Graham McConnell

The  McConnell clan from Ireland was well represented in Philadelphia in the last years of the 19th century. The city directory listed 200 employed men with that name, although that…

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William John Dougherty, Jr.

William Jr. was the first son of William and Mary Dougherty after their daughter was born 17 months earlier. Lavinia was named after Mary’s sister. They were living in the…

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William Craig George

Bill was the eldest son of William F. George and Margaret Craig George, born in the Delaware County suburb of Prospect Park. They moved to Philadelphia by the time his…

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Walter George Martin

The Army listed his name as Walter G. Martin but in every census record the family just called him George. His parents were William George Martin (1875-1964) and Catherine Ethel…

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James Elwood Perry

The Perry family consisted of five girls and three boys, but one boy died after 13 months. Jim and his younger brother Wally learned how to stick together.  He was…

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Carl Henry Richter

Erica Oertzen was about 17 when she gave birth to Carl Henry Richter, named after his father, Carl J. Richter. Whether they were married before or after Carl’s birth is…

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Thomas Hendricks Simon, Jr.

The grandfather of Tom Jr. was a farmer in “the Neck,” the southernmost part of Philadelphia where the sports stadiums are located today. After Tom Sr., married Mary Campbell, he…

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William Henry Gillespie

The Gillespie family would be surprised to know that the headquarters of the Atlantic Refining Company at 260 South Broad Street in Philadelphia is now a 22-story luxury apartment building.…

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