copyright 2001, Esther Doyle Read
Updated 15 May 2004
READ FAMILY CONNECTIONS
WALTER WILSON READ6
1189. WALTER WILSON READ6 (Jacob Read5, John M. Read4, Isaac Read, III3, John Read2, Joseph Read1) was born 1871 in Walnut Valley, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey and died 26 January 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Dennison Cemetery Records). Walter began his life on his parent's farm in Walnut Valley. However, sometime after his tenth birthday, his parents moved to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The move took place between the birth of his brother Vanis in New Jersey in 1881 and that of his sister Ethel in Pennsylvania in 1887 (Evans 1974). Once in Pennsylvania, Walter trained as a printer. He appears in the 1889 and 1890 Wilkes-Barre City Directories as a printer. The 1892 directory lists him as a foreman with the Olyphant Gazette. During the period 1889 through 1892 he boarded with his parents, first at 81 Academy Street, and then in 1892, at 9 Wright Street.
Walter married his first wife, Mary Euphemia "Mamie" Thomas, on 22 February 1893 in Scranton, Lackawana County, Pennsylvania (
Wilkes-Barre Record, 24 February 1893). Mary was the daughter of Joshua Thomas and Harriet Alice Boone. Joshua Thomas was a civil war veteran from Pennsylvania. Mamie was born circa 1872 in Pennsylvania. In 1894, when their son Robert was born, Walter was employed by Allied Trades in Scranton, Lackawana County, Pennsylvania as a printer (Read, personal communication, 24 January 2002; 3 June 2002). In 1910, Mamie and Walter lived in a rented home at 1822 Cahouse (?) Ave. in Scranton. Walter was employed as a printer. The couple had one child, their 16 year old son Robert (1910 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 62, Scranton, Ward 2, Lackawana County, Pennsylvania, sheet 1B, 15 April 1910). Mamie had diabeties and by about 1910, her general health was not good. Sometime after 1910, the family moved south to Alabama, hoping the warm climate would be better for her than were the long cold winters of Pennsylvania. She died between 1910 and 1917 in Grand Bay, Mobile County, Alabama near the city of Mobile. She may be the Mary Read who died in Mobile County on 10 May 1915 (Read, personal communication, 3 January 2001). The cause of death was kidney failure as a result of diabeties.
Walter and Robert returned to Pennsylvania after Mamie's death. Walter married his second wife sometime around 1917. Whether the wedding took place in Alabama or Pennsylvania is currently unknown. The new wife was Esta A. Reed, born 1883 in Pennsylvania and died 1960 (Dennison Cemetery). In 1920, Walter and Esta lived in a rented home at 5233 Cedar Avenue in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Robert did not reside with them. The Read home was probably a duplex, Roy and Bessie Trescott and their infant daughter June lived in the other part of the dwelling. Walter was employed as a printer for a newspaper. Their neighbors at 5231 Cedar Street were the widow Martha Long and her grown children Eleanor, Edith, William and Frank (1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 1740, Philadelphia City, Ward 46, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, sheet 21B, 20 January 1920). Walter's son Robert married Mildred Stephens Long in about 1921. Whether Mildred was a relative of Martha Long's is unknown. Mildred's parents were William and Lily Long. They were natives of Pennsylvania and Maryland respectively, while Martha Long and her late husband were natives of Ireland.
By 1930, Walter and Esta lived in suburban Philadelphia in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. They owned their home at 7076 Ruskin Avenue. The house was valued at $6,250. They also owned a radio. Walter was employed as a printer (1930 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 23-144, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, sheet 46A, 16 April 1930). When Walter died two years later (1932), his obituary stated that he was an executive in the advertising department of the American Stores Company in Philadelphia (obituary of Walter Read). However, A magazine photograph of his son and grandchildren, taken in 1931, indicates that he was a supervisor of the printing department at ASCO (see photograph below with his granddaughter Ruth). His granddaughter Susan Read Robertson wrote that "Something I read at my mom's indicated that Walter Wilson Read was a lay minister and preached at a mission on skid row in Philadelphia. I made the assumption that he was Methodist as that was his son (my grandfather, Robert Walter's) affilliation" (personal communication 24 September 2002). Walter, who was a printer and spent a life time working with lead type, may have died from lead poisoning (Read, personal communication, 24 January 2002). Walter and Ester are buried with Walter's parents and sisters, Grace Read Smith and Ethel Read Evans, in Denison Cemetery Section 16, Lot 26, E1/2, Swoyersville, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
Photograph of Walter Wilson Read, taken in in Alabama. Collection of Esther Doyle Read
Obituary of Walter Wilson
Walter Wilson Read, 60, formerly of this city and Scranton, died on Tuesday night at his home in Philadelphia of complications. He was an executive of the advertising department of Ameican Stores Co.
