Mary Rebecca (Long) Clark (1866 - 1922)

Born 3 Jun 1866 in Wiconisco Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Wife of Milton H. Kocher — married about 1887 in Pennsylvania, USA

Wife of George W. Clark — married before 1920 in Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 5 Nov 1922 at age 56 in New Cumberland, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

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Biography

Mary Rebecca Long was a daughter of John L. Long and his wife Amanda "Nancy" (Sultzbaugh) Long, born in Wiconisco Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on 3 June 1866.^[1]

The 1870 U.S. Census recorded 3-year-old Mary R. Long and her parents twice, once in the borough of Millersburg and once in the township of Wiconisco, both in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. ^[2][3]

In the 1880 U.S. Census, Mary R. Long was 13 years old and living in the household of parents John L. and Nancy A. Long in Wiconisco Township. ^[4]

Mary was married to Milton H. Kocher in about 1887. They had one child, Vera, born in July 1888. The 1900 U.S. Census recorded Mary R. Kocher, age 30 and born in June 1866,^[5] and her husband Milton Kocher in Harrisburg Ward 9, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. They had been married 12 years. Mary had borne one child, daughter Vera A. Kocher, born July 1888 and age 11. Others in the household were Tillie F. Long, identified as Milton's sister-in-law, born April 1880 and age 20; Harry W. Davis, boarder, born Oct. 1874 and age 25, and Malinda M. Davis (Mary Kocher's sister), boarder, born May 1878.^[6]

The 1910 U.S. Census found Milton and Mary R. Kocher on 175 North 15th St. in Harrisburg. Milton was 45 and Mary was 43. He was working as a foreman in an ironworks. Other family members in the household were Harry A Sierer, son-in-law, age 22 and married 2 yrs, working as assistant foreman in an iron works; Vera A Sierer, daughter, age 22 and married 2 yrs, with one child, Mary M Sierer, 13 months. The family was keeping a boarding house. Nora H Stubblebine, 33, was recorded as housekeeper for the boarding house. Boarders were Charles W Grieff, 33 and a rail road yard master; William McCallister, 21, aviation company clerk; Clarence Thomas, 23, and Charles Pieffer, 32, both marble cutters in a marble works.^[7]

Milton Kocher died in 1911. Subsequently, Mary Kocher married George W. Clark of York County, Pennsylvania. ^[8] They were married by 1920, when the U.S. Census recorded George W. Clark, 65, a foreman in a steel works, and Mary R. Clark, 53, living in Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. They were described as boarders in the household of Charles A. Kepner, 46, and his wife Sara E. Kepner, 44 (Mary's sister). All household members were born in Pennsylvania to parents born in that same state.^[9]

Mary Rebecca Clark died on 5 November 1922 in New Cumberland (Cumberland County), Pennsylvania,^[10] at the home of her daughter, Vera Sierer.^[8] Cause of death was "cerebral apoplexy." George W. Clark of New Cumberland (her husband) was the informant for the personal information on her death certificate.^[10] Survivors in addition to her husband and daughter were step-son, George W. Clark; step-daughter, Mrs. Harry Baer, of Boston, and sisters Mrs. Charles Kepner, of New Cumberland, and Mrs. Emma Richards, of Oklahoma.^[8]

She was buried in East Harrisburg Cemetery.^[10][8] Her funeral was conducted by Reverend J. H. Schmitt, pastor of Trinity United Brethren Church. Pallbearers were her relatives Walter Kocher, Charles Grieff, Custer Wingard, Harry Davis, Raymond Fry, and Harvey Orman.^[8] Her death certificate gives her age at death as 55 years, 5 months, and 2 days.

Sources

1. ↑ Source: Certificate of Death. The certificate of death names her parents as John Long and Amanda Sultzbaugh. There are records discrepancies regarding her birthdate. The death certificate gives her date of birth as 3 June 1867. In contrast, the 1900 U.S. Census reported a birth date of June 1866. The 1870 and 1880 censuses recorded her as 3 and 13 years old, respectively. If she was born on 3 June 1866, this would be accurate as of 1 June, the nominal date of these censuses, but if she was born on 3 June 1867, she would have been 3 when the enumerator visited her family. The 1910 census was supposed to be conducted in April, so the age of 43 recorded in that census is consistent with a 3 June 1866 birthdate.
2. ↑ United States Census, 1870, Enumeration sheet for Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Accessed at Ancestry.com.
3. ↑ United States Census, 1870, Enumeration sheet for Wiconisco, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Accessed at Ancestry.com.
4. ↑ United States Census, 1880, Enumeration sheet for Wiconisco, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1124; Family History Film: 1255124; Page: 281B; Enumeration District: 118; Image: 0747. Accessed at Ancestry.com.
5. ↑ Mary's reported age and birthdate are inconsistent.
6. ↑ United States Census, 1900. Enumeration sheet for Harrisburg Ward 9, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, accessed at Ancestry.com.
7. ↑ United States Census, 1910. Enumeration sheet for Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Harrisburg Ward 9. Accessed at Ancestry.com.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4} Find-A-Grave
9. ↑ United States Census, 1920. Enumeration sheet for Lower Allen, Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1556; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 21. Accessed on Ancestry.com at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4383862_01285
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Certificate of Death

• Certificate of Death, Mary Rebecca Clark. Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. File #105847. Accessed at Ancestry.com.
• Find-A-Grave, Mary Rebecca Long Clark, Memorial #158823519. No gravestone image. Includes transcript of obituary from the Evening News, 7 Nov 1922 Tue p 21, and Harrisburg Telegraph 9 Nov 1922 Thu p 21, contributed by Linda {Davis} Kress, 2 March 2016.