Amanuensis Monday - Margaret Reilly nee Barrett

The Scranton Republican, 09SEP1913, pg16

Still delving into that Reilly/Barrett/Devers connection with my Barretts. From what I can figure Margaret (Mrs. Charles Reilly) is a sister to my Patrick Barrett. Her obituary here is frustrating to say the least. Her name isn't mentioned. I only know it's her from previous resources.

I'll admit to getting a little exited when I saw that the obituary mentioned her being born in Ireland. I figured that if they were going to go that far, they'd give a little more information, but no. Hopes dashed. They didn't even mention that she had originally resided in Cranberry, Pennsylvania...a small residential area near Hazleton. There's also no mention of her daughter, Nellie/Ellen Devers nee Reilly, who died 10 years before.

When searching newpapers.com I saw the death notice for William Reilly. The grandson mentioned in the post. I didn't think much about it because I was focused on Margaret. When I came across her obituary and it mentioned William's death shortly before I made sure I clipped that article too. After all...they all belong to me even if I don't have the solid connection yet. I'll get there.

"Prominent Woman Goes to Her Final Reward

AVOCA, ept. 8.

The death of Mrs. Charles Reilly, one of Avoca's oldest and most esteemed residents, occurred at the home of her son, Charles Reilly, on South Main street, Sunday night.

A grandson, William Reilly, died last week and his demise is believed to have weakened her condition, which was weakened owing to her advanced age.

Mrs. Reilly was born in Ireland and resided in Avoca for the last thirty years. She is survived by two sons, Charles and Edward, of Avoca, and one daughter, Margaret, of Scranton.

The funeral takes place Wednesday morning at 9:30 o'clock. Services at St. Mary's church and interment in St. Mary's cemetery."

Margaret is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Avoca. She has a FindAGrave memorial I created after finding this clipping.

Sunday's Obituary - Nellie Dever nee Riley

The Plain Speaker, 22AUG1903, pg 1

Remember when I posted about my mysterious Lees in Pittsburgh? I knew they were related, but I hadn't been able to figure out how they were related. Well, I still don't know, but now I have another mystery. This time in my Barrett line.

Patrick Barrett is as far back as I can go in my Barrett line. Sort of. Patrick died in 1908 and his death certificate listed his parents, but there's no guarantee that it's right. Perhaps knowing that his parents are listed as Edward Barrett and Mary Merrick (a name I've never heard in regards to my family tree...ever) may help me with this new mystery in the future. Who knows?

I know the Barrett in this clipping is my Patrick Barrett. The 1900 census shows my Patrick and his wife, Bridget, living in their home on East Diamond Avenue. I have three Mulhearns in my family tree, and one of them is a John, but I don't have much information on him. Perhaps this obituary that I found on Newspapers.com will be able to shed some light on that.

"Death of Former Cranberry Lady.

Mrs. John Dever, of Avoca, a niece of Patrick Barrett, of East Diamond Avenue, and Mrs. John Mulhearn, of South Pine street, died last night. Mrs. Dever was formerly Miss Nellie Riley, of Cranberry. The funeral will take place at Avoca on Monday morning."

After finding this link I jumped back on to Newspapers.com to try to find other articles about this mysterious woman from the Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre papers. I found some that may or may not be right, but then I discovered another on my Nellie and it shed a little light on how she died and where she's buried, but nothing on how she connects with my family.

The Wilkes-Barre Record, 25AUG1903, pg 12

"Avoca.

Mrs. John Devers died on Saturday morning at the home of her mother on Spring street. Deceased was well known and highly respected by all who knew her. Her husband, mother, two brothers, one sister and four children survive, the youngest being 3 days old. The funeral will occur this morning with a requiem mass at St. Mary's Church; interment in St. Mary's Cemetery."

So the surname has an "s" in this article. Nothing to get all worked up about. So I went on FindAGrave to see if I could find St. Mary's Cemetery and discovered there was one in Avoca. I also discovered that there was a memorial for Nellie also showing her maiden name as Reilly (Riley). It has her birth as being in Hazleton in December 1864 and it has her linked to a memorial for her husband passing on March 3, 1906. How sad! Those kids were so young! Under her bio was a transcription of the clipping from the Wilkes-Barre Record and a statement by the author saying that she was the daughter of Charles and Margaret Barrett Reilly.

The Wilkes-Barre Record, 27AUG1903, pg 12

"Avoca.

