Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
NameWilliam F Remphrey 
Birth1 July 1918, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Memo(SSDI)
Death27 July 1990
Memo(obit)
BurialNew Freedom Cemetery, New Freedom, PA
FatherFrederick Remphrey (1892-1926)
MotherElsie Taylor (~1895-1930)
Spouses
Birth2 February 1921
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death16 March 2016
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialNew Freedom Cemetery, New Freedom, PA
Parent-Proof notes for William F Remphrey
Uncle Bill’s obituary mentions “foster” sisters Virginia Leader and Margaret Mertz. Uncle Mervin’s obituary lists Bill as his brother. By the time I was born, Uncle Bill was part of my family and I never knew him in any way other than as my uncle.
I don’t believe the relationship between Grandpa Curry and Uncle Bill was ever formalized in any way. My understanding always was our Mother got to know him when she was a teacher at the Sunbury Orphanage, thought he was a fine young man and someone her father would take an interest in -- perhaps what today we might call a mentoring relationship.
There definitely were some tragic years though in Bill’s young life. His father died in 1926, when Bill was 8 and his mother died in 1930, when Bill was 12. In the 1930 Census, we find Bill and his next youngest brother, Charles, at the Sunbury Orphanage. But his mother was still alive, a housekeeper in Wilkes-Barre, and still had her younger two children, Taylor and Catherine with her.
I don’t believe the relationship between Grandpa Curry and Uncle Bill was ever formalized in any way. My understanding always was our Mother got to know him when she was a teacher at the Sunbury Orphanage, thought he was a fine young man and someone her father would take an interest in -- perhaps what today we might call a mentoring relationship.
There definitely were some tragic years though in Bill’s young life. His father died in 1926, when Bill was 8 and his mother died in 1930, when Bill was 12. In the 1930 Census, we find Bill and his next youngest brother, Charles, at the Sunbury Orphanage. But his mother was still alive, a housekeeper in Wilkes-Barre, and still had her younger two children, Taylor and Catherine with her.
Relocated notes for William F Remphrey
He and his younger brother Charles were reported living at the Sunbury Orphange in the 1930 Census. Their mother was still alive and had her two younger children with her in Wilkes-Barre. Bill’s obituary says he graduated from Upper Augusta Township High School in Sunbury in 1938 and a 1942 graduate of Dickinson Colege. His obituary also said he had been a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Nee Feedom for 50 years, marking his arrivl in New Freedom as approximately 1940.
Census History notes for William F Remphrey
1930. William F was age 12, living at the Sunbury Odd Fellows Orphanage. His younger brother Charles W was also there.
My Comments notes for William F Remphrey
There are a number of key “absolutes” that are the “norm” in our ancestry -- that Bill Remphrey’s ancestry turns upside-down.
Our grandparents (and all of theirs actually, Kean Curry being the only possible exception) were born in America. Uncle Bill has one grandparent and four great-grandparents born in England and/or Wales.
Our ancestors basically started out, once in America, in either eastern Pennsylvania or eastern Maryland and slowly, over many generations, drifted a little west -- not much further west though than a line connecting say Sunbury and Baltimore. No one lived as an adult substantially east of where they were born or had lived as a child. The movement, what little there was, was generally westward. Uncle Bill had a grandfather who was born in England, came to upper Michigan with his family as a child, lived there for probably a decade or so and then later lived as an adult in Wilkes-Barre. His mother was born in Indiana to parents who had married there but she later moved with her widowed mother to Wilkes-Barre.
Our ancestors (back a few generations) were, almost to a man, farmers -- maybe with a sideline trade like blacksmith or still or mill operator. Uncle Bill comes from a long line of miners.
Our grandparents (and all of theirs actually, Kean Curry being the only possible exception) were born in America. Uncle Bill has one grandparent and four great-grandparents born in England and/or Wales.
Our ancestors basically started out, once in America, in either eastern Pennsylvania or eastern Maryland and slowly, over many generations, drifted a little west -- not much further west though than a line connecting say Sunbury and Baltimore. No one lived as an adult substantially east of where they were born or had lived as a child. The movement, what little there was, was generally westward. Uncle Bill had a grandfather who was born in England, came to upper Michigan with his family as a child, lived there for probably a decade or so and then later lived as an adult in Wilkes-Barre. His mother was born in Indiana to parents who had married there but she later moved with her widowed mother to Wilkes-Barre.
Our ancestors (back a few generations) were, almost to a man, farmers -- maybe with a sideline trade like blacksmith or still or mill operator. Uncle Bill comes from a long line of miners.
Children Names notes for Katherine V (Spouse 1)
Uncle Bill’s obituary names his daughters Sandy K Koller and Cindy L Protz.