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The Branchides of Schuylkill County

Pearl’s father’s family had been in Pennsylvania for two generations before him. His grandmother, Anna Betsolt, was born in Germany on 16 April 1829 and was the wife of William Branchide. She died at Mahanoy City on 19 April 1909, aged 80, and was buried in the German Protestant Cemetery there. Her memorial calls her the mother of Jacob Branchide and of Elizabeth Gothie, and warns that the spelling of the surname “varied wildly”. With her daughters’ own memorials, it gives her three children, each probably hers.

ChildBirthDeathMarried
Caroline (probably Anna’s daughter)16 February 185424 December 1942Henry Washington Britton
Jacob (probably Anna’s son)about 185520 January 1886, Ellengowan collieryMary Houser
Elizabeth (probably Anna’s daughter)25 April 1857, Pennsylvania13 December 1906Charles Albert Gothie, 1874

Caroline is buried at Mount Peace Cemetery, Philadelphia, and Elizabeth in the German Protestant Cemetery at Mahanoy City, Section 5, Row 12. Jacob’s place as her son rests on her memorial and on the 1880 census, which found him in Norwegian Township, Schuylkill County, the same township as Henry and Caroline Britton, who then had a daughter, Annie, 3, and a son, Henry, a month old.

Jacob Branchide married Mary Houser, who was born in 1856. In 1880 the household in Norwegian Township held Jacob, 25, Mary, 24, and their son William, 5, all born in Pennsylvania. Jacob was a miner, and he was killed at work. The mine inspectors’ report for 1886 lists a “Jacob Brenshite,” a miner, 30, killed on 20 January 1886 at the Ellangowan colliery, Maple Dale, by a side slip of coal in the gangway. He left a widow and four orphans. A laborer, Nicholas Kennite (a doubtful reading), 24, was killed with him. Mary’s memorial says that her husband “was killed at the Ellengowan Colliery on January 20, 1886,” and the report’s entry is probably Jacob’s. Ellengowan, also written Ellen Gowen, was a mining settlement in Mahanoy Township, halfway between Shenandoah and Mahanoy City, and its colliery belonged to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad’s coal company. His son William was ten or eleven.

In 1920 Mary, still a widow, 65, headed a household in Philadelphia with her sons George, 39, a machinist in ball-bearing manufacturing, and Jacob, 33, a staker in a leather works, and her grandson Clifford, 19. Nothing more is known of George. Jacob was born on 18 November 1884. In 1930 he and his wife, Hattie, lived in Philadelphia, and the ages they gave at their first marriage, 44 and 40, put their wedding about 1929. When he registered for the draft in 1942, he did electrical jobbing on his own account from his home. Mary died on 4 April 1928 and is buried at Hillside Cemetery and Memorial Gardens, Roslyn.

Pearl’s father, William J. Branchide, was probably born on 11 April 1875, the date he swore to at his first marriage. On 17 April 1899 the Evening Herald listed a marriage license for “W. J. Branchide, of St. Clair, and Miss Lucy Myers, of Mahanoy City”. They married in Schuylkill County on 14 April 1899, under license E 350. Lucinda M. Myers was born at Summit Hill in 1871 or 1872, the daughter of Michael Myers (1837 to 1923) and Mary Alice Nicholas (1839 to 1915). Her father is buried at the South Perkasie Evangelical Cemetery, Perkasie. Among her sisters were Maud Mathilda, who married an Anderson, and probably Carrie Gertrude, who married Martin Roberts (below).

In 1900 the young couple lived in Spring Township, Berks County. By June of that year Lucinda had borne one child, who had died. Clifford Harold was born in Philadelphia in 1901, and the family was at Vulcan, Pennsylvania, for the births of Walter and William Burton. By 1910 they were at Mahanoy City, where Lucinda was entered as the mother of six children, three of them living.

