Basic Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Clemence Gleason |
| Also recorded as | Clement Joseph Gleason |
| Birth | circa 1904, Brooklyn, New York |
| Death | July 1919, Brooklyn, New York |
| Age at death | about 14 to 15 |
| Father | Herbert Walton Gleason |
| Mother | Mae Agnes “Maisie” (Kelly or Murphy) Gleason |
| Siblings | John Herbert “Jackie” Gleason (born 1916) |
| Residence | Family home noted at 25 Truxton Street, Brooklyn |
| Faith | Catholic, with parish ties to Our Lady of Lourdes |
| Burial | Holy Cross Cemetery, in the family plot |
Brooklyn Beginnings
In the early 1900s, Brooklyn was full of streetcars, corner bakeries, and immigrant families building their futures. Clemence Gleason arrived. Herbert Walton and Mae Agnes had a simple household, yet one of American entertainment’s most famous names would be associated with them. The family lived at 25 Truxton Street in a neighborhood united by church life, public schools, and workdays and Sunday Mass.
The youngster recorded as Clement or Clement Joseph is remembered here as Clemence, and some family stories use that spelling. The oldest boy carried his parents’ dreams first. Brooklyn schoolyards were packed and large families were common throughout his childhood. Sparse but vivid information remain: a public school student, a son in a devout Catholic household, a brother known as Jackie to millions.
Schooldays and a Brother’s Companion
Think of two brothers separated by 12 years. John Herbert, subsequently known as Jackie, would have seen Clemence as the enormous shadow at the doorstep in 1916. The older brother is an example, a helper, and sometimes a miscreant in a city rowhouse. Neighbours may have seen Clemence’s brisk school walk, parish catechism attendance, and family errands on busy commercial routes.
Brooklyn’s public schools at the time were direct and strict. Reading, arithmetic, precise attendance, and respect for seniors were all demanded. Though report cards do not exist here, the way the family is presented suggests a boy balancing schoolwork and a slew of responsibilities that come with being the oldest kid. He was hardly a celebrity, but he played a classic role in a family story that would be repeated with the benefit of hindsight.
Parents at the Helm
Insurance auditor Herbert Walton Gleason was known for his accuracy, patience, and stability. Maisie, Mae Agnes, was the household’s heart, guiding her sons through job, church, and neighborhood life. Paychecks and a mother’s domestic expertise were more important than a father’s job status in early 20th-century Brooklyn. Their family survived early loss.
Through their sons, parents’ stories are mostly revealed. Their marriage united two Brooklyn Irish American parish and neighborhood communities. Many families in those years had a household voice of laughter and caution, thrift and celebration, feasts and fasts.
Illness and Farewell in 1919
Clemence died in early adolescent in July 1919. Before medications, meningitis could sweep a family rapidly and kill. The family mourned at Our Lady of Lourdes, their spiritual home, for a Requiem Mass. The contemporaneous death announcement sets the sadness at 25 Truxton Street, a rowhouse that had been full of ordinary days but now has prayers.
Many Brooklyn Catholic families choose Holy Cross Cemetery for burial. Common gravesite comments included hope, comfort, and resurrection. A family plot’s lines and dates convey the story of a brief but cherished life.
The Shadow and the Spark in Jackie Gleason’s Story
Every great performer has backstories. For Jackie Gleason, born in 1916 and surviving until 1987, losing an elder brother was significant. This absence shaped his comedy and drama’s harshness and compassion, according to family memories. Jackie’s childhood is shaped by Clemence’s absence, a recollection from before he performed and made people laugh.
The younger brother saw Clemence as real. Late-night confidants and early-morning advise should have come from the elder boy. His absence may have strengthened Jackie’s resolve, sharpened his edges, and intensified the sadness behind the wisecracks.
Addresses, Parishes, and the Neighborhood Map
Brooklyn is a city of maps, and the Gleasons’ world had its own coordinates. The street address, the parish church, and the family plot trace the outline of a life.
| Place | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Truxton Street, Brooklyn | Family residence | Listed in the death notice for 1919 |
| Our Lady of Lourdes | Parish church | Site of Requiem Mass and family rites |
| Holy Cross Cemetery | Burial | Clemence interred in the family plot |
These places were not mere backdrops. They shaped habit and belief, set the stage for school bells and Sunday bells, and held the family’s milestones.
Family Snapshot
| Name | Lifespan | Relationship to Clemence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Walton Gleason | dates not specified here | Father | Worked as an insurance auditor |
| Mae Agnes “Maisie” (Kelly or Murphy) Gleason | died 1935 | Mother | Pillar of the household |
| John Herbert “Jackie” Gleason | 1916 to 1987 | Younger brother | Later the famed entertainer |
| Clemence Gleason | circa 1904 to July 1919 | Self | Also recorded as Clement Joseph |
The family appears in records as a tight unit of four during Clemence’s years. No additional siblings are consistently documented in the period of his short life.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| circa 1904 | Birth of Clemence, recorded as Clement Joseph in some documents |
| 1916 | Birth of younger brother John Herbert, later known as Jackie |
| July 1919 | Death of Clemence in Brooklyn at about age 14 to 15 |
| July 1919 | Requiem Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes and burial at Holy Cross Cemetery |
| 1935 | Death of Mae Agnes “Maisie” Gleason |
| 1916 to 1987 | Life span of Jackie Gleason, whose career later brings broader attention to the family story |
These moments are the pegs on which the narrative hangs. Between them lie schooldays, holidays, and the unrecorded texture of ordinary life.
Memory, Names, and the Record
Clemence is the family name, spelled here to honor that voice. Official records and cemeteries often list him as Clement or Clement Joseph. Early 20th-century papers often have tiny differences, especially in families juggling Irish or English naming conventions and clerical transcription. The youngster and his brief path matter most.
The family’s story reminds us that history is not only the tale of those who fill theaters or headlines. It is also the record of a child’s school seat left empty in July, a parish pew with one less voice, and a gravestone that anchored a family’s visits for years.
FAQ
What was Clemence Gleason’s full name?
He is often recorded as Clement Joseph Gleason, while some family mentions use Clemence.
Was his name Clement or Clemence?
Both appear in the record, with Clement Joseph common in formal references and Clemence preserved in family retellings.
When did he die?
He died in July 1919, in Brooklyn, as an early adolescent.
What was the cause of death?
Accounts often list meningitis as the cause, a fast-moving illness at the time.
Where is he buried?
He was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in the family plot.
Who were his parents?
His parents were Herbert Walton Gleason and Mae Agnes “Maisie” Gleason.
Did he have other siblings?
The consistently documented sibling in his lifetime is his younger brother, John Herbert “Jackie” Gleason.
Where did the family live?
Their home is recorded at 25 Truxton Street in Brooklyn during 1919.
What church did the family attend?
They were connected to Our Lady of Lourdes, where his Requiem Mass was held.
What did his father do for a living?
Herbert Walton Gleason worked as an insurance auditor.
