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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: Swally on Saturday 04 November 06 13:49 GMT (UK)
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Guys,
I am still on the track of a Great Uncle of mine and think I am very close to getting a result.
I have found an Alexander Allan D.O.B 1887 who died in 1943 roughly 6 miles from his previous address in Philadelphia. He is in a plot owned by Martha Seifert
alongside 2 other guys who are not related to him?????
His second wife was known as Helen (Ella) who was German as were her parents.
From the 1930 Census it states that she had been married before.
I am of the opinion that the first guy in the plot may have been her first husband or possibly the husband of a relative of hers.
The first guy was a Albert C. Seifert died August 2nd, 1927 at the age of 38 after an auto accident with a train. (George S. Rollinson undertaker)
If I could find details of his accident it may mention his wife and dependants
is there anyone out there that can help?
All the best from Scotland,
Swally
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Hi Guys,
News Just in from erefnews@excen.library.phila.gov to whom I am much obliged.
3 From Phila. Die as speeding Train hits auto in N.J
Father & Son & Neighbour are killed as Fast Freight ploughs into machine at Lisbon.
Victims, believed to be on Fishing Trip, Unable to see oncoming Engine.
Bodies badly mangled.
NEW LISBON, N.J. July 29-
Three lives were snuffed out in an instant early tonight when a Pennsylvania
Railroad express train, speeding at 60 miles an hour crashed into an automobile at the New Lisbon crossing.
The dead:
Albert Seifert, 32 of 2942 North Orianna Street, Philadelphia and Frederick Kligge 41, neighbour of Seifert.
Frederick Kligge. Jr. 12 Kligge's son.
The bodies of the three victims, were the only occupants of the machine, were hurled in every direction as the locomotive struck the car. The automobile was carried along the track for 50 yards, then hurled down an embankment.
Seifert's body was found in a field sixty yards from the track. The other two bodies, badly mangled, were thrown clear of the wreckage and landed in a ditch.
The locomotive was attached to a special express train carrying perishable fruit and other freight from Long Branch to Camden. So terrible was the impact that the entire front section of the locomotive was practically demolished.
The tradgedy occured at a crossing a few feet away from the New Lisbon station. Serveral freight cars were on a siding at the rear of the station and it is believed that Seifert, apparently the driver was unable to see the onrushing train.
The automobile, a small sedan was completely wrecked and parts of the engine were found strewen along the tracks for 50 yards.
Seifert was identified by means of automobile license card found in his coat pocket. It is believed that the trio was proceeding towards Beach Arlington on a fishing excursion.
Frank E Jones, of 37 North Trinity fifth Street, Camden, the engineer, declared that he saw the car a few seconds before the crash and that he jammed on the brakes too late to avoid the tragedy.
"We rounded the curve just beyond the New Lisbon Station" he said "and the signal indicated that the track was clear. Just as we passed the station at a rate of between 50 and 60 miles an hour. I caught sight of the car. I put on the emergency brake and brought the engine to a halt 50 yards beyond the crossing.
Coroner Benjamin Farner of Burlington county arrived on the scene a few minutes after the tragedy an assumed charge of the bodies. They were taken to the undertaking establishment of Messers K. ****** in Mount Belly.
Great news...........what I need now is a copy of the obituary to see what relation Helen Seifert is to this guy.
all the best from Scotland,
Swally
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Swally,
Excellent news. Have you contacted the Philadelphia Public Library for the obit. There might be a nominal fee, but sometimes, if it is just one request, they will send it along for nothing, especially if they are able to email it.
Kath
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Kath,
I just E-mailed the guys at the newspaper to see if they could locate it, quite a story isn't it?
I am of the opinion that the Helen Seifert who married my great uncle Alexander Allan is indeed the sister of Albert C Seifert.
Alexander, Albert and a guy called Oscar Sannis are planted in the same grave.. strange eh?
Albert & Oscar were the late husbands of Martha Seifert, I have proff of this, so why was Alexander the cuckoo in the nest?
Could it be that if Helen had no money her sister in law let Alexander be buried beside her husbands?