He is survived by his wife, a son, Robert, of Philadelphia; two sisters, Mrs. Charles E. Mitten, Towanda; Mrs. George M. Smith, Forty Fort; two brothers, A.E. Read of Lockhart Street, city, and Vanis Read of Syracuse.
The body will be brought to Williams funeral home, Gaylord avenue, Plymouth, where services will be held on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 by Rev. Mr. MacWyant of Harrisburg. Interment will be in Denison cemetery, Forty Fort.
Walter's obituary is from an undated clipping in a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania newspaper given to Esther Doyle Read by Walter's sister, Ethel Harden Read Mitten Evans. Walter was buried 30 January 1932 in Dennison Cemetery (Dennison Cemetery Records).
Walter Wilson Read and Mary Euphemia Thomas had 1 child born in 1894. They had at least 3 grandchildren who were born between 1924 and 1934; 14 great-grandchildren; 32 great great-grandchildren; and 10 third great-grandchildren. Total identified descendants equals 60 (1894-2004).
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Descendants of Walter Wilson Read and Mary E. Thomas
References
Photo Album
DESCENDANTS OF WALTER WILSON READ AND MARY E. THOMAS:
1485. (i.) ROBERT WALTER READ7 was born 21 April 1894 in Pennsylvania, probably in Scranton, Lackawana County and died 25 March 1985 in Vincentown, New Jersey. In 1910, he lived with his parents in Scranton and attended school (1910 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 62, Scranton, Ward 2, Lackawana County, Pennsylvania, sheet 1B, 15 April 1910). His family moved to Mobile County, Alabama between 1910 and 1915. Walter's mother died there in about 1915, when Walter was 21 years old. According to Robert, he served in calvary during World War I and was stationed in France. His service has yet to be documented (Robertson, personal communication 20 September 2002). He married circa 1921, Mildred Stephens Long, daughter of William and Lily I. Long. She was born 1898 in Pennsylvania and died 1971. The couple appears to have settled in the Philadelphia area. Their first son, Robert "Bruce" Read was born in Glenside, Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in early November 1924. Mildred's parents lived in Glenside. In 1930, Mildred and Bruce lived with her parents and her sister Ethel (age 41) in the Long's home at 331 Paxton Avenue in Glenside. Wiliam Long, like Robert's father Walter, worked in the printing business as a linotype operator. Ethel Long was a stenographer for an advertising company. Robert Walter Read was not a resident of the household in 1930 (1930 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 46-21, Glenside Town, Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, sheet 8A, 7 April 1930). However, the couple's second child, Ruth Read, was born two month after the census was taken. Mildred may have returned to her parents home to wait for the baby. A second son, Walter William, arrived in 1934. According to her granddaughter, Susan Read Robertson, Mildred Long Read "was a staunch Methodist and member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union" (personal communication 24 September 2002). A circa 1931 magazine photograph of the family gave Robert's place of employment as "Auto Main Wood Working Department" (see photograph below with daughter Ruth). The 1932 obituary of Robert's father places the family's residence in Philadelphia. The family probably remained in the Philadelphia area until Robert retired. "Robert Walter was given a certificate for 30 years as a member of the Carpenters and Millmen Union, Local 359 in Philadelphia" (Read, personal communication 28 January 2002). The above photograph was taken a year or so before Mildred died in 1971 (collection of Esther Doyle Read). Robert Walter lived another 14 years. Toward the end of his life, he lived with his daughter Ruth Read Roberts. By 1984, he needed constant care and had moved to a nursing facility, where he died on 25 March 1985. The Social Security Index gives Robert's residence at the time of his death as New Lisbon, Burlington County, New Jersey. His social security card was issued when he lived in Pennsylvania. Children of Robert and Mildred Read:
