Esther Victoria Keil

  General Notes:

The David and Missouri Keil Family Bible records her date of birth as June 6, 1892 and date of death as April 13, 1954.

The 1930 Federal Census for Hagerstown (Ward 1), Washington Co., Maryland, District 8, page 38B, dated April 19, 1930 records Esther Rubeck (36 - PA/PA/PA) with children Romaine Forry (14 - PA) and Esther Forry (12 - IL) renting a home at 23 Madison Avenue for $20 / month. Esther indicates she is married and was first married at age 20. A husband is not listed.


The information below is regarding the Barbara Robinson Family of Hagerstown, Maryland:
The middle name, Victoria, and husband, Ira Martin Forry, were found on an ancestry.com message board posted Sept. 2001 by a Barbara Sterling (grand daughter). I have been unable to contact her in that her email address, as given, was invalid as of Sept 2003.
Update March 2007: Addition research finds this missing person as Barbara Robinson Sterling of (Hagerstown?) Maryland. Her grandparents were Joseph Henry and Minnie Robinson who are listed in the 1930 Federal Census for Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland, District 9, page 46A as J H Robinson (63 - England) with wife Minnie (60 - England) living at 813 Virginia Avenue. They both immigrated in 1906. Also in the household is daughter Irene (23) with her new husband of 1 year, Roy F. Baughman (22). Joseph is working as a retail merchant while Roy is a Welder in an Electric Shop. It appears that Barbara's mother was either Ester or Romaine Forry ... married to one of the Robinson boys, she says in a post at ancestry.com, born in England in 1900 ... could that be Leslie. In another post she writes that her grandfather and his father were both named Joseph Henry Robinson. WWI Draft records indicate Leslie Watson Robinson's dob as July 8, 1900. Note: The SSDI records:
Leslie Robinson SSN: 705-10-8592 Last Residence: 21740 Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland, United States of America Born: 8 Jul 1900 Died: Feb 1980 State (Year) SSN issued: Railroad Board (Issued Through) (Before 1951)
also
Max Robinson SSN: 219-12-1718 Last Residence: 21740 Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland, United States of America Born: 7 Nov 1907 Last Benefit: 21740 Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland, United States of America Died: Oct 1984 State (Year) SSN issued: Maryland (Before 1951)

Update Feb 21, 2008: I just made telephone contact with Brenda L. Sterling, married to Ralph E. Sterling living at 16829 Sterling Rd, Williamsport, Maryland 21795, 301-223-6421. The obituary for Carrie E. Sterling (died May 24, 1997) named family which lead me to Ralph and Brenda. All previous attempted contacts with Barbara R. Sterling have been dead ends ... even after finding the alumni page of Hagerstown H.S. which named Barbara and her husband W. Lee Sterling (I left emails at the site and never had a response). Brenda indicated that Barbara has moved and that she will contact her and pass on the genealogical information and request for contact. Brenda indicated that Ester's daughter, Romaine, was Barbara's mother.
Eventually Barbara and this researcher made contact. Barbara has been a delight to work with. She has filled in many details and shared many pictures of the family. We continue to share emails and hopefully will one day be able to visit together directly.


The 1920 Federal Census for Funkstown, Washington Co., Maryland, District 179, page 119B records Joseph H. Robinson (53 - England) with wife Minnie (50 - England) and children Henry H. (29 - England), Leslie W. (19 - England), Kathleen Irene (14 - England), Max LeRoy (12 - Maryland), and Marjorie J. (22 - wife of Henry - Maryland). All family members except Max and Marjorie immigrated in 1906. Joseph works as a machinist for a steam railroad while Henry and Leslie are sailors in the U. S. Navy. Marjorie works in a glove factory. The road is noted as "Halfway" which on a current map is on Route 11 as you are leaving downtown Hagerstown heading southwest.

The 1910 Federal Census for Hagerstown (Ward 5), Washington Co., Maryland, District 156, page 262A records Joseph H Robinson (43 - England) with wife Minnie (40 - England) and children Henry H. (19 - England), Leslie W. (9 - England), Kathleen I. (4 - England), Maxley R. (2 - Maryland) living at 612 George Street. All family members except Max immigrated in 1907. Joseph and Henry work in a furniture shop. Joseph and Minnie have been married for 20 years and have had 6 children of which 4 are still living.

The SSDI records:
Max Robinson 7 Nov 1907 Oct 1984 Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland

Incidentals: WWI Draft Card reports in 1918 Leslie Watson Robinson born July 8, 1900 in England. He is working as a Pipe Fitter Apprentice at WMRR. He is living at 10 Garmong, Hagerstown, Maryland and his nearest relative is his mother, Minnie Robinson, at the same address. Also, there is a WWI Draft Card in 1918 for a Henry Haviland Robinson born on July 31, 1892 in Henllan near Denbigh, Wales, England. Henry is living in Upton, Crook Co., Wyoming and working as a farmer for W. D. Townsend in Crook Co., Wyoming. This is quite possibly Leslie's brother as listed in the 1910 and 1920 census records above.
The WWII Draft Registration Card dated April 26, 1942 for persons born after April 28, 1877 and before February 16, 1897 records Henry Hubert Robinson born on Oct 17, 1890 in Harrington, Cumberland Co., England. He currently lives at 611 West Church Street in Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland. The person who will always know his address is listed as Mr. Joseph Henry Robinson of 813 Virginia Avenue of Hagerstown, Maryland. Henry is 5' 11 1/2" tall and weighs 178 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair and light complexion. [The 813 Virginia Avenue address is the same address as Henry's father as recorded in the 1930 census]



Ester is buried in Mechanicsburg, PA at The Mechanicsburg Cemetery under the name of Kile.

Dave Heberlig, John W. Keil's grand nephew, has a copy of John W. Keil's obituary where surviving sister, Ester, is listed as Mrs.Elmer Byrum, Hagerstown [Maryland].

The 1920 Federal Census for Worth Township, Cook Co., Illinois, District 33 records Ira Farry [Forry] (23) with wife Esther (27) and children Romaine (4 - PA) and Esther (2 - Illinois) living at 245 Union Street. Ira is a Steel Mill Worker.

The 1930 Federal Census for Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland, District 8, page records Esther Rubeck (36, first married at 20) with children Romaine Forry (14 - Pennsylvania) and Esther Forry (12 - Illinois) renting a place at 23 Madison Avenue. It is of interest that the same census records have Clarence H. (55) and Margarette J. (58) Rubeck living in Hagerstown. They are probably in-laws to Ester. Also of interest is that Esther's brother John's 1952 obituary lists her name as Mrs. Elmer Byrum. Perhaps Ester was married 3 times (Forry, Rubeck, Byrum). The Social Security Death Index lists an Elmer Byrum ( Nov 3, 1882 - Oct 1975) who died in Hagerstown, Washington. Co., Maryland. This is probably Ester's 3rd husband.

Well, the above comments for the suspected Rubeck in-laws are confirmed after making a connection with Barbara R. Sterling, grand daughter of Ester Keil (see Research notes for Ester V. Keil). Barb writes in a Feb 21, 2008 email: "Mother (Romaine Forry Robinson) and Aunt Esther never said much of anything about Ed Rubeck and I just had the feeling he was a stinker." The 1920 Federal Census for Hagerstown, Ward 1, Washington Co., Maryland, District 151, page 20A records Clarence H.[Harry] (46) and Margarette J. (46) Rubeck with children John S. (23), Elsie V. (19), and Edwin W. (16) living at 520 Washington Avenue. Clarence is a Watchman at a Rail Road Crossing, John is a Clerk at the Rail Road, and Elsie and Edwin work at the Legging Factory.


The obituary for Esther Victoria [Keil] Byrum on April 14, 1954 in the Daily Mail [Hagerstown, Maryland:
Esther Victoria Byrum, wife of Elmer Byrum, 160 South Potomac Street, died at 9 o'clock Tuesday night at the Washington County Hospital after an illness of two years. She was 61 years of age.
Mrs. Byrum was born and reared in Mechanicsburg, daughter of David and Missouri Kile but resided in this city for the past 25 years and was a memeber of the Grace E. U. B. Church.
Surviving besides her husband are: daughters, Mrs. Romaine Robinson, this city; Mrs. Esther Barnett, Halfway; and a son, Ira Forry, Harrisburg; sister, Mrs. Sarah Stahl, Mechanicsburg; Mrs. Ocy Jacobs, Pittsburgh; and Mrs. Lucy Graybill, Mechanicsburg.
Five grand children also survive.
The body was removed to A. K. Coffman Funeral Home where it may be viewed. It will be taken to the Harper Myers Funeral Home in Mechanicburg Friday morning for services in the afternoon at 2 o'clock with burial in the Mechanicsburg Cemetery.

