Bertha Simpson (Fullick) [Henry] (1875-1922)

Dates

Birth: 19 May 1875 Brotton, Yorkshire, UK
Father: Unknown - maybe Charles Albert Fullick 1854-1936
Mother: Margaret Alice Simpson 1858-1932

Christening: Unknown

Marriage: 22 July 1896 Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA
Husband: Allen Franklin Henry 1872-a1934

Death: 22 May 1922 Canonsburg, Washington County, Pennsylvania

Children

Sylvia Grace Henry [Sheets, Pugh] 1898-a1931
Alice O Henry [Herring] 1900-a1915
Mildred M Henry [Pussel] 1902-a1917
Sarah Matilda Henry [Lumley] 1904-1970
Wilda B Henry 1907-1984
Robert Allen Henry 1909-1994
William Asher Henry 1911-a1920
Florence Henry [Forshey] 1914-1985
Twylia Olga Henry (Katherine Louise Eichel) [Sisco] 1918-a2002

Notes

Entry in FreeBMD for the birth of Bertha Simpson in July-September 1875 in Guisborough (9d 491).

Her parents (if Charles Albert was her father) married in October-December 1875.

There is a submitted entry in the IGI for Bertha Fullick born 19 May 1875 in Brotton, Yorkshire and died 10 May 1921.

There is a submitted entry in the IGI for the marriage of Bertha Fullick parents Fullickm (sic) and Margaret Simpson, and Allen Franklin Henry on 22 July 1896 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and her death on 10 May 1921

There is an entry in the Ancestral File for Bertha Fullick born in December 1875 in Brotton, Yorkshire, parents Charles Albert Fullick and Margaret Alice Simpson, her marriage to Allen Franklin Henry on 22 July 1896 in Pittsburg, Pa, nine children, her death on 22 May 1922 in Canonsburg, Washington, Pa, and her burial in Robinson Run Cem, Mcdonald, Pa. There is identical information in the Pedigree Resource File except her birth is on 19 May 1875 and there are no children.

The family lived in Boosbeck around 1876, and Marske from 1878.

In the 1881 census as Bertha Simpson aged 5, born in Boosbeck, Yorkshire, and living with her parents (Albert and Alice Fullick) at 4 Dundas Street, Marske in Guisbrough, Yorkshire. I suspect from her surname that she was not the daughter of Charles Albert. Unfortunately the American 1890 census was destroyed.

Bertha arrived in Boston on the SS Batavia on 22 November 1881 together with her mother and surviving brother Simpson, her father having left England for Pennsylvania in the summer.

In the 1900 census as Bertha Henry aged 24, born in December 1875 in England, American, married for 3 years, and living with A F Henry (husband?), Sylvia G and Alice O (daughters?) at South Fayette Township, Precincts 3-4 (Excl. Oakdale Borough), Allegheny, Pennsylvania.

In the 1910 census as Bertha Henry born in 1878 and living in Allegheny, PA.

Children after this census were born in Venice, Washington County, Pennsylvania, except Twylia was born in Rochester, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

In the 1920 census as Bertha Henry born in 1877 and living in Washington, PA.

David Emmerson has an an entry in RootsWeb WorldConnect for Bertha Fullick born in 1875 in Brotton, parents Charles Albert Fullick and Margaret Alice Simpson, her marriage on 22 July 1896 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Allen Franklin Henry, a daughter Sarah Matilda Henry, and her death on 22 May 1922 in Canonsburg, Washington, Pennsylvania. Viginia Edwards has an entry which adds her birth on 22 May 1875 in Brotton, Yorkshire, nine child only Sylvia Grace Henry being named and her burial in Robinson Run Cem, McDonald, Pa. Another entry just gives her parents. Another entry for Bertha Simpson Fullick has her marriage on 18 July 1896 in Pittsburg, Allegheny, Pennsylvania to Allen Franklin Henry, ten children including Sylvia Grace, Alice B, Mildren M, Sarah Matilda and Wilda B.

Matthew Savill has an entry in Ancestry Public Member Trees for Bertha Fullick born in 1875 in Brotton, Yorkshire, parents Charles Albert Fullick and Margaret Alice Simpson, her marriage on 18 July 1896 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Allen Franklin Henry, nine children, and her death on 22 May 1922 in Canonsburg, Washington, Pennsylvania. There is another entry with the same information, and another just giving her parents and birth in 1875 in England.

There is also an entry in the Cook Family Tree giving hier birth in 1875 in Brotton, North Yorkshire, parents Charles Albert Fullick and Margaret Alice Simpson, her marriage to Allen F Henry on 22 Jul 1896, a daughter Sarah Matilda and her death on 22 May 1922 in Canonsburg, Washington, Pennsylvania,.

Phyls Gene Esparza also has an entry for Bertha Fullick, daughter of Charles Albert Fullick and Margaret Alice Simpson.

On Bob Serventi's web site there is a "narrative was taken from an email letter from Twilia Sisco to Bob Serventi dated January 29, 2002" from which the following is extracted:

Allen Franklin Henry, born Jan. 23, 1872, moved to Pittsburgh were he met and married Bertha Simpson Fullick on July 18, 1896. Bertha was born May 19, 1875 in Bretton, Yorkshire County, England. Per her birth certificate she was registered as Bertha Simpson daughter of Margaret Alice Simpson but no father was listed on the birth certificate. Margaret Alice Simpson married Charles Albert Fullick on May 22, 1875 (this date is incorrect). Since the birth was not registered until August 17,1875 and Charles Albert Fullick was not named as the father, he may not be Bertha's father.

Allen and Bertha had a large family and seemed to have moved around within Washington County. In 1900 they were in South Fayette Township in the village of Sturgeon. This is also the vicinity that Margaret Alice and Charles Albert Fullick lived. Allen's occupation on the census was listed as a laborer in oil wells and they lived in a rented home. At the time they had two daughters Sylvia Grace 2 and Alice O. 4 months.

On the 1920 census the recap was as follows: Alan F. age 45 railroad worker, Bertha age 43 waitress in restaurant, Grace A. 21, Alice O. 20, Mildred M. 18, Sarah M. 16, Wilda B. 13, Robert Allen 10, William Asher 8, Florence 5, Twylia Olga 3 and Alvin B. age 2. Alvin, even though he was listed as their son, was in actuality their grandson. Alice was his mother. Everyone was able to read and write and Wilda, Robert and William were all still in school.

On April 9, 1921, for reasons that may never really be known, Allen killed Bertha and attempted to commit suicide at the same time. This was shocking enough at the time to have impacted the town in such a way as to cause the story to be placed on the front page of the newspaper anytime there was any development for the next five months. Allen Henry spent approximately 18 years in the Western Pennsylvania Penitentiary in Pittsburgh.

Following the murder the family was split up. The older girls were on their own. The younger children were taken to the Washington County Children's Home.

Brotton is about 4 miles east, Boosbeck 2 miles east and Marske 3 miles north of Guisborough. Sturgeon is some 12 miles west of Pittsburg, and Venice 6 miles south of Sturgeon. Rochester is 22 miles north of Sturgeon. Canonsburg is 8 miles south of Sturgeon.

Relationship

Bertha Simpson may have been a daughter of Charles Albert Fullick my second cousin twice removed.

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