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Augustus Gaumer |
Augustus Gaumer was born on April 24, 1816 in Macungie Township, Lehigh County, PA, the son of Mathias and Christina (Eigner) Gaumer. He was baptized on June 30, 1816 in the Zion Lehigh Evangelical Lutheran Church in Alburtis.
He was twice married. With his first wife Christina Sterner ( ? - ? ), he bore a son, Franklin Gaumer.
Christina's fate is not known.
Augustus married again circa 1840 to Rebecca Hontz ( ? -1900).
They produced even more offspring of their own – Alfred Gaumer, Cornelius Gaumer, Henry Gaumer, Henrietta Gaumer and Urilla Gollus.
When the federal census enumeration was made in 1850, the family resided in Mahoning Township on the outskirts of Lehighton and Mauch Chunk, Carbon County, with the family surname spelled "Garmer." That year, Augustus earned a living as a boatman, likely on the Lehigh River.
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| Boats on the Lehigh River at Mauch Chunk, PA. Harper's Weekly, Sept. 18, 1869 |
By 1860, the Gaumers had moved into the Borough of Mauch Chunk. Augustus' occupation that year is illegible in the census record.
During the Civil War, two of the Gaumer sons served in the Union Army as members of the 81st Pennsylvania Infantry. The family was plunged into grief when son Franklin was killed in action at the Battle of Cold Harbor, VA.
After Franklin's death, Rebecca would pay visits to their widowed daughter-in-law in Mauch Chunk to see how she was getting along.
The 1870 U.S. Census, of Mauch Chunk, shows the 54-year-old Augustus working as a railroad clerk master.
Augustus passed away in Mauch Chunk on Sept. 11, 1877. Burial was in Mauch Chunk Cemetery.
Rebecca outlived her spouse by 23 years. She joined him in death on Jan. 2, 1900.
~ Son Cornelius Gaumer ~
Son Cornelius Gaumer (1844-1932) was born in about 1844, the son of Augustus and Rebecca Gaumer. He grew up in Mahoning Township, Carbon County, PA.
Cornelius worked as a locomotive engineer with the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He moved away from Pennsylvania a few years after the close of the Civil War.
By 1869, he had been joined in wedlock with his first wife, Julia Gollus ( ? - ? ).
The couple were the parents of these known offspring -- Ellen "Ella" Butler, Mrs. Frank A. Perry and William Ellsworth Gaumer.
Cornelius worked for the Lehigh Valley Railroad for 59 years, mostly in Buffalo, NY. He began in 1857, at the age of 13, and was promoted to engineer after nine years on the job. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. In April 1890, as an engineer, he had the honor of piloting the maiden voyage of a new passenger engine No. 522, named after Gen. P.C. Doyle. It was built in the Hazleton shops, and then run to Sayre and thence to Buffalo. Reported the Hazleton Plain Speaker, "The engineer in charge is Cornelius Gaumer, one of the oldest motive power men in the service, he having ran passenger engines on the Northern division since 1869..."
They have not yet been located on the 1870 U.S. Census. By 1875, the family relocated to New York State. Cornelius in about 1872 wrote an inscription in a family Bible about family birthdates, a book which still existed as of 1912 when it was used as evidence in a brother's Civil War papers.
Cornelius was married to a second wife, Catherine Klein ( ? -1932).
Among their children were Robert M. Gaumer, Gertie Gaumer, Charles Gaumer, Edna Corola Springer and Nettie Steiger.
The Gaumers' residence in 1880 was in Elmira, Chemung County, NY.
He retired in 1916 at the age of 72.
Their addresses over the years were 14 Weaver Avenue, 320 Fenton Avenue and Maple Avenue in Buffalo. In 1912, he is known to have visited with his sister Urilla Gollus in Mauch Chunk. About that same time, he signed a sworn statement in support of his brother Alfred's Civil War pension application.
Sadness blanketed the family when Catherine died on June 15, 1932. News of her passing was printed in the Angola (NY) Record.
