Friday, January 12, 2024

Envelope Addressed to Anna B Duryee

Another envelope addressed to the Duryee family of Newark, New Jersey appeared on eBay.

The prior one was for George S Duryee. This one was for his sister, Anna Brower Duryee, care of their father, Peter Sharpe Duryee.

Envelope addressed to Miss Anna B Duryee, care of P S Duryee Esq, Newark, New Jersey.
"For plate 2L6"
"1858" written under reddish stamp, three cents U.S. Postage, of George Washington

Anna Brower Duryee was born around 1841. She died in 1922. I found no marriage record for her. She was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark with her parents and siblings.


Duryee family plot
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, New Jersey


The Duryee family was living in Newark when the 1850 census was created.

John Brower Duryee (1839-1940) lived his brief life before this census.
George, Susan, Joseph, Edward, and Amy had not been born yet.

1850 census. Household of Peter Sharpe Duryee and Susan Rankin.
Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.



The advertised value of this item is not as a family heirloom, but rather as a collectible stamp. I am not familiar with philately. From a brief look, the plate refers to the reddish three cent stamp with the image of George Washington. 



Friday, December 29, 2023

Gone Ten Years

Judith Haas Lutter (1950-2013)

December 29th is the anniversary of my mother's death. 2023 marks ten years.


She died before I unraveled the mysteries of her origins and discovered three siblings she was unaware of.



Monday, December 25, 2023

Envelope Addressed to George S Duryee

On eBay is an envelope for sale. The attraction would be to the stamp, I suppose. According to the additional writing on the envelope, the year was 1885. Preprinted as the sender is "United States Senate." The postmark is Washington, D.C. on April 15.

Envelope addressed to "Hon Geo. S. Duryea Newark New Jersey"



I noticed the listing because of the recipient: Hon Geo. S. Duryea of Newark, New Jersey. This is probably George Sharpe Duryee. He was a lawyer who lived and worked in Newark. He was born around 1850 to Peter Sharpe Duryee (1807-1877) and Susan Rankin (1816-1886).

Newark City Directory, 1890
George S Duryee, lawyer, 810 Broad, resided at 30 Washington place



This family cluster was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark. Two of George's brothers, Joseph and William, became pastors. You might see their names on baptismal, marriage, and funeral records for families throughout the New Jersey and New York areas in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Duryee family plot.
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, New Jersey.
Section E.


George died in New York City in 1896. These records are being digitized and placed online for free; however, this year is not yet available as of this writing.

Marker at Mount Pleasant Cemetery for George Sharpe Duryee
and his wife, Virginia Teackle Beasley.



Because of the offices that George held, his death was reported in newspapers across the country. 

Article in the Newark Evening News announcing the death of George Sharpe Duryee.
"The State Commissioner of Banking and Insurance Succumbs to an Illness of Two Years' Standing."


George was married once in 1878 in Torresdale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His wife was Virginia Teackle Beasley, born about 1856 to Reverend Frederick Williamson Beasley and Virginia Teackle Bancker.

Entry in the records of All Saints Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Record collection online at Ancestry.com



Ten months after the wedding, on August 16, 1879 in Newark, Virginia gave birth to their daughter, also named Virginia. The baby and mother were not named on the birth certificate.

Birth certificate of Virginia Teackle Beasley Duryee,
born August 16, 1879 in Newark, New Jersey.
Available through the New Jersey State Archives in person or via mail.



Virginia, the mother, died two days after giving birth from an infection. She was 23 years old.

Death certificate of Virginia T Duryee, died August 18, 1879 in Newark, New Jersey.
Cause of death- puerperal peritonitis.


Death notice for Virginia Teackle Beasley, wife of George S Duryee.
Note that her date of death is given as August 17th.
Her death certificate, which is a primary source, gives the date as the 18th.



Baby Virginia died a few months later on December 24, 1879 from bronchitis.

Death certificate of Virginia Teackle Beasley Duryee, died December 24, 1879 in Newark, New Jersey.
Cause of death- capillary bronchitis.



Both mother and baby appear in the Mortality Schedules for the 1880 census.

Virginia T Duryea [Duryee] in the mortality schedule for the 1880 census


Virginia T B Duryea [Duryee], age four months, in the mortality schedule for the 1880 census



Pictures and documents for Virginia and her family are featured in family trees at Ancestry.