Mary Ann Devine née Harmer was the oldest of the two children of Walter Harmer to live to adulthood. That makes her our John Harmer’s granddaughter.
Walter probably named her for his mother, Mary Ann Harmer.
Early Life
Marriage
Mary Ann married Frederick Devine (known as Fred), a N.J. born shipping clerk who worked for a cotton mill, around 1904. Fred was born in 1875; his father was born in New Jersey, and his mother had emmigrated from Germany.
In New Jersey’s 1905 State Census we find Mary Ann and Fred living at Kearney, East Newark. With them is Mary Ann’s mother Esther.
By the time of the 1910 U.S. Federal Census the couple were living at 339 3rd Street, Ward 1, East Newark, and had a son, Jerome (known as Walter), aged 2. They had again taken Esther, and latterly Mary Ann’s sister Sadie in. The extended family were all living at 339 3rd Street, Ward 1 East Newark, and Frederick had found work for Sadie ‘ticking’, at the cotton mill.
New Jersey’s 1915 State Census informs us that Mary Ann (35) and Fred (39) were by then living in a rented house at 230 Clifton Avenue. Walter was 9 years old by then, and attending the Sacred Heart Parochial School.
In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census Sadie is again living with her brother-in-law Frederick and her sister Mary Ann. Sadie is working at a thread factory, like Frederick who was in that year a packer there. Still no sign of Jerome! But Walter is 14.
Frederick died at Nutley, N.J., on 11th February 1940, when he was 63 years old. Like his sister-in-law Sadie he is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, East Orange, Essex County, N.J.
Life After Frederick
In the April 1940 U.S. Federal Census widowed Mary Ann (59) and her unmarried sister Sadie (46) are recorded as living with Mary Ann’s son Jerome W. Devine, at 165 Walnut Street, Nutley, Essex County, N.J. Mary was not employed, but Sadie was working as an assistant office manager for a manufacuring company. Sadie had also signed up for emergency public work during wartime.
Jerome was married to Catherine E. O. Devine, who was the same age as him and from East Orange, Essex, N.J. Jerome was a fabricating supervisor at General Motors. Catherine died 19th July 1959 (aged 52–53). She is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, East Orange, Essex County, N.J. I cannot find any record of them having children.
Children
Jerome Walter Devine 25th Nov 1905 – Jan 1984
