NOTE: Annotations by P. Fagan. George Casey was the brother of Mrs. Henry Flanagan.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF QUEENS COUNTY
(CHAPMAN PUBLISHING CO. 1896)
GEORGE CASEY. There is nothing more important to the welfare of a city than a well-equipped
fire department, nor is at there anything more effective in the preservation of property
as well as life, and the man who successfully fills the position of chief must possess
keen foresight, great energy and must "sleep with one eye open," so to speak, in order
to respond instantly to calls upon his services.
The subject of this sketch is ex-chief of the fire department of Astoria and filled this
office in a most thorough and satisfactory manner.
Mr. Casey was born in Queens County Ireland [sic - was Kings Co.], in 1847, a son of Lawence and Ann (Moran) Casey, also natives of that county,
where they were married. The father was a shoemaker by trade, and followed this occupation
in Main Street, Astoria, after his removal to this country with his family in 1849.
Here he died at the age of seventy-three years and here his wife was also called from life.
George Casey was the eldest of four daughters and two sons, and at the time of the family's
removal to America he was two years of age. He was reared in Astoria, educated in the
public schools of the fourth ward and learned the shoemaker's business with his father. He
became an instructor of his trade on Randall's Island, where he continued for sixteen years,
then, in 1865, he was a volunteer in the United States navy and for one year served on a gunboat.
At the expiration of his term of enlistment be was honorably discharged, March 19, 1866, on
Randall's Island, but soon afterward went to New Brunswick, N.J., and in 1878 took up his
abode in Astoria, where his home has ever since been. He has been connected with the fire
department of Astoria for many years, was one of its organizers, and from 1877 to 1880 was
chief engineer.
In February, 1891, Mr. Casey was appointed chief by Mayor Gleason, thus becoming the first
chief engineer in the paid department, which lie assisted in organizing, but in 1893 there
was a political change in the administration and lie was deposed. Mr. Casey contested the
matter in the courts and was reinstated, but in the following September was again
discharged, and the case is now being once more tried, with the prospects of success in his favor.
He was one of the organizers of the Veteran Firemen's Association of Long Island City, and
the hall above his office is now used by this society. He is a member of Ringgold Post of
the Grand Army of the Republic, and politically is an active worker in the Democratic party.
In Long Island City lie married Rose Ann Joyce, who was born in Astoria and died here
February 23, 1894, leaving five children, James, William, George, Jr., Lawrence and Rose
Ann, all of whom are attending school.
Portrait and Biographical Record of Queens Co., ( unkn. auth. NY & Chi: Chapman Publishing Co, 1896)
is available in the Long Island Room at Queensborough Central Library in Jamaica.
Also at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Boston, MA (local history, 5th floor).
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