Albert C Seifert Philadelphia

[Swally]

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

[Swally]

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

[KathMc]

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

[Swally]

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 

[Swally]

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

[Josephine]

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!   

"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

[Ohio Susan]

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

[Josephine]

Wow,

Well done, Susan!

Regards,
Josephine

[Swally]

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