Marian Henrietta was born in the spring of 1884, April 17 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania to Clara Von Olhausen and George Phillip White. She had three sisters, Juliet Mary (1882), Emily Bessie (1885) and Katherine (1888). Their father was employed as a flour-broker commissioned merchant that allowed the family to live an upper class life style. When Marian was sixteen at the 1900 census they lived at 4820 Windsor Avenue and employed a servant named Lizzie Gaughan. A great uncle, Robert W. Olhausen also lived with them. By 1915 sisters Juliet and Emily would be married and Marian graduated from nursing school. Where she received her nursing training is not clear but the 1910 census documented that she was living with other nurses and medical professionals in Upland, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
The United Stated declared war on Germany April 6, 1917 and entered the World War that had been raging in Europe since 1914. Obviously, doctors, nurses and workers of all kind would be needed. Marian volunteered and was accepted for duty in France as a Nurse’s Aide through the Red Cross. On July 26. 1918 she applied for her US Passport stating she intended to sail from the Port of New York on August 21. She indicated that she had been a school teacher until three years ago when she began keeping house at home. She was five foot, five inches tall with brown eyes and hair and a fair complexion. Curiously her first name was spelled both Marion and Marian on the application.
Although documentation of her travel was not found, it’s believed she departed as scheduled in August and landed in France via Liverpool, England the first week in September. About a month after arrival Marian became ill with pneumonia and died on Thursday, October 3, 1918. The G. R. S. Form 13 that documents death and burial shows she was a Nurse’s Aide, A.R.C. M.H. No. 6; died of broncho pneumonia. The following day Marian was buried in Grave number 491, American Cemetery, Suresnes Commune in the western suburbs of Paris. Her family was notified by cablegram # 279.
In October 1919, families of fallen Americans were given the choice of leaving them buried in a new American Cemetery in Europe or bring them home for reburial. Clara and George chose to leave Marian with those she served and served with as did approximately 30% of the families facing the same decision. On August 23, 1921, she was disinterred for the final time and reburied in Grave 7, Row 23, Plot B, Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Suresnes, Departement des Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France. Day is done, God is nigh.
Epilogue: Her sister Katherine also served in France with the American Committee for Devastated France that was a small group of American women who volunteered to help the French Third Republic recover from the destruction of The Great War. Although eligible to visit her daughters grave with the Gold Star Mother and Wives pilgrimage program of 1930-33 there are no documents to support Clara accepting the government’s invitation. She and daughter Katherine may have visited Marian’s grave in 1920 when they spent time in Europe. She died in 1941 at the age of 81. Father George lived to age 69, passing in 1922.
It was my honor to write this short biography from available documents found. I know it doesn’t start to do Marian or her family justice but it does help keep her memory alive. Lest we forget…Larry E. Hume, Chief Master Sergeant, US Air Force, Retired.
The United Stated declared war on Germany April 6, 1917 and entered the World War that had been raging in Europe since 1914. Obviously, doctors, nurses and workers of all kind would be needed. Marian volunteered and was accepted for duty in France as a Nurse’s Aide through the Red Cross. On July 26. 1918 she applied for her US Passport stating she intended to sail from the Port of New York on August 21. She indicated that she had been a school teacher until three years ago when she began keeping house at home. She was five foot, five inches tall with brown eyes and hair and a fair complexion. Curiously her first name was spelled both Marion and Marian on the application.
Although documentation of her travel was not found, it’s believed she departed as scheduled in August and landed in France via Liverpool, England the first week in September. About a month after arrival Marian became ill with pneumonia and died on Thursday, October 3, 1918. The G. R. S. Form 13 that documents death and burial shows she was a Nurse’s Aide, A.R.C. M.H. No. 6; died of broncho pneumonia. The following day Marian was buried in Grave number 491, American Cemetery, Suresnes Commune in the western suburbs of Paris. Her family was notified by cablegram # 279.
In October 1919, families of fallen Americans were given the choice of leaving them buried in a new American Cemetery in Europe or bring them home for reburial. Clara and George chose to leave Marian with those she served and served with as did approximately 30% of the families facing the same decision. On August 23, 1921, she was disinterred for the final time and reburied in Grave 7, Row 23, Plot B, Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Suresnes, Departement des Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France. Day is done, God is nigh.
Epilogue: Her sister Katherine also served in France with the American Committee for Devastated France that was a small group of American women who volunteered to help the French Third Republic recover from the destruction of The Great War. Although eligible to visit her daughters grave with the Gold Star Mother and Wives pilgrimage program of 1930-33 there are no documents to support Clara accepting the government’s invitation. She and daughter Katherine may have visited Marian’s grave in 1920 when they spent time in Europe. She died in 1941 at the age of 81. Father George lived to age 69, passing in 1922.
It was my honor to write this short biography from available documents found. I know it doesn’t start to do Marian or her family justice but it does help keep her memory alive. Lest we forget…Larry E. Hume, Chief Master Sergeant, US Air Force, Retired.
