Tag: James Levens (c1830-1885)

James Levens

James Levens (about 1830 – 1884)

Born:
about 1830 in Ireland1,2
Married:
8 October 1855 in Port Richmond, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States to Margaret McElhenny4
Died:
1884 in Centralia, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States3
Parents:
Unknown
Spouse:
Margaret McElhenny (2 Jul 1838 – 22 Jun 1918)
Children:
John Levens (1856-    ), Mary Levens (1856-1857), James Levens (1857-1924), Elizabeth Levens (1859-1950), Mary Levens (1862-1935), Alexander Levens (1864-1949), Sophia Levens (1867-1934), Sarah Ann Levens (1869-1949), William Thomas Levens (1877-1956)

Ancestors
James is the Levens brick wall.

Biography
James Levens was born about 1830 in Ireland.1,2 He emigrated from Ireland and arrived in Philadelphia prior to October 1855.3 James Levens and Margaret McElhenny were married on 8 Oct 1855 at Church of the Messiah in Port Richmond, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.4
He and his family moved to the coal region of Schuylkill and Columbia counties a few years later. I have not found them yet in the 1860 census, but his son, James, Jr. was baptized in Ashland, Schuylkill County, in 1858.5 James lived in Centralia, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States on 1 Jun 1870 and on 1 Jun 1880.1,2 He was listed as a miner in the 1860 census and as a worker at a coal breaker in the 1870 census.1,2
He died in 1884 in Centralia, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States and was buried in Ashland, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, United States.3

 

Last updated: 21 December 2014

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Citations

  1. 1870 U.S. Census, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Conynham Twp., Centralia, p. 26, dwelling 156, family 195, James Levans; digital images, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1438024 : accessed 1 January 2014).
  2. 1880 U.S. Census, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Conyngham Twp, Centralia Boro., enumeration district (ED) 171, p. 30, dwelling 188, family 268, James Levan; digital images, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1417683 : accessed 1 January 2014).
  3. Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania: Genealogy – Family History – Biography: Containing Historical Sketches of Old Families and of Representative and Prominent Citizens Past and Present. In Two Volumes. Volume II. (Chicago: J.H. Beers & Company, 1916), p.1078, https://books.google.com/books?id=mhEVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1078#v=onepage&q&f=false.
    Transcription available here.
  4. Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Philadelphia, Church of the Messiah (Protestant Episcopal) marriages, p.354, image 72, James Levens and Margaret McIlhenny; digital images, Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Historic Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2451 : accessed 7 December 2014).
  5. Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Schuylkill, Ashland, North Parish Episcopal Church baptisms, line 429, image 225, James Levens; digital images, Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Historic Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2451 : accessed 7 December 2014).

Schuylkill County history book – Levens family

Elizabeth Levens, daughter of James Levens and Margaret McElhenny, married George W. Ebert whose family had an entry in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania: Genealogy – Family History – Biography (1916) which is available on Google books. There was quite a bit of information about the Levens family mentioned as well.

Transcription of the relevant passage:
On Dec 13, 1881, Mr. [George W.] Ebert was united in marriage to Elizabeth Levens,
daughter of James and Margaret (McElheny) Levens, of Minersville, Schuylkill county.
They have a son, James, now a druggist of Tamaqua, Pa. Mr. and Mrs Ebert are members
of the Methodist Church, of which he has been a trustee for many years. She is an ardent
worker in the church and Sunday school.
James Levens, father of Mrs. Ebert, was a native of Ireland and emigrated to America,
landing at Philadelphia, where he made his home for a time. Going to Port Richmond,
near Philadelphia, he there married Margaret McElheny, and then moved to Minersville,
and later to Centralia, Columbia county, where he died in 1884, being buried in Ashland,
which is near Centralia. He was a miner by occupation. Mrs. Levens makes her home with
George W. Ebert, her son-in-law. She has had twelve children, of whom five are deceased
(including John), the others being as follows: James, resident in Centralia; Elizabeth,
wife of George W. Ebert; Mary, wife of Joseph Lange, of Philadelphia; Alexander,
resident of Hartford, Conn.; Sophia, wife of Nicholas Conrad, of Philadelphia; Sarah,
wife of Matthew Nealy, of Gordon; and William, of Tamaqua.

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Citation:
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania: Genealogy – Family History – Biography: Containing Historical Sketches of Old Families and of Representative and Prominent Citizens Past and Present. In Two Volumes. Volume II. Chicago: J.H. Beers & Company, 1916. 
Available at Google books.

This Week in my Genealogy – Levens-McElhenny Marriage

One hundred fifty-seven years ago this week, my great-great grandparents James Levens and Margaret McElhenny were married.

My great grandmother Sophia Levens was raised in Centralia, Pennsylvania, a mining town, but came to Philadelphia sometime before 1900. I learned that her mother was also from Philadelphia when I found the book Schulkill County, Pennsylvania: Genealogy – Family History – Biography, volume II:

James Levens, father of Mrs. Ebert, was a native of Ireland and emigrated to America, landing at Philadelphia, where he made his home for a time. Going to Port Richmond, near Philadelphia, he there married Margaret McElheny…

James Levens and Margaret McElhenny were married on October 8, 1855 at the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Port Richmond, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Rev. J Rudderow. This is yet another record I found in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s Pennsylvania Church and Town Records database available on Ancestry.

Levens McElhenny marriage
James Levens & Margaret McElhenny marriage, 8 Oct 1855. Click to see full image.