The funeral of Mrs. John Devers, whose death occurred on Friday morning under very sad circumstances, took place on Monday morning from her late home on Spring street. The remains encased in a handsome casket, were viewed by a great many sorrowing friends. A requiem mass was celebrated in St. Mary's Church by Rev. J. Lynch. The pall bearers were John Flannely, John Sheridan, James Walsh, John Gallagher, James Lavin, Edward Dunleavy."

All of this is very exciting, but it isn't proof. It is information that could possibly lead me to sources that will help me confirm or refute the information. I can also contact the FindAGrave contributor that posted the information and we can hopefully collaborate to figure this all out. I have no siblings for Patrick Barrett. Just the possibility of Edward Barrett and Mary Merrick being his parents. Now I have a potential sister in Margaret and possibilities of finding others, one of which may lead me to their parents!

Mystery Monday - I Need a Clear Set of Eyes for This

1880 US Federal Census Patrick Barrett household

I need a sanity check. A pretty big one too. The above is from the 1880 U.S. Federal Census. It's my Patrick and Bridget Barrett nee Farley with three of their six children. They were living in Cranberry, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. In 1900 they would be living on East Diamond Avenue (with all six kids) in Hazleton, Luzerne county. Hazleton and Cranberry are close to each other so this change in address isn't such a stretch. This clipping also helps connect them if there was any doubt...

The Plain Speaker, 22AUG1903, pg 1

I was supposed to share this clipping in a post published yesterday, but I apparently left it in "Draft" mode so it never went out. It will go out for next Sunday. I've got school-brain right now! Anyway in that upcoming post I have this clipping and deduced that this Miss Nellie Riley (Reilly) was most likely the daughter of Charles and Margaret Reilly nee Barrett. I've confirmed the Charles part, but Margaret is always referred to as "Mrs. Charles Reilly." Women's lib came to late too help me with that.

So I'm trying to connect Nellie with Patrick. She's his niece so if Margaret Reilly nee Barrett is her correct name, then I've pretty much got it down that Margaret is Patrick's sister. So I went looking for Charles, Margaret, and Nellie in the 1880 census. I found a Charles, Margaret, and Ellen (her FindAGrave memorial lists her as Ellen Devers nee Reilly) and they live right by Patrick and Bridget. Only one family separates the two...

1880 US Federal Census Tidley/Reilly household pg 25A

...but it just couldn't be easy because Charles and Margaret are listed as having the surname "Tidley" and the kids are listed as Ellen, Charles, Magie, Mary, and Edward. Also next to Ellen it has her relationship as "S. Daughter" which I would assume to be step-daughter, but she is listed as his daughter in his obituary and all those other kiddos are listed as well except for Mary. Perhaps she had passed away by then.

The above is at the bottom of the census page and the family continues over onto the next census page where Patrick is also listed...

1880 US Federal Census Tidley/Reilly/Mirick household pg 26B

So here we have a "S. Son" (guessing step-son) by the name of Martin Casina (ish). Below that is Charles' mother-in-law, Mary Mirick. Confused?

OK so on Patrick Barrett's death certificate his parents are listed as Edward Barrett and Mary Merrick. I hadn't heard the name Merrick before, but then I found Margaret Reilly's death certificate and her parents are listed as Charles Reilly and Mary Merrick. Her daughter, Margaret, supplied the information for the death certificate and as we know Charles Reilly was her husband not her father.

So Mary Merrick pops up on both Patrick Barrett's and Mary Reilly nee Barrett's death certificates. When I found the 1880 census records aside from the step-daughter and step-son thing I was convinced I had found them. Then I started thinking about Mary Merrick. Wouldn't her name be Barrett? Why would they have her down by her maiden name in the census? I would say that perhaps she remarried, but why wold Merrick be listed as her maiden name on her death certificate? Am I trying to fit a square peg into a round hole? It's certainly not conclusive, but there are too many coincidences in all of this.

Thoughts? Because right now my mind is a bit muddled.

Sunday's Obituary - Mary Frances Villers...nee Villers

Clipping from family
scrapbook

Yes...Villers nee Villers, but I'm not going there completely right now. I'm ramping up to it just stay with me.

"Mrs. Louis Villers Dies Suddenly Friday

Mrs. Louis Villers, 76, 1470 E. Mason St., died suddenly at her home Friday afternoon. She was a lifelong Green Bay resident and a member of the Cathedral St. Ann and Mission Societies and the Daughers of Isabella, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Circle.

Besides her husband, survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Edward Van Benadeno (sic), one granddaughter and five great grandchildren; a brother, Joseph; and a sister, Mrs. William Wendricks,* Green Bay.

