Hector MacKenzie Heath, Sr. (1872- 1958)
FATHER: William MacLeod MacKenzie
MOTHER: Margaret Euphemia Reed MacKenzie Heath (1847-1922), b. Westminster Cem., Bala Cynwyd, Pa
ADOPTED FATHER: Abel Heath (1854-1915), b. Westminster Cem., Bala Cynwyd, Pa
SPOUSE: Laura Virginia Levering (1874-1938), married in Camden, NJ on December 6, 1894
BURIAL SITE: Leverington Cemetery, Plot 2 Section 12 Division B
MOTHER: Margaret Euphemia Reed MacKenzie Heath (1847-1922), b. Westminster Cem., Bala Cynwyd, Pa
ADOPTED FATHER: Abel Heath (1854-1915), b. Westminster Cem., Bala Cynwyd, Pa
SPOUSE: Laura Virginia Levering (1874-1938), married in Camden, NJ on December 6, 1894
BURIAL SITE: Leverington Cemetery, Plot 2 Section 12 Division B
Hector was born at 18 Church Street, Inverness, Scotland, on April 4, 1872.
I believe that William, Margaret, and Hector migrated to the United States to join Margaret's brother in Missouri, some time between 1877 and 1879 (based on census records). Hector's daughter, Effie Born, remembers being told that they traveled to St. Joseph, Missouri by covered wagon, when Hector was about 6 years old. What happened to William after 1880 is unknown (he moved to Canada, he moved to Chicago, or he died), and at some point between 1880 and 1883 Margaret and Hector moved to Philadelphia, where Margaret's aunt and uncle, Rachel and Cornelius Wilson were living in Manayunk. There, Margaret met Abel Heath (also from England) and they married on Nov. 7, 1883 at St. Timothy's Church, Roxborough. Abel Heath adopted Hector MacKenzie (Heath Sr.), changing the family name to Heath.
SEE ALSO: "The (Surprisingly) Informative Oral History of Effie Born"
I believe that William, Margaret, and Hector migrated to the United States to join Margaret's brother in Missouri, some time between 1877 and 1879 (based on census records). Hector's daughter, Effie Born, remembers being told that they traveled to St. Joseph, Missouri by covered wagon, when Hector was about 6 years old. What happened to William after 1880 is unknown (he moved to Canada, he moved to Chicago, or he died), and at some point between 1880 and 1883 Margaret and Hector moved to Philadelphia, where Margaret's aunt and uncle, Rachel and Cornelius Wilson were living in Manayunk. There, Margaret met Abel Heath (also from England) and they married on Nov. 7, 1883 at St. Timothy's Church, Roxborough. Abel Heath adopted Hector MacKenzie (Heath Sr.), changing the family name to Heath.
SEE ALSO: "The (Surprisingly) Informative Oral History of Effie Born"
In the 1885 Philadelphia city directory, Cornelius Wilson is listed as living at 4326 Main Street, Manayunk. By 1895, Abel Heath and Hector Heath are listed there as well. According to family lore, Hector met Laura Levering at Manayunk Presbyterian Church, and married (eloped?) in Camden, NJ on December 6, 1894. By 1900, they were all living at 3818 Dexter Street. By 1905 Hector and Laura had 4 children, and they had moved to their own home at 435 Krams Avenue in Roxborough. By 1910, they are listed at 431 Pensdale Street, while Abel, Margaret, and Cornelius are listed at 429 Pensdale Street. They were still at Pensdale in 1920, but after that seem to have moved quite a bit. After Hector retired from his work as a machinist/steam engine mechanic, he and Laura lived with various children, and eventually moved in with daughter Effie and her husband Russell Born. He died at his daughter Virginia's home on Fairway Terrace, Philadelphia, on July 2, 1958.
