Person:Florence Whitfield (2)

Florence Martha Whitfield was born on 29th January 1874 at Salford in Lancashire, daughter of Exeonea Whitfield, formerly Wagstaff, and her husband John Richard Whitfield, a tailor's salesman. Florence was baptised when she was five months old at the Cheetham Hill Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in the neighbouring city of Manchester. At the time of her baptism the family was still living in the Broughton area of Salford, but they later moved to the Cheetham area of Manchester, appearing there in the 1881 census living at 8 Queen Street. By 1891 they were living at 10 Walnut Street in Cheetham, by which time Florence was working as a milliner.

Florence's mother died in 1899. The 1901 census finds Florence living with her father and sister at 17 Linn Street in the Crumpsall area of Manchester.

On 26th March 1902, Florence boarded a ship called the Rhynland at Liverpool, bound for Philadelphia, accompanied by an engineer called Gustave Vincent Timothy. They presented themselves as husband and wife, with Florence calling herself Florence Timothy from this time onwards, although no marriage for them has been found, whereas it appears Gustave had married in 1893. It therefore seems more likely that he was estranged from his wife and unable to legally marry Florence. However, Florence was about four months pregnant on this voyage.

Florence and Gustave reached Philadelphia on 7th April 1902. Gustave had a sister who had emigrated a few years earlier who lived at Kensington in Maryland, a little way north of Washington DC, and they named her on their shipping papers, suggesting they may have initially stayed with her on their arrival. By August 1902 they were living in Washington itself, when Florence gave birth to their daughter. Florence and Gustave appear to have had five children between 1902 and 1911, although one died young.

The 1910 census finds the family living at 6 Foxhall Road in Washington, with Gustave working as an engineer at a power plant. By 1920 they had moved to Conduit Road (later renamed MacArthur Boulevard).

On 11th September 1924 Florence's son Cyril was killed aged 22 in a joy-riding car crash, when the stolen car he was travelling in swerved off the road and hit a tree.

Just over a year later, on 27th November 1925, Gustave died aged 53.

The 1930 census finds Florence living with her three surviving children at Cliffbourne Apartments, 1855 Calvert Street, Washington. Florence later moved out of the city to 717 Maple Lane in Silver Spring in Maryland, where she died on 2nd September 1939, aged 65. Her obituary mentions her three surviving children, with the two girls both being married and there being one grandson.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Florence Martha WHITFIELD, March Quarter 1874, Salford Registration District, Volume 8d, page 46, mother's maiden name Wagstaff

2. ↑ Cheetham Hill Wesleyan Methodist, Cheetham Hill Road: Baptisms Register, in Manchester, England, Non-Conformist Births and Baptisms, 1758-1912 (Greater Manchester Archives and Local Studies Partnership / ancestry.co.uk).

   Florence Martha Daughter of John Richard Whitfield and Exeonea his Wife, of the Parish of Broughton in the County of Lancaster (born on the 29th day of January 1874) was Baptized on the 24th day of June 1874.
   By the Rev. M. Randles

3. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 4025; Folio 62; Page 20, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 8 Queen Street, Cheetham, Manchester, Lancashire
   John Richard Whitfield, head, married, male, 41 [1839/40], Tailors Salesman, b. Gosberton, Lincolnshire
   Exeonea Whitfield, wife, married, female, 44 [1836/7], b. Edingley, Nottinghamshire
   Elizabeth Ann Whitfield, daughter, female, 15 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Edingley, Nottinghamshire
   Albert Richard Whitfield, son, male, 8 [1872/3], Scholar, b. Manchester, Lancashire
   Florence Martha Whitfield, daughter, female, 6 [1874/5], Scholar, b. Manchester, Lancashire
   Daniel Percival, lodger, unmarried, male, 23 [1857/8], Warehouseman, b. Manchester, Lancashire

4. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 3264; Folio 117; Page 46, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 10 Walnut Street, Cheetham, Manchester, Lancashire
   John R. Whitfield, head, married, male, 50 [1840/1], Tailors Salesman, employed, b. Gosberton, Lincolnshire
   Exeonea Whitfield, wife, married, female, 54 [1836/7], b. Graves Lane, Nottinghamshire
   Elizabeth A. Whitfield, daughter, single, female, 23 [1867/8], Mothers help, b. Nottingham
   Albert R. Whitfield, son, single, male, 18 [1872/3], Shippers Apprentice, employed, b. Manchester, Lancashire
   Florence M. Whitfield, daughter, single, female, 17 [1873/4], Milliner, employed, b. Manchester, Lancashire
   Emile Stark, boarder, single, male, 20 [1870/1], Merchants Clerk, b. Switzerland

5. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 3770; Folio 180; Page 9, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 17 Linn Street, Crumpsall, Manchester, Lancashire
   John R. Whitfield, head, widower, male, 60 [1840/1], Tailors Salesman, worker, b. Gosberton, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth A. Whitfield, daughter, single, female, 33 [1867/8], b. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
   Florence M. Whitfield, daughter, single, female, 27 [1873/4], Milliner, b. Manchester, Lancashire

6.   United Kingdom. Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960. (Ancestry.com).

   Ship: Rhynland
   Departed Liverpool 26 Mar 1902, bound for Philadelphia
   Passengers include:
   Gustave Timothy, Engineer, 29 [1872/3]
   Florence Timothy, Wife, 27 [1874/5]

7.   Pennsylvania, United States. Passenger and Crew Lists, 1800-1962 (The National Archives, Washington DC / ancestry.com).

