own
restaurant.
Crew at the Escalante in Ash Fork, AZ - 1918. Agnes Crawford is sitting next to her husband, John, in the
center of the front row
center of the front row
Anne Genevieve O'Neil
Anne Genevieve O'Neil was born in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1870. Her parents
Bartholomew and Julia (Costelloe) O'Neil, came to America in 1865 from England.
Anne Genevieve was raised on the 800 block of Pawnee, and lived there until the
age of twenty.
Some time in 1891 Anne went west to Arizona to be with her older sister Nellie
Roselie (O'Neil) Gates, and help with the birth of her second child. After Nellie
died in Oct of 1891 Anne went to work as a Harvey Girl in Williams,Arizona.
Samuel Wessley Thompson was born in Darlington, Wisconsin in 1858. He left
home at a young age, and traveled around. Some time around 1879 he went to
work for the A&P Railroad out of New Mexico. By 1891 he was working out of
Williams, Arizona.. When Anne first arrived at the William train station in 1891,
Sam was on the platform with a few other guys. When Anne stepped down from
the train all the guys started talking about her. Sam told them not talk about his
wife. They were married Nov 3rd 1892.
-Submitted by Lynn Hansen
Anne Genevieve O'Neil was born in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1870. Her parents
Bartholomew and Julia (Costelloe) O'Neil, came to America in 1865 from England.
Anne Genevieve was raised on the 800 block of Pawnee, and lived there until the
age of twenty.
Some time in 1891 Anne went west to Arizona to be with her older sister Nellie
Roselie (O'Neil) Gates, and help with the birth of her second child. After Nellie
died in Oct of 1891 Anne went to work as a Harvey Girl in Williams,Arizona.
Samuel Wessley Thompson was born in Darlington, Wisconsin in 1858. He left
home at a young age, and traveled around. Some time around 1879 he went to
work for the A&P Railroad out of New Mexico. By 1891 he was working out of
Williams, Arizona.. When Anne first arrived at the William train station in 1891,
Sam was on the platform with a few other guys. When Anne stepped down from
the train all the guys started talking about her. Sam told them not talk about his
wife. They were married Nov 3rd 1892.
-Submitted by Lynn Hansen
Anne with her husband Samuel Thompson
| Lizzie Gallagher |
Lizzie married a 2nd time, another miner, Harry O'Brien. They lived in Goldfield, NV, and when Goldfield went
"belly up," Harry moved a small hotel he owned in the mining town of Pioneer, NV, to Beatty, NV. There he and
Lizzie had one child and made a living by running the California Hotel for many years. After Harry died, Lizzie
moved to Los Angeles where she was a live-in servant for a movie star.
- Submitted by Jan Kenney Fortado
"belly up," Harry moved a small hotel he owned in the mining town of Pioneer, NV, to Beatty, NV. There he and
Lizzie had one child and made a living by running the California Hotel for many years. After Harry died, Lizzie
moved to Los Angeles where she was a live-in servant for a movie star.
- Submitted by Jan Kenney Fortado