SEE ALSO: Laura Virginia Levering Heath page, and Cornelius Wilson page |
Documents:
1880 - Census Record - for King City, Gentry County, Missouri
1885 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk, for Cornelius Wilson (Abel Heath is not listed)
(NOTE: The 1890 census was unfortunately mostly destroyed by fire in 1921)
1895 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk (with Abel Heath and Cornelius Wilson)
1900 - Census Record - 3818 Dexter Street:
1905 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 435 Krams Avenue, Roxborough, "Machinist"
1910 - Census Record - 431 Pensdale Street, Roxborough
1920 - Census Record - 431 Pensdale Street, Roxborough
1930 - Census Record - 4327 N. Fairhill Street (North Philadelphia)
1940 - Census Record - 251 Widener Street (Olney, North Philadelphia)
- A Note about census records - the record is only as accurate as the information given/recorded. Spellings vary, and ages and dates may vary, so it is best to try multiple searches when looking for census records. For example, a person may only give his age, not the exact year of birth, leaving the enumerator to estimate the year. The person being questioned may not know all of the information for every person in the household, and may guess or estimate, even fabricate, or unknowingly give false information.
1880 - Census Record - for King City, Gentry County, Missouri
- William McKenzie, 33; Lumber Dealer; Place of Birth: Scotland; Father's Place of Birth: Scotland; Mother's Place of Birth: Scotland
- Margaret E., 27, Wife; House Keeping; Place of Birth: England; Father's Place of Birth: England; Mother's Place of Birth: England
- Hector, 7, Son; Place of Birth: Scotland; Father's Place of Birth: Scotland; Mother's Place of Birth: England
1885 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk, for Cornelius Wilson (Abel Heath is not listed)
(NOTE: The 1890 census was unfortunately mostly destroyed by fire in 1921)
1895 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk (with Abel Heath and Cornelius Wilson)
1900 - Census Record - 3818 Dexter Street:
- Abel Heath: Head; Born July 1852, 47 yrs old; married 17 yrs; Born in England, Mother/Father: England; Immigrated 1880; Moulder (Iron)
- Margaret E: Wife; Born Nov 1852, 47 yrs old; married 17 yrs; 1 child; Born in England, Mother/Father: England; Immigrated 1877
- Hector: Head; Born Apr 1873, 27 yrs old; married 6 yrs; Born in Scotland, Mother/Father: England; Immigrated 1877; Machinist
- Laura V: Wife; Born July 1874, 25 yrs old; married 6 yrs; 3 children; Born in Pennsylvania, Mother/Father: Pennsylvania
- William C: Son; Born July 1895, 5 yrs old; single; Born in Pennsylvania, Father: Scotland, Mother: Pennsylvania
- Virginia M: Daughter; Born Apr 1892, 3 yrs old; single; Born in Pennsylvania, Father: Scotland, Mother: Pennsylvania
- Effie A: Daughter; Born Feb. 1900, 3 months old; single; Born in Pennsylvania, Father: Scotland, Mother: Pennsylvania
- Cornelius Wilson: Boarder; Born Dec. 1829, 70 yrs old; widowed; 0 children; Born in England. Mother/Father: England; Immigrated 1882; Landlord
1905 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 435 Krams Avenue, Roxborough, "Machinist"
1910 - Census Record - 431 Pensdale Street, Roxborough
- In this record, Abel, Margaret and Cornelius are listed at 429 Pensdale. Margaret's place of birth for herself and her parents is now given as Scotland, and both Hector's mother's and father's place of birth is given as Scotland. Here Abel and Hector's immigration dates are both given as 1879, and Cornelius Wilson's as 1880. Abel's occupation is a Welder at a steel mill; Cornelius has none; Hector is a Machinist at Bell Paper Machinery(?).