ChildBirthDeathMarried
a childbefore June 1900before June 1900
Clifford Harold14 February 1901, Philadelphia1962Emma Marie Capper, 16 September 1924; Lillian F. Moll, probably 1943
Walter12 December 1902, Vulcan8 July 1973Margaret Adeline Duffield
Russell William190513 May 1906
William Burton16 March 1907, Vulcan26 March 1968, Bucks CountyRita
Anna Madeline20 July 190920 March 1910
Verda B.28 April 191325 August 2004, Gloucester County, New JerseyFred E. Kralish

Clifford’s birth entry and his marriage record name his parents as William and Lucinda. Walter, William Burton and Verda were almost certainly William’s children, from the 1920 household and their birth years, and probably Lucinda’s. Russell William and Anna Madeline lie with their mother at Mahanoy City. Lucinda died on 22 April 1916, aged 44, and was buried in the German Protestant Cemetery at Mahanoy City.

References

  • Find A Grave memorials, German Protestant Cemetery, Mahanoy City, Pa.: 236039624 (Lucinda Myers Branchide), 261261916 (Anna Betsolt Branchide), 112732467 (Elizabeth Brencheid Gothie), 261263101 (Russell William Branchide), 261261615 (Anna Madeline Branchide); 196974108 (Caroline Branchide Britton, Mount Peace Cemetery, Philadelphia); 253289849 (Mary Hauser Branchide, Hillside Cemetery and Memorial Gardens, Roslyn, Pa.).
  • FamilySearch, “United States, Census, 1880,” household of Jacob Branshide, Norwegian Township, Schuylkill County, Pa. (Jacob 25, Mary 24, William 5), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWVW-JY7; and household of Henry Brittan, same township (Henry 28, Caroline 27, Annie 3, Henry 1 month), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWVW-JYS.
  • Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the Anthracite Coal Regions of Pennsylvania for the Year 1886, Fifth District, Table No. 4, “List of fatal accidents occurring in and about the mines of the Fifth Mine District,” p. 160 (Internet Archive, reportsofinspect1886penn, leaf n181). Read on the page image.
  • FamilySearch, “Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1775-1991,” entry for William J. Branchide (b. 1874) and Harriet A. Davis, Schuylkill County, 2 October 1918, naming his parents Jacob Branchide and Mary Houser and hers Charles Parrish and Eliz. Collins, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMC1-HMG.
  • “A rich history off the beaten path: Ellen Gowen,” The Shenandoah Sentinel, shensentinel.com/news/a-rich-history-off-the-beaten-path-ellen-gowen/.
  • FamilySearch, “United States, Census, 1920,” household of Mary Brauchide, Philadelphia (Mary 65, head; sons George Branshide 39 and Jacob 33; grandson Clifford 19), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXSF-9K3; and “United States, Census, 1930,” household of Jacob Branshied, Philadelphia (Jacob 45, Hattie 41), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHWZ-R2T.
  • Family archive transcripts of the Parrish, Davis and Branchide census entries, 1880–1950 Read the record Read the record Read the record
  • FamilySearch, “Pennsylvania, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945,” William Burton Branchide (b. 16 March 1907, Vulcan, Pa.; registered 16 October 1940, Philadelphia), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29C-1XNG; Walter Branchide (b. 12 December 1902, Vulcan, Pa.), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29C-1X6M; Clifford Harold Branchide (b. 14 February 1901, Philadelphia), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29C-1XW1; and “United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942,” Jacob Branchied (b. 18 November 1884), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQFD-QWT.
  • Draft registration (WWII), Jacob Branchied, Philadelphia, 1942, family archive transcript Read the record
  • Family archive transcripts of the Branchide marriage records: William J. Branchide and Lucy Myers, 1899 (his sworn statement, license E 350); William J. Branchide and Harriet A. Davis, license application, 1918; Clifford H. Branchide and Emma Marie Capper, license application, 1924 Read the record Read the record Read the record
  • Ancestry.com LifeStory printout, William Branchide (paywalled; cited as record location), family archive scan.
  • The Evening Herald (Shenandoah, Pa.), 17 April 1899, p. 4, “Marriage Licenses,” Chronicling America, Library of Congress, loc.gov/resource/sn87078000/1899-04-17/ed-1/?sp=4.