With Genealogy when you get one answer it often poses a few more questions doesn't it?
all the best from Scotland,
Swally
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News just in
No mention of an Obituary in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Has anyone any idea what other papers were around or suggestions where to look next??
all the best from Scotland,
Swally
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Swally,
Thanks for the article & the recap. I was feeling confused.
I had to chuckle when I read your comment, "Great news", after the article about the gruesome deaths. (LOL) Only a genealogy buff would say that! ;D
"Could it be that if Helen had no money her sister in law let Alexander be buried beside her husbands?"
I think that's quite possible.
Regards,
Josephine
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The dead:
Albert Seifert, 32 of 2942 North Orianna Street, Philadelphia
Albert Seifert, 32 of 2942 North Orianna Street, Philadelphia 1927
Alexander Gordon Allan
U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
lives at the same address 2942 N Orianna St
Almost 20 yrs later This must mean something!
1930 census Alex and Hellen at the same address - they own the home.
Note regarding the images for the states of PA, MD, VT, and DE. These four states were scanned at the National Archives facility in such a way that the back of one person’s draft card appears on the same image as the front of the next individual. The result is that when you click to view the original image, you will see the correct front side of the draft card, but the back of the previous soldier’s card.
So I only gave you the front of the card
1920 census a Joseph and Mary Kerker or Kerhir lived at that address.
Susan
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Wow,
Well done, Susan!
Regards,
Josephine
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Guys,
It looks as though I have finally solved the problem.
Albert C Seifert wife Helene Martha Seifert with daughter Marie (born 1908 in Germany) emigrated to Philadelphia in 1913. On the 1920 Census Marie is staing with relatives in Chicago but Albert & Helene are still in Philly.
In 1927 Albert's car is hit by a train and he is killed outright, he is buried at Northwood in Philly. He was on route to a fishing outing in New Jersey where his wife and daugter were on vacation.
Alexander Allan's wife Agnes dies at East Russell street in Phily in 1928 of T.B.
Daughter Marie marries an Olson in 1929.
Martha Seifert is the sole tennant of 2942 North Orianna Street in Philadelphia in the years 1928, 29 & 30.
The Census of 1930 shows Helen Allan & Alexander Allan and Alexander's son from his first marriage staying at 2942 North Orianna Street.
1942 Alexander's "Old Man's Draft Card shows him staying at 2942 North Orianna Street and the person who would recognise him is wife Ella.
1943 Alexande3r dies in Hamburg State Sanitorium in Philly and is buried alongside Helene's first husband Albert in Northwood.
Helene remarries sometime later to a Norweigan Oskar Kristoffer Sannes and they are together until he dies in 1956, again he is buried in Northwood with Albert & Alexander.
Helene moved to Tuckerton New Jersey in 1975, I presume to be with her daughter. She died in January 1989 aged 99 years and is buried at Greenwood cemetery, New Jersey. Her daughter Marie died in February 1993 in Tuckerton and is buried in the same graveyard.
I just need to track down Marie's family and get a picture of her headstone to complete the story.
A big thanks to all who helped.
Swally
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Swally,
Fantastic. What a terrific timeline you have compiled. Great hard work involved in this one, and it has paid off. Good luck tracking Marie's family. You know where to post if you need help. And have you checked www.raogk.org for help with the photos of the gravestones?
Kath
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Good stuff, Swally!
What a story!
Regards,
Josephine
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Thanks to all who have helped.
Swally
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Guys,
Just to let you know I was unable to get a picture of Helene Martha Seifert / Allan / Sannes's grave as she was cremated, I did however manage to get a picture of her daughter's tombstone in New Jersey.
A big thanks to all who helped me in my quest.
Swally
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Swally: Are you still looking for information on the accident in 1927 when Albert Seifert was killed? My grandfather and uncle were killed with him. Thanks, Fred
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Hi Cachlan,
Thanks for the reply. I have quite good details of the crash, what can you add?
Regards from Scotland,
Swally
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Hello from Pennsylvania: Albert Seifert lived on Orianna Street near my grandparents’, the Kligges. I have large photographs of the accident. It shows the car, the road, the field, the tracks and local residents looking on.