Cornelius only outlived his wife by about a month-and-a-half, afflicted with heart disease. The Angel of Death carried him away on July 30, 1932, in the home of a daughter in Buffalo. Interment took place in St. Matthews Cemetery, West Seneca, Erie County, NY, with fellow members of the Buffalo Division of the BLE conducting the funeral service.
Son William Ellsworth Gaumer (1869-1942) was born in 1869 in Pennsylvania. He married Anna Howard (Aug. 20, 1867-1944), the daughter of Frederick G. and Mary (Logan) Howard of Rush, Susquehanna County, PA. The couple did not reproduce. As with his father, he was employed by the Lehigh Valley Railroad for 51 years. He was a longtime member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. In about 1931, his widowed sister Ella Burr came to live with him and remained for four years until her death in 1935. William retired in 1937 and spent the balance of his years at leisure at home in Shortsville, Ontario County, NY. Said a newspaper, he was a "quiet, unassuming type of man [and] possessed many friends." On July 31, 1942, he was found unconscious at home and rushed to Canandaigua Hospital where he soonafter died at the age of 72. Rev. Edgar L. Kinner officiated at the funeral service, with interment of the remains in Brookside Cemetery in Shortsville. Anna outlived her husband by two years. As her health failed, she was admitted to Hornell Hospital in Steuben County, NY. She died at the age of 77 on Oct. 10, 1944. A newspaper obituary reported that "Her life had been spent in [Rush], Buffalo, Manchester and Shortsville, coming to the latter village about 30 years ago." She was survived by her sister Mrs. J.J. Kelley of Hornell and nephew Earl Howard of Shortsville.
Daughter Ellen "Ella" Gaumer (1866-1935) was born in 1866. She married Charles "Burr" Butler ( ? -1918), son of Charles Warren Butler of Plainfield, NJ. The couple did not reproduce. They resided in Buffalo at the address of 794 Humboldt Parkway. Sadly, Burr died on July 22, 1918. His obituary appeared in the Buffalo Evening News. Ella survived as a widow for another 17 years. She died on Sept. 27, 1935 in the home of her brother William in Shortsville, NY, having shared a residence with him for four years. Burial was in Brookside Cemetery in Shortsville, Ontario County, NY. An obituary in the Canandaigua (?) Daily Messenger said that Rev. A.N. Walker of the Methodist Church, officiated at the funeral service.
Son Robert M. Gaumer (1874- ? ) was born in about 1874. He married Myrtle Penney ( ? - ? ). The only known child born to this union was Norman C. Gaumer. They lived at 70 Briscoe Avenue in Buffalo. Sadly, Robert succumbed to death on Dec. 13, 1920. An obituary was printed in the Buffalo Evening News.
Daughter Gertrude "Gertie" Gaumer (1877-1932) was born in about 1877. At the age of 26, in about 1903, she wedded Frank A. Perry (1879-1939), a native of New York. The pair produced these known offspring -- Amy Gertrude Milliron, Grace C. Perry and Franklin A. Perry. During the Spanish American War, Frank served with the 13th United States Infantry, Company G. Frank was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad as a signalman and then as manager of the signal corps. Their home in 1920 was in Applewood Borough near Kittanning, Armstrong County, PA. In November 1926, Frank was transferred to the Panhandle Division of the Pennsy, along a mainline running from Pittsburgh to St. Louis. Obviously the new assignment involved a relocation. A story in Simpson's Leader Times of Kittanning reported that "For the present at least the Perry family will continue to reside here. Mr. Perry's many Kittanning friends regret to have him leave town but congratulate him upon his promotion." By 1930, the still-married Gertrude and her children Grace and Franklin were roomers in the home of Howard and Margaret Parker in Kittanning. Frank's whereabouts at that time are not yet known. Sadly, Gertrude died in 1932, at the age of 55 or 56. Her remains were lowered into eternal sleep in St. Matthews Cemetery in West Seneca, Erie County, NY. Frank lived for another seven years as a widower. He succumbed to death in 1939.
