Random Acts Of Genealogical Kindness - A. Austin King

Easton Express, 15APR1964, pg 38

"A.  Austin King, 84, Ex-Mayor Of Netcong

A. Austin King of 93 Allen St., Netcong, a former borough mayor, died yesterday after a long illness.  He was 84.

King, a Democrat, served as mayor for several years before 1925.  He was also a school board president in this community.

Survivors are a son and three daughters.

Services will be held tomorrow."

His FindAGrave memorial can be viewed here.

A quick search of the 1920 census shows A. Austin King with his wife, Grace, and children Albert, Elizabeth, Grace and Catherine.  His wife had been "Mary" in other census records and on FindAGrave. Hopefully, this little clip will find a loved one someday.

Tombstone Tuesday - Another Brick in the Wall

I've blogged about Dennis Dugan before.  He married Elizabeth "Bessie" Quirk who died shortly after giving birth to their daughter via c-section.  Their daughter was Elizabeth "Betty" Dugan and while I found her in the 1920 census with her widower father, by 1930 Betty is missing and Dennis is remarried.

Even though Bessie, Dennis and Betty are not in my direct line, I have spent a lot of time trying to find out what happened to Betty.  Why?  Bessie was the only other child of William and Mary Quirk nee Lee to marry and have a child.  The other was my great grandfather, Edward, and he had one child that lived.  He too lost his wife and second child shortly after childbirth via c-section. Despite William and Mary having had 9 children they do not have a multitude of descendants.  Part of me hopes beyond hope that perhaps Betty went off to live with another relative by 1930 and perhaps she married and had children.  I've found nothing to prove that...or disproved that, thus far.

I have hopes that someday I can find word of her.  She wasn't mentioned in her father's obituary.  Not a good sign.  There is likewise no grave for her in Holy Saviour Cemetery in Bethlehem, PA.  This is the cemetery that her father, Dennis, is buried in.  If she is buried there, perhaps it is under her married name.  A girl can hope.

I had hoped that Dennis' tombstone might add some additional information or chip a little away from the brick wall that are the Dugans.  Nope.  On one side of the tombstone is merely the surname "Dugan".  On the other "Auer," "King," and "Larkin".  I know his second wife's maiden name was King, and her mother's maiden name was Larkin, but I don't know who this "Auer" is.  Perhaps a clue.  I'll have to call the caretaker back and see if he can give me the names of these unknown people. Until that time, it doesn't appear that any bricks are coming down.  Sometimes I think there's a devilish leprechaun building up the wall instead.  Tricky little buggers, but I'm determined to find the gold at the other side of the rainbow brick wall.

[A very special thank-you to Charlene Teifer Stiffinella for taking the pictures of the tombstone and for permitting me to use them in my blog!]

Amanuensis Monday - Two Steps Forward and One Step Back

Did you ever feel like you were doing some kind of weird genealogical dance researching your family history?  I'm feeling that way right about now.  In mid-August I wrote a post "Wisdom Wednesday - I Live For These Moments".  In it I talked about a revelation I had about finding a missing (and most likely deceased) family member who disappeared from family history.  Bessie Dugan nee Quirk died in 1918 shortly after giving birth to her daughter, Elizabeth (Betty).  Betty was found in the 1920 census living with her father and his siblings in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  She was no where to be found in the 1930 census, but her father, Dennis Dugan, was remarried.

Family lore never passed on anything about Dennis, or Betty for that matter.  We had actually assumed that she died at the same time as her mom.  The newspaper clippings that stated the baby was well but the momma wasn't didn't change that view.  It wasn't until I started researching and found the above mentioned that we collectively began to wonder, "What ever happened to little Betty?"

My previous post's revelation was that if I researched the step-mother's obituary that perhaps Betty would be mentioned in it.  Either as having predeceased her or, hopefully, had survived her.  So I contacted the local Bethlehem, PA newspaper "The Morning Call" and asked for help getting to back issues.  They directed me to the library that holds the microfilm and they had a brilliant online search tool.  I was able to input Dennis' 2nd wife, Rose Dugan's, name and she popped up with the date of the obituary.  I also found Dennis' obit.  I didn't find Betty/Elizabeth.

So I paid the small fee to have the articles printed out and sent to me and I got them this past week.  The excitement was, and still is, there at having received this information, but it didn't answer the question I was looking for.  I will most likely continue to delve into this collateral line to find out the question of, "What happened to Betty Dugan," but for now, I'll simply share her step-mother's obituary.

The Globe Times - 13SEP1982

"Mrs. Dennis Dugan

Mrs. Rose King Dugan, 87, formerly a guest at Cedarbrook Annex, Fountain Hill, died today in St. Luke's Hospital.  She was the widow of Clarence Steager and Dennis Dugan.

Born in Bethlehem, she was the daughter of James and Ellen Larkin King.

She was a member of Ss. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, Bethlehem.

Surviving is a son, James J. Steager of Fountain Hill; two daughters, Sister Joan Dugan of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Mary Phillips of Bethlehem; a sister, Mrs. Anthony Reiser of Bethlehem, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A son Francis preceded her in death in 1956.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Ss. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, 730 W. Broad Street.  Call one hour prior to services Wednesday evening.  Burial will be in Holy Savior Cemetery, Bethlehem, at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

The Charles M. Downing Funeral Home, 835 Broadway, Bethlehem, is handling arrangements.

Memorials may be made in her name to Ss. Simon and Jude Church."


[The Globe Times, Sep. 13, 1982 pg B4:Col3]