Mr. Seifert is likely that man named Carl Albert Seifert, locksmith and iron molder, born 8 September 1889 in Meerane, Germany. He left Hamburg, Germany 14 June 1913 and arrived in the United States 4 July on the ship Prince Oskar. Albert stood 5’ 7” tall weighed 160 pounds, had a fair complexion with blonde-brown hair and grey-blue eyes.
He declared his intention to be a US citizen 3 August 1914 in the District Court of Philadelphia. The declaration was filed 17 July 1919 because he had to have resided in the US at least 5 years.
The couple had at least one child, Marie born 9 August 1908 in Germany.
The family moved to 3008 Philip Street, Philadelphia, before moving to Orianna Street where my grandfather and uncle (both named Fred Kligge) lived.
He appears in the World War I draft registration in 1917 and it shows he had had previous military experience in the cavalry for three years in Germany. At the time of his World War I registration he was employed as a cement worker.
In 1920 Albert was still living on Philip Street not far from Orianna Street. He was residing there with his wife Martha. This census record shows that he was born in Munich, Germany and she was born in Berlin, Germany. Albert was shown as a gas welder in an automobile works and Martha was a knotter in a lace mill. There is no mention of daughter Marie who would have been about twelve years old. Sometime after this the family moved to Orianna Street (according to the newspapers). Albert was of course killed 29 July 1927 in New Lisbon, New Jersey and is probably that Albert Seifert buried in Northwood Cemetery, Philadelphia. His stone reads: “FATHER / ALBERT SEIFERT / 1889 – 1927”.
On Martha’s immigration index card of 1913, she is shown as a 24-year-old housewife, with a fair complexion, black hair and brown eyes. Her mother (still living in Meerans, Germany) is shown as “Seifert – M.” which is likely her mother-in—law. Martha or “Helene Martha” arrived in the US 29 October 1913 on the Neckar out of Bremen. Martha was born 22 December 1889 in Meerans, Germany.
It is likely that Albert arrived first to get things settled and Martha followed, probably with daughter Marie.
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Cachlan,
Wow!
A good bit of research there pal.
It took me years to find out that Helene, Martha and Ella was in fact the same person. She married my great uncle, Alexander Allan, after the death of his wife, Agnes, in 1928. They resided in Orianna Street with Alexander’s son, Robert. We believe that there was a fall out as Robert left home quite early. After Alexander died of T.B., Helene, Martha or Ella, later married A Swedish bigamist, Oskar Sannis. She buried all three of her husbands in the one grave, but from memory only Albert is named on the headstone.
Are you from Philly?
Obviously I am in Scotland but I have been unable to find a birth certificate for Alexander’s son, Robert, who was born in 1913..
I’ll send you Alexander’s story later when I can get on my computer.
Kind Regards,
Alistair
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Alistair: I have a record from FamilySearch (free) that shows Robert Gordon Allan was born 25 June 1913 in Philadelphia, son of Alexander Allan, 28, born in Aberdeen, Scotland & Agnes Wood Bowie, 31, born in New Mllns (sic), Scotland (see below).
I was born in Philadelphia but we moved to the suburbs when I was about 2. My father grew up on Orianna Street.
Many of my ancestors came from Scotland including Dunn, Barrowman, Espy, Artt and Nixon.
Fred
Name
Robert Gordon Allan
Event Type
Birth
Event Date
25 Jun 1913
Event Place
Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Event Place (Original)
Phila, Pennsylvania, United States
Gender
Male
Father's Name
Alexander Allan
Father's Birthplace
Aberdeen Scotland
Father's Age
28
Mother's Name
Agnes Wood Bowie
Mother's Birthplace
New Mllns Scotland
Mother's Age
31
Document Number
25985
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Fred,
Buckle up, here is Alexander's story.
