#202 Mary Catherine "Mayme" Seyler◊ ( Ellen Catherine Allison◊ • George Allison◊ • Archibald Allison◊ • Archibald Allison◊ )
Other names for Mayme: Mary Catherine Powers◊.
Mayme was born 8 Mar 1882 in Clinton Co., Pennsylvania. She died 11 Aug 1924 in Derry Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania from pneumonia, pleurisy and stricture of the esophagus. She was buried 14 Aug 1924 in Coles Cemetery, Derry Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania.
She is also found in the group photograph «here».
On the 1900 Federal Census, she is living at home with her parents in Lamar Twp., Clinton Co., Pennsylvania.
At the time of her marriage, she was living in Salona, Pennsylvania. She appears on the {offpage}}1910_fed_lamar_clinton_pa.jpg.html">1910 Federal Census in Lamar and the 1920 Federal Census in the Scalp Level District of Derry Twp.
Mayme had a some miscarriages; they occurred in the times when there are three-year gaps in her childrens' ages.
Mayme died after a short illness. She went to the doctor, came home and said he had "put a clothespin down her throat." She died shortly thereafter. Her youngest daughter, Josephine, was only seven months old. Her second daughter, Anna, had just given birth to her first child, so she acted as a wet nurse for Josephine until she could be weaned. With Dorothy and Anna married and having families of their own, Florence took over the "maternal" care of her younger siblings until she married and moved out and Eleanor took over.
∞ Mayme married #201 Arthur Erastus Powers◊. He is the son of Henry Edward & Susannah (Gettig) Powers. He is an ancestor in the Powers Line.
Marriage notes |
They married 1 Apr 1902 in Mill Hall, Clinton Co., Pennsylvania. There were married at his home by William H. Rosser, justice of the peace. |
Other names for Arthur: Arthur Edwin Powers◊.
Arthur was born 24 Jun 1880 in Salona, Clinton Co., Pennsylvania. He died 16 Oct 1958 in Latrobe, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania from gastro-intestinal malignancy. He was buried 20 Oct 1958 in Coles Cemetery, Derry Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania.
He is also found in the group photograph «here».
His family had trouble supporting all its members and several of the children were sent to board with other families. Arthur told the story that, at age eight, he was sent to live with the Kryder family, and work on their farm for his room and board plus 25¢ a month, sleeping in the barn. Family history is that he didn't speak English until he was about 12; he spoke Pennsylvania Dutch.
We find him still there on the 1900 Federal Census along with his brother, Clair, working as laborers on the farm.
According to his marriage license, he was a farmer at the time he married Mary Catherine, and living in Bald Eagle Twp.
We find in him Lamar Twp., Clinton Co., Pennsylvania on the 1910 Federal Census.
When the Pennsylvania Railroad was completed in Westmoreland County, he and his brother, Jim, moved to Derry to work on the railroad. He worked as a Brakeman, Fireman and Engineer from 1910 until 1946, when he retired. However, he always raised most of their food, both in his large back yard garden and by renting extra land each year for the crops that took a lot of space, such as corn, potatoes and cabbage. Each year, he planted some corn specially for popcorn for the kids, and took the boys berry-picking each summer in order to make jams and jellies. He made a large barrel of sauerkraut and one of pickles each fall. His family always ate well and everyone did their share of the work.
In 1918 he was in Derry, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania according to his World War I draft registration. The 1920 Federal Census shows him in the Scalp Level District of Derry Twp.
On the 1930 Federal Census we find him in Derry, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. Mayme has passed away and Arthur is now married to Zada. He has a net worth of $4,000 and owns his own home. Two of Zada's daughters from her previous marriage are living with them: Louise Z. and Beryl M. Long.
A newspaper clipping from the January 2, 1930 File Echoes reads:
Quick work on the part of Fireman A. E. Powers, of Derry, saved Train 54, "The Gotham Limited", one of the Pennsylvania's fleet of specially named trains, from disaster east of Ridgeview Park yesterday. Powers flagged down the Limited after his train had buckled, blocking the track.
Arthur's marriage to Zada was a turbulent one. Arthur could be violent and Zada was his match. His daughter, Florence, says she used to go after him with a butcher knife. His granddaughter recounted:
| “ | My sister and I were at Grandpaps' house the night he and Zada had their last fight, it was during the Depression and Zada had baked bread, pies and cakes, packed them all in suitcases and was ready to take them to her folks on the outskirts of Derry. Grandpap had just gone to work, but before she left, he unexpectedly came back home. Caught! What a fight! Eleanor herded all us little kids upstairs into the bedroom, we could still hear the battle raging downstairs. Zada was gone next day when we got up, it was a mess, the curtains pulled down between the dining and living rooms, furniture upset, Grandpap had a big gash on his head. Several years later we were up in the attic looking around and came across the lamp (Tiffany style) that had been in the living room, it still had blood on it, I think that's what she hit him with. It was a big metal and stained glass thing. |
On the 1940 Federal Census of Derry, Pennsylvania he is living with his daughter, Florence's, family. His daughter, Josephine, is living with them also. He is a locomotive fireman earning $2,240 per year. This census also shows that he had attended school to eighth grade. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers.