1920 - Census Record - 431 Pensdale Street, Roxborough
- By 1920, Abel and Cornelius have died, and Margaret has moved in with her son's family. Everyone is listed (Hector, Laura, Virginia, Effie, Mildred, Hector Jr,. Wilson L, Claire, and mother Margaret as "Effie M") - except for my grandfather John William (Bill)! They must have temporarily forgotten about him?! He would have been 11. What is interesting here is that Hector's immigration date is given as 1878, and Margaret's is unknown; and Hector's father's place of birth given as England, and his mother's Scotland. He or whoever gave the information must have considered Abel Heath as Hector's father (as in the 1900 census), and forgotten/did not know that Margaret was originally from England, not Scotland (her places of birth for herself and her parents is given as Scotland here as well). Hector is still a Machinist at a steel mill. Virginia is a telephone operator, and Effie (daughter) is a clerk at a (Waste Mill)?
1930 - Census Record - 4327 N. Fairhill Street (North Philadelphia)
- By 1930 the family has moved out of Roxborough/Manayunk. Hector is still working as a Machinist in a steel mill, Claire is a telephone clerk, Wilson is also a machinist in a steel mill, Hector Jr. is a private chauffeur, and William (Bill) is an insurance clerk. Again, Hector's father's place of birth is given as England, and his mother's as Scotland.
1940 - Census Record - 251 Widener Street (Olney, North Philadelphia)
- By 1940, Laura has passed away and Hector has moved in with daughter Effie and her husband Russell Born. Russell is working as a telephone clerk, and Hector has retired.
CHILDREN of Hector MacKenzie Heath Sr and Laura Levering Heath:
I. William Clayton: b. Jan. 23, 1895; d. June 27, 1901; b. Lev. Cem.
II. Virginia May: b. Apr. 19, 1897; m. Cyril Smith (no children); d. Sept. 11, 1972; b. Westminster Cem., Bala Cynwyd, Pa
III. Euphemia (Effie) Acher: b. Feb. 23, 1900; m. Russell H. Born (no children); d. July 1, 1979; b. Mt. Peace. Cem., Philadelphia
IV. Mildred: b. Mar. 10, 1902; d. Feb, 26, 1924 (flu epidemic); b. Lev. Cem.
V. Hector MacKenzie Jr.: b. Mar. 16, 1904; m. Emily Stahl (2 daughters); d. Sept. 2, 1978; b. St Marks Church, Frankford, Pa
VI. Wilson Levering: b. May 11, 1906; m. Florence Harvey (1 son); d. Jan. 2, 1978; b. Forest Hills Cem., Somerton, Pa
VII. John William (Bill): b. Oct 13, 1908; m. Alice Maslin, Sept 1 1934, (2 sons); d. Feb. 11, 2001; b. Lev Cem.
VIII. Clara Ellen (Claire): b. Jan. 29, 1911; m. Robert Rounay (1 son); d. Jun. 14, 1997; b. Holy Sepulchre Cem., Cheltenham, Pa
I. William Clayton: b. Jan. 23, 1895; d. June 27, 1901; b. Lev. Cem.
II. Virginia May: b. Apr. 19, 1897; m. Cyril Smith (no children); d. Sept. 11, 1972; b. Westminster Cem., Bala Cynwyd, Pa
III. Euphemia (Effie) Acher: b. Feb. 23, 1900; m. Russell H. Born (no children); d. July 1, 1979; b. Mt. Peace. Cem., Philadelphia
IV. Mildred: b. Mar. 10, 1902; d. Feb, 26, 1924 (flu epidemic); b. Lev. Cem.
V. Hector MacKenzie Jr.: b. Mar. 16, 1904; m. Emily Stahl (2 daughters); d. Sept. 2, 1978; b. St Marks Church, Frankford, Pa
VI. Wilson Levering: b. May 11, 1906; m. Florence Harvey (1 son); d. Jan. 2, 1978; b. Forest Hills Cem., Somerton, Pa
VII. John William (Bill): b. Oct 13, 1908; m. Alice Maslin, Sept 1 1934, (2 sons); d. Feb. 11, 2001; b. Lev Cem.
VIII. Clara Ellen (Claire): b. Jan. 29, 1911; m. Robert Rounay (1 son); d. Jun. 14, 1997; b. Holy Sepulchre Cem., Cheltenham, Pa