The body will be at the Schauer and Schumacher Funeral Home at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon. The Daughters of Isabella will say the rosary at 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon. The St. Ann and Mission groups will say the rosary at 7:30 in the evening. The Rev. John Gehl will say the rosary at 8 o'clock Monday evening, and will offer the solemn requiem mass at 9:30 Tuesday morning in the Cathedral. Burial will be in Allouez Cem-"

This clipping is from a family scrapbook that was passed on to me from my in-laws. The obituary cuts off there. I imagine that not much followed except "-etery" or whoever did the clipping would have thought to paste it on there.

Clipping from family
scrapbook

Her funeral notice was scarce with the ancestral information as well noting only a brother, Joseph Villers, and sister, Mrs. William Wendricks.*

"Villers' Rites To Be Held Tuesday  Morning

Funeral services for Mrs. Louis Villers, 76, 1470 E. Mason St., who died Friday, will be held at 9:30 Tuesday morning in the Cathedral. The Rev. John Gehl will offer the requiem mass and burial will be in Allouez Cemetery. The body is at the Schauer and Schumacher Funeral Home where Father Gehl will say the rosary at 8 o'clock this evening. Mrs. Villers is survived by her husband; a daughter, Mrs. Edward VnBenaden (sic); one grandchild; a brother, Joseph Villers, and a sister, Mrs. William Wendricks,* Green Bay."

So her brother's name is Joseph Villers. That's not really proof that her maiden name is Villers. Obituaries/Death Notices in the past weren't always clear with siblings. I've seen notices that say "brother" or "sister" when they meant "brother-in-law" or "sister-in-law." In this case Joseph Villers is her actual brother.

As in the short and not-so-sweet Funeral Notice posted for her husband, Louis, I mentioned that the statement "lifelong Green Bay resident" isn't accurate. Neither of them were born in Green Bay. They may have lived there for a good chunk of their lives, but not before their marriage in 1896. A marriage that isn't mentioned in their obituaries. Their parents aren't mentioned either. No worries. I know who they are and I have a copy of their marriage certificate.

Excerpt of the marriage record for
Louis Villers and Frances Villers

Louis Joseph Villers and Mary Francis Villers were married on March 26th 1896 in Lincoln, Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. Louis was the son of Martin Joseph and Octavia Villers nee Waguener. Mary Frances was the daughter of Pierre Louis and Emerence Villers nee Jadean. The parents of Martin Joseph and Pierre Louis were Eugene and Mary Teresa (maiden name unknown). So their parents were siblings making them first cousins. They weren't married in the church, but by a justice of the peace.

Louis and Frances had one child, a daughter. She is only referred to as "Mrs Edward Van Benaden" in the obituaries, but her name was Eva. Eva was born on December 28th 1896 and died on May 3rd 1974.

Finding cousins that married each other happens in genealogy. It certainly makes us question our research when we reach that conclusion because we assume it doesn't happen much. We make that assumption because it's looked at today as being wrong. I don't know how it was viewed in the late 19th century. Was it frowned upon then as well? Was this why the wedding wasn't performed in the Catholic Church? The reasons don't really matter nor should we view it as scandalous. Royalty had been doing it for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

When you think you have a marriage in your family tree that involves someone that's already in your tree, don't panic. Just carefully review your research and confirm your suspicions. Your genealogy program will permit you to add someone that's already in there because genealogists know this happens. I have a great uncle whose surname is Brown and his wife was also a Brown. I just haven't discovered if they were related yet and if so how.

Just verify your research and breathe.

*Wendricks should actually be Hendricks.

Amanuensis Monday - Louis Joseph Villers' Funeral

This funeral notice for Louis Villers was in a family scrapbook. No obituary, just the short and not so sweet funeral notice. I already have Louis down in my research calendar for an obit-pull when I go home to Wisconsin for Christmas. I'm hoping I'll find one that's a little more satisfying than this.

"Louis Villers - At Schauer and Schumacher Funeral Home after 6:30 tonight. Rosary, 8 tonight and Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Daughters of Isabella. Funeral services, 9 a.m. Monday, Cathedral, the Rev. John Gehl. Allouez Cemetery. Mr. Villers died Thursday evening in a local hospital after a short illness. He was a lifelong resident of Green Bay and worked for the Green Bay Apostolate for 22 years." (handwritten July 7, 1960).

So who was Louis Villers? This funeral notice is pretty sparse. It doesn't tell us much and it's certainly not incredibly accurate.

