The family called him "Bumps" but either no one knows why or they're not telling. My grandfather. Husband of Roberta, and father of Robert and Richard, during his life, William did laboring jobs, and a bridge still stands in Phoenixville that he had a hand in building or painting. Later, he worked in route sales, handling products from Spaulding Bakery which became Stroehmann's Bakery, Letty Lane Candy (of New Jersey), and Bechtel's Dairy of Royersford.
In 1910 when William was only age 3, he lived at 32 Mill Street in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his parents, George W age 32 (sic) a foreman at Shafer Iron Works, and Elizabeth K age 38 a taper at a knitting mill. Elizabeth reports giving birth to 6 children, 5 of whom are alive - the five in the home are Bessie, Helen H, Kathryn, George W, and our William F. William's parents have been married 16 years and Bessie, age 13 is the eldest in the home.
In 1920, 13 year old William lives at home at 528 Bridge Street in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his parents George W and Lizzie K, and siblings Bessie H, Helen, Catherine M, George W, and Maybell P. William's father is a foreman at an iron works, while some of his siblings are working as well: Bessie, Helen and Catherine are operators at a textile mill, and George clerks at a grocery store.
In a twist, making me wonder why they went to the next county, we find that William F. Fleck married Roberta R Erb in Delaware County on April Fool's Day of 1929.
The 1930 census shows William, age 23 living in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his new wife Roberta age 20 (though she is incorrectly listed as "Alberta").
Montgomery County property records show that on 07/29/1938 paperwork was filed for a deed from Isabella and Joseph McCallum/McCallom in Collegeville Borough to William F Fleck and R. R. Fleck.
This reflects his growing family as shown in the 1940 census taken on April 5 where he and his family live in Collegeville, Pennsylvania on Charles Street, where the census-taker has noted the homes have no numbers. William is age 33, and wife Roberta 30. Their sons, Richard W age 7 and Robert G age 5 are with them. William reports having finished 3 years of high school, and Roberta one. They report that in 1935 they lived in Phoenixville, Chester County. It seems to have been a difficult year; even though the family owns the home, William reports that he is currently looking for work, citing himself generally as a salesman of wholesale meats. When asked "Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 - in weeks" his answer is 42. When asked "Number of weeks worked in 1939 - in weeks" his answer is 26.
Family said William passed from complications and a loss of will following a broken hip. Another version of this story is that he was stepping out of his vehicle when he was struck by a passing car, which caused the broken hip. His death certificate notes that the broken hip happened in 1963. He'd gone to the Johnson Home, and there had a coronary occlusion which took his life. No matter how it happened, he was only 57.
He left us with a final wink: his gravestone states his 1907 birth... but the Chester County birth records, and the Social Security Death Index say 1906. And he recorded 1907 on his World War II draft card.
In 1910 when William was only age 3, he lived at 32 Mill Street in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his parents, George W age 32 (sic) a foreman at Shafer Iron Works, and Elizabeth K age 38 a taper at a knitting mill. Elizabeth reports giving birth to 6 children, 5 of whom are alive - the five in the home are Bessie, Helen H, Kathryn, George W, and our William F. William's parents have been married 16 years and Bessie, age 13 is the eldest in the home.
In 1920, 13 year old William lives at home at 528 Bridge Street in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his parents George W and Lizzie K, and siblings Bessie H, Helen, Catherine M, George W, and Maybell P. William's father is a foreman at an iron works, while some of his siblings are working as well: Bessie, Helen and Catherine are operators at a textile mill, and George clerks at a grocery store.
In a twist, making me wonder why they went to the next county, we find that William F. Fleck married Roberta R Erb in Delaware County on April Fool's Day of 1929.
The 1930 census shows William, age 23 living in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his new wife Roberta age 20 (though she is incorrectly listed as "Alberta").
Montgomery County property records show that on 07/29/1938 paperwork was filed for a deed from Isabella and Joseph McCallum/McCallom in Collegeville Borough to William F Fleck and R. R. Fleck.
This reflects his growing family as shown in the 1940 census taken on April 5 where he and his family live in Collegeville, Pennsylvania on Charles Street, where the census-taker has noted the homes have no numbers. William is age 33, and wife Roberta 30. Their sons, Richard W age 7 and Robert G age 5 are with them. William reports having finished 3 years of high school, and Roberta one. They report that in 1935 they lived in Phoenixville, Chester County. It seems to have been a difficult year; even though the family owns the home, William reports that he is currently looking for work, citing himself generally as a salesman of wholesale meats. When asked "Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 - in weeks" his answer is 42. When asked "Number of weeks worked in 1939 - in weeks" his answer is 26.
Family said William passed from complications and a loss of will following a broken hip. Another version of this story is that he was stepping out of his vehicle when he was struck by a passing car, which caused the broken hip. His death certificate notes that the broken hip happened in 1963. He'd gone to the Johnson Home, and there had a coronary occlusion which took his life. No matter how it happened, he was only 57.
He left us with a final wink: his gravestone states his 1907 birth... but the Chester County birth records, and the Social Security Death Index say 1906. And he recorded 1907 on his World War II draft card.