Alexander Allan
1887 – 1943
My Great Uncle Alexander was born on March 1st 1887 at 16, Canal Street, the District of St Nicholas, Burgh of Aberdeen to Robert Allan and Elspet (Gordon). He was one of nine children
Jane Ross Gordon 7/11/1881 14, Nelson Street, Huntly
Margaret 28/08/1883 34, Albion Street, Aberdeen
Robert 1/05/1885 62, Hutcheon Street, Aberdeen
Mary Jack 23/02/1889 16, Canal Street, Aberdeen
John Smith 22/02/1891 7, Ann Street, Woodside, Aberdeen
James 24/07/1893 4, Cottage Mounds, Old Aberdeen
William 15/07/1895 24, Jute Street, Aberdeen
Elsie Gordon 22/03/1899 47, Canal Road, Aberdeen
In his early years Alexander would see the death of his infant sister Elsie who died 9 months after she was born, on the28th December 1899 the cause of death was diagnosed as malnutrition. Alexander and his brothers and sisters would have probably gone to either Causewayed or Sunnyside Primary School Aberdeen. There is not much to go on from his birth till the Census of 1901 of Aberdeen where he stayed with his parents at 47 Canal Road in Aberdeen where he was employed as a Jute Factory Hand along with his sister Jane Ross Gordon.
From Alexander’s Army Service History it would appear that Alexander was in an Army Volunteer Force but left in 1907.
In 1907 Alexander took the bull by the horns like a lot of young men of his age and decided that the land of Milk & Honey was his for the taking.
He set sail for America from Liverpool on the 3rd of July 1907 on the SS Westeruland, he gave his mother’s address as 1 Farquhar Place Aberdeen as his point of contact. He was to visit a Mr McLeod.
He came home to Scotland but he returned to America sailing into Philadelphia in July leaving Liverpool on the 9th June 1909 aboard the SS Haverford, again he was to stay with a Mr McLeod who he now cites as a relative who stays at John Street, Frankford, Philadelphia. On the same ship was an Agnes Bowie who hailed from Newmilns in Ayrshire he would marry Agnes at a later date.
We have Alexander on the 1910 American Census that was taken on the 15th day of April, he was staying as a boarder at 4505 Oxford Street Philadelphia and he is listed as a Labourer Contractor, he is with young men of a similar age.
I imagine that he would be courting the soon to be new Mrs Allan at this time.
His brother Robert sailed on the SS Merrion on 2nd of August 1911 to Boston to visit his brother Alexander. He stayed from the August until the 20th of November when he returned home. It would be fair to say he didn’t go for a holiday but went in search of work. He gives the address of his mother 1, Farquhar Street, Aberdeen as point of contact.
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They were to move to Newmilns in Ayrshire and on the Valuation Roll of 1916 – 1917 Alexander was the tenant of 13 Union Street and gave his occupation as a stoker (he would have fed the furnace to keep the engine going on a train), his father in law possibly got him this job as he was an engine keeper with the Railways. Alexander rejoined the army on the 11th of December 1915 where he signed his Attestation papers swearing allegiance to King and Country.
The next day he was placed with the Army Reserve where he would undergo physical and skills training. From the 15th of May 1916 till the 15th May 1917 it appears as he was posted as a Recruiting Officer for the 21st Recruiting Area, this may have been due to him being blind in his right eye and thought unfit for overseas duties.
The medical inspection on Alexander carried out from the period of 15th May 1917 till 27th May 1917 at Ayr shows the following-
Service Number 118040
Age 30 & 3 months
Trade Labourer
Height 5’ 8” tall
Weight 128lbs (8 stone 4 lbs)
Chest 36 ½ inches
Expansion 2 ½ inches
Vaccination Marks 1
When Vaccinated Infancy
Vision Right Eye – nil – previously discharged due to
defect right eye
Marks Small scar left upper arm, Tattoo marks right
Forearm – Heads “Clasped Hands”,
“True Love
Slight Defects B11 = (B2)
B1 = Free from serious organic diseases, able
to stand service on Lines of
Communication in France, or in
garrisons in the tropics.
Subcategories:
B1 = Able to march 5 miles, see to shoot with
glasses, and hear well.