Louis was not a lifelong resident of Green Bay. In the 1880 census he is listed with his parents, Martin Joseph and Octavia Villers nee Waguener, in Ahnapee, Kewaunee county, Wisconsin. In 1896 he was married in Lincoln, Kewaunee county and in the 1900 census he and his wife, Mary Frances, are in Algoma, Kewaunee county. It's not until the 1910 census that he is living in Green Bay.

As for if the rest of the information is accurate or not it's hard to tell...there's not a lot there. I was a bit surprised to see that it gave where he worked for 22 years, but not who he had been married to for over 50 years. Of course his wife predeceased him so perhaps this is why.

Aside from his parents (listed above) Louis Joseph Villers had four siblings: Florence, Mary Ann Octavia, Alta Ellen/Ella, and Agnes. He and his wife, Mary Frances, had one daughter, Eva. Louis Villers has a FindAGrave memorial I created a few years back. His wife, Mary Frances, is on the same stone. He is my husband's 2nd great uncle.

Amanuensis Monday - The Death of Martin Joseph Villers

Bismarck Daily Tribune, April 4, 1904, pg 1

Martin Joseph Villers was is of those people in a family tree that adds interest to genealogy research, while at the same time you wish he wasn't there. No one wants a murderer in their family tree, but sometimes those people are there and you can't change it. Martin Joseph was convicted of doing some horrible things (see below for links to other posts), but I'm not sorry he existed. The way his wife was written of in her obituary shows that she was well-liked/respected, and they had five children together that (to my knowledge) were respectable members of society. Without this man in our family tree there would be no family tree for my husband or my children. They would never have been born.

I am fascinated by this man's story because I want to know why he did what he did. Unfortunately, the newspaper articles on both of his trials (yes there were two for two different crimes) don't do much to explain the whys. Did he do it for land the man he killed owned? Why not just buy some then? Could he not afford it? Was there a falling out between Villers and the man he killed from whom, I believe, he was renting the land? Was he just a wicked man? That last one I just don't want to believe, but it's possible. In the 1880 US Federal Census Villers' occupation was a policeman. I know that doesn't make him a good man. There have always been people that sought out positions of trust and power to abuse them. Was that why or did he used to be good and something inside him snapped? I want to believe that there was a catalyst.

He was a model prisoner when he was in jail, but he was also sick. Either way he behaved himself once he got there and that gave me hope that he might not have been all bad. It doesn't excuse the bad and being sick and well-behaved behind bars certainly didn't garner any sympathy from the public. In fact, as far as being ill went, the public thought he was faking. He proved them wrong. On April 4th, 1904 he died in prison:

"A Life Prisoner is Dead

Death of M. J. Villers, Life Prisoner at the Penitentiary, with a Gruesome Record of Crime

M. J. Villers, a life prisoner in the penitentiary from LaMoure county, died Sunday of cystitis. He has been ill for several years, in fact having come to the institution seven or eight years ago in such poor health that he was at once put under medical care.  The case of Villers was one of the most interesting from a criminal standpoint of any in the institution. He was first brought to the penitentiary in 1895 for an assault upon Mrs. August Tromner. The history of the case briefly is as Follows: In the year 1895 or thereabouts August Tromner, a farmer living in LaMoure county disappeared. No one knew of his whereabouts, although the last seen of him he was with Villers. Some time after he disappeared, Villers went to the Tromner place, assaulted Mrs. Tromner and threw her in an old well, at the same time firing the barn. He thought no doubt he had killed the woman but she managed to crawl out of the well and crawled to the neighbors stating what had been done. Villers was arrested and sentenced to nine and a half years in the penitentiary. After he had been in the institution for a year or so, a farmer, plowing in the field, saw some bones that had evidently been thrown up by a badger. Further investigation disclosed the remains of a man who had been buried in the field, but in such a state of decay that identification was impossible except for some articles which had been buried with him and which were identified by Mrs. Tromner as having belonged to her husband. Suspicion was at once directed to Villers as having killed Tromner and buried his body there and an order was obtained from the district court of that district for the return of Villers from the state penitentiary for trial. He was tried for the murder of Tromner, found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment for life, being at the time of his death serving the life sentence. Villers was in his 62d year at the time of his death. A coroner's inquest will be held, as provided by law in the case of prisoners dying at the penitentiary. Villers is the second lifer to die in the past few months, the other having been Thomas Swidensky, who was convicted for the murder of Mrs. Kent at Mandan."

I can't call it an obituary. It isn't one and I had, perhaps unrealistically, hoped to find one. Even though some of his children who lived in North Dakota had visited him in jail for Thanksgiving (Bismarck Daily Tribune, 29NOV1897, pg 2) it would appear that he was brushed off eventually...or perhaps they just didn't want to draw attention to the events after he passed.

