Mothers and Sons: A Working-Class Family Pattern
Part of the Storyline Genealogy Case Studies Series: Three Thomas Hamalls – Examining how economic reality shaped family structures across three generations of working-class Chicago families.
Margaret Kenny Hamall with her son Thomas Kenny at their home at 4506 N McVickers Avenue, Chicago, circa 1932. The third generation of mothers and sons building life together.
The Mothers and Sons
A Pattern Across Three Generations
A Pattern Born of Necessity
Three generations. Three mothers. Three sons. Three households built together.
In working-class families of the early-to-mid 20th century, multi-generational households were common and practical. Widows, divorced women, and unmarried mothers often lived with adult sons, pooling resources and providing mutual support.
This wasn't dependence. This was survival strategy and family loyalty.
Generation 1: Kate Hamall (1853-1919)
The Woman Without a Photograph
We have no photograph of Kate Hamall. No image of the Chicago-born woman who lost four of her six children, who loaned her son $400 to build a cottage, who worked as a dressmaker to contribute to the household, who lived at that cottage from 1911 until her death in 1919.
Her absence from the visual record tells its own story about working-class women and who gets remembered.
What We Know About Kate:
- Born: 1853, Chicago, Illinois
- Married: 1879, Owen Hamall (died Feb 1898)
- Children: Six born, only two survived to adulthood—Thomas Henry (1880) and Mary (1885)
- Work: Dressmaker, contributing to household income
- 1910: Living with daughter Mary Hamall Holland's family
- 1911-1919: Living with son Thomas Henry at 291 Lionel Road, Riverside, Illinois
- Financial contribution: Loaned Thomas Henry $400 to build the cottage (equivalent to ~$12,000 today)
- Died: November 9, 1919, age 65
Why Kate Lived With Thomas Henry
After losing four of her six children and becoming widowed, Kate had limited options. In early 1900s Chicago, a widow in her 50s-60s faced:
- Few employment opportunities for older women
- No Social Security (wouldn't exist until 1935)
- No pension system
- Limited ability to live independently
Living with Thomas Henry wasn't charity—it was partnership. Kate contributed financially (the $400 loan), domestically (keeping house), and economically (her dressmaking work). Thomas Henry gained household help, companionship, and assistance raising his young son Thomas Eugene after his divorce.
After Kate's Death: Thomas Henry's Final Years
Kate died in 1919. Thomas Henry remarried, but his second wife died in 1936. After her death, Thomas Henry may have lived with his sister Mary Hamall Holland at 2639 S. Ridgeway in Chicago from 1936-1938, where his nephews Edward and Emmett Holland also lived. He died in 1938, possibly too ill in those final years to live alone at the Riverside cottage.
"Kate's loan built the cottage. Her presence made it a home. For eight years, mother and son created stability together."
Generation 2: Emma Guilbault Hamall (1883-1970)
Emma Guilbault Hamall with her son Thomas Eugene, 1929. A studio portrait from their time living together in Chicago.
Emma Guilbault Hamall, professional portrait. Working woman, saleswoman at Helena Rubenstein, resilient survivor of divorce.
The Thebault family, with Emma Guilbault (front row) and young Thomas Eugene (Tommy, front). Multi-generational French-Canadian family in Chicago, early 1900s.
Emma's Life Timeline:
Why Emma Lived With Thomas Eugene
Emma was a working woman—a rarity for her generation. She supported herself through sales positions, including potentially working for the prestigious Helena Rubenstein cosmetics company in the 1930s. But even employed women faced challenges:
- Lower wages than men (typically 50-60% of male earnings)
- No health insurance or retirement benefits
- Vulnerable to economic downturns (Great Depression hit when she was 46)
- Social stigma of divorced women living alone
Living with Thomas Eugene was economically sensible for both:
- Shared rent and utilities
- Emma could continue working while maintaining a home
- Thomas Eugene had household management while working
- Mutual companionship and support
The Pattern Continues: Chicago to Miami
When Thomas Eugene moved to Miami by 1950—following his ex-wife Margaret and son Thomas Kenny—Emma went with him. At age 65-67, starting over in a new city, Emma still had Thomas Eugene for stability and support.
They lived together in Miami through the early 1960s. As Emma's health declined, she moved to a nursing home before Thomas Eugene's death in 1967. She outlived her son by three years, dying in 1970 at age 87 at the Villa Maria Home for the Aged in North Plainfield, New Jersey.
Generation 3: Margaret Kenny Hamall (1908-1985)
Margaret Kenny Hamall with her son Thomas Kenny in Miami. Arm in arm, the partnership that lasted decades.
Margaret Katherine Kenny Hamall, circa 1970, mother who built stability after divorce.