B2 = Able to walk 5 miles, see and hear
Sufficiently for ordinary purposes
Vaccination 23/ 5/17} TAB Mixed vaccine, Typhoid and
31/5/17 Paratyphoid A and B
30/5/17 VAC
13/6/17
Address 13 Union Street, Newmilns
On his Casualty Form – Active Service his qualification is that of Nursing Orderly on General Duty where he would be doing basic paramedic training at Sheffield Training Centre attached to “R” Coy. He was posted to Number 19 Coy of the Royal Army Medical Core Queen Mary’s Hospital Whalley on the 21st of June 1917. On the 28th August 1917 he was granted 5th Rate Corps pay and was transferred from Whalley to Training Centre Blackpool on the 31st August 1917.
On the 6th October 1917 Alexander was posted to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force which was a journey of 14 days by ship to Egypt, he served in Egypt from then until 1st January 1920 when he was shipped back to the U.K. arriving on the 20th January. At this time he would be making preparations to be demobbed. He was granted what would have been a kind of travel warrant “Protection Certificate & Certificate of Identity” which was stamped in London on the 21st January 1920 which was valid for 28 days from that date; it gave his home address as 18 Brown Street, Newmilns. As of the 17th February 1920 Alexander ceased to be a soldier. He was awarded the Victory Medal & the British War Medal for his service. His will that he made whilst enlisted was returned to him on the 8th of October 1920
There was one letter from his wife to the army-
13, Union Street
Newmilns
Ayrshire
Dear Sir,
Just a note to say that I can’t send you my boy’s birth certificate as he was born in Philadelphia and you get none there.
Hope it will be all right as you will see by our lines that we were married there our boy was born on the 25th day of June 1913 that is the right date so that is all the information I can give.
Mrs A Allan
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The family returned to America on the 13th of August 1921 from Glasgow on the SS Cameronia, he gives his occupation as a Stonecutter and the corresponding address of Hugh Bowie, Isle Street, Newmilns Ayrshire as the contact in Scotland. They were going to stay with Harry Bowie at 8 Waverly Park, Patchogue, this was Agnes’s brother. Alexander is described as having fair complection with fair hair but there is a mention that he is blind in one of his eyes.
On the 29th of July 1927 Carl Albert Seifert was killed when his car was hit by a train as he attempted to cross a level crossing. He was on his way to meet up with wife Helene and daughter Marie who were staying in New Jersey. He was buried at Northwood cemetery in Philadelphia.
Agnes died from Lobar Pneumonia on the 18th of February at 6.50 p.m in 1928 at Philadelphia City Hospital, their address at this time was 2053 East Russell Street in Philadelphia, it is thought that Robert had been either left behind at Patchalogue with the Bowies or had been sent to stay with them with his mother being unwell.
There was an obituary published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger for February 21, 1928. I have transcribed the notice as follows:
ALLEN.--Feb. 18. AGNES BOWIE, beloved wife of Alexander Allen. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services, Wed., 1 P.M. at her late residence, 2053 E. Russell St. Interred at Oakland Cemetery. Friends may call Tuesday evening.
Agnes is buried in Oakland Cemetery Philadelphia
Section (L) #458 Grave number (1).
Alexander married a widow Martha Helene Seifert sometime between 1928 – 1930, as they appear on the 1930 American Census as staying at 2942 North Orianna Street which is in the Fishtown district of Philadelphia.
Helen is noted as being of German birth, as were her parents. It is also noted that she was a widow from a previous marriage. Young Robert is shown as now being back with his father and step mother. Family folklore has it that Alexander and Robert had a major disagreement which led to them never being in contact again.
We have a record of Helene returning to New York on the SS Bremen from Bremen Germany on the 31st of October arriving in New York on the 6th of November 1933 and giving her address as Orianna Street in Philadelphia.
The SS Bremen of 1929 was one of a pair of ocean liners built for the Norddeutsche Lloyd line (NDL) for the transatlantic passenger service. The Bremen was notable for her low streamlined profile, and modern approach to her design. Her sister ship was the Europa, later renamed Liberté. The German pair sparked the building of the large (and very expensive) express liners of the 1930s.
Bremen and her sister were designed to have a cruising speed of 27.5 knots, allowing a crossing time of 5 days. This speed enabled Norddeutsche Lloyd to run regular weekly crossings with two ships, a feat that normal required three. It was claimed that Bremen briefly reach speeds of 32 knots during her see trials.