Marian Henrietta was born in the spring of 1884, April 17 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania to Clara Von Olhausen and George Phillip White. She had three sisters, Juliet Mary (1882), Emily Bessie (1885) and Katherine (1888). Their father was employed as a flour-broker commissioned merchant that allowed the family to live an upper class life style. When Marian was sixteen at the 1900 census they lived at 4820 Windsor Avenue and employed a servant named Lizzie Gaughan. A great uncle, Robert W. Olhausen also lived with them. By 1915 sisters Juliet and Emily would be married and Marian graduated from nursing school. Where she received her nursing training is not clear but the 1910 census documented that she was living with other nurses and medical professionals in Upland, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
The United Stated declared war on Germany April 6, 1917 and entered the World War that had been raging in Europe since 1914. Obviously, doctors, nurses and workers of all kind would be needed. Marian volunteered and was accepted for duty in France as a Nurse’s Aide through the Red Cross. On July 26. 1918 she applied for her US Passport stating she intended to sail from the Port of New York on August 21. She indicated that she had been a school teacher until three years ago when she began keeping house at home. She was five foot, five inches tall with brown eyes and hair and a fair complexion. Curiously her first name was spelled both Marion and Marian on the application.
Although documentation of her travel was not found, it’s believed she departed as scheduled in August and landed in France via Liverpool, England the first week in September. About a month after arrival Marian became ill with pneumonia and died on Thursday, October 3, 1918. The G. R. S. Form 13 that documents death and burial shows she was a Nurse’s Aide, A.R.C. M.H. No. 6; died of broncho pneumonia. The following day Marian was buried in Grave number 491, American Cemetery, Suresnes Commune in the western suburbs of Paris. Her family was notified by cablegram # 279.
In October 1919, families of fallen Americans were given the choice of leaving them buried in a new American Cemetery in Europe or bring them home for reburial. Clara and George chose to leave Marian with those she served and served with as did approximately 30% of the families facing the same decision. On August 23, 1921, she was disinterred for the final time and reburied in Grave 7, Row 23, Plot B, Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Suresnes, Departement des Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France. Day is done, God is nigh.
Epilogue: Her sister Katherine also served in France with the American Committee for Devastated France that was a small group of American women who volunteered to help the French Third Republic recover from the destruction of The Great War. Although eligible to visit her daughters grave with the Gold Star Mother and Wives pilgrimage program of 1930-33 there are no documents to support Clara accepting the government’s invitation. She and daughter Katherine may have visited Marian’s grave in 1920 when they spent time in Europe. She died in 1941 at the age of 81. Father George lived to age 69, passing in 1922.
It was my honor to write this short biography from available documents found. I know it doesn’t start to do Marian or her family justice but it does help keep her memory alive. Lest we forget…Larry E. Hume, Chief Master Sergeant, US Air Force, Retired.
The United Stated declared war on Germany April 6, 1917 and entered the World War that had been raging in Europe since 1914. Obviously, doctors, nurses and workers of all kind would be needed. Marian volunteered and was accepted for duty in France as a Nurse’s Aide through the Red Cross. On July 26. 1918 she applied for her US Passport stating she intended to sail from the Port of New York on August 21. She indicated that she had been a school teacher until three years ago when she began keeping house at home. She was five foot, five inches tall with brown eyes and hair and a fair complexion. Curiously her first name was spelled both Marion and Marian on the application.
Although documentation of her travel was not found, it’s believed she departed as scheduled in August and landed in France via Liverpool, England the first week in September. About a month after arrival Marian became ill with pneumonia and died on Thursday, October 3, 1918. The G. R. S. Form 13 that documents death and burial shows she was a Nurse’s Aide, A.R.C. M.H. No. 6; died of broncho pneumonia. The following day Marian was buried in Grave number 491, American Cemetery, Suresnes Commune in the western suburbs of Paris. Her family was notified by cablegram # 279.
In October 1919, families of fallen Americans were given the choice of leaving them buried in a new American Cemetery in Europe or bring them home for reburial. Clara and George chose to leave Marian with those she served and served with as did approximately 30% of the families facing the same decision. On August 23, 1921, she was disinterred for the final time and reburied in Grave 7, Row 23, Plot B, Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Suresnes, Departement des Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France. Day is done, God is nigh.
Epilogue: Her sister Katherine also served in France with the American Committee for Devastated France that was a small group of American women who volunteered to help the French Third Republic recover from the destruction of The Great War. Although eligible to visit her daughters grave with the Gold Star Mother and Wives pilgrimage program of 1930-33 there are no documents to support Clara accepting the government’s invitation. She and daughter Katherine may have visited Marian’s grave in 1920 when they spent time in Europe. She died in 1941 at the age of 81. Father George lived to age 69, passing in 1922.
It was my honor to write this short biography from available documents found. I know it doesn’t start to do Marian or her family justice but it does help keep her memory alive. Lest we forget…Larry E. Hume, Chief Master Sergeant, US Air Force, Retired.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Pennsylvania.
Family Members
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