John J. Gough Jr. was born in Hazleton in September 1865, the third son and fourth child of John and Susan (McCloskey) Gough. Like his father, John was in the tailoring and clothing business. By 1896, he operated a men’s clothing store in Hazleton, Gough Brothers (at 45 E. Broad Street), which he ran until his death in 1932; for a while in the 189s, his brother Michael helped run the store.
John married Anna McGeehan, daughter of Hugh and Mary (Kiernan) McGeehan on 21 November 1894 in Hazleton at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church, with his eldest brother, Rev. Peter J. Gough, officiating.
John and Anna had seven children in all, although their youngest, James, died in infancy. As was traditional in many Irish families, their eldest son, John J., became a priest. And like the generation before them, two of John and Anna’s daughters — Mary and Susan — never married but instead remained either at home or lived very near their parents.
From the 1892 until at least 1910, John and Anna rented a home at 440 W. Broad Street in Hazleton; by 1920, they had moved down the street to 481 W. Broad and in 1930 were enumerated at 479 W. Broad.
According to John’s obituary, he was very active in amateur theater, serving as the organizer of the Taylor Minstrels which put on various performances in the town. He also served as the first appointed tax collector for Hazleton, a role he performed for five years.
When John died in 1935, his estate inventory listed a 1928 Hupmobile sedan, one of his prized possessions.
John J. Gough (b. 21 Sep 1865, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA — d. 30 Jul 1932, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA)
m. 21 Nov 1894, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA
Anna E. McGeehan (b. 15 Aug 1865, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA – d. 14 Aug 1944, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA)
Children:
i. Rev. Fr. John Joseph “Jay” Gough (b. 31 Aug 1895, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA — d. 10 Mar 1949, Sayre, Bedford, PA)
ii. Mary A. Gough (b. 29 Nov 1896, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA — d. 14 Jul 1981, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); never married
iii. Hugh Francis “Bud” Gough (b. 9 Dec 1897, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA— d. 12 Mar 1965, New York, NY); m. Claire Donahue
iv. Susan E. Gough (b. 26 Aug 1899, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA — d. 3 Mar 1982, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); never married
v. Catherine E. “Kit” Gough (b. 2 Jun 1903, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA — d. 3 Aug 1977, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); m. Philip McGill
vi. Edward John Gough (b. 17 Jan 1905, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA — d. 24 Dec 1976, Allentown, Lehigh, PA); m. Grace Marie Houlihan
vii. James Gough (b. 9 Nov 1909, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA — d. 18 Jan 1911, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA)