A Birthday Search - May 15th..

On occasions, when I look to add new content to my family research, I check to see who has a birthday on that day. Today, there were several cousins that are celebrating another year. The one I write about today is a 6th cousin, Philip Keller, a relative who I never met, but I have crossed the same pathways he traveled after doing a little digging.

Just to as a note, all information that is written in this blog is information which is either public record or I have written permission to publish. Also, as in this case, the individual(s) have passed their life on our planet and now rest with our other ancestors, family and friends, gone but not forgotten. It's this part of my genealogy research which is most meaningful. The facts uncovered not only permanently document that person of interest, but helps flesh outs their life, making genealogy much more than just dates, places and events.

NJCRR Terminal

I first found Philip in George William's volume I, as I have most of our cousins. Philip was born on Friday, this day in 1925. My next search found Philip in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey on 5 April 1925. He was 4 years old, he's 5th birthday only a few weeks away. He was living with his parent's Peter J. and Margaret (Bolles) Keller, in an apartment located at 568 Jefferson Avenue which they rented for $30 a month. Philip was one of six children the couple had at that point of life. There was J. Edwards (age 10), Peter (age 8), Raymond (age 7), Philip, William (age 2+) and the youngest Frederick, a new born.  Later years will add two sisters and another brother.

NJCRR Ferry Docks

Philip's father, Peter J. was born in New York, his parents having been both born in Germany and worked as a bricklayer at a construction company. Margaret (my fifth cousin once removed) was born in New Jersey as well as both of her parents. All of Peter and Margaret's sons were born in New Jersey too. The three oldest were attending school and all were able to read and write, like their parents. The 1940 census told me a lot about this family.

Many years later, Philip marries and has a family of four daughters and one son to our knowledge. My search today leaded to sad news, as I found Philip Keller in the Social Security Death Index. He's reported as having died in August 1968.  He was only 43 years of age.

This is just a small snapshot of Philip's life. There is much more that needs to fill in the blanks from 1930 to 1968. A photo of how Philip looked would be nice to find. Where did he live in 1940, as the family moved from Jefferson Ave by then? What did he do for a living? Where is his final resting place? These are but a few of the many questions that one thinks of when looking at a person.

By the way, do you know how I crossed Philip's path besides doing my family research?  For over 10 years, I volunteered at Liberty Science Center... in Jersey City... driving down Grand Avenue, a cross street of Jefferson Avenue. Was it by chance or design?  I hope to find that out and also some of those answers to other questions in the future. 

 

To Be Continued....