1736. (i.) ROBERT "BRUCE" READ, Sr.8 was born 9 November 1924, in Glenside, Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and died 13 July 1991, in Pemberton, New Jersey. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Bruce lived with his mother and maternal grandparents in Glenside in 1930 (1930 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 46-21, Glenside Town, Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, sheet 8A, 7 April 1930). The photograph to the right was taken in May 1925 when Robert Bruce was 6 months old. He is held by his grandfather, Walter Wilson Read, who is sitting next to Bruce's father Robert Walter Read. The photo indicates that Robert Bruce (the baby) was called "Bruce". He married 6 September 1947, Giovanina "Jean" Catarina Cardillo in Oakland California. She was born in 1920, the daughter of Guiseppe Cardillo and Catarina Pupo. Bruce was a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy during World War II, he served as an Aviator. Jean Read was a Lieutenant J.G. in the United States Navy during World War II, serving as a Nurse. Bruce also served in the Navy during the Korean War (Robertson, personal communication 20 September 2002). (Photograph collection of Esther Doyle Read). Children of Robert and Jean Read:
1885. (i.) SUSAN HOPE READ9, married David Robertson, son of Leigh Robertson and Barbara Wilson (Read 2002). David and Susan resided in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada for a number of years. David was a pastor of an Evangelical Christian Church when the family lived in Alberta. They now live in Eugene, Oregon and own True Light Metalworks. They specialize in handcrafted, functional metal art for home, garden or business. These are unique designs in metal sculpture, metal furniture, lamps, railings, gates, and arbors. Pay them a visit by using the link above (remember to bookmark this site as you will be leaving it to visit Susan and David). Children of Susan Read and David Roberton:
1969. (i.) ALYSSA MINT FLOWER ROBERTSON10, married Robert Scott Van Den Elzen (Read 2002). Children of Alyssa Robertson and Robert Van Den Elzen:
2012. (i.) JESSAMYN FAITH VAN DEN ELZEN11, (Read 2002).
2013. (ii.) GABRIEL DAVID VAN DEN ELZEN11, (Read 2002).
2014. (iii.) BETHANY HOPE VAN DEN ELZEN11, (Read 2002).
1970. (ii.) JACOB LEIGH JOSEPH ROBERTSON10, married Jackie Page in Girdwood, Alaska (Read 2002).
2885. (i.) JOSEPH GABRIEL LEIGH ROBERTSON11, (Read, personal Communication, 2 October 2002).
1971. (iii.) REBECA KATHRYN ROBERTSON10, married Erik William Groomer in Eugene, Oregon (Read 2002). Child of Rebeca Robertson and Erik Groomer:
2886. (i.) PEREGINE ERIK BRUCE GROOMER11, (Read, personal Communication, 8 November 2002).
1972. (iv.) GLORIA GRACE ROBERTSON10, (Read 2002).
1973. (v.) JOSHUA DAVID ROBERTSON10, (Read 2002).
1886. (ii.) ROBERT BRUCE "BOB" READ, Jr.9, married in Leesburg, Louden County, Virginia, Sandra Ruth Vandayburg, daughter of Kenneth Vandayburg and Ruth Vuori (Read 2002). They reside in Plano, Coliin County, Texas. Children of Robert and Sandy Read:
1974. (i.) MICHAEL KENNETH READ10, was a graduate of Northern Virginia Community College and is employed as an air traffic controller. He served in the United States Airforce beteen 1987 and 1999. Michael married Suzanne Renee Hurd in Alamogordo, Otero County, New Mexico (Read 2002). Children of Michael Read and Suzanne Hurd:
2015. (i.) KENNETH MICHAEL READ11, (Read 2002).
2016. (ii.) COLIN ROBERT READ11, (Read 2002).
1975. (ii.) CHARLES ROBERT READ10, was a graduate of Northern Virginia Community College. He owns a remodeling business in northern Virginia. Charles married in McLean, Fairfax County, Virginia, Sara Elizabeth Senz (Read 2002).
1976. (iii.) DANIEL CHRISTOPHER READ10, was a graduate of Collin County, Community College in Texas. He works for a restoration architectural firm (Read 2002).
1977. (iv.) BENJAMIN "BEN" DAVID READ10, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Austin College in Sherman, Greysor County, Texas. He married in Denton, Texas, Rebecca Nicholas (Read 2002).
1978. (v.) AARON JOSEPH READ10, (Read 2002).
1979. (vi.) SARAH ELIZABETH READ10, (Read 2002).
1980. (vii.) REBEKAH RACHEL READ10, (Read 2002).
1981. (viii) ABIGAIL HANNAH READ10, (Read 2002).
1887. (iii.) DONALD JOSEPH READ9, married Shelley Klump Hamlin, daughter of unknown Klump and unknown Fly They were married in Lake Tahoe, California and reside in Nevada (Read 2002).