The wonderful people at the North Dakota Historical Society have helped me with information on MJ Villers previously. I contacted them recently to see if they knew if there was a cemetery on the penitentiary grounds and if not where would he have been buried. I was told that the Burleigh County, ND, Remembrance Book has him buried in St. Mary's Cemetery. I created a FindAGrave memorial for him when I got the information. They also sent me a copy of the article transcribed above (aren't they absolutely the best?!?) 

After creating that memorial I requested a photo. I wasn't overly hopeful. His wife, Octavia Villers nee Wagner (various spellings exist and I believe this was Americanized) is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Stutsman County and not with him. I found out in early June that there is no tombstone for him. A wonderful FindAGrave volunteer, Brian Backes, contacted the cemetery office and discovered it was unmarked. No tombstone for him. I lean more to thinking that was a family decision. He wasn't mentioned in his wife's obituary either.

No doubt he did terrible things, and I wish I had some good stories for him to be remembered by. I don't, but he will be remembered for the wonderful family that he fathered. Rest in peace, Martin.

Wednesday's Child - Nancy May Bronsavage

The Plain Speaker, 28SEP1944, pg 20

This clipping is another of those that I had the choice of it being too small to read or ridiculously large but legible. I chose the latter.

Newspapers.com sent me an automated email one day letting me know that there were some new additions to their collections that included some of my saved searches (I love that!) so when I got to the "Bronsavage" link this was one of the articles I saw and I was surprised and grieved.

"Girl At W.H. Killed By Car

Nancy May, five-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs Michael Bronsavage, of 107 East Cranberry avenue, West Hazleton, was fatally injured at 6:15 last evening by an automobile operated by Albert Miller, of 207 East Broad street, West Hazleton.

She was taken to the State Hospital by Miller and Raymond Schneider, driver for the West Hazleton Fire Company, at 6:22 and succumbed three minutes later from a fractured skull.

According to Chief of Police Carl O. Meiss of West Hazleton, Miller, who is constable of the First Ward in that borough, delivered a prisoner to the West Hazleton lockup.

Coming out of the building he drove around it to Clay avenue where the accident occurred near the girl's home.

According to Miller he did not see the girl but when he noticed another girl standing nearby with a frightened expression he stopped his car and found the injured child in the street.  The West Hazleton authorities are checking today to ascertain whether she was hit crossing the street or ran into the side of the car. No dents were found on the auto.

Chief Meiss was assisted in the investigation by Lieutenant Edward Waitkus and Patrolman Andrew Scheagan.

Miller appeared before Justice of the Peace John Nensteil, of West Hazleton and furnished bail in the amount of $2500 on a charge of involuntary manslaughter by automobile.

Deputy Coroner John J. Salvator, Jr., was called and after investigating, issued a certificate of death cause by automobile accident.

The child is survived by the parents.

The child's mother is the former Helen Krupko (sic), of Coxeville.

The funeral will be held Saturday at 9 a.m., from the family home. Mass of the Angels will be held in Ss. Peter and Paul's Lithuanian Church at 9:30 a.m.

Interment will be made in the parish cemetery."

I knew Nancy May Bronsavage existed. I may have even been told that she died young, but when people tell me things in passing with no proof I tend to let them go in one ear and out the other. Not to be rude, but because there are so many things going on in my mind regarding genealogy that as Sherlock said "I have to delete something."

Now that I've seen the article in black and white I'll most likely never forget it again. Seeing it is different than hearing that they had a daughter that died young. The details make it real. Having children myself makes it even more real. Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare and you feel it even when the loss you read about is someone else's.

According to Michael's obituary Nancy May was the only child Michael and Helen Bronsavage nee Krupka ever had which makes this even more tragic.

I hadn't been able to find Michael, Helen, and Nancy Bronsavage in the 1940 census previously, but this article told me that they lived in ward 1 of West Hazleton. That narrowed it down to 34 pages to scan through on Ancestry.com and I found them quickly. Their surname was transcribed as "Bronavage".  Only the "s" was missing so I would have expected the Ancestry search engine to have picked that up, but it didn't. Living with them was Michael's brother, Anthony Jr., and his surname was transcribed "Bonarrigo". I submitted correction for all of them and linked the record to my family tree.

Nancy May Bronsavage was born on May 21st 1939 and died on September 27th 1944. She was buried in Saints Peter and Paul Lithuanian Roman Catholic Cemetery on September 30th 1944 and has a memorial on FindAGrave. She is my first cousin once removed. Rest in peace sweet, little girl.