Person:Mahlon Kiefer (1)

Mahlon Bolton Kiefer, son of Edward John Kiefer and Ida Adell Hunn, was born on 18 August 1890 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father died on 17 April 1895 when Mahlon was only 4 years old. Mahlon appeared on the census of 1900 in the household of his mother, Ida Kiefer, at 2024 South 7th Street in Philadelphia. The household also included his siblings, William, Edward, Ida, and Louisa, a cousin May Smith, and a boarder Harry Hickman. Mahlon was a hucker, selling produce from a horse-drawn wagon between 1910 and 1920. For at least some of those years, he worked for his older borth William Hunn Kiefer. Mahlon, his mother, and his sister Lulu appeared on the census of 1910 in the household of his brother, William, at 1131 Porter Street, Philadelphia.

Mahlon Bolton Kiefer married Lena (Schwager) Hartzel, daughter of John S. Schwager and Hannah Hauck, on 28 May 1910 in Philadelphia. Lena's first marriage in 1906 ended when her husband, Charles Hartzel, died in 1907. Mahlon and Lena had three children: Ida Adell Kiefer, born 14 December 1911; William Mahlon Kiefer, born 11 October 1913; and Edward Randall Kiefer, born 2 January 1916.

Due to a need for men to serve during World War I, the United States instituted a draft. The initial registration was for men between the ages of 21 and 31. Mahlon Bolton Kiefer registered for the draft on 5 June 1917 in Philadelphia. He was described as being 5 foot 8 inches tall and of medium build, with brown eyes and brown hair. Between 1917 and 1930, the Kiefer family lived at 2519 South Chadwick Street, Philadelphia.

Mahlon was a cement contractor between 1920 and 1939. Mahlon and Lena appeared on the census of 1920 with their children Adell, Ed and Bill at 2519 South Chadwick Street. They owned their home and had no mortgage. Mahlon and Lena appeared on the census of 1930 at 2519 South Chadwick Street with their children Adell, Bill and Ed. Also living there were Mahlon's nephew and niece, Charles Sudhop and Ida Sudhop. When Mahlon's son Bill married Laura Daniels in 1934, the young couple lived with Bill's parents for the first year. Laura (Daniels) Kiefer remembered those difficult times well. She told the story of how every day the men would go out to look for carpentry work. She and her mother-in-law cleaned the house and waited for the men to come home. If the men came home with money from a job, they would go out and buy something to cook for dinner. Otherwise, they would have some potato soup. As Laura said, "We ate lots of potato soup!" The Kiefer family attended Messiah Reformed Church, where Mahlon was an elder.

Mahlon Bolton Kiefer was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in December 1938. In 1940, Mahlon lived at 3000 South 17th Street, Philadelphia. Mahlon died on 15 January 1940 at his home at age 49 of tuberculosis. He was buried on 18 January 1940 at Sunset Memorial Park in Somerton, Philadelphia. In 1943, his wife Lena married for a third time, to Isaac Ludwig.

The family plot at Sunset Memorial Park now includes Mahlon's wife Lena, son Edward, son William, daughter-in-law Laura, and daughter-in-law Laura's second husband, Bill Murray. Buried near by are Mahlon's daughter Adell, her husband Charles Quinter, and many members of Charles' family.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Mahlon B Kiefer, in United States. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T623)
   Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 39, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T623 1479; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 986.

   Page 139A, line 24, 2024 So 7th Street, enumerated 11 Jun 1900.
   Name, relation, race, sex, birth, age, marital, yrs married, # children, # living, birthplace, father’s birthplace, mother’s birthplace, occupation
   Kiefer Ida A., head, w, f, Oct 1854, 45, Wd, 17, 11, 5, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, housekeeper, renting house
   [Kiefer] William H., son, w, m, Jun 1879, 21, s, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, dealer produce
   [Keifer] Edward, son, w, m, Aug 1883, 16, s, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, apprentice goldbeat
   [Kiefer] Ida A., daugh, w, f, Apl 1886, 14, s, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, cigar maker
   [Kiefer] Mahlon B., son, w, m, Aug 1890, 9, s, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, at school
   [Kiefer] Louisa E., daugh, w, f, July 1893, 6, s, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, at school
   Hickman Harry F, boarder, w, m, Dec 1874, 25, s, Delaware, Delaware, Delaware, policeman
   Smith May D., neice, w, f, Dec 1869, 30, s, 30, s, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, boxmaker

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Mahlon B Keefer, in United States. 1920 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T625)
   Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 26, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1629; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 802; Image: 168.

   Page 65, sheet 4A, line 12, 2519 Chadwick Street, dwelling 81, family 82, enumerated 10 & 12 January 1920.
   Kiefer, Mahlon B., head, M, W, 29, M, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, produce vendor, wagon, OA, owned home mortgage free
   [Kiefer] Lena, wife,F, W, 29, M, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, none
   [Kiefer] Adell L., daughter, F, W, 9, S, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, none
   [Kiefer] William M., son, M, W, 6, S, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, none
   [Kiefer] Edward R., son, M, W, 3 11/12, S, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, none

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Mahlon B Kiefer, in United States. 1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T626)
   Census Place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2111; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 93; Image: 595.0.

