The Early Wickersham Family

The Wickersham family founded Chester County, Pennsylvania. Even though the Wickersham family who founded the county remained a mystery, Edwin Wickersham was the known ancestor of that time. He was born around 1833 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. His parents are unknown. He later married Mary Louisa Arth. Mary Louisa Arth was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 19, 1831. She was baptized on October 9, 1831, in Holy Trinity Church. Edwin and Louisa had six children together, and Louisa had one other child from her first marriage. Edwin died on March 21, 1888, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Mary Louisa died 15 years later on January 1, 1903. One of their children, Charles J Wickersham, stayed in Philadelphia his whole life up until his death.

Charles J Wickersham was born on March 3, 1865, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was baptized on March 20, 1870, in St. Patrick’s Church in Philadelphia. His godparents were Michael Hefferan and Maria Dalton. On December 10, 1884, in St. Patrick’s Church, Charles J Wickersham married Rose Veronica Crosson. John Donahue and Elizabeth Crosson, Rose’s older sister, witnessed their marriage. Charles and Rose had 13 children together: Elizabeth, Edward Francis, James, Charles Joseph, Bernard John, Joseph, Lewis, Louise, Francis Aloysius, Mary Agnes, Rose Veronica, John, and George William Wickersham. 

Their first daughter was Elizabeth Mary Wickersham. She was born on September 8, 1885, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was baptized on September 20, 1885, in St. Patrick’s Church. Her godparents were Francis Donahue and Elizabeth Crosson, Rose’s older sister. On September 26, 1906, in St. Patrick’s Church, Elizabeth Wickersham married James J McMenamin. She remained in Philadelphia for the rest of her life. Elizabeth and James had eight children together: Charles, James Joseph, Francis Thomas, Rose Veronica, Elizabeth Veronica, Joseph, Dorothea Louise, and Marie Agnes Wickersham. She sadly died on August 28, 1948, in her home at 1320 South 50th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Her husband, James, died 2 years later on August 14, 1950. They were both buried alongside James’s family at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, USA. 

Edward Francis Wickersham was the second child of Charles and Rose Wickersham. He was born on February 23, 1887 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was baptized on March 6, 1887, in St. Patrick’s Church. His godparents were Maria McDonald and Bernard Crosson, Rose’s older brother. On September 14, 1911, at St.Patrick's church, surrounded by family and friends, Edward Francis Wickersham married Josephine Miller. Unfortunately, just 2 years later, Edward’s father, Charles J Wickersham, died. Even in this tragic time, their first son, Charles, was born on January 25, 1913, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was named in honor of his grandfather, who died just a month before his birth. Edward and Josephine had eight children together: Charles, Edward, Josephine Mary, Francis Leroy, Bernard, Eleanor, Ida May, and Florence Wickersham. Edward and Josephine remained on South 26th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for over 20 years. Just 4 years before his death, he tragically lost his wife, Josephine, on January 6, 1940. Edward sadly died on November 17, 1944, in Philadelphia General Hospital. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, alongside his wife and later his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. 

 James Wickersham was born on January 28, 1889 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was baptized on February 3, 1889, at St.Patrick’s Church. His godparents were William McClain and Mary Anna Crosson, Rose’s eldest sister. On June 30, 1917, at St.Charles Borromeo Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, James married Mary Mae McGovern. Joseph Lavery, James’s soon-to-be brother-in-law, and Sara McGovern, Mary’s older sister. They had five children together: James Thomas, Charles Joseph, James Crosson, Donald Damian, and Allan Paul Wickersham. James died on July 6, 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. His wife, Mary, sadly died on August 6, 1960 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was buried alongside her husband in Calvary Cemetery. 

Charles Joseph Wickersham was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 23, 1891. Charles was baptized on March 8, 1891, at St.Patrick’s Church in Philadelphia. His godparents were Mary Cavanaugh and [?]. He sadly died on April 19, 1889, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was buried in New Cathedral Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Bernard John Wickersham was the fifth child of Charles J and Rose Wickersham. He was born on June 24, 1893, in Philadelphia and was baptized on July 9, 1893, at St.Patrick’s Church under the name Bernard August. Edward Lafferty and Anna Crosson, Rose’s older sister, were his godparents. On October 28, 1918, at St.Patrick’s Church, Bernard Wickersham married Louise Schramm. Joseph Lavery and Louise Wickersham, Bernard’s soon-to-be brother-in-law, and his sister. They spent most of their life together on Theodore Street until their deaths. Bernard died on April 28, 1962, and Louise died on March 12, 1975, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They were buried together in Mt.Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Joseph Wickersham was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 15, 1895. He was baptized on September 1, 1895, at St.Patrick’s Church. Joseph sadly died on February 20, 1908 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Lewis Wickersham was the seventh child of 13 born to Charles and Rose. He was born in September 1896 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of right now, there is no other information about Lewis.

