William Watson Bache

Sometimes it’s not just one thing that makes a person’s life particularly notable, but a number of unrelated but interesting facts. One is that, before this man turned 46 years old, his wife had given him 21 children. Another is that he was also a great-great grandson of Benjamin Franklin but, as these conflicting obituary headlines indicate, he was either well-known or obscure. The one on the left, from the Philadelphia Inquirer, appears to be supported by more thorough research. 

Ben Franklin’s daughter married Richard Bache, and one of their sons was Colonel Louis Bache who fought in the War of 1812. One of his sons was William’s father, Theophylact Theodore Bache, who built railroad cars as a wheelwright and machinist. William was the only son among five daughters.

Their parents were Bucks County natives, and most of the children were born in Bensalem, that unique township beside the Delaware River that can say it’s the only place in Pennsylvania that is east of Philadelphia. William had the same name as his father’s brother who was a newspaper publisher in nearby Bristol. Others in the family tree included a doctor and lawyer. With the tie to the Franklins, the Bache relatives had a prominent place in Philadelphia society throughout the 19th century.

The 1860 census shows the family living in Philadelphia. By 1870 William’s occupation was “restaurant,” probably meaning he was a worker there, not yet an owner. By then a young woman entered his life and Catherine Russell became his wife on October 27. By the time the last of her 21 children was born in 1995, seven had died in infancy.

William’s career as a restaurateur had its ups and downs. His obituaries indicate he opened his own establishment at 831 Locust Street in the early 1870s but found himself penniless by the end of the decade. He bounced back at a new location on 9th Street below Locust. A “saloon” was added beside the restaurant and a catering business prospered as the city also did during the “Gay Nineties.” 

Evidently William made social contacts easily, which was also good for business. He maintained membership in six different fraternal organizations. There was a time in 1889, however, when prejudice got in the way of serving his customers, as explained in this clipping:

He was the first to admit that his weakness was financial management. That’s what caused the crisis in 1879 and it eventually cost him his second restaurant. More than one bookkeeper was hired but failed to balance his assets and liabilities, so by 1896 William transferred the deed to his property and his restaurant license to three trustees for the creditors.

Due to the confused condition of his books he didn’t know the value of his assets, but he was $3000 in debt. The trustees kept the restaurant open and permitted him to remain as manager, but that arrangement failed in 1899. 

The celebration of a new century may have contributed to William’s untimely death from an inflammation of the stomach lining. Among the possible causes of gastritis are excessive use of alcohol, spicy foods, or smoking, habits which are not unknown to saloon keepers.

The family residence must have been on the floor above the old restaurant at 831 Locust, since that’s where he died nine days after New Year’s Eve. The 1900 census implies Catherine ran that restaurant and one of the seven children living with her, 20-year-old Benjamin Franklin Bache, was a caterer.

When she died in 1928 there were nine surviving children. Five of those are buried here in Section 210. Seven who died before adulthood are listed on this stone with her and William