2884. (i.) JOSEPH ROBERT READ10, (Read, personal Communication, 2 October 2002).
1888. (iv.) SHERYL JEAN READ9 graduate of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. She resides in New Jersey and is employed as a CPA (Read 2002).
1737. (ii.) RUTH MILDRED READ8 was born 7 June 1930 (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002), shortly after the 1930 census was taken. Her mother was living with her parents in Glenside, Montogomery County, Pennsylvania in April 1930. It is probable that Ruth was born in Glenside (1930 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 46-21, Glenside Town, Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, sheet 8A, 7 April 1930). The photograph to the left was taken in about August 1931. This family photograph includes Robert W. and Mildred Read and their children, Robert Bruce, age 7 and Mildred Ruth, age 14 months. (Photograph collection of Esther Doyle Read). Ruth married Charles Edward Roberts, known as Mike (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002). Children of Ruth Read and Mike Roberts:
1889. (i.) CONNIE JEANNE ROBERTS9, married Anthony F. Midure, as his second wife (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002). Children of Connie Roberts and Anthony Midure:
1982. (i.) ANTHONY MICHAEL "TONY" MIDURE10, married Trish Last Name Unknown (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002). Children of Anthony and Gianna Midure:
2017. (i.) GIANNA MIDURE11, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
2018. (ii.) DAVE MIDURE11, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1983. (ii.) REGINA DOMENICA MARIE "GINA" MIDURE10, may have married Dave Last Name Unknown (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002). Children of Regina Midure and Dave (Unknown):
2019. (i.) CELESTE NOEL UNKNOWN11, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1890. (ii.). BRUCE EDWARD ROBERTS9, married Sheryl Ann Lutgen, this marriage ended in divorce. Bruce married second Collen (Last Name Unknown). They reside in Delaware (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002). Children of Bruce Roberts and Sheryl Lutgen:
1984. (i.) MELISSA ANN ROBERTS10, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
Children of Bruce and Colleen Roberts:
1985. (ii.) MacKENZIE ANN ROBERTS10, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1986. (iii.) KEVAN ROBERTS10, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1891. (iii.). BARBARA JO "BARB" ROBERTS9, married Ralph Jeffrey Ramsey, Sr. (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002). Children of Barbara Roberts and Ralph Ramsey:
1987. (i.) RALPH JEFFREY RAMSEY, Jr.10, married Crystal Shannen Hailey (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002)
1988. (ii.) DANIEL RYAN RAMSEY10, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1989. (iii.) LAURA CHRISTINE RAMSEY10, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1892. (iv.). BETH ANN ROBERTS9, married Richard Wayne Yates (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002). Children of Beth Ann Roberts and Richard Yates:
1990. (i.) SEANNA DANIELLE YATES10, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1991. (ii.) ERIC WAYNE YATES10, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1893. (v.). KAREN SUE ROBERTS9, (Read, personal communication, 27 January 2002).
1738. (iii.) WALTER WILLIAM READ, Sr.8 was born 20 January 1934. He married Eda Margaret Fleischer. She was born 17 April 17 1935 and died June 1998 (Read, personal communication, 1 April 2003). Children of Walter William Read and Eda Fleischer:
2868. (i.). LAURA ROSE READ9, she married John Andrew Vincek (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003; Vincek, personal Communication, 8 December 2003).
2877. (i.). DANA ROSE VINCEK10, (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2878. (ii.). JOSHUA ABRAHAM VINCEK10, (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2879. (iii.). STACIA GRACE VINCEK10, (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2880. (iv.). JOSIAH JOHN VINCEK10, (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2881. (v.). NATHANIEL CHRISTIAN VINCEK10, (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2869. (ii.). ALLISON MARIE READ9, she married Lawrence St. Pierre (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2870. (iii.). WALTER WILLIAM READ, Jr.9, he married Melissa Ann Sdun (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2887. (i.). NICHOLAS ROBERT READ10, he is named after two of his great-grandfathers (Read, personal Communication, 18 May 2004).
2871. (iv.). JOHN DANIEL READ9, (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2872. (v.). DAVID READ9, he married Miyo Shirakura. They reside in Saratoga Springs, New York (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2882. (i.). SEINA READ10, (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
2883. (ii.). ALAN DAVID READ10, (Read, personal Communication, 1 April 2003).
SECONDARY RECORDS
This web site was produced
by Timothy Doyle 5/5/98,
Questions regarding content should be directed to Esther Doyle Read edrtjd@charm.net