At Hialeah Park, Miami: Margaret's parents (the Kennys), Margaret, young Thomas Kenny, and family. Multi-generational support in action—the Kennys helping Margaret raise Thomas after her divorce.
Margaret ("Grandma Hamall") visiting with granddaughters Annette, Mary, and Eileen in Omaha, Nebraska 1960. By 1966 she will be living with Thomas Kenny's family moving with them from New Jersey to Ohio to Georgia.
Margaret's Life Timeline:
Why Margaret Lived With Her Parents, Then With Thomas Kenny
Margaret's pattern followed Kate's and Emma's—but with one crucial difference. She started by living with her parents after her divorce, then transitioned to living with her son once he was married with children of his own.
After divorce in 1940-1942:
- Margaret was 32-34 years old with a young son (age 8-10)
- She had not worked outside the home during her marriage
- Few employment opportunities for divorced mothers
- Her parents provided housing, childcare, financial support
- This allowed Thomas Kenny stability despite his parents' divorce
Later, living with Thomas Kenny (1966-1985):
- Margaret was 46 when she was living with Thomas Kenny (now 21 asst mngr State Loan Corp) as her sole support in Miami
- Margaret was 59 when she started living full time with Thomas Kenny's family
- She had worked briefly as a bookkeeper, but broke her arm, injured her back and couldn't continue
- No Social Security or pension sufficient to live independently
- Had her own room in the household
- The children enjoyed visiting her room after school for snacks and conversation
- She was more a resident than an active caregiver—but her presence mattered.
The Pattern Completes Itself
Kate lived with Thomas Henry for 8 years (1911-1919).
Emma lived with Thomas Eugene for 20+ years (1940s-1960s), then nursing home care.
Margaret lived with Thomas Kenny for 4 years prior to his marriage (1953-1957) and then for nearly 20 years (1966-1985).
Three generations. Three times, mothers and sons created stability together—though the nature of that partnership varied with age and health.
Why This Pattern Existed
It Wasn't About "Mama's Boys"
Looking at this pattern through a modern lens, it's easy to misinterpret. But in working-class families from 1900-1985, multi-generational households were:
- Economically necessary: Single income couldn't support two households
- Culturally normal: Especially in immigrant and Catholic communities
- Mutually beneficial: Both generations gained security and support
- Practical: Shared housing, childcare, household labor, expenses
Historical Context: Women's Economic Vulnerability
Kate's generation (1850s-1919):
- Widows had almost no economic options
- No Social Security, no pensions, limited "respectable" employment
- Living with adult children was the primary safety net
Emma's generation (1880s-1970):
- Divorced/separated women faced social stigma
- Women earned 50-60% of male wages for same work
- Great Depression (1929-1939) devastated economic security
- Social Security began in 1935, but benefits were minimal
Margaret's generation (1900s-1985):
- Many women of her era never worked outside the home
- Divorce meant starting over with no work history, limited skills
- By retirement age (1960s-1970s), SS benefits still insufficient for independent living
- Multi-generational households remained common until 1970s-1980s
What This Pattern Meant for the Sons
Thomas Henry, Thomas Eugene, and Thomas Kenny all had mothers living with them—but the nature of these arrangements varied:
- Financial responsibility: Supporting two generations, not just themselves
- Household contributions: Younger, healthier mothers could help with domestic labor; older mothers simply needed care
- Emotional support: Having family present during life challenges
- Childcare (sometimes): We don't know the extent to which Kate or Emma assisted with childcare; Margaret was more a presence than active caregiver
- Cultural continuity: Mothers could pass down family stories, traditions, values—when they chose to
- Companionship: Someone to talk with, share meals with, care for in old age
What This Pattern Cost
While multi-generational households provided crucial economic and social support, they also had consequences that rippled through the generations:
The Stories That Weren't Told
When mothers and sons lived together long-term, particularly after divorce:
- The mother's perspective dominated the household narrative
- The absent father's side of the story often wasn't shared
- Children grew up hearing one version of family history
The Case of Thomas Kenny
Thomas Kenny grew up in his maternal grandparents' home (the Kennys), then lived with his mother Margaret for another 20 years as an adult. He described feeling "estranged" from his father Thomas Eugene.
But the records show Thomas Eugene living 10 minutes away in Miami for years, making a special trip from Chicago to Washington DC when Thomas Kenny was at St. Charles Seminary in Maryland, staying in proximity despite the divorce.
Proximity doesn't guarantee relationship—but the effort was there. The question is: was Thomas Kenny told about that effort?