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Granddaughter Amy "Gertrude" Perry (1905- ? ) was born in about 1905 in Pennsylvania. When she was 24 years of age, on June 19, 1929, she was joined in the bonds of marriage with Sidney W. Milliron ( ? - ? ), son of W. Ross Milliron of South Jefferson Street in Kittanning. The nuptials were held in the Perry home, officiated by Rev. Dr. George W. McIntyre of the Glade Run Presbyterian Church of Dayton, PA. News of the wedding was announced in Simpson's Leader-Times of Kittanning. Evidence suggests that the couple relocated to Buffalo and were there in 1957.
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Granddaughter Grace C. Perry (1912- ? ) was born in about 1912 in New York.
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Grandson Franklin A. Perry (1913- ? ) was born in about 1913 in New York.
Son Charles Gaumer (1879-1911) was born in about 1879. He relocated to Manchester, NY where he worked as a brakeman for the New York Central Railroad. He never married. Tragically, at the age of 33, on Oct. 14, 1911, he took his own life by shooting himself while in the home of a friend, Leroy F. Johns. Police were told that Charles had been drunk the night of the suicide, but his father denied it. After an investigation, the county deputy medical examiner released the body to Charles' parents.
Daughter Edna Corola Gaumer ( ? - ? ) was married in June 1906 in her parents' residence to James "Earl" Springer of Buffalo. Rev. Lewis G. Rogers presided. News of their wedding was published in the Buffalo Evening News, which reported that "The bride wore white silk landsdowne, trimmed in rose point, made princesse. She carried American Beauty roses and was attended by Miss Carrie Fath, bridesmaid, Miss Marion Wells, maid of honor and little Clara Randall, flower girl. The house was decorated with palms and roses." The Springers bore at least one daughter, Lois Kumpf. The Springers were in Buffalo circa 1935.
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Granddaughter Lois Springer (1909-1988) was born on June 11, 1909. As a young woman, she dwelled in Buffalo. On June 30, 1931, in Buffalo, she was united in matrimony with George Fox Kumpf (Feb. 18, 1908-1984), son of Charles A. and Katherine (Fox) Kumpf. The wedding was held in the Fitch Congregational Church, and Lois' Gaumer grandparents are known to have attended. The Kumpfs remained in Buffalo but may not have reproduced. The federal census enumeration of 1940 shows them living in the city, with George earning a living as an assistant superintendent of an ice cream plant. George passed into eternity on July 26, 1984. Lois died on Sept. 9, 1988, at the age of 79. Burial was in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo.
Daughter Nettie Gaumer was born in (?). She wedded Chester Steiger ( ? - ? ). Circa 1932, their home was in Buffalo, at the address of 116 Indian Church Road.
~ Son Henry Gaumer ~
Son Henry Gaumer (1847- ? ) was born in about 1847.
He grew up in Mahoning Township, Carbon County, PA.
~ Daughter Henrietta Gaumer ~
Daughter Henrietta Gaumer (1853- ? ) was born in about 1853 in Carbon County, PA.
At the age of 17, in 1870, she was unmarried and lived at home.
She died on Dec. 12, 1873. Burial in Mauch Chunk Cemetery.
~ Daughter Urilla (Gaumer) Gollus ~
Daughter Urilla (Gaumer) Gollus (1857-1925) was born in about 1857 in Carbon County, PA.
She married Joseph Gollus ( ? - ? ).
They produced these children – Mrs. Edward Boyle and Mrs. William Conley.
Circa 1907, Joseph was employed as a janitor in a public school in Mauch Chunk.
Urilla was questioned in 1907 by a special examiner of the federal government in her brother Franklin's pension case. During the interview, she said that "I was young and barely remember my half brother Franklin and I doubt if I would know his wife Salinda if I should meet her, haven't seen her for years and years."
As a widow, Urilla dwelled in the home of her daughter Mrs. Boyle in Pen Argyl, PA.
She died on Oct. 4, 1925 at the age of 67 years, 11 months and 11 days. Interment of the remains was in Mauch Chunk Cemetery. An obituary appeared in the Mauch Chunk Times-News.
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