Profile Text
Birth Name: Edward St. John Gorey
Date of Birth: February 22, 1925
Place of Birth: Chicago, Cook, Illinois, U.S.
Date of Death: April 15, 2000
Place of Death: Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, Massachusetts, U.S.
Ethnicity: * father – Irish * mother – English, some Irish
Edward Gorey was an American writer, costume designer, and artist. His drawings, done in a pen-and-ink style, were often narative depictions in unsettling Victorian and Edwardian settings. He was known for his books, which included his own illustrations. He also painted cover art and images for others’ books.
Edward was the son of Helen Dunham (Garvey) and Edward Lee Gorey, a journalist. His father was born in Illinois, to Irish parents. His mother was born in Ohio. His stepmother was cabaret singer, actress, and diseuse Corinna Mura. He was partly raised in Wilmette, Illinois.
Edward’s paternal grandfather was Edward Gorey (the son of John Gorey and Bridget O’Conner).
Edward’s paternal grandmother was Susan/Susanna Kennedy (the daughter of Michael Kennedy and Jane Byrnes).
Edward’s maternal grandfather was Benjamin St. John Garvey (the son of Benjamin Garvey and Helen Amelia St. John). Edward’s grandfather Benjamin was born in Newburgh, Orange County, New York. Edward’s great-grandfather Benjamin was born in Ireland, the son of John Garvey and Ellen O’Connell. Edward’s great-grandmother Helen St. John Garvey was born in Fabius, Onondaga County, New York, and was a greeting card illustrator. She was the daughter of Elijah Howell St. John and Charlotte Sophia Dunham, who was of Colonial American descent.
Edward’s maternal grandmother was Mary Ellis Blocksom (the daughter of Augustus Perry Blocksom and Mary Phoebe/Phebe Hewitt). Edward’s grandmother Mary was born in Ohio. Augustus was the son of William Blocksom and Anna Fulkerson. Edward’s great-grandmother Mary was the daughter of Joseph Coke Hewitt and Ruth Cranston.
Sources: https://crimereads.com
Genealogies of Edward Gorey – https://www.wikitree.com https://www.findagrave.com
Genealogies of Edward Gorey (focusing on his mother’s side) – http://www.wargs.com https://www.geni.com