38. James Joseph4 Coogan III (James Joseph3, James Joseph2, Owen [Charles]1) was born Roxbury, Suffolk, MA 29 JUN 1898. James died 08 May 1982 Hyannis, Barnstable, MA, at 83 years of age. His body was interred 1982 Tewksbury, Middlesex, MA, Tuft's University.
He married twice. He married Lucy E. Larcome Boston, Suffolk, MA, 1921. He married Virginia Elizabeth Ippolito Boston, Suffolk, MA, 29 AUG 1942. Virginia was born Stoughton, Norfolk, MA 21 NOV 1907. Virginia was the daughter of Vincenzo Giuseppe Salvatore Ippolito and Rosa Festa. Virginia died 01 FEB 2005 Brewster, Barnstable, MA, at 97 years of age. Her body was interred FEB 2005 Tewksbury, Middlesex, MA, Tuft's University.
He was born at 76 Rockland Street.
He resided Roxbury, Suffolk, MA 1900, 25 Hulbert Street. He appears in the 1900 US Census.
He resided Dorchester, Suffolk, MA 1902. He lived on a farm.
He was a student Roxbury, Suffolk, MA, 1906-1915. School: Roxbury Public School. He completed only about eight years of school, then had to drop out and go to work when his father died.
He resided Roxbury, Suffolk, MA 1910, 5 Wakullah Street. He appears in the 1910 US Census.
He resided Dorchester, Suffolk, MA 1914. *
James's occupation: Cartoonist Roxbury, Suffolk, MA, 1914-1918. Irene Golden said: "He got a job with a local weekly paper as a cartoonist. He sketched pictures on my rain slicker."
He resided Roxbury, Suffolk, MA 1915, 108 Maywood Street. *
He resided Roxbury, Suffolk, MA 1918-1926, 113 Bower Street. He appears in the 1920 US Census. He appears in the 1920 Boston City Directory. He appears in the World War I Draft Registration rolls (12 SEP 1918).
James's occupation: Chauffer [Driver] Roxbury, Suffolk, MA, 1918. He worked for Boston Auto Gauge Company. He appears in the World War I Draft Registration rolls (12 SEP 1918).
James's occupation: Publisher's Assistant Roxbury, Suffolk, MA, 1918-1922. He got a collection of books from his boss.
James's occupation: Shoeworker Boston, Suffolk, MA, 1920. He appears in the 1920 Boston City Directory.
His marriage to Lucy E. Larcome was annulled Boston, Suffolk, MA, 1921. Gerard Golden and James Coogan [IV] said that James' grandfather had the marriage annulled. "The whole thing didn't last long."
James's occupation: Draftsman Roxbury, Suffolk, MA, 1922-1925. He worked for the Boston City Public Works Department.
James's occupation: Elevator Operator Roxbury, Suffolk, MA, 1925-1931. To get the job, he had to join the electrician's union. His Uncle Bill Coogan helped him get membership.
He resided Boston, Suffolk, MA 1927-1931, 133 Thornton Street. His address is listed in Virginia Coogan's journal.
He met Virginia Ippolito (his future wife) at Onset Beach in the summer of 1928. She said that all his friends called him 'Jap' because of his 'slanty eyebrows': "It was funny until the Second World War broke out - then we stopped calling him that..."
Irene Golden remembered James as 'a wanderer.' "At first, he just wandered off and I would be surprised to get a postcard from far away telling us where he was off to. Oftentimes, he would call home and someone, usually Grandpa Coogan, would have to go get him. One time I last saw him as he was walking off down the road, not looking like he was going any place special. He ended up in Alaska a few weeks later!"
He resided in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 1931-1932, 387 Eddy Street. He appears in the 1932 San Francisco City Directory.
James's occupation: Cook in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 1931-1932. He appears in the 1932 San Francisco City Directory. According to Virginia Coogan, he took culinary courses at Stanford University.
He resided AK 1932-1933. *
James's occupation: Cook AK, 1932-1933. He worked as a cook on [fishing and mail] boats throughout Alaska. His sister, Irene Golden, said that "He worked about a year at a time in Alaska. He would come home with money for the family and then stay for awhile. When he was ready to leave again, he asked me to save money for him until he arrived in Seattle. Then I cabled it to him there so he could take it to Alaska."
He resided Dorchester, Suffolk, MA 1933-1934, Helene Road. When he wasn't in Alaska, he lived there with Irene and Gerry Golden.
He resided AK 1934-1935. *
James's occupation: Cook AK, 1934-1935. James said that working on a Coast Guard Buoy Tender was his most favorite job during his life.
He resided Dorchester, Suffolk, MA 1935-1936, 134 Templeton Street. When he wasn't in Alaska, he lived there with Irene and Gerry Golden.
James's occupation: Cook Juneau, AK, MAY 1936-MAY 1941. He worked at the Sitka Naval Base during the spring and summer - and in the fall, he traveled to the US West Coast (Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles). By the spring, he returned to Alaska to work again.
He resided Juneau, AK MAY 1936-SEP 1936. *
He resided Juneau, AK MAY 1937-SEP 1937. *
He resided Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 12 DEC 1937. A post-card that he sent to his sister, Irene, contains the following comments: "Looking around in Los Angeles. I don't care for the place and may go back to San Francisco."