The Missing (or Forgotten?) Grandfather
Thomas Kenny may or may not have known his grandfather Thomas Henry Hamall, who died in 1938 when Thomas Kenny was 5½-6 years old—old enough to potentially have memories. Thomas Henry's story—the Supreme Court case, Kate's sacrifice, the fight to keep the cottage—could have been told by:
- Thomas Eugene (Thomas Kenny's father), but access was limited
- Emma (Thomas Eugene's mother), but she lived separately from Thomas Kenny most of his childhood
- Emmett Holland (Thomas Henry's nephew), who went on the 1947 DC trip
- Thomas Henry himself, if young Thomas Kenny met him before he died
But if Thomas Kenny primarily heard stories from the Kenny side of the family, the Hamall history may simply have never been discussed—or may have been forgotten after an early childhood meeting.
The 1998 trip to Riverside takes on new meaning if Thomas Kenny was trying to reconnect with vague childhood memories of a grandfather he barely knew, or searching for a family story he sensed was missing.
Multiple Perspectives, All Valid
Here's what makes this complicated: everyone's perspective can be true simultaneously.
From Margaret's Perspective
She was protecting her son and building stability with her parents after a painful divorce. She created a home, raised her child, and later helped her son raise his six children. She gave decades of service to family.
From Thomas Eugene's Perspective
He was trying to maintain a relationship with his son despite living separately. He moved across the country to be in the same city. He lived 10 minutes away. He made special trips. He was present—even if that presence wasn't always acknowledged or welcomed.
From Thomas Kenny's Perspective
He experienced distance from his father despite physical proximity. He felt estranged. That was his lived reality, and it was real. Whether that estrangement was circumstance, active gatekeeping, or some combination—it shaped his entire life.
All three perspectives can be true simultaneously. This isn't about finding villains. It's about understanding how working-class families navigated impossible situations with limited resources and lots of pain.
No Blame, Just Witness
Three generations of mothers and sons built a life together because that's what working-class families did to survive. Kate, Emma, and Margaret weren't controlling or manipulative—they were doing what made economic and practical sense in their time and circumstances.
Thomas Henry, Thomas Eugene, and Thomas Kenny weren't weak or overly dependent—they were supporting their mothers while their mothers supported them back.
This was partnership. This was loyalty. This was how families survived before social safety nets existed.
The pattern repeated three times not because it was dysfunction, but because it worked.
What This Pattern Teaches Us
For Genealogists and Family Historians:
- Multi-generational households were survival strategies, not problems
- Women's economic vulnerability shaped family structures for generations
- Living arrangements reflect economic realities, not character flaws
- Be careful not to impose modern judgments on historical survival strategies
- The parent who has the child's ear controls the narrative—consider what stories might be missing
For Families Today:
- If your ancestors lived in multi-generational households, understand the economic context
- Don't assume "mama's boy" dynamics—look at the financial realities
- Ask: what would independent living have cost? Was it even possible?
- Consider what stories might have been lost when families split or parents divorced
- Remember: effort and outcome don't always match, but effort still matters
The Complete Three Thomas Hamalls Series
This post is part of a comprehensive case study documenting three generations of Thomas Hamalls, one cottage in Riverside, Illinois, and 130 years of family history proven through forensic analysis, legal documents, and oral history verification.
1. The Property War
How Thomas Henry Hamall fought a four-year legal battle to the Illinois Supreme Court to protect the cottage his mother helped him buy.
2. They Were Never Photographed Together
How forensic photographic analysis proved three generations of connections when subjects were captured in separate frames.
3. The Mystery Man
Using forensic ear analysis to identify Emmett John Holland in a 1947 photograph—20 years after he died and his memories were lost forever.
4. Mothers and Sons: A Working-Class Family Pattern
Three generations of mothers living with their sons—not dependence, but economic survival strategy in working-class America.
5. The Father Who Tried
Thomas Eugene Hamall's 23-year effort to maintain connection with his son despite divorce, distance, and the barriers of 1940s America.
6. Three Generations of Shrinking and Expanding
From Kate's six children to near-extinction to explosive survival—how child mortality, small families, and one generation's choice saved the family line.
Explore the Complete Case Study
View the Full BCG-Compliant Case Study →Explore the Complete Case Study
This story is part of the comprehensive Three Thomas Hamalls case study, featuring 22 primary sources, forensic photographic analysis, legal documents, and BCG-compliant methodology across 87 years.
View Complete Case Study →Want to see where it all began? The Three Thomas Hamalls story starts with Owen Hamall—a seven-year mystery spanning three countries. Explore the Owen Hamall case study to see how one census entry led to uncovering four generations of family history.
Your Family's Story Deserves This Level of Research
Every family has missing pieces—stories interrupted by divorce, distance, or death. Through rigorous archival research and compassionate analysis, we can reconstruct what happened and understand why.
Storyline Genealogy specializes in cases where:
- Family narratives conflict or seem incomplete
- Relationships were fractured by divorce or estrangement
- Stories were lost between generations
- Multiple perspectives need to be honored
