William R. Bretch (1857 - 1926)

Born 16 Mar 1857 in West Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

Husband of Emma Virginia (Fowler) Bretch — married 27 Apr 1878 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

Died 22 Jul 1926 at age 69 in Westwood, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

Biography

William was born 16 March 1857 in West Pittsburgh.^[1] He was the son of Melvina Bretch and possibly Lorenz Bretch.

William married first Emma Virginia Fowler on 27 April 1878.^[2] The ceremony was performed at 54 Liberty Street (probably the Parsonage of the Liberty Street Methodist Episcopal Church) by Methodist Episcopal minister J. W. Miles.

William married second Margaret Spence circa 1910, probably in either Allegheny or Westmoreland County.^[3]

He died 22 July 1926 in Westwood, Allegheny County,^[4] and he was buried on 24 July in the Thirty-sixth Ward Cemetery, now the Greentree Cemetery in Green Tree, Allegheny County.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ William's death certificate provides his full date of birth. The year is confirmed on his gravestone, and both are consistent with the age given on his marriage record. His birth place is Pittsburgh in his death certificate, and West Pittsburgh on his marriage record, with the word “West” struck through. West Pittsburgh was a borough when William was born, though it had been annexed into the city of Pittsburgh by the time of his marriage. Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate no. 80723 (1926), William R. Bretch, 22 July 1926, Allegheny County; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://interactive.ancestry.com/5164/42342_2421406259_0606-01870/4074302?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dPADeathCollection%26h%3d4074302%26ti%3d0%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dpt_t37835005_p20394241596_kpidz0q3d20394241596z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&ssrc=pt_t37835005_p20394241596_kpidz0q3d20394241596z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&backlabel=ReturnRecord : accessed July 2015). Bob Gartz, “William R. Bretch,” Memorial no. 59478363, posted 1 October 2010; memorial with photograph, Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=BRET&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=40&GScntry=4&GSsr=1&GRid=59478363& : accessed July 2015). Ministers’ Returns of Marriages in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1878, Microfilm P-364, Roll 3, Pennsylvania Department, Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh.
2. ↑ Ministers’ Returns of Marriages in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1878, Microfilm P-364, Roll 3, Pennsylvania Department, Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh.
3. ↑ Margaret is identified by her full maiden name as William's widow in his death certificate. William and Margaret lived in Westmoreland County in 1910 and had been married zero years. Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate no. 80723 (1926), William R. Bretch, 22 July 1926, Allegheny County; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://interactive.ancestry.com/5164/42342_2421406259_0606-01870/4074302?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dPADeathCollection%26h%3d4074302%26ti%3d0%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dpt_t37835005_p20394241596_kpidz0q3d20394241596z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&ssrc=pt_t37835005_p20394241596_kpidz0q3d20394241596z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&backlabel=ReturnRecord : accessed July 2015). 1910 U. S. Census, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Allegheny Township, enumeration district 102, page 6A, sheet 6A, dwelling 31, family 32, William Bretch Sr. household; digital image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRKG-BN8 : accessed December 2017); citing National Archives microfilm T624, roll 1428.
4. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate no. 80723 (1926), William R. Bretch, 22 July 1926, Allegheny County; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://interactive.ancestry.com/5164/42342_2421406259_0606-01870/4074302?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dPADeathCollection%26h%3d4074302%26ti%3d0%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dpt_t37835005_p20394241596_kpidz0q3d20394241596z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&ssrc=pt_t37835005_p20394241596_kpidz0q3d20394241596z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&backlabel=ReturnRecord : accessed July 2015).
5. ↑ Bob Gartz, “William R. Bretch,” Memorial no. 59478363, posted 1 October 2010; memorial with photograph, Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=BRET&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=40&GScntry=4&GSsr=1&GRid=59478363& : accessed July 2015).