William John Oldham, Sr., 1893-1965
WILLIAM JOHN OLDHAM, SR. was born 16 September 1893
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to parents Arthur Edmond Oldham and Mary Joann
(Britt/Brett) Oldham.[1] He grew up in the City of Philadelphia; in
1900 he was living with his parents Arthur and Mary, his two younger brothers
Richard and Arthur, and his maternal grandfather John “Brett” at 539 Judson
Street.[2] Sadly, his mother passed on 16 August 1909,
when William was just shy of his 16th birthday, leaving his father
to raise three boys on his own. They
lodged with the Grimes family at 840 Leland Street in Philadelphia per the 1910
census, shortly after her death; his father Arthur stayed with this family at
least through 1920.[3] William was already working by the time he
was 16 as a “Helper” at a “Freightstation,” having dropped out of school after
completing 8th grade.[4]
On 19 February 1915, William married Miriam Clara Paul, when
he was 21 and she was 18 years old. This
was the first marriage for both of them.
They lived together at 1029 Tyler Avenue in Collingdale, Pennsylvania
with Miriam’s parents and siblings.[5]
In 1917, William completed his World War I selective service
registration. At that time, he was still living at 1029 Tyler Avenue, Darby,
Pennsylvania, and was described as tall and slender, with blue eyes and black
hair. He was a painter at Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone, Pennsylvania,
which at the time was a very big employer in the area.[6]
“The Baldwin Locomotive Works was
one of the famed "Big Three" locomotive builders during the steam
era, along with the American Locomotive Company (Alco) and Lima Locomotive
Works. Baldwin built tens of thousands of steam locomotives and is often
regarded as the preeminent builder over even Alco and Lima as it was always on
the leading edge of steam technology and development. However, with the
Electo-Motive Corporation's introduction of a successful main line
diesel-electric locomotive in the mid-1930s, Baldwin clung to the belief that
nothing could usurp steam which ultimately led to its downfall as a locomotive
builder and its exit from the market very early in 1956.”[7]
By 1920, he had moved on to another career, working for the
Peerless Towel Supply Company in various positions, including collector and
office manager, over the time he was employed there.[8] Three others in his household also worked at
Peerless – his father-in-law (manager of the painters) and two of his
brothers-in-law (a driver and an errand boy).
Peerless leased cases, soap and towels to businesses for a monthly fee,
with weekly pickup and replacement of the towels.[9] He did have a break from working at Peerless,
though – in the 1930 census, he listed his occupation as “Clerk” in the “Real
Estate” industry. He resumed back at
Peerless sometime before 1940, and Peerless employees were specifically invited
to his funeral services per his obituary, indicating a long career there.[10]
In 1932, William was still living in Collingdale, but had
moved out of his in-laws’ home and into a home that he owned at 803 Walnut
Street. He was a committee member for
the planning of the Collingdale Fourth of July celebration. A newspaper article pointed out that the
during the morning parade, the rain was so heavy that the marchers had to
disband, and the committee decided that sports activities would be postponed
until the following Saturday.[11]
William’s description changed slightly by 1942 when he
completed his World War II selective service registration – this time as 5’11”,
160 pounds, with gray eyes, brown hair and a light complexion.[12] At this time, he had moved again, living at
534 Spruce Avenue, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.
Per the 1940 census, he rented this house, even though he had owned his
previous house in Collingdale.[13] A possible reason for moving was due to his
career move back to working for Peerless, which was located in the city of
Philadelphia and a closer commute from Upper Darby.
The final move for William and Miriam was to Yellow Springs,
Chester County, Pennsylvania, which is primarily farmland, even today. He passed on 4 May 1965 in Haverford Hospital
of lung cancer at the age of 71. He is
buried in Fernwood Cemetery, Yeadon, Pennsylvania, with no headstone.[14]
[1]. City of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Registration of Births, 1893, p. 151, Wm J. Oldham;
Family History Library microfilm 1289333; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-L1RJ-YK7 : viewed 22 April 2021), image 294. Also, "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917,"
image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6482/images/005267067_07656 : viewed 13 December 2020), image 57,
card for William John Oldham, serial no. 214, 1st ward, Darby Precinct,
Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Also, "United
States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1002/images/PA-2139284-3230 : viewed 13 December 2020), image 3228,
card for William John Oldham, serial no. U2420, Local Draft Board 1, Bedford
County, Pennsylvania; signature shown below picture is from this document. Also, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania,
Affidavit of Applicant for Marriage, file no 324222 (1915) for William J.
Oldham and Miriam C. Paul; certified copy of marriage application and
certificate no. 324222 for Paul-Oldham (copy in possession of Dawn Vanderwolf)
[2]. 1900 U.S. census, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, ward 15, enumeration district
(ED) 0290, sheet 4B, dwelling 539, family 84, Arthur Oldham; image, Ancestry
(https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4115189_00643 : viewed 20 November 2020), image 8.
[3]. 1910 U.S. census, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, ward 15, enumeration district
(ED) 0220, sheet 9A, dwelling 154, family 200, Thomas Grimes; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4385042_00332 : viewed 20 November 2020), image 17. Also, 1920 U.S. census, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, ward 47, enumeration district
(ED) 1800, sheet 12B, dwelling 212, family 269, Arthur Oldham; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4385042_00332 : viewed 20 November 2020), image 24.
[4]. 1910 U.S. census, Thomas Grimes household. 1940 U.S. census, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, population schedule,
Upper Darby, enumeration district (ED) 23-19, sheet 10B, dwelling 220, William
J. Oldham; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/M-T0627-03497-00440 : viewed 20 November 2020), image 20.
[7]. Baldwin
Locomotive Works (BLW), 1825-1956, American-rails.com (Baldwin
Locomotive Works (Pennsylvania): History, List, Photos (american-rails.com) : viewed 27 February 2021).
[8]. WWII Draft
Registration Card, William John Oldham. 1920 U.S. census, Delaware County,
Pennsylvania, population schedule, Darby,
ward 1, enumeration district (ED) 157, sheet 3A, dwelling 42, family 43,
Samuel B. D. Paul; image, Ancestry
(https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4385026_00909 : viewed 20 November 2020), image
5.
[9]. Appellate
Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department, PEERLESS TOWEL
SUPPLY CO., INC, Respondent v. TRITON PRESS, INC., 3 A.D.2d 249, 160
N.Y.S.2d 163 (N.Y. App. Div. 1957), 12 March 1957; digital, Casetext.com (https://casetext.com/case/peerless-towel-supply-v-triton-press : viewed 27 February
2021).
[10]. 1940 U.S.
census, William J. Oldham household.
Obituary, OLDHAM, Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania), 6 May 1965, p.30, col.8; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/179809605/ : viewed 27 February 2021).
[11]. “Parade in Rain
at Collingdale,” Chester Times (Chester, Pennsylvania), 5 July 1932,
p.5, col.1; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/52752334/ : viewed 27 February 2021).
[14]. Pennsylvania
Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate no.
047667-65 (1965), William J. Oldham; Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5164/images/47549_2421401755_0007-01349 : viewed 24 November 2020),
image 1349. Per email communication with
Fernwood Cemetery, dated 5 August, 2019, William was buried in Section 30,
Range 11, Lot 5; a visit there in 2019 was fruitless for finding any headstone
marking his grave.
Comments
Post a Comment