His World War II draft registration lists him as 5'6", 140 pounds, light complexion with brown hair and blue eyes.
After he retired, Arthur spent his time visting his children and his sister, Effie, and gardening.
He became diabetic in his later years. He eventually lost a leg to gangrene. The family story is that he couldn't find his shoehorn. Being rather crotchety at the time, he declared someone had taken it and limped around grumbling about it for several days. Eventually, it was found to have fallen down into his high top shoe and he had been walking around on it unable to feel it due to the diabetes. The wound caused became gangrenous.
After being fitted with a prosthetic, he decided to visit his youngest, Josephine, in Oklahoma. A couple of months later, he decided very suddenly to return to Pennsylvania. When one family member expressed surprise that he was back, he replied he had come home to die with Ann.
His death certificate lists his middle name as Edwin. He disliked the name his parents gave him, Erastus, and changed it to suit his whim. It also lists his father's name incorrectly as John Powers.
Children of this relationship:
| #214 | F | i | Dorothy Ellen Powers | (31 Jul 1902–17 Feb 1941) |
| #216 | F | ii | Anna Katherine Powers | (13 Oct 1904–20 Oct 1992) |
| #148 | F | iii | Florence Alberta Powers◊ | (29 Sep 1907–1 Jul 1997) |
| #219 | M | iv | Henry Allison "Allison" Powers | (28 Apr 1909–16 Jan 1992) |
| #222 | M | v | James Arthur "Jim" Powers | (29 Sep 1912–25 Apr 1987) |
| #225 | F | vi | Mary Madeline "Madeline" Powers | (12 Aug 1915–May 1967) |
| #227 | F | vii | Alma Eleanor "Eleanor" Powers | (2 Jul 1918–May 1966) |
| #229 | M | viii | Ralph Elmer Powers | (26 Jun 1920–19 Dec 1990) |
| #231 | M | ix | Donald Robert Powers | (16 Feb 1922–17 Dec 1944) |
| #232 | F | x | Emma Mae Josephine "Josephine" Powers | (1 Jan 1924–2 Nov 1999) |
"Clair R. Powers", The Express, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania (23 Feb 1948), p. 2, col. 5.
1900 U.S. Census, Lamar Twp., Clinton Co., Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, Utah, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.. Roll: 1397; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0018; FHL microfilm: 1241397
1900 U.S. Census, Lamar Twp., Clinton Co., Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, Utah, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.. Roll: 1397; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0018; FHL microfilm: 1241397
1910 U.S. Census, Lamar Twp., Clinton Co., Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, Utah, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.. Roll: T624_1332; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0011; FHL microfilm: 1375345
1920 U.S. Census, Scalp Level, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Roll: T625_1662; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 88; Image: 892
1930 U.S. Census, Derry Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.. Roll: 2155; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 16; Image: 356.0; FHL microfilm: 2341889
1940 U.S. Census, Derry, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Roll: T627_3629; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 65-30
Arthur E Powers, cemetery notes, www.findagrave.com, #93921129.
Arthur E. Powers WW I draft registration card, Roll: 1927071, Draft Board: 5; Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania (12 Sep 1918), Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
Arthur E. Powers WW II draft registration card, Microfilm Series: M1951; Microfilm Roll: 250 Pennsylvania (27 Apr 1942), Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Arthur Edwin Powers death certificate, no. 478852, registered no. 508 (18 Oct 1958), Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health, Pennsylvania.
Charlotte Hensel, The Arthur Powers Family, (unpublished, 2007).
Mary C. Powers, death certificate, file no. 78787, registered no. 102 (14 Aug 1924), Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health, Pennsylvania, true copy no. 021469 prepared by Charles Hardester, State Registrar..
Mary Catharine Seyler Powers, cemetery notes, www.findagrave.com, #93921000.
Personal recollection of Florence (Powers) Deffler, as related to Tad Deffler.
Powers-Seyler marriage application, license and certificate. (31 Mar 1902) license #3656, Mill Hall, Clinton Co., Pennsylvania, Docket A, p. 477
Powers-Seyler marriage certificate, (1 Apr 1902) Mill Hall, Clinton Co., Pennsylvania. Included in copy is a marriage announcement from an unnamed newspaper. Signed by William H. Rosser, JP
Line Generation: 5
Relationship: Great-Grandmother