  • FamilySearch, “Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1775-1991,” entry for William J. Branchide and Lucy Myers, Schuylkill County, 14 April 1899, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMCR-MP7.
  • Find A Grave memorials 87258478 (Michael Myers, South Perkasie Evangelical Cemetery, Perkasie, Pa.) and 87258612 (Mary Alice Nicholas Myers), with linked memorials for their children, including 112103222 (Maud Mathilda Myers Anderson) and 261105254 (Eleanor G. Roberts).
  • FamilySearch indexes: “Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1775–1991,” familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMC5-GC6 and 1:1:KMC1-GBF (Martin Roberts and Carrie Myers, Schuylkill County, 21 June 1897; Robert J. Newton and Maude D. Ullrich); the delayed birth record of Gilbert Harold Roberts, born at Vulcan, 17 August 1904; “United States, Census,” 1880–1950, the Myers, Roberts and Newton households; and a New Jersey burial index entry for Robert J. Newton. Index only.
  • FamilySearch, “United States, Census, 1900,” household of William Branshide, Spring Township, Berks County, Pa. (William, b. April 1875; Lucy, b. May 1871; married 1 year), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3M5-1S8; and “United States, Census, 1910,” household of William Branshide, Mahanoy, Schuylkill County (William 36, Lucy 38, Clifford 9, Walter 7, William 3), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MG6M-ZRK.
  • FamilySearch, “Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, City Births, 1860-1915,” entry for Clifford Harold Branchide, 14 February 1901, parents William Branchide and Lucy, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V1M9-Z8S; “Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1775-1991,” Clifford H. Branchide and Emma Marie Capper, 16 September 1924, parents William Branchide and Lucinda Myres, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Z4-SBKB; and Clifford H. Branchide and Lillian F. Moll, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28B-PGNP.
  • Find A Grave memorial 199980270, William J. Branchide.
  • FamilySearch, “United States, Social Security Death Index,” William Branchide (b. 16 March 1907, d. March 1968, Bucks County), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VSGM-C2H; Walter Branchide (b. 12 December 1902, d. July 1973), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J23P-527; Gerald Branchide (b. 4 December 1939, d. December 1981), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VSLX-P3P; and “United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007,” Nancy B. Brombach, parents Clifford H. Branchide and Marie E. Capper, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K9J-LWXG.
  • Find A Grave memorials 247954437 (Walter Branchide) and 247954527 (Margaret Adeline Duffield Branchide), Eglington Cemetery, Clarksboro, N.J.; 27388718 (Clifford H. Branchide) and 27388690 (Lillian M. Branchide), Saint Peter’s Union Cemetery, Hilltown Township, Pa.; 148285089 (Emma Marie Capper Branchide), Forest Hills Cemetery, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.; 181070945 (Kay Walter Branchide) and 196931867 (Wayne Thomas Branchide), Washington Crossing National Cemetery; and FamilySearch, “United States, Obituary Records, 2014-2023,” Wayne T. Branchide (d. 28 December 2018), parents Walter and Margaret Duffield Branchide, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:61FS-SXWV.
  • FamilySearch, “Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1775–1991,” familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28B-PGNP; image, “Bucks. Marriage Licenses 1885–1946,” index to marriage license applications, image 205, 3:1:3Q9M-C9BL-FQWN-3 (Lillian F. Moll and Clifford H. Branchide, 4 October 1943, book 182, page 113). Read on the image.
  • FamilySearch records for Verda B. Branchide Kralish: “United States, Census, 1930,” household of Martin Roberts, Mahanoy, Schuylkill County, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH4B-HQ2; “United States, Census, 1940,” household of Robert J. Newton, Elk Township, Gloucester County, N.J., familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4RH-MDV; “United States, Census, 1950,” household of Fred E. Kralish, Paulsboro, N.J., familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6F9R-PNLZ; NUMIDENT, Verda Kralish (b. 28 April 1913, d. 25 August 2004), familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K9D-9W1R; BillionGraves index, Verda B. Kralish, Clarksboro, N.J., familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKKS-3KY4.