He resided Juneau, AK MAY 1938-SEP 1938. *
He resided Juneau, AK MAY 1939-SEP 1939. *
He resided Juneau, AK MAY 1940-SEP 1940. *
James's occupation: Cook Juneau, AK, MAY 1941-SEP 1941. He got a job on an old excursion boat at the Sitka Naval Base.
James's occupation: Cook Fairbanks, AK, SEP 1941-DEC 1941. He worked for the Chatnika Mining Company.
When World War II broke out, he was unable to get home from Alaska for several months. When he finally arrived in the 'lower 48,' he returned by way of Chicago. He bought a car there, put Alaska plates on it, and drove home. Irene Golden said that she had fun driving it all over the city. Walter Slattery fixed the car so that that Robbie Coogan (who was an amputee) could drive it.
James served in the military 1942-1943. He served in the US Navy. He was a veteran of World War II. James trained at Great Lakes, IL and was made a Second Class Petty Officer (Cook). He met his ship (a 'sub-chaser') at the Delaware Navy Yard and returned with it to its homeport, Brooklyn, NY. James spent most of his time in service off the New England coast. He rose to the rank of First Class Petty Officer (Cook). He was finally given a regular discharge for very bad ulcers.
James married Virginia Ippolito at Our Lady of Pompeii Parish [it is no longer standing]. Virginia's Matron of Honor was her sister, Eva, and James' Best Man was Gerard Golden. Father John J. O'Leary, the pastor of the parish, conducted the ceremony.
He and Virginia honeymooned Cape Cod, MA, 29-31 AUG 1942. Virginia recalled: "James got a three day pass so that we could get married. A priest friend of ours arranged our wedding so that we could go down to the Cape for our honeymoon. We borrowed Gerry Golden's car and first went to Onset Beach and then over to Hyannis. We ended up going back to James' ship a day early. The Officer of the Deck asked us why we were back so early. That was just the way James was!"
He resided Wollaston, Suffolk, MA JUN 1943-1948, Billings Road. He lived down the street from his sister, Irene Golden.
James's occupation: Dock Worker Hingham, Plymouth, MA, 1943-1945. His cousin, Frank Mahoney, got him a job at the shipyard passing out supplies (in the electrical department). James said that he quit before they closed up.
James's occupation: State Conservation Commission Boston, Suffolk, MA, 1945-1948. He worked as a handyman.
He resided Quincy, Norfolk, MA 1948-1949, East Squantum Street. He lived with his sisters, Josephine Coogan and Irene Golden.
James's occupation: Elevator Operator Boston, Suffolk, MA, 1948-1949. His uncle, Bill Coogan, got him a job in the elevator business. He worked for the Otis Elevator Company as a repair man.
He resided Brewster, Barnstable, MA 1949-1967, Route 6 (now 6-A). He bought the Joseph C. Lincoln house as a summer home and 'fixup project' (it had been vacant for 13 years) in 1948. James finally moved his family to the home after the roof was replaced one year later.
James's occupation: Boarding House Operator Brewster, Barnstable, MA, 1949-1951. Since work was scarce on Cape Cod, James fixed up the Lincoln House as a boarding house. Virginia recalled: "He made up a nice room and bath on the second floor and we entertained guests for two years. We met many interesting people during that time."
James's occupation: Bus Driver Brewster, Barnstable, MA, 1950-1951. He worked part time for the town of Brewster, MA.
James's occupation: Restaurant Owner Dennisport, Barnstable, MA, 1951-1967. He bought the Chowder Bowl restaurant on Old Wharf Road in Dennisport, MA in 1951. It was already a seasonal business (May to September) in the area - complete with a juke box and a pinball machine. After dealing with 'rowdy local children,' James removed the pinball machine and started selling groceries in its place. He later added an addition on with a bedroom for sleeping overnight and more room for selling souvenirs and groceries. Virginia recalled: "James wasn't a businessman. He was great friends with all of the customers and never wanted to close the restaurant." In 1958, a hurricane came close to destroying the Chowder Bowl. James sold the Chowder Bowl in 1967. It continued to be a restaurant until the man who bought it got in trouble with the law and had to sell it. The next owner of the property made the whole area into a cottage rental area. There is still a cottage in that area named 'The Chowder Bowl.'
One of James' habits was to convince his wife, Ginger, to work at the Chowder Bowl Restaurant on Sundays so he had time to go to church. His son, Jim, recounted one such Sunday: "I followed him... and watched him buy three newspapers and then drive to the beach, where he sat in his car reading until returning to the restaurant at about the time church was over. It became one of my secrets."
He resided Yarmouthport, Barnstable, MA 1967-1982, 11 Middle Road (now Leslie Lane). He built a new house on Follins Pond after selling the Chowder Bowl. James named it 'Coogan's Bluff' because of its location on a steep hill over the pond.
James retired Yarmouthport, Barnstable, MA, 1968. *
James traveled 1968-1980. After retirement, he and his wife traveled to Florida yearly and also visited his brother Charlie in New Mexico on several occasions.
He died of lung cancer at Cape Cod Hospital. James donated his body for research at Tuft's Medical School.
His funeral was held Brewster, Barnstable, MA, MAY 1982. The service was held at Our Lady of the Cape Parish.
James Joseph Coogan III and Virginia Elizabeth Ippolito had the following child:
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