Last Updated on March 4, 2024 by Michelle McIver
When the “Lost Connections” section of the website was first envisioned, Zita McIver’s story was the one that we knew needed to be shared. Our family history had indicated that Zita, her husband, and three of her four children perished in a fire, and we couldn’t locate the surviving child, Harriet. It wasn’t until 2019 that we found records to piece together the details of what happened, including that four of five children survived the fire, and now we can share Zita’s story.
Early Life
Zita May McIver was born in October 1882, in Queen’s County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. She was the fifth of nine children born to Michael McKeever (McIver) and Susan McKenna, who at the time were living in what was known as Lot 29 in Queen’s County, Prince Edward Island. Zita was born into a Catholic family, and was baptized by Father J.J. McDonald. Her baptism was registered at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church in Hope River, Prince Edward Island.
Zita first travelled to Caribou, Maine, with her parents, as her father owned a farm there1. In 1901, she was back living in Prince Edward Island2, however she returned to Caribou in the Fall of 1901.
Married Life
Zita married Michael Edward O’Regan on October 22, 1901, in Caribou, Maine. Zita was 19 years old, and Michael was 32 years old. While it is not confirmed, based on the timing of the marriage, it appears that Zita and Michael were acquainted while she was in Caribou, prior to returning to PEI.
Michael was born on March 5, 1869, in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, Canada, to Cornelius O’Regan and Fannie McManus. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1897. He worked as a merchant, and owned buildings that were leased out, as well as a sawmill.
Newspaper articles described the family as affectionate and happy, and both Michael and Zita were well known for lending a hand in the community.
Family Life
Zita and Michael had six children over a period of eight years after being married.
- Donald William Charles O’Regan, born November 19, 1902 in Old Town, Maine
- Hope Agatha O’Regan, born March 5, 1904 in Berlin, New Hampshire
- Harriet Cecelia O’Regan, born December 20, 1905 in Caribou, Maine
- John Douglas O’Regan, born February 23, 1907 in Caribou, Maine
- Pearl O’Regan, born April 29, 1908 in Caribou, Maine
- Myrtle Marie O’Regan, born April 14, 1909 in Caribou, Maine
Zita’s fifth child, Pearl, died at the age of 6 months on November 21, 1908, due to tuberculosis of the bowels.
A Tragic Fire
On May 4, 1918, there was a gas stove explosion in the family home. Zita and Michael died from their injuries on the day of the fire, and their youngest daughter succumbed to her injuries two days later, on May 6, 1918. Another daughter, Hope, received treatment for burns sustained. While the family history records had initially indicated that only Harriet had survived the fire, in fact, Zita’s four oldest children survived.
There were newspaper articles3 published covering the details of the fire, as well as Zita and Michael’s funeral. Their funeral was attended by the entire community, with the church overflowing, and local businesses closed.
Unfortunately, this was not the only time that Zita and Michael had been affected by fire, and this was the fourth time in four years. They first lost a wooden building, where the new O’Regan building was constructed, which was the location of the tragic fire. This building had been built in the year leading up to the fire. Michael had also purchased a sawmill which soon afterward was destroyed by fire. He rebuilt the sawmill shortly thereafter, however this also burned.
What happened to the children?
It is believed that the surviving children were taken in by Michael’s family who lived in the area, however we could only locate Douglas in the 1920 US Census records. At the time, he was staying with the family of Paul and Olive Gagnon, who also had a son, Thomas, about the same age. One newspaper article confirms that Douglas was later taken in by Mrs. Mabel Flora, noted as his aunt, however she was Michael’s niece (daughter of Julia (O’Regan) Powers).
The children all appear to have stayed in Caribou, as they finished high school there before pursuing their careers.
Donald William Charles O’Regan
Donald was 15 years old when his parents died in the tragic fire in 1918. He graduated from Caribou High School in 1919, and went on to the University of Maine for a pre-law course. He later graduated from Georgetown University law school in 1924, where he was class president and the youngest in his class.
In 1925, Donald was appointed as an attorney under Attorney General Harlan G. Stone at the U.S. Department of Justice. In January 1931, Donald returned to Caribou, Maine, where he opened a law office. In October of the same year, Donald became the youngest lawyer to be appointed judge of a municipal court in Maine.
Donald later ran for State Senate, however was not elected. Donald continued to travel and work between Washington, DC and Caribou, Maine. It was in Washington, DC that Donald died suddenly following a short illness on July 24, 1945. Funeral services were held in New York City and internment was at the Gates of Heavenly Rest Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.
Hope Agatha O’Regan
After finishing high school, Hope was working as a stenographer for the Keene Ice Cream Company in Bangor, Maine (1925). She later took nursing training, and relocated to New Rochelle, New York. She was married to Anton Herman Hunck Jr (surname was later changed to Hunt), on November 5, 1932. Anton was a seaman, working for an international shipping company, therefore he was often travelling. Hope did not have any children. She remained in New York, and died on August 2, 1973 at the age of 69.
Click here to access additional records for Hope O’Regan.
Harriet Cecelia O’Regan
Harriet is the only one of Zita’s children who went on to have a family of her own. She was a registered nurse, who trained at the Madigan Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. She began her nursing career in New Rochelle, New York, as did her sister, Hope.
Harriet married Harold Ames Texido, on May 15, 1934 in Boston, Massachusetts. They remained in New Rochelle, New York until at least 1936, when their son, William Joseph Texido was born. Then they returned to Houlton, Maine, where their daughter, Hope was born in 1939. She raised her children in Maine, and continued in her nursing career.
Harriet’s son William moved to Alameda, California, where he established a family and was a successful businessman, while her daughter Hope remained in Maine to raise her own family. Harriet has many surviving grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Harriet passed away on August 1, 1981 in Houlton, Maine.
Click here to access additional records for Harriet O’Regan.
John Douglas O’Regan
John Douglas O’Regan (Douglas) was 11 years old when his parents died. He was taken in by his cousin, Mrs. Mabel Flora. Douglas was a member of the boys glee club at the Caribou High School, and later attended Bryant-Stratton Business College in Boston.
Douglas was working as a bartender in New York City, and living with his sister, Hope, and her husband, when he joined the US Army in 1940. He was a Technician, posted at Camp Beauregard in Louisiana. It was at Camp Beauregard where Douglas died in a training accident on July 1, 1943. He was buried at the Gates of Heavenly Rest Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.
Click here to access additional records for Douglas O’Regan.
Additional information
Please visit our electronic family tree for access to additional information and records. Click here for direct access to Zita May McIver.
Footnotes
1 The 1900 US Census from Caribou, Maine, indicates that Zita’s father, Michael, immigrated to the US in 1898, and that he owned the farm where they were living. At the time, it was only Michael and Susan, along with Zita and one of her brothers, Charles Hugh in Caribou. *Note that the 1910 US Census shows that Zita immigrated in 1900.
2 The 1901 Census of Canada (page 36, page 37), from Lot 29, Queen’s County, Prince Edward Island, shows that Michael J. McIver (Zita’s oldest brother) was the head of the household, and his parents, Michael and Susan, along with Zita, and their other siblings were all living at this homestead.
3 See articles published in The Bangor Daily News on May 6, 1918 (Part 1; Part 2), and May 8, 1918.