Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Cabinet of Photo of Young Woman Blanche G. Stiles; by Allentown, Pennsylvania studio


Cabinet photograph of a young woman identified herself as Blanche G. Stiles.  The photograph was taken by a studio at Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Blanche wrote her name at the bottom of the front of the photograph, and she or someone else wrote her name on the reverse.



From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections welcome]

Blanche G. Stiles was born 20 November 1865 in Pennsylvania, daughter of John Dodson Stiles and Mary Amanda (Gibbons) Stiles.

About 1889 she married Norton John Martin [also shown as John Norton Martin], son of Charles Ludwig Martin and Matilda (Detwiller) Martin.  At the time of the 1900 Census of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Norton John Martin was working as treasurer at a silk mill.  They had a son, Frederick Stiles Martin, listed with them; he was born 16 April 1889 at Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Blanche died 22 February 1907.  

In the 1910 Census of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Norton and Frederick were living in the household of his brother Constantine and mother Matilda.  Norton was still working as the treasurer of a silk mill, and Frederick was working as a machinist at a silk mill, likely the same mill.  The Allentown area had many silk mills at one time, including one of the largest one in the world.

Norton John Martin died 21 February 1912, according to a mention in the 1916 "Pocket Directory of the Zeta Psi Fraternity ".  His obituary in The Reading Eagle issue of 22 February 1912 also offers some insights into the family of his late wife Blanche.



Frederick Stiles Martin attended Brown University and served in World War I.  He died in 1944 at Allentown, Pennsylvania.

If you have corrections or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.



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1 comment:

  1. Pam,

    This is an excellent bio and photo of my 2nd great-aunt. I really appreciate all your hard work.

    Kim Keiser

    ReplyDelete