William Percy Hedden (1894 - 1957)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early Life 1.2 Marriage & Children 1.3 Occupation 1.4 Illness & Death 1.5 Description 2 Research Notes 3 Sources

Biography

Early Life

Bill Hedden

William Percy Hedden, or "Bill," was born on 11 July 1894 in Newark, Essex County, NJ to William Edwin Hedden and Lydia Miriam (Robst) Hedden.^[1] He was the third child and the only boy in a family of seven children. He grew up in a staunch Methodist family.^[2] The family lived at 24 Warwick St, Newark NJ,^[3][4][5] about a mile from downtown. He came from a long line of Heddens that resided in Newark for generations. Bill spent most of his life there. Though the family spent summers at Swartzwood Lake where they had a summer cottage.^[2]

Bill graduated from Barringer High School, which was about 3 miles from where he lived.^[2]

Marriage & Children

Ceil Conlon & Bill Hedden on trip to Quebec

After graduation Bill went to work for the Fidelity Union Trust Company in Newark where he met Mary Cecelia "Ceil" Conlon.^[2] Bill and Ceil took a boat trip to Quebec Canada on Labor Day weekend 1927.^[6][7] They married three years later on 8 October 1930 in the rectory of Sacred Heart Church, Newark NJ.^[2] They took out a mortgage and built a new home at 50 Walnut Ave. Millburn NJ.^[2] This is where they started their family.^[8]

Bill and Ceil had three children:

• James Edwin "Jim" Hedden born 17 Jul 1931
• Miriam Evelyn Hedden born 21 Jun 1933
• William Arthur "Billy" Hedden born 21 Nov 1934^[2]

The Depression took its toll. Bill had to take many pay cuts and they ended up losing their home and moving back to Newark.^[2] By 1937 they were at 30 Mount Vernon Place where he lived for the remainder of his life.^[9]

Cecelia & Bill Hedden at 30 Mt Vernon Pl, Newark NJ

Occupation

Bill worked in office jobs throughout his career. Sources list him as a clerk,^{[10][5][9][11]} an auditor,^[12] a banker,^[13] and an accountant,^[2] first working at Fidelity Union Trust Company at 755 Broad St Newark NJ. During World War II he was an accountant for a business that built and repaired war ships. And then in his later years he worked as an accountant in partnership with his brother-in-law, Clarence R. Turton, at C. E. Turton & Son in exports and imports.^[2][14]

Illness & Death

Bill smoked and had heart trouble as early as 1945. In 1951 he suffered a major heart attack. He returned to work after his recovery, but suffered a second major heart attack the following year. He did not return to work. Bill died at the age of 63 on 26 Sep 1957 of an aneurysm and heart disease. His daughter was in college when he was no longer able to work.^[14][2]

He was buried at Evergreen Cemetery Hillside NJ.^[15]

Description

According to his daughter, he was caring, hardworking, opinionated, and quiet. He also liked to garden and to vacation at the Jersey shore. ^[2]