Alexander’s son Rusty as he was known, worked with Hodge Podge (a Candy store) when he was 18. He moved to Patchogue in New York to stay with the Bowie’s, his late mother’s side of the family.
Rusty married Irene Losee on October 15, 1935 at the Nativity Church, Poughkeepsie, Middle Village, Queens, New York. Irene Agnes Losee Allan worked as a housekeeper in the early 1930's for a wealthy Jewish family in Brighton Beach, Queens, Long Island City, New York. In 1936 the couple had their first daughter Agnes was born.
We have a few pictures of Alexander and his sister Jane Ross Gordon Burnnet that were taken around 1937 in or around Maine.
We also have a few snaps of Alexander at his sister’s Jane Ross Gordon Burnett house, this picture was taken around 1941 and also one at the graveyard, possibly on the 1st Anniversary of Henry L.G. Burnets passing.
Meanwhile young Rusty had joined up with the army during the war and was stationed in Kentucky for a period of time before being shipped overseas and wife Irene worked in a military assembly factory.
On the 27 April 1942 The American Government made it compulsory for all men who born on or between 28 April 1877 and 16 February 1897 and who were between 45 and 64 years old and who were not already in the military, to fill in a Draft Registration Card. These cards were to be carried at all times. Alexander had such a card (image to follow) it contained the following detail-
Address: 2942 North Orianna Street Philadelphia, PA.
Date of birth: February 28, 1886
Place of birth: Scotland
Name and address of person who will
always know your address: Mrs. Ella Allan
Employer's name and address: National Liquorice Company 13th and Washington Avenue Philadelphia, PA.
Alexander died on March 27th 1943 at Hamburg Sanatorium in Philadelphia and is buried (although his name does not appear on the headstone) at Northwood cemetery in Philadelphia. A short intimation was placed in the newspaper to inform friends of his passing.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer for Tuesday, March 30, 1943, page 35:
"ALLAN - March 27, 1943, ALEXANDER, husband of Helen Allan. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to funeral services, Wed., 2:30 P.M., Funeral Home of John Richmond, 612 West Lehigh Avenue. Interned Northwood Cemetery. Friends may call Tuesday evening."
Regards,
Alistair
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Alistair: I was unable to find the marriage record of Alexander and Agnes and I checked numerous sources. Have you seen this post from Ancestry.com? It's an old post but possibly you could get in touch with him.
As for the photos, these are not newspaper photos but glossy black and white and very clear. I think they were taken for insurance purposes for my grandmother (wife of Fred Kligge). I do not have my scanner set up but I will either set it up or ask my son to take a digital photo of the accident.
Fred
Allan Family Information
Robert H. Allan (View posts)
Posted: 10 Mar 2001 07:00AM
Classification: Query
Surnames: Allan, Bowie, Wagstaff, Pollock, Morton, Hunter, McKarter, Young
I am looking for information on Alexander Allan who was born in 1885 (we believe he was born in Glasgow) He married Agnes Wood Bowie who was born in Newmilns in 1881. Agnes' father was Hugh Bowie, he was born in Newmilns in 1849. Her mother was Helen Pollock born in Galston in 1861. Agnes' grandfather was Henry Bowie and her grandmother was Helen Pollock born in Galston in 1861. Unfortunately we don't have any real information on Alexander Allan who was born in Glasgow. He emigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (around 1906) Unknown if he was married or not at the time he emigrated from Scotland to the USA. Alexander went back to UK with family to serve in WW1 around 1913. He returned after the war to Patchogue, Long Island, NY with family. There was a James Allan who emigrated to Vermont USA who may have been Alexander's brother or cousin...Thank you for any information that you may have...Bob Allan, Farmingville, NY USA
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Hi Fred,
That post is from Bob Allan who I got in contact with all those years ago. He is the grandson of Alexander Allan. His grandfather and my grandfather, Robert Allan, were brothers.
If you could get digital pictures of the crash that would be fab.
I don't know where Alexander and Agnes got married, Bob Allan, did try, but they are in their late 70s and sadly not great genealogists.
Thanks Fred. If it make it easier you could send the pictures by email - Swally29@Blueyonder.co.uk