“Finding Family: Author Grant Llera on his new biography of Fannie Woollacott Johnson"
Schedule
Sat Oct 19 2024 at 01:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
P.O. Box 953, 781 Main Street, Fitchburg, MA, United States, Massachusetts 01420 | Fitchburg, MA
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Author Grant Llera will discuss his new book at the Fitchburg Historical Society on Saturday, October 19 at 1:00 p.m. Llera’s Finding Fannie, is the history and love story of Fitchburg’s Fannie Woollacott Johnson and her husband Dean Johnson, both teachers living in Gardner; and the story of Dean’s second wife, Janet Louise Murphy. Fannie was from Fitchburg and the younger sister of Fitchburg Mayor Alfred Woollacott. Llera explores the nearly forgotten tale of Fannie’s short life, her marriage to fellow teacher Dean Johnson, and the story of Dean’s second marriage to Janet Louise Murphy. Llera’s research suggests that the second marriage was a sad story, and possibly resulted from family pressures and the societal norms of the 1950’s. Finding Fannie will be self-published in early 2025; advance orders will be taken at the event.
Grant Llera lives in New York City and has many connections to Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He is the great-grandson of longtime mayor, Alfred Woollacott, great-great grandson of Fitchburg Mayor Benjamin A. Cook, and the step-great-grandson of Mayor Joseph Albert Lowe. Llera’s Fitchburg family members were tied to local business, as well. While Alfred Woollacott owned Ritter for Flowers, another of Llera’s great grandfathers, Russell Phillips Cook was founder of Advance Coatings Company of Westminster. Russell Cook’s wife Rachel was daughter of the manufacturer Walter Austin, owner of Austin Furniture Company. After Cook’s death, Rachel’s second marriage was to prominent Fitchburg resident Joseph A. Lowe.
A graduate of Pace University, Llera has worked in the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. He is also the author of a self-published book, Remember Me: The Passengers and Crew of Flight 93, which contains biographies of each of the forty people on the September 11, 2001 flight who fought back against the hijackers and prevented further attack.
In his visit to Fitchburg, the author will share the story of how he came to discover his Woollacott ancestry. Llera would also like to hear from anyone in Fitchburg who has memories of Fannie, Dean and Janet Johnson, or his other Fitchburg ancestors.
The Fitchburg Historical Society is located at 781 Main Street, Fitchburg, in the Phoenix Building. It is handicapped accessible and there is ample on-street and parking lot parking. For more information, please contact the Fitchburg Historical Society at: 978-345-1157 or [email protected] or visit www.fitchburghistoricalsociety.com.
This program is free to the public and is part of the Fitchburg Open Studios weekend celebration, taking place October 19 and 20, 2024.
Photograph is the Woollacott family photo album that is in the Fitchburg Historical Society collection.
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Where is it happening?
P.O. Box 953, 781 Main Street, Fitchburg, MA, United States, Massachusetts 01420Event Location & Nearby Stays:
