ALEXANDER JOHN PICKERING 1857-1927
Alexander and Evaline were married in Neosho Falls, KS, where in 1881, a grist mill was rebuilt. It was a substantial 30×36 two-story building which took the place of an old one. This mill had the capacity of 100 barrels of flour per day. The following year, the woolen mill was sold and never reopened for that purpose. Alexander and his brother Charles William emigrated from England, and settled in Kansas, to raise sheep for the woolen mills back in England. Alexander was a descendant of four generations of milllers and grain merchants in England.
1882 KANSAS: The Parsons Weekly Sun, October 26 October 1882
“A.J. Pickering of Neosho Falls, and Miss Eveline E. De Mar, daughter of our townsman J. L. DeMar, were united in marriage on Tuesday, at the residence of Rev. Bowen, the rector of the Episcopal Church. The happy couple left on the afternoon train for Neosho Falls, which place they will make their future home.”
<< Back to parents, CWH Pickering & Elizabeth
Alexander John Pickering
my Great Grandfather
…… b: 29 Jun 1857, Liscard
………..1860 Lived at Montebello, Wallasey, Chesire, Eng.
………..1871-1874 Pupil at Uppingham School
………..1878 Emigrated to U.S.
………..1881 Traveled to England to attend Father’s funeral
….. m: 17 Oct 1882 to Evaline DeMar, Junction City KS (age 25)
………..1885 Carpenter, Junction City, KS (age 28)
………..1900 Laborer, North Wales, PA (age 43)
………..1910 Carpenter, Truck Mfg. North Wales, PA (age 54)
………..1911 Feb 18: arrived in New York aboard Lusitania
……………… with brother, Charles William
………..1911 Manufacturer (age 53)
………..1920 Carrier in Department Store, Philadelphia, PA (age 63)
…… d: 17 Jan 1927 of Mitral Regurgitation brought on by Pleuresy
…………….. bur: Newtown, Bucks County, PA US (age 70)
+ Evaline Estelle DeMar
…… b: 29 Jul 1862 Newtown, Bucks Co, PA
…… d: 19 Feb 1959 Abington, PA (age 97)
…… b: Newtown Cemetery, Newtown, Bucks County, PA USA
…… lived: 1930 Yeardon, Delaware Co. PA [widow] (age 68)
1930 – She owned her home worth $7,500 and owned a Radio
[daughter of John DeMar and Emilie German]
[sister: Caroline DeMar]
Grave of Alexander and Evaline, Newtown Cemetery, Newtown, Bucks County, PA
Alexander John Pickering emigrated from England to Kansas, USA at about the, age of 24 (1881, after his father’s death). He settled in Junction City, KS where he met and married Evaline DeMar in 1886. There are many people who remember Alexander with affection for his kindness but are quick to note that he didn’t appear to be as knowledgeable about investing his money as his other brothers and his father.
Alexander was about 24 years old when he went to Kansas. There he met and married Evaline DeMar whose family was originally from the Newtown, Pennsylvania area. We are not sure what his occupation was during this period. He lived for a while off his inheritance.
He moved to Philadelphia about 1892. With his inheritance (it is said) he bought a professional basketball team called the “Swamp Poodles” (named after a section of Philadelphia) and lost most of his money. He was mainly remembered by everyone for his carpentry expertise. He owned a carriage making business in North Wales, Pennsylvania which did not turn out to be a lucrative business.
Alexander was a stock boy for John Wannamakers department store in Philadelphia, PA during the depression. Granddaughter Ruth, remembers standing by the freight elevator waiting to bring lunch to her Grandfather. She related that because he had a good knowledge of wool that when the wool merchants came to sell their wares to the department store they would “dress him up” to go out and bargain and choose the wools for the store. The next day he’d be a stock boy again.
“Evaline moved to Kansas from Newtown when she was very young. When she came back east they settled around 30th and Diamond (31st and Herman) in Philadelphia. Family lore holds that the DeMar’s were from France. It is said that they were chased out for religious reasons and their people were “Hugnenots.” It is also said that her family were among the first settlers of Frenchtown, NJ. Their name at that time was St. Germain. In the later years it was shortened to just German. Grandmother’s maiden name was German. Grandfather DeMar was also French, came to this country according to my sister Edith because his family wanted him to be a Catholic.” [from a letter of Jan 6 1978 of Emily Pickering Deibert]
Ref: LDS Family Search, 1880 US Census, Neosha Falls, Woodson, Kansas :
EVALINE E. DEMAR: Birth 1863, Born: PA, Age: 17, Single, White, Father: John L. Demar, Born: MD, Mother Born: PA
Children of Alexander John Pickering & Estelle DeMar
1. Edith Evelyn Pickering
b: 1884 Junction City KS
m: 29 May 1915, Frankford Ave. Meth. Episcopal Church
o: 1930 Machine Operator Dress Factory
d: 13 Sep 1968 (age 84)
b: Woodbury NJ
lived: 1885 Junction City, KS (age 1)
lived: 1900 North Wales, PA (age 16)
lived: 1910 507 East Montgomery Avenue, North Wales, PA (age 26) Single
lived: 1920 122 Dearborn St. Philadelphia PA (age 35)
lived: 1930 Deptford, Gloucester, NJ
m. Bayard Mathias (Mac) Smith
……..b: 19 Apr 1885, Atlantic City, NJ
……..Father: Matthias Smith / Mother: Sarah White
……..o: Clerk Retail Cigar Store [owned home, had radio]
……..o: 1920 Salesman Tobacco Co.
