John William Reauveau (1898 - 1936)

Born 27 Apr 1898 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Nina Brandon (Kirby) Reauveau — married 12 May 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 20 May 1936 at age 38 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Nina Reauveau [send private message]

Biography

John William Reauveau was born 27 April 1898 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Louis Emory Reauveau and Katherine (Katie) Roney. His birth record lists his name as "Oliver" yet, later records all list him as John William.

He was the only son and middle child with two older sisters, Lorraine and Elizabeth and later two younger sisters, Helen and Marie. He was baptized 2 May 1900 at the Conception Catholic church in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. As a young man he caddied at the Huntingdon Valley Country Club and played football on the Jenkintown team. In June of 1916 he and another boy got in trouble for attempting to "ravish" a 13-year-old girl; John quickly joined the military.

John's first assignment in the military was serving near the Mexican border as a horse shoer, blacksmith and later wagoner. Two years later he's sent overseas to St. Nazaire, France where he served till the end of the war (WWI). When John returned from the war, he held several jobs from taxi driver to working in a kitchen to general house repair. Per a newspaper article, once he crashed his cab into another car, it caught fire, he escaped, but was charged with reckless driving and damages.

He met Nina Brandon Kirby at the Kesslers, friends of his or Nina. She had just graduated from nursing school in Charlottesville, Virginia and was living in the Philadelphia area with her sister Doris Ann Kirby Murray. Much to Nina's mother's dismay, John and Nina married 12 May 1928 in Philadelphia. Nina's mother thought John was a foreigner, disapproved of him being Catholic and didn't think he was right for her. Many years later, her sister would tell John's grandchildren he beat Nina and drank too much, yet, Nina was deeply in love with him.

John and Nina had a stillborn son born in 1930 and buried at Mechanic's Cemetery, now defunct. November 1932, they had a second son, Brandon Kirby Reauveau and Nina died 5 days later of complications. Her body was sent back to Virginia for her parents to bury.

John was left with the child and although, family letters indicate he was devastated by the loss of Nina, it seems he often sent the child to live with neighbors or his sister, Helen, for extended periods of time. In May of 1936, he was having an affair with a young married woman, Eileen Bell, whose husband was away in the military. The couple quarreled and she stabbed him multiple times. Newspaper articles indicate her landlord later called a cab and had John taken to the hospital where he died a week later on 20 May 1936.

There was a trial, the woman was convicted of manslaughter and went to jail. His young child was sent to Virginia to be raised by Nina's parents and John was buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. written by Nina Reauveau, granddaughter, 2023

Sources

• biography/story written by his granddaughter, Nina Reavueau
• Baptismal Record, Immaculate Conception Church, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, 2 May 1900, transcribed copy
• 1900 US Federal Census record; Year: 1900; Census Place: Jenkintown, Montgomery, Pennsylvania; Roll: T623_1442; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 197.
• 1910 US Federal Census record; Year: 1910; Census Place: Jenkintown Boro Ward 1, Montgomery, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1377; Page: 22B; Enumeration District: 84; Image: 886.
• 1920 US Federal Census record; Year: 1920; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 38, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1635; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 1329; Image:
• 1930 US Federal Census record; Year: 1930; Census Place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2113; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 699; Image: 687.0.
• "Conshohocken Recorder", Jenkintown, Pennsylvania; clipping in personal files of Nina Reauveau, June 6, 1916, p6
• marriage record; Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1852-1968; ancestry.com
• son's marriage record; Virginia, Marriage Records, 1936-2014; ancestry.com
• "Evening Public Ledger", Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; clipping in personal files of Nina Reauveau, 23 May 1936, p1 & p2
• The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); digital images, newspapers.com, personal files of Nina Reauveau, Wednesday, February 3, 1937, p2, col. 5.
• "The Harrisburg Sunday Courier", Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; digital images, "newspapers.com", Sun, May 24, 1936, p1
• "The Philadelphia Inquirer", Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; digital images, "Newspapers.com", Fri, May 22, 1936, p35
• "Reading Times Newspaper" Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; digital images, "newspapers.com", 3 Feb 1937, p20
• "Mexican Emergency, Call of President June 18, 1916", Mexican Service Medal, Reauveau, John, private, Blacksmith, "Ex 6-20-19, M.O.U.S.S. as John W Reauveau, Horse Shoer, Battery D, 2nd, F.A. 2-14-1917"
• "John William Reauveau Veteran's Administration, "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940." Database. FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : 2 April 2020. Citing NARA microfilm publication 76193916. St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985.
• "John W Reauveau Nat'l Guard 1916", PA National Guard Veterans' Card File, 1867-1921, Items Between Reardon, Frank L. and Reber, Charles, phmc.pa.gov PA Archives on-line records, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, 21 June 1916
• Philadelphia Inquirer", Philadephia, Pennsylvania, clipping in personal files of Nina Reauveau, "Auto Burns After Crash", 22 March 1927
• death certificate; Department of Health, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, #0003726, "inquest pending 2 pages, 1936
• cemetery records