Louise Wickersham was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 17, 1897. She was baptized on August 1, 1897, at St.Patrick’s Church. Her godparents were John McVey and Catherine Gillin, Rose’s cousin. In 1913 and 1916, tragedy struck the family as they lost both of their parents. Since Louise’s younger siblings - Frank, Mary, Rose, and George - were so young, they could have ended up in an orphanage. However, at 18 years old, Louise took her siblings in and helped raise them. Her younger brother Frank, many years later, told his son Richard “Dick,” that “Louise did it herself and kept them out of the orphanage, but she must have had some help from the older ones.” But this didn’t deter Louise from living her life. On April 26, 1919, at St.Patrick’s Church, Louise Wickersham married Joseph Lavery. Richard Lavery, Joseph’s younger brother, and Mary Wickersham, Louise’s younger sister, witnessed their marriage. After their marriage, Joseph joined Louise and her younger siblings at 2309 Lombard Street. Sadly, their time together was cut short, as Joseph died on March 14, 1941, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Louise had to live without her husband for almost 4 decades. Her family would know her as Aunt We We. Louise was a seamstress throughout her life. Sadly, she died in September 1984 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Francis “Frank” Aloysius Wickersham was born on January 10, 1901, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was baptized in St.Patrick’s Church on January 27, 1901. His godparents were James McBride and Anna Marie Stanton. Francis lost his parents at the ages of 12 and 15; he was soon taken under his older sister Louise’s care. He married Catherine “Kitty” Patton in 1927 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After their marriage, Frank and Kitty moved into 605 South 55th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Catherine’s parents, John and Ellen, and her siblings Morris, Helen, and Alice. They all lived together for the rest of their lives. Frank and Kitty ended up having three children together. Unfortunately, their first two sons, both named Francis,  died as a baby. On April 11, 1939, they welcomed their third son, Richard “Dick” Wickersham. They spent the rest of their lives surrounded by the Patton family and the Wickersham and Kearney family. Frank worked for 45 years as a clothes presser for the Army Quartermaster at 20th and Johnson. Kitty died on November 5, 1979, in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania. Just 8 years later, Frank passed away on March 31, 1987, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Francis and Catherine were laid to rest at Saint Peter & Paul’s Cemetery in Springfield, Pennsylvania. 

Mary Agnes Wickersham was born on March 5, 1903, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, to Charles J Wickersham and Rose Veronica Crosson. She was baptized on March 22, 1903, in St.Patrick’s Church in Philadelphia, PA. Peter J. Wickersham, her uncle, and Anna Mc[?] were her godparents. Mary was the tenth child of her parents. She lived with her family at 2523 Naudain Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until 1916.  On September 15, 1921, Mary Agnes Wickersham married James Edward Kearney in St. Patrick's Church before their friends and family. Louise Wickersham, Mary’s older sister, and Harry Kearney, James’s older brother, witnessed their marriage. Mary was pregnant when she married James, and a few weeks later, she gave birth to their first child, Rosemary Kearney. Rosemary was born on October 11, 1921, but unfortunately died on November 1, 1921, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. James and Mary endured a heartbreak like none other. But this was not the only one they would encounter. Three years later, on May 31, 1924, their third child, James Kearney, was born. But he sadly passed away two years later, on February 24, 1926, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Despite the heartbreak Mary experienced, she lived a long and happy life with her beloved husband. They ended up having seven children in total, and five of those children got married and lived long lives. Their five children were Richard, Mary Theresa, Henry, Kathleen Loretta, and James Edward Kearney. Sadly, Mary died on October 17, 1992, in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA. James Kearney sadly passed away just 5 years before his wife, on May 29, 1987, in Darby, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. 

Rose Veronica Wickersham was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 26, 1905. She was baptized on June 11, 1905, at St.Patrick’s Church. Her godparents were Joseph O’Donnell, Rose’s brother-in-law, and Katherine Tobia. Rose went out with a young boy named Jimmy Mullen, and they stayed together for a long time. Louise would not let Jimmy marry Rose; he asked for her permission. Jimmy is buried in the family plot with the Wickersham family. However, she was not allowed to marry him. She spent decades being single until after 1950. During a dance, she met Cornelius Kerr at the University of Penn International House. Rose and Cornelius married in their 50s and had a fantastic life together. Rose took on a nickname, Aunt Ro Ro, by the many great-nieces and nephews. She and her sister, Louise, would forever be known as Aunt We We and Aunt Ro Ro. Cornelius “Neil” died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 15, 1980. And then, 10 years later, Rose died on February 3, 1990, in Philadelphia. They were buried together at Saint Peter & Paul Cemetery in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. 

John Wickersham was the 12th child of Charles and Rose. He was born on December 11, 1906, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died two days later, on December 13, 1906. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, USA. 

Charles and Rose’s final child was George William Wickersham. He was born on May 4, 1908 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was baptized in St.Patrick’s Church on May 17, 1908. Michael Boyle and Rose’s older sister, Maria Crosson, were George’s godparents. George ended up living with his older sister Louise, her husband Joseph, and his other sister Rose until he was in his mid-30s. That is until 1948. George Wickersham married Agnes Lillian Gehring on June 28, 1948, in St.Monica’s Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. George died on December 26, 1989, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His wife, Agnes, died 10 years later, on December 19, 1998, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They were buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. 

The Wickersham family experienced both good and bad. They experienced the joy of seeing their loved ones be born, get married, have their own families, and live their lives together. However, there was much death and tragedy within the family. Charles J Wickersham passed away on December 18, 1913, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Then, just 3 years later, on August 27, 1916, his wife, Rose Wickersham, died. 

But the tragedy was not what the family was mostly known for. Charles Wickersham started an Ice business in Philadelphia. His whole family worked and helped out by delivering ice through the city on a wagon. Charles’s eldest boys - Edward, James, and Bernard - were huge parts of the ice business and helped their dad with deliveries and anything with the business.