The family called him "Bumps" but either no one knows why or they're not telling. My grandfather. Husband of Roberta, and father of Robert and Richard, during his life, William did laboring jobs, and a bridge still stands in Phoenixville that he had a hand in building or painting. Later, he worked in route sales, handling products from Spaulding Bakery which became Stroehmann's Bakery, Letty Lane Candy (of New Jersey), and Bechtel's Dairy of Royersford.
In 1910 when William was only age 3, he lived at 32 Mill Street in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his parents, George W age 32 (sic) a foreman at Shafer Iron Works, and Elizabeth K age 38 a taper at a knitting mill. Elizabeth reports giving birth to 6 children, 5 of whom are alive - the five in the home are Bessie, Helen H, Kathryn, George W, and our William F. William's parents have been married 16 years and Bessie, age 13 is the eldest in the home.
In 1920, 13 year old William lives at home at 528 Bridge Street in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his parents George W and Lizzie K, and siblings Bessie H, Helen, Catherine M, George W, and Maybell P. William's father is a foreman at an iron works, while some of his siblings are working as well: Bessie, Helen and Catherine are operators at a textile mill, and George clerks at a grocery store.
In a twist, making me wonder why they went to the next county, we find that William F. Fleck married Roberta R Erb in Delaware County on April Fool's Day of 1929.
The 1930 census shows William, age 23 living in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his new wife Roberta age 20 (though she is incorrectly listed as "Alberta").
Montgomery County property records show that on 07/29/1938 paperwork was filed for a deed from Isabella and Joseph McCallum/McCallom in Collegeville Borough to William F Fleck and R. R. Fleck.
This reflects his growing family as shown in the 1940 census taken on April 5 where he and his family live in Collegeville, Pennsylvania on Charles Street, where the census-taker has noted the homes have no numbers. William is age 33, and wife Roberta 30. Their sons, Richard W age 7 and Robert G age 5 are with them. William reports having finished 3 years of high school, and Roberta one. They report that in 1935 they lived in Phoenixville, Chester County. It seems to have been a difficult year; even though the family owns the home, William reports that he is currently looking for work, citing himself generally as a salesman of wholesale meats. When asked "Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 - in weeks" his answer is 42. When asked "Number of weeks worked in 1939 - in weeks" his answer is 26.
Family said William passed from complications and a loss of will following a broken hip. Another version of this story is that he was stepping out of his vehicle when he was struck by a passing car, which caused the broken hip. His death certificate notes that the broken hip happened in 1963. He'd gone to the Johnson Home, and there had a coronary occlusion which took his life. No matter how it happened, he was only 57.
He left us with a final wink: his gravestone states his 1907 birth... but the Chester County birth records, and the Social Security Death Index say 1906. And he recorded 1907 on his World War II draft card.
In 1910 when William was only age 3, he lived at 32 Mill Street in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his parents, George W age 32 (sic) a foreman at Shafer Iron Works, and Elizabeth K age 38 a taper at a knitting mill. Elizabeth reports giving birth to 6 children, 5 of whom are alive - the five in the home are Bessie, Helen H, Kathryn, George W, and our William F. William's parents have been married 16 years and Bessie, age 13 is the eldest in the home.
In 1920, 13 year old William lives at home at 528 Bridge Street in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his parents George W and Lizzie K, and siblings Bessie H, Helen, Catherine M, George W, and Maybell P. William's father is a foreman at an iron works, while some of his siblings are working as well: Bessie, Helen and Catherine are operators at a textile mill, and George clerks at a grocery store.
In a twist, making me wonder why they went to the next county, we find that William F. Fleck married Roberta R Erb in Delaware County on April Fool's Day of 1929.
The 1930 census shows William, age 23 living in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania with his new wife Roberta age 20 (though she is incorrectly listed as "Alberta").
Montgomery County property records show that on 07/29/1938 paperwork was filed for a deed from Isabella and Joseph McCallum/McCallom in Collegeville Borough to William F Fleck and R. R. Fleck.
This reflects his growing family as shown in the 1940 census taken on April 5 where he and his family live in Collegeville, Pennsylvania on Charles Street, where the census-taker has noted the homes have no numbers. William is age 33, and wife Roberta 30. Their sons, Richard W age 7 and Robert G age 5 are with them. William reports having finished 3 years of high school, and Roberta one. They report that in 1935 they lived in Phoenixville, Chester County. It seems to have been a difficult year; even though the family owns the home, William reports that he is currently looking for work, citing himself generally as a salesman of wholesale meats. When asked "Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 - in weeks" his answer is 42. When asked "Number of weeks worked in 1939 - in weeks" his answer is 26.
Family said William passed from complications and a loss of will following a broken hip. Another version of this story is that he was stepping out of his vehicle when he was struck by a passing car, which caused the broken hip. His death certificate notes that the broken hip happened in 1963. He'd gone to the Johnson Home, and there had a coronary occlusion which took his life. No matter how it happened, he was only 57.
He left us with a final wink: his gravestone states his 1907 birth... but the Chester County birth records, and the Social Security Death Index say 1906. And he recorded 1907 on his World War II draft card.
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