……..d: 20 Aug 1952, Phila., PA (age 67)
Children of Edith Pickering and Bayard Smith
Evelyn D. Smith b: abt 1917 PA
2. Elizabeth (Bess) Catherine Pickering
b: 6 Nov 1885 Junction City KS
o: Registered Nurse
d: Dec 1967 (age 82)
b: Newtown Cemetery, Newtown, PA
lived: 1910 507 East Montgomery Avenue, North Wales, PA (age 24)
lived: 1918 60th Street West Philadelphia (age 33)
lived: 1930 The Lankanau Hospital, Philadelphia PA, Staff member (age 44)
Never Married. Bess was a nurse during WWI. She departed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and arrived in Bristol, England on 3 Nov 1918 on the Cunard steamship, “Karmala” (age 33). Passport application made 26 Sep 1918
3. Arthur John Pickering, Sr. – my Grandfather
b: 19 Jul 1888 Junction City KS
m: Miriam Leah Meyers, 12 Jun 1913 Philadelphia PA (age 25)
o: 1930 Railroad Operator
d: 19 Jun 1953 Abington, Lackawanna, PA (age 65)
b: Newtown Cemetery, Newtown, Bucks Co PA
lived: 1900 507 East Montgomery Ave, North Wales, Montgomery, PA (age 11)
lived: 1930 1524 Jackson St, Bristol PA (age 40)
………. m. Miriam Leah Meyers – my Grandmother
………..b: 29 June 1895, Lansdale, Quakertown, PA
………. d: 1 Apr 1944, Philadelphia Home for the Incurables (colon cancer) (age 48)
………. b: Newtown Cemetery
………. Father: Edwin H. Meyers, Philadelphia
………. Mother: Catherine E Fluck, Plumstead
Children of Arthur Pickering Sr and Miriam Meyers
Elaine Pickering
… b. 3 Oct 1933, Bristol, PA
… d. 27 Apr 1937, b: Newtown Cemetery, PA (age 3)
Ruth Naomi Pickering
… b:1916 Philadelphia, PA + William H. Maul
Arthur John Pickering Jr – my Father
… b: 1918 Trenton, NJ
… m. Louise Wilhelmenia Mefford (1926 – 2019)
… d: 1962 Newtown PA
Children of Arthur Pickering Jr and Louise W. Mefford
…….. Constance Louise Pickering Stover [one son]
…….. Pamela Frances Pickering, b: Apr 1948, Philadelphia; d: 2020, Houston, TX [one son]
…….. Susan Elizabeth Pickering
…….. John Jeffrey Pickering, b: Aug 12 1961, Bucks County, PA; d: Mar 8 2003, Phoenix, AZ [no issue]
Anne Louise Pickering
4. William Harrison Pickering
b: 15 Mar 1891 Junction City KS
m: 2 Sep 1913 North Wales PA
o: 1910 Telegraph Operator
o: 1930 Railroad Signalman, Central RR of NJ
d: 25 Nov 1963 Somerville NJ
b: Somervillle NJ
lived: 1900 North Wales, Montgomery, PA
lived: 1910 507 East Montgomery Avenue, North Wales, PA (age 19)
lived: 1920 80 Eastern Ave., Somerville, NJ [living with in-laws] (age 29)
lived: 1930 80 Eastern Ave., Somerville, NJ (age 39)
+ Clara Mary Field
…….. b: 4 Jun 1886, PA / d: 4 Nov 1974 Somerville, NJ
…….. [Father: Theodore C. Field / Mother: Mary B.]
Children of William Pickering and Clara Field
William Harrison Pickering Jr
… b: 15 Mar 1891, Junction City, KS
Ethel Mary Pickering
… b: 4 Nov 1918, Trenton, Mercer Co. NJ
… m: Donald Hilton
… d: Mar 1996
5. Emily Friederica Pickering
… b: 4 Mar 1893 Philadelphia PA
… o: 1920 Clerk in Office
… lived: 1910 507 East Montgomery Avenue, North Wales, PA (age 17)
… lived: 1920 130 N 60 Street, Philadelphia PA (age 26)
… lived: 1930 13 Walnut Street, Wakefield, Middlesex, MA (age 37) [rent apt.]
… d: 1980
+ Arthur William Deibert
… b: 25 Jan 1898, NJ
… d: 24 Mar 1991, Winchester, MA
Children of Emily Pickering and Arthur Deibert
Edward Irwin Deibert
… b: 1 Oct 1925, Camden, NJ /
… m: 26 1951 Waltham, MA
… d: 29 Mar Milford, NH
Frances Pickering Deibert
… b: 1 Aug 1922, Camden, NJ
… m: Theodore E. Burleigh
… d: 21 Aug 2003, Newtown, MA
… Children of Frances Deibert and Theodore Burleigh
………… Charles Burleigh (living)
………… Lucinda Burleigh (living)
6. Frances Louisa Pickering
The family stories told me and my sister by Great Aunt Louisa in our1978 visit, is what started me on this journey of discovering my family tree. If it wasn’t for her, this website and all the contents would not exist. Thank you Aunt Louisa.
b: 17 Aug 1897 Montgomery Square, Montgomery PA
o: 1920 Stenographer in Office
o: 1930 Stenographer Department Store
d: March 1979 Lycoming Nursing Home, PA (age 82)
b: Newtown Cemetery, Newtown, PA
lived: 1900 North Wales, Montgomery, PA (age 3)
lived: 1910 507 East Montgomery Avenue, North Wales, PA (age 12)
lived: 1920 130 N 60th Street, Philadelphia PA (age 22)
lived: 1930 Yeadon, Delaware Co. PA (age 32) [with her widowed mother, Evelyn]
Never married
