Wedding Wednesday-Emil and Catherine Gunther

Philadelphia Inquirer, 25 Sep 1897

I found this yesterday on Genealogy Bank. It was a great find. My great grandfather Emil Gunther is still a mystery is so many ways, but I am finding things slowly about him. I had gotten their marriage license last year when I went to the Philadelphia Archives. The license said that Catherine McCarron resides on Grays Ferry Rd(Ave), Philadelphia. Where this said she is from Norristown, a suburb of Philadelphia. 

Not so Wordless Wednesday-McCarry's at the Shore

This is my Mother's parents, Jim and Tess McCarry down in Atlantic City on the beach. That looks like my uncle peaking over the edge of the photo so I would say this is the early to mid 1930's. 

Tombstone Tuesday-Thomas Niland

Thomas Niland died from injuries when there was an accident at the Hillman Ship yard that was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He was born in Ireland and only had his US citizenship for about 5 years when he died . He left a wife and child. In "Notes of the Courts" in the Philadelphia Inquirer of 11 Nov 1898 it was noted that his wife Mary had begun an action in Common Pleas Court, No. 1 against the Charles Hillman Ship and Engine Building Co. to recover damages for the death of her husband. I have not found what the outcome was as yet, but the ship yard went out of business in 1899! 

VanBilliard Newspaper finds

I have been spending the last few days in GenealogyBank looking for what I could find. I had ended up just putting in the name "VanBilliard" and was very surprised by what I have found. One story I found was from the Evening Journal, Jersey City, Tuesday, 19 Dec 1899.

"WEDDING BELLS
Roper-VanBilliard
 Miss Ella Roper, daughter of Mrs. Sarah Roper of 266 Communipaw Avenue, and Mr. Edgar VanBilliard were married Sunday afternoon by Rev. Joseph Meehan of All Saints' Parish Church. After the ceremony there was a reception at the home of the bride's parents.
The bride wore a white brocaded silk with pearl and lace trimming. the bridesmaid, Miss Sarah Roper, sister of the bride, also wore a white brocaded silk with lace trimming. The ushers were Mr. Harry VanBilliard and Mr. Walter Roper. There were many costly presents." The story went on to list those present at the wedding.

Edgar VanBilliard was the youngest of the children of Jerome and Ellen VanBilliard, my second great grandparents. I was able to go through the guest list in the article and find Edgar's siblings. First off Mr and Mrs H.(Harry) VanBilliard of Hoboken, NJ. Harry was also his usher. then there was Mr. and Mrs. W.(William) VanBilliard of South Bethlehem, PA, Mr. and Mrs. G.(George) VanBilliard  of Easton, PA. These are my great grandparents, George and Susan. Then we have Mr. and Mrs. A.(Albert) VanBilliard of Philadelphia. These were all the brothers except for Franklin who died 11 years before. According to the census records I have found that there was also a sister. Her name was Emma.

Back awhile ago when I received George's obit from The Easton Library I found that when he died in Nov of 1930, "he was survived by three sisters, Mrs. Emma Haas, Philadelphia; Mrs. Newton Bast, Bethlehem; Mrs. John Acker, Bethlehem". Well George's wife Susan's maiden name was Haas so when I saw this I was thinking that maybe Mrs. Emma Haas was married to one of his brother's in law. I thought that his sister Emma was maybe one of the other two sisters listed. Well in the list of wedding guests for Edgar I found Mr. and Mrs. John Hans of Philadelphia, PA. And that led me to look into this couple more. Finding PA church records and Philadelphia death records, I found that Emma VanBilliard married John Haus in 1888 in Bethlehem and the family later moved to Philadelphia. John died in 1918 so I think this would be why Emma is listed with her name in George's obit and not her husband's name as the other women are. As for the other two sisters, I have not been able to find anything as yet. I do not know who there could be as I cannot find any other daughters listed anywhere for Jerome and Ellen VanBilliard. But in the wedding guest list there are Mr. and Mrs. John Acker of Bethlehem, PA, but nothing of Mr. and Mrs. Newton Bast or a Miss. ? VanBilliard.

So I feel like I am having one of those "If I could just have a 5 minute conversation with Grandpop George" moments! I need some direction to find out about the other sisters?????

I found a lot more interesting articles about the VanBilliards that I will post more about.