Funeral Card Friday: Robert McWilliams

While going through paperwork in my 3^rd great grandfather’s (George D Still) file, I came across a funeral invitation. It isn’t really a funeral card, in my opinion.

It reads:

Yourself and family are invited to attend the funeral of Robert McWilliams from his late residence 1507 Parish St. Phila. Pa on Jan 24^th /87. Meet at the house at 3 p.m. Internment at Mechanics Cemetery.

I just love the wording, “are invited to attend,” but who is Robert McWilliams? My 3^rd great grandmother (George D Still’s wife) was Sarah Bing. Her mother was Sarah McWilliams so it is plausible that this Robert is a relative.

He most likely is not Sarah McWilliams Bing’s father as that would put George’s wife Sarah in her late 70s when he passed, 76 to be exact.

Through Ancestry.com, I was able to find him on the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Death Certificates Index, 1803-1915. While it does not tell me who his parents were, it does offer some more hints. He was born in Pennsylvania about 1807. He died in Philadelphia on 20 January 1887, at the age of 81. He was buried 24 January 1887 at Mechanic Cemetery. He was a white, married pattern maker, who resided at 1507 Parrish Ward 15 in Philadelphia.

The 1880 Census shows a 74 year old, white, pattern maker Robert McWilliams living at 1507 Parrish Street in Philadelphia with his wife and children. His wife is 63 year old Lydia. Their children are 48 year old Charles, who is a widowed house painter; 36 year old John, who is listed as married; 34 year old Sarah, who is listed as single at home; and 28 year old Robert, a single machinist. There is no mention of John’s wife. Robert (the father) lists his father’s birthplace as Scotland.

At this point, I believe that Robert McWilliams is the brother of my 4^th great grandmother Sarah McWilliams Bing. However, I am still not positive so poor Robert does not get placed in the tree just quite yet. I have no information on her family so it is quite possible!

Funeral Card Friday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.

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