One hundred fifty-seven years ago this week, my great-great grandparents James Levens and Margaret McElhenny were married.

My great grandmother Sophia Levens was raised in Centralia, Pennsylvania, a mining town, but came to Philadelphia sometime before 1900. I learned that her mother was also from Philadelphia when I found the book Schulkill County, Pennsylvania: Genealogy – Family History – Biography, volume II:

James Levens, father of Mrs. Ebert, was a native of Ireland and emigrated to America, landing at Philadelphia, where he made his home for a time. Going to Port Richmond, near Philadelphia, he there married Margaret McElheny…

James Levens and Margaret McElhenny were married on October 8, 1855 at the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Port Richmond, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Rev. J Rudderow. This is yet another record I found in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s Pennsylvania Church and Town Records database available on Ancestry.

James Levens & Margaret McElhenny marriage, 8 Oct 1855. Click to see full image.

One hundred seventy-three years ago this week, on 14 Sep 1839, Charles R. Carman and Caroline A. Brill were married by Reverend Father Weiland in Philadelphia. They were my third great-grandparents.

I learned of their marriage date from Caroline’s Widow’s Claim for Pension. Charles served as a private in company A of the 81st regiment of Pennsylvania.

Charles Carman and Caroline Brill marriage information from Widow’s Claim for Pension

Caroline was unable to provide a marriage certificate because the record of their marriage was destroyed when the church burned down during the Riots of 1844. There were two churches that were set fire during the riots in Kensington: St. Michael’s and St. Augustine’s.

Charles Carman and Caroline Brill’s marriage record was destroyed during the Riots of 1844 in Philadelphia.

To prove her marriage, Caroline had to submit a Secondary Proof of Marriage form which included affidavits from Eliza Mann and Mary Gray who had known Charles and Caroline for many years and which also listed the names and birth dates of their adult children.

Click on the images above to see full-sized scans of the documents.

It is not often that Ancestry adds information that is useful to me. I have moved beyond census records for the most part, and the smaller databases they have been adding have not been in areas I research.

Well, not to be a shill for Ancestry, but they have added a boatload of Pennsylvania BMD & other data recently. Partnering with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, they have created the Pennsylvania Church and Town records database with more than 7 million records, including church (birth, baptism, marriage, death & more), cemetery and undertaker records. In a quick search, I found marriage information for distant ancestors and baptisms for my grandfather and great-grandfather. One marriage confirmed a maiden name that I had assumed, but for which I never had any proof. My great-grandfather’s baptism was in German, which I thought was cool. I will be posting more on these finds and others.

It’s always fun trying to find a particular database on Ancestry. Here’s how to find this one:

1. In either the regular ancestry.com or the Ancestry Library edition (check with your local library), select Card Catalog under the Search  drop-down menu
2. In the Title field, type in Pennsylvania Church and Town Records and click Search
3. Select it and you are on your way

Some things I discovered in my brief usage so far:

• There are some records from New Jersey. I found some Burlington county records. [Update: And Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland counties. I hear there are some Maryland records as well.]
• If you are looking for a particular county, enter it under location for Any Event. That way you’ll get births, marriages, deaths and the ‘others’, which include things like church memberships and bible/Sunday school class rosters.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania page on the partnership

Being the youngest in my family I am sensitive about telling family stories accurately. Growing up it always seemed that everything happened before I was born or was old enough to remember, so everyone else in the room remembered the story better than I did. So, while I enjoy reporting facts and finds on this blog, I have for the most part avoided telling stories about my family history. I do not want to get it wrong.

I’ve realized however that I do hold some things in my head that possibly no one else still alive knows. Writing family history is in some ways an attempt at immortality for our ancestors. Even if what I remember is not entirely accurate, I can share my imperfect memories of my family and through that they might live on a little longer before fading into that obscurity to which we all will inevitably succumb.

In that spirit, I am going to share what my grandmother told me about the picture below which happens to be my favorite photograph of her. She told me this story many years ago, so my telling is in my words not hers.

My grandmother, Naomi Carman (left) & best friend Marie, 1922

My grandmother and her best friend Marie were hanging out in their neighborhood in Philadelphia. Two young men happened by. They were in a musical group and had their instruments with them. Someone had the idea that it would be fun to take a photo of my grandmom and Marie posing with the instruments. And why not wear the young mens’ hats as well? My grandmother laughed as she told me this story, saying that neither she nor Marie had any idea how to play. This story and the photo gave me a glimpse in to a happiness I did not always see in my grandmother. And looking at that smile, how could this not be my favorite photo of her?

CONRAD, Nicholas: Death Certificate 1942

Transcribed from a photocopy obtained from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Certficate of Death

1. Place of Death
County: Philadelphia
City: Phila.
Name of Hospital: Protestant Episcopal Hosp.

2. Usual Residence of Deceased
State: Pa.
County: Phila.
City: Philadelphia
Street No. 2069 E. Clarence St.

3. Full Name: Nicholas Conrad
4. Sex: M
5. Color or Race: W
6. Widowed
Wife: Sophia Conrad
7. Birth date of deceased: Feb. 22, 1867
8. Age: 75 yrs, 8 Months, 24 Days
9. Birthplace: Phila.
10. Usual Occupation: Warper
11. Industry or Business: Textile
12. Father Name: Nicholas Conrad
13. Father Birthplace: Unknown
14. Mother Name: Unknown
15. Mother Birthplace: Unknown
16. Informant’s own signature: [signed] Edward C. Conrad
Address: 2069 E. Clarence St. Phila. Pa.
17: Burial, Date: Nov. 20, 1942, Place: Northwood, Phila. Co.
18. Signature of funeral director: [signed] John N. Hackman
Address: 905-07 W. Lehigh ave. Hackman Bros., Inc.
19. Date received: Nov. 20, 1942
20: Date of Death: Nov. 16, 1942, 7:00 P.M.
…