   Page 23, sheet 5A, line 3, 2519 Chadwick Street, dwelling 91, family 93, enumerated April 5, 1930.
   Name, relation, sex, race, age, marital, age at marriage, attended school, read/write, birthplace, father’s birthplace, mother’s birthplace, occupation, industry, owner/worker
   Kiefer, Mahlon, head, M, W, 39, M, 19, no, yes, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, carpenter, self, O, owns house valued at $5000
   [Kiefer] Lena, wife, F, W, 40, M, 20, no, yes, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, none
   [Kiefer] Adele, daughter, F, W, 19, S, no, yes, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, none
   [Kiefer] William, son, M, W, 16, S, no, yes, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, messenger, oil works, W
   [Kiefer] Edward, son, M, W, 14, S, yes, yes, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, none
   Sudhop Charles, nephew, M, W, 22, M, 21, no, yes, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Printer, Newspaper, W
   [Sudhop] Ida, niece, F, W, 20, M, 19, no, yes, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Typist, Chemical Co

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} United States. 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T624)
   Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 39, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1409; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 1000; Image: 1065.

   Sheet 8B, line 53, 1131 Porter Street, dwelling 159, family 159, enumerated 22 April 1910.
   Name, relation, sex, race, age, marital, yrs married, # children, # living, birthplace, father's birthplace, mother's birthplace, language, occupation, industry, owner/worker
   Kiefer William, head, M, W, 30, M1, 8, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, English, Hucster [sic], Table Supplies, OA, owned house free of mortgage
   [Kiefer] May, wife, F, W, 38, M1, 8, 0, 0, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, English, none
   [Kiefer] Ida, mother, F, W, 55, W, 9, 4, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, English, none
   [Kiefer] Mahlon, brother, M, W, 20, S, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, English, Hucster [sic], Table Supplies, W
   [Kiefer] Lulu, sister, F, W, 17, S, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, English, gold beater, gold beatery, W

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Ludwig-Kiefer, in Montgomery County Marriage License Bureau, Pennsylvania
   book 134, page 454, no. 73854, 1943.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} Mahlon B. Keefer, in United States. Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. (Washington, D.C.: National Archives Microfilm Publication M1509, 1987-1988).

   Mahlon B. Keefer, age: 26, home address: 2619 S. Chadwick, Phila., Pa, date of birth: August 18th, 1890, citizenship: Natural Born, where born: Phila., Pa, citizen, occupation: vender, employed by: Wm. H. Keefer, employed at: 1131 Porter St, dependents: wife and 3 children, Married, White, no military service, signed: Mahlon B. Kiefer, height: 5/8, build: med, eyes: Brown, hair: Brown, bald: No, disablities: No, registered: 38/26 Phila, Pa, June 5th, 1917

7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Mahlon Bolton Kiefer, in Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records
   death certificate 1147, 17 Jan 1940.

   born 18 Aug 1890, Phila., Pa.

8.   Mahlon B. Kiefer - Lena Hartzel, in Clerk of the Orphans' Court, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
   marriage certificate no. 251441 , 1910.
9.   "MARRIAGE LICENSES ISSUED" , in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Philadelphia Inquirer. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
   28 May 1910.
10. ↑ ^10.0 10.1 Fax from Sunset Memorial Park (P.O. Box 11508, Somerton, Philadephia, PA 19116) to Joan Mahorter
    8/20/99.

    card for Sec. 539, block E.

11.   Lena S. Ludwin obituary, in Souderton, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States. Souderton Independent. (Souderton, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States)
    page 4, 31 Dec 1947.

    Wednesday, 31 Dec 1947, page 4
    Lena S. Ludwig, 57, of Lansdale, died at her home early Monday evening.
    She was the wife of Isaac M. Ludwig. Her first husband was Mahlon Kiefer.
    Her survivors include a son, Edwin Kiefer, Philadelphia; a daughter, Mrs. Charles Quinter, Philadelphia; two sisters, Mrs. Reuben King, Lansdale; Mrs. Lee Claybourne, Sumneytown; two brothers, Francis and Edwin Schwager, Lansdale; a stepson, Raymond J. Ludwig, Lansdale, and two step-grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be held on Friday.

12. ↑ Name recorded as:
    Mahlon B. Kiefer (1900 US census, 1920 US census, 1930 US census)
    Mahlon Kiefer (1910 US census)
    Mahlon B. Keefer (WWI draft registration)
    Mahlon Bolton Kiefer (death certificate)
13. ↑ Age and birthdate recorded as:
    Age 9, born Aug 1890, Pennsylvania (1900 US census)
    Age 20, born Pennsylvania (1910 US census)
    Age 26, born 18 Aug 1890, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (WWI draft registration)
    Age 29, born Pennsylvania (1920 US census)
    Age 39, born Pennsylvania (1930 US census)