   Ship: Rhynland
   Arrived Philadelphia 7 Apr 1902 from Liverpool
   Passenger including:
   Gustave V. Timothy, 29, male, married, last residence Manchester, destination Kensington, Maryland, relative Mrs Appelby
   Florence Timothy, 27, female, married, last residence Manchester, destination Kensington, Maryland

8. ↑ United States. 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T624)
   15 Apr 1910.

   Address: 6 Foxhall Road, Washington, District of Columbia
   Timothy, Gustav V. / head / 37 [1872/3] / married 10 years / year of immigration 1920 / alien / born England, both parents born England / Engineer - Power Plant / rent home
   Timothy, Florence / wife / 35 [1874/5] / married 10 years / 4 children born / 3 children still living / born England, both parents born England / years of immigration 1902
   Timothy, Cora / daughter / 7 [1902/3] / single / born D.C. / both parents born England
   Timothy, Sybil / daughter / 4 [1905/6] / single / born D.C. / both parents born England
   Timothy, Violet / daughter / 1 5/12 [1908] / born D.C. / both parents born England

9. ↑ United States. 1920 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T625)
   1 Jan 1920.

   Address: 4564 Conduit Road, Washington, District of Columbia
   Timothy, Gustave / head / rent home / 47 [1872/3] / married / immigration year 1902 / alien / born England / Rotary Attendant - Electric Co.
   Timothy, Florence / wife / 46 [1873/4] / marriaged / immigration year 1902 / alien / born England / Occupation None
   Timothy, Cora / daughter / 17 [1902/3] / single / born Washington / File Clerk - Nat. Geographic Co.
   Timothy, Cyril / son / 14 [1905/6] / single / born Washington / Occupation None
   Timothy, Violet / daughter / 11 [1908/9] / single / born Washington / Occupation None
   Timothy, Harold / son / 8 [1911/12] / single / born Washington / Occupation None

10. ↑ United States. 1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T626)
    1 Apr 1930.

    Address: Cliffbourne Apartments, 1855 Calvert Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia
    Timothy, Florence N. / head / rent home / 56 [1873/4] / widow / age at first marriage 22 / born England / immigration year 1902 / alien / Housewife
    Timothy, Cora E. / daughter / 27 [1902/3] / single / born D.C. / Clerk - Government
    Timothy, Harold V. / son / 18 [1911/12] / single / born D.C. / Clerk - Electrical supplies
    Cirkle, Florence V. / daughter / 21 [1908/9] / married / aged at first marriage 20 / born D.C. / Clerk - Government

11. ↑ District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961 (FamilySearch.org).

    Name: Florence V. Timothy
    Date of death: 2 Sep 1939
    Place: Silver Spring, Maryland
    Gender: Female
    Age: 65 [1873/4]
    Father: John R. Whitfield
    Mother: Exonia Wagstaff
    Spouse: Gustave V. Timothy

12. ↑ FindaGrave, accessed 28 Jan 2020.

    Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suitland, Prince George's County, Maryland, USA
    Memorial Inscription: FLORENCE W. TIMOTHY / JAN. 29, 1874 / SEPT. 2, 1939 / "I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU." JOHN 14-2

13. ↑ Evening Star (Washington D.C.) (Library of Congress)
    5 Sep 1939.

    TIMOTHY, FLORENCE WHITFIELD. On Saturday, September 2, 1939, at her residence, 717 Maple lane, Silver Spring, Md., FLORENCE WHITFIELD TIMOTHY, beloved wife of the late Gustave V. Timothy and mother of Harold V. Timothy and Mrs. Perry Jecko of Washington, D.C.: Mrs. Charles Zirkle of Silver Spring, Md., and grandmother of Perry Timothy Jecko.
    Services at the S.H. Hines Co. funeral home, 2901 14th st. n.w., on Wednesday, September 6, at 8:30 a.m., thence to St. Paul's Catholic Church, 15th and V sts. n.w., where mass will be said at 9 a.m. Interment Cedar Hill Cemetery.

14.   Evening Star (Washington D.C.) (Library of Congress)
    12 Sep 1924.

    Youths on Joyride Killed When Car Crashes Into Roadside Tree.
    Two youths are dead after a joyride; one boy is in a serious condition at Casualty Hospital, and four minor injuries were recorded by police as a result of traffic accidents last night.
    The deceased are James Hunter, 21 years old, of 24 Foxall road northwest, and Cyril G. Timothy, 22, of 4564 Conduit road northwest. They were in an automobile reported stolen by Hobson Hardee of 3328 M street northwest, and were traveling along New Cut road near the juncture of Foxall road, when the machine swung off to the side and crashed into a tree. Police were unable to learn what caused the accident.
    The victims were picked up and taken to Emergency Hospital in the seventh precinct patrol automobile, where Timothy was pronounced dead on arrival by Dr. Searle, while Hunter survived for about an hour afterward. The accident took place at 11:20 o'clock last night. Ten minutes later the report that the automobile had been stolen was given to police at the seventh precinct station by Mr. Hobson, who said it disappeared from in front of his house at about 11 o'clock. Coroner Nevitt will conduct an inquest into the deaths this afternoon or tomorrow.