John Frances Harmer (born 4th Dec 1873) was the first child of John Harmer Jnr., which makes him our John Harmer’s grandson.
Early life
Marriage
John married Mary C. Hines on 22/08/1900 Mine Brook Somerset, New Jersey USA [New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1670-1965] when he was 26 and Mary was 35.
Mary was born in June 1865 at N.J., the daughter of a German-speaking Bavarian father and a German mother.
After their marriage the couple moved to Salem, Somerset N.J. where we find them renting a house in the 1905 census. John was working as a gardener. Living with them was 16 year old George C. Harmer, an electrician (born c. 1879). By 1910 they had moved again, to Liberty Corner, Bernards Township. John was now a cemetery manager, and Mary is described as having had one child (but no children are living with them). No child is with them in the 1915 New Jersey State Census either, in which they are renting a house at Newark and John is working as a chauffeur.
In the 1920 U.S. State Federal Census we find John and Mary living at 19 South Street, Somerville, Somerset N.J. Confusingly 13 year old Watson C. Robinson is living with them, and described as John’s stepson. however as he and Mary had been married for 20 years at this stage, Watson must have either been adopted, or had his age recorded incorrectly. He was working as an embalmer, which seems an unlikely job for a 13 year old! John has no occupation given and Mary’s is given as a barber – again there seems to be a mix-up here, and it was probably John who was working as a barber!
After this we can trace John in the Somerville street directories. From 1922 to 1936 he is listed at 34 Mechanic, and was working as a driver again. Mary seems to have passed away in the mid 1920s.
By 1930 John seems to have married his second wife, Dorothy S. (surname as yet unknown). In 1946’s through 1949’s directories the couple were living at 31 South, and John was working as a gas station attendant. Between 1952 and 1957 they were living at 5 N. Doughty Avenue, apartment 15 with Dorothy described as a clerk.
Death
John passed away in August 1968 at Cranbury, Middlesex, N.J. when he was 95 years of age [U.S. Social Security Death Index].