Miriam, Bill, Billy, & Jim Hedden, Jersey Shore

Research Notes

William's name appears with two different middle names. "Percy" is on his birth certificate^[1] and in Francis Bazley Lee's 1910 Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey.^[16] "Paul" is used on his World War I and II draft registrations^[17][18] and on Miriam's birth certificate.^[13] His daughter considered "Percy" to be his middle name.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Birth. Birth Certificate, Wm Percy Hedden. NJ State Bureau of Vital Statistics. Personal copy with raised seal in the files of Barbara Ruh.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12} Miriam Tillman's Family History. Family History handwritten by daughter Miriam (Hedden) Tillman c. 1998.
3. ↑ 1895 Census: "New Jersey State Census, 1895"
   citing p. 10, household , line #, Department of State, Trenton; FHL microfilm .
   FamilySearch Record: QL8T-XDK4 (accessed 2 September 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSFQ-CNKK Image number 00042
   William Hedden (5) in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.
4. ↑ 1905 Census: "New Jersey State Census, 1905"
   citing Page: 26; Line: 100; FHL microfilm: 1688599; Record number: 23251;
   FamilySearch Record: KMWP-KD3 (accessed 2 September 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-95N1-6ZQ Image number 00467
   William Hedden (42) in Essex, New Jersey, United States.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Affiliate Film Number: 1033; Line: 94; FHL microfilm: 1821033; Record number: 6352;
   FamilySearch Record: M455-YJK (accessed 2 September 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRXW-XC3 Image number 00133
   William P Hedden (25), single son, in household of Lydia Hedden (54) in Essex, New Jersey, United States.
6. ↑ Passenger List: "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957"
   citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Record: KXLY-1ZQ (accessed 2 September 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-G5Q5-9494 Image number 00758
   Name: William P Hedden; Immigration Date: 1927; Immigration Place: New York, New York, United States; Birth Date: 1897; Birth Place: Newark N J; Age: 30; Ship Name: Antonia.
7. ↑ Miriam Tillman's Photo Album. Photos from an album of Miriam (Hedden) Tillman, scanned by Alfred Tillman. Images passed down to Barbara Ruh.
8. ↑ Jim Hedden's Photo Album. Photos from an album of Jim Hedden, scanned by Alfred Tillman. Images passed down to Barbara Ruh.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Directory. 1937 Newark Directory.
10. ↑ 1915 Census: "New Jersey State Census, 1915"
    citing sheet #13B, household 312, line #91, New Jersey State Library, Trenton; FHL microfilm 1,465,519.
    FamilySearch Record: QV9Q-M268 (accessed 2 September 2022)
    FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G9QP-P9FD
    William Hedden in Newark, 5 ward, 9 district, Essex, New Jersey, United States.
11. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
    citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 17;
    FamilySearch Record: K4BL-PSS (accessed 2 September 2022)
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L99M-S7G4
    William P Hedden (42), married head of household in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.
12. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
    citing enumeration district (ED) ED 107, sheet 7B, line 68, family 129, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1336; FHL microfilm 2,341,071.
    FamilySearch Record: X4DG-BGR (accessed 2 September 2022)
    FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RHT-CPC Image number 00103
    William P Hedden (35), single son, in household of Lydia Hedden (65) in Newark (Districts 1-250), Essex, New Jersey, United States. Born in New Jersey.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Birth Miriam Hedden. Health Department, Certificate of Birth. Miriam Evelyn Hedden. Orange, N.J. 21 Jun 1933.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Death. Death Certificate William P Hedden, State Department of Health of New Jersey, state file no. 37767.
15. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #49073456 (accessed 20 October 2022)
    Memorial page for William Percy Hedden (11 Jul 1894-26 Sep 1957), citing Evergreen Cemetery, Hillside, Union County, New Jersey, USA; Maintained by Julie Litts Robst (contributor 46800533).
16. ↑ Lee. Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. Compiled Under the Editorial Supervision of Francis Bazley Lee. Volume III. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1910. p. 1146.
17. ↑ WWI Draft: "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918"
    citing Affiliate Publication Title: World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards; Affiliate Publication Number: M1509; FHL microfilm: 1753729;
    FamilySearch Record: KZJ5-2LK (accessed 2 September 2022)
    FamilySearch Image: 33S7-LBTW-QWZ Image number 03306
    Name: William Paul Hedden; Military Draft Registration Date: from 1917 to 1918; Military Draft Registration Place: Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States; Birth Date: 11 Jul 1894; Birth Place: Newark, New Jersey, United States; Citizenship Place: United States; Race: White.
18. ↑ WWII Draft. WWII Draft Registration, William Paul Hedden. The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War II Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) For the State of New Jersey; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Series Number: M1986, 1942.

See also

• 1900 Census: "United States Census, 1900" citing Affiliate Publication Number: T623; Line: 100; FHL microfilm: 1240965; Record number: 13369; FamilySearch Record: M9JQ-N3K (accessed 13 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: S3HY-DBL9-LH4 Image number 00279 William Hedden (6), single son, in household of William Hedden (38) in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States. Born in New Jersey.
• 1910 Census: "United States Census, 1910" citing enumeration district (ED) ED 80, sheet 5A, family 90, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 880; FHL microfilm 1,374,893. FamilySearch Record: MKTP-JJV (accessed 13 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRVT-91X Image number 00052 William Hedden (15), single son, in household of William Hedden (47) in Newark Ward 10, Essex, New Jersey, United States. Born in New Jersey.
• 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census" citing Page: 14; Line: 19; FamilySearch Record: 6F9G-CN3H (accessed 13 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QHK-9QHW-L949-T William P Hedden (57), married, Proprietor, head of household in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States. Born in New Jersey.