  Research Notes:

The Washington County Free Library
http://www.washcolibrary.org/localhistory/wcflgenealogy.asp?action=textsearch
Records the 1949 marriage of [Guy] Wilson Covert to Esther Forry on Page 97261


From Barbara Sterling on 6/12/2000 at ancestry boards:
Hi, Thanks for your response. My Grandmother was Minnie Haughan. I have checked the spelling however it might have been Haughin. Born in Kirkoswald, Eng. 16 Nov.1869, married my gf Joseph Henry Robinson,17 Dec.1889 at Primitive Chapel, Workington. This is all I know of her. I have been researching the Robinson side since I was a Robinson.My ggf was married to Isabella and the children were Martha,John J.,Joseph H.,William, Ruth, Jane.Are Your Wilson related to Woodrow? If so there is a good chance that there's a relationship. get back when you can.

On 1/20/2000 she writes:
Joseph Henry Robinson, Born Aug.22,1866, Great Broughton, Cumbria, England. Minnie Haughan, Robinson, born Nov.16, 1869 Kirkoswald, England. Daughter Irene, married a Baughman. Her daughter, Minkie married a Cogan. My father was a son of Joseph, I married a Sterling.The three names are in USA.

On Oct 22, 1999 she writes:
My grandfather was Ira Forry who was killed at age 26, hit by a train in Pa. He was married to Esther Keil,Kile? Dob 1896 Dod 1922 Other info if wanted.



I just found:
http://www.hhsclass56.org/class.htm
ROBINSON, BARBARA (STERLING) , Williamsport, MD 21795. Barbara's husband, Lee, does PR work with Butterkrust Bakery. They have two children, David Lee and James Leslie. They also have two grandchildren, Morgan Sterling and Dale Mathie. Barbara is retired after 18 years of managing the Jewelry Department for J. C. Penney Co. She earned her high school diploma in 1991. She attended the Hagerstown Junior College Computer Tech Program with a 4.0 average, and took a course "Diamonds - Gemological Institute of America" in 1984. Barbara collects amethyst glass antiques. She loves to travel. She is secretary of Conomac Lions Club in Williamsport and volunteers with the Williamsport Ambulance and is a fund raiser. Barbara also paints watercolors.


U.S. Public Records Index
Name: Lee L Sterling Birth Date: Feb 1935
Name: Barbara R Sterling Birth Date: Dec 1938
Street address: 229 Maplehurst Ave
City: Williamsport
County: Washington
State: Maryland
Zip Code: 21795
Phone Number: 301-223-7134
Record Number: 278259630
Household Members: Name / Est. Age / Birth Year
Barbara R Sterling / 69 / 1938
Lee Sterling
Lee L Sterling / 72 / 1935
Wilbur L Sterling / 72 / 1935

Today, February 20, 2008, I made contact with Barbara R. Sterling. She and her husband, Lee, moved to New Bern, NC. I had found a 1997 obituary for Carrie Sterling, mother of Lee Sterling and all family members were listed. A telephone call to a suspected brother of Lee, Ralph Sterling of Williamsport, Maryland, made a connection with his wife, Brenda. Brenda passed my information to Barbara and I was contacted later that day. Barb was a delight to talk with and is very interested in sharing family stories and pictures.

Esther married Ira Martin Forry, son of John C. Forry and Emma Klick, circa 1912 in Hagerstown, Maryland. (Ira Martin Forry was born on 15 Aug 1896 in Myerstown, Lebanon Co., PA, died on 18 Oct 1922 in Worth Township, Cook Co., Illinois and was buried on 20 Oct 1922 in Mechanicsburg Cemetery, Mechanicsburg, PA. (Plot L1-3).)

  Marriage Notes:

The Washington County Free Library
http://www.washcolibrary.org/localhistory/wcflgenealogy.asp?action=textsearch
Records the 1912 marriage of Ira Forry to Esther Kile on Page 16729

Esther next married Edwin W. Rubeck circa 1927 in Hagerstown, Maryland. (Edwin W. Rubeck was born circa 1904 in Maryland and died after 1920 in Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland.)

Esther next married Elmer C. Byrum on 23 Feb 1945 in Hagerstown, Maryland. (Elmer C. Byrum was born circa 1903 in Maryland, died on 2 May 1954 in Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland.)

  Marriage Notes:

The Washington County Free Library
http://www.washcolibrary.org/localhistory/genealogy.asp
Records the 1945 marriage of Esther Fory (sic) to Elmer Byrem (sic) on Page 84164
The actual certificate indicates they were married on February 23, 1945 by F. Berry Plummer, Pastor at at St. Paul's U. B. Church.