New-York tribune., 1904-09-27
OLDEST MILKMAN DEAD.
SHOCK KILLS HIS WIDOW.
Cosrs and FLathOuscs Made Them
Rich-Liued in Shanty1ille.

Few BrOokyntes VINO read a few weeks az"
the plain notice of the death of Laurence Fltz-
patrick. Of No l014 President-st.. realized that
the oldest milkman IN the borough Of homes had
passed away. a still smaller number noted me
lines which appeared in the obituary columns
five days afterward and which told Of the death
~ Bridget Fitzpatrick. his widow. Though the
death notice did not say so. Mrs. Fitzpatrick
died from grief for the husband with whom she
had lived happilv for nearly half a century.
Besides being the oldest milkman. Fitzpatrick
was a rich man. He left large estate just
how large no one who knows viii say and his
VIII has not yet been fled for probate In the
East Side Lands District he was commonly
rated as a millionaire. Real estate men who
know OF the old mans holdings declare tnat ne
left between Sj00O0O and S7Jooo0
40 man who was not an extreme miser ever
made less display of his wealth than did Larry
Fitzpatrick For years after his wealth began
10 accumulate and his income 10 increase he
continued 10 live IN a small shscklike house,
east OF Prospect Park Ten years ago he rebuilt
the shack. converting il into modest story and
a half frame structure, simple and unadorned.
There ne lived until his death.
Why don't you build yourself fine house
and live in comfort?' the question which
his friends asked him more often than any
other.
1T VAS here ! got my start" he would say,
land the luck has always been good under this
roof IT was good enough for me when 1 was
down ana out. and bad luck might come from
changing it,
Ask any Of the oldtimers in the shanty settle
ment between Franklin and Rogers aves.. and
in the vicinity Of what will he President-s1.
when the graders get TO work. how Fitzpatrick
got his start. and the invariable answer is
COWS" Ask them how he made his fortune
from this start, and the answer. nearly brief.
is "1athouses."
He was born in Westmeath County. ireland,
eighty-one years ago. and came to this country
when twenty-five years old. He had trouble
finding work first. and finally got foothold
a herder for Long Island mkman at So
month. He managed to save a little Of this
money, and as soon as he had a sufficient sum
he invested i'm and began to deal in milk.
II was not many years until he had a herd large
enough to warrant esta ablishing a milk route.
Forty-t1ve years ago he bought a number OF
acres OF what was known the East Side Lands
District, where the Kings County Peni-
tentiary stands.
He built a small house there and pastured his
cows in the fields thereabouts No streets were
then laid out in that district. and the FItzpat-
rick place was reached by a path from one Of
The county roads. He watched Brooklyn grow
IN various directions. and soon showed skill al
iorecasting the advance. He bought real estate
IN several localities and erected fiathouses. AT
the same time he held 10 the property about his
home. Streets were surveyed eventually. and
he figured out that his house was in President
81 Calculation showed that its number was
LOLA, and the figures were Painted the door
The street is not yet cut through. but doubtless
viii be before long, as several apartment houses
are 10 be built in the neighborhood and work
has already begun Oh a fine arnory for Troop
{ al Bedford-ave- and President-st. Among Fitz-
patrick many holdings We're iathouses in Reid
ave. Douglass-st., Classon-ave. and in East
NeW-York
Fitzpatrick Was well known among Brooklyn
oldtimers- and Of late years HIS home had been
a gathering place for half dozen Of the older
men OF the borough, who met there talk over
old times. The low wages which he was COM
PEELED 10 accept on coming to this country. Fitz-
patrick complained OF till The last.
Think Of having to work for So a month he
used TO say. 1t sure a shame. If they'd
paid the wages they do now, I'd have been a
millionaire by this time"
He had been in poor health for some time be-
fore his death on September 9. The doctors
say death was the result OF a general brea king
down. His widow never recovered from her be-
reavement. but died suddenly a few days later.
They leave son and daughter and four grand
children. Thomas FitzpatricK, the son. lives az
No. 81 Franklin-st., and is Managing the prop