Biography:Tom Ennis
Tom Ennis
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| Given name: | Thomas |
| Middle name: | |
| Family name: | Ennis |
| Place of birth: | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Place of death: | |
| Year of birth: | 1888 |
| Year of death: | |
| Profile: | Musician |
| Source of information: | |
Biographical notes
TOM ENNIS was born on December 21st, 1888, in Omaha, Nebraska, to John Ennis, an Irishman originally from County Kildare, who had immigrated to the United States where he found work helping to construct the Plains states railroads. John was an uilleann piper and came to the attention of Chicago Police Chief Francis O'Neill, who offered him a job as a patrolman on the Chicago police force (as he did other Irish musicians). John joined Chicago's Irish Music Club at the turn of the 20th century, and brought along his son Tom, whom he had tutored on the pipes and who became the youngest member of the group. As a young man in his 20's, Tom found his way to New York City, where he sustained himself as a full time musician and as the owner of a music store at 59th and Columbus Circle. He recorded commercially with a fair amount of frequency in the early decades of the 20th century, and researcher Nicholas Carolan (1977) credits him with founding one of the first Irish-American recording companies.
According to piper Kevin Reitmann, Ennis served in the Army in WWI, was gassed, and invalided home. He played on vaudeville stages in Kent theaters.
Census data from the 1930 census records him living in Queens with his wife (Carol) and his father John.
Ennis died of a heart attack in Jonesville, Michigan, while on tour.