Person Page

     Ivah Richardson was born on 13 August 1880 in New York.³ She married first Louis De Coppet Berg, son of Albert Wilhelm Berg and Helen MacGregor Morse, in 1907 in New Jersey.^1,2 She married second A. Stuart Whitten about 1921.⁴ She died on 14 January 1946 in San Diego Co., California, at age 65.³
     She was an art critic, landscape gardener, architect.⁴

     Raymond Decoppet Berg was born on 24 September 1882 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.¹ He died on 27 November 1910 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., New York, at age 28.²
     His surname is spelled Berg in his birth record, but Bergh in all other records found for him online.
     He graduated on 13 December 1901 with a business degree from the Heffley School (now the Brooklyn Law School) in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.³
     On 13 May 1902 he was arrested for "refusing to 'move on'" when a crowd gathered around a woman who had fainted in front of a trolley car in Brooklyn.⁴
     He is listed in the 1910 census as an inmate at the Hudson River State Hospital (a psychiatric facility) in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., New York.⁵

     Louis Otto Berg was born on 2 November 1885 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.¹ He married first Ethel Eugenie Cushing, daughter of William H. Cushing and Florence L. (?), on 10 September 1921 in Manhattan, New York Co., New York.^3,4 He married second Geraldine D. Cain, daughter of James W. Cain and Mary E. Devonshire, on 22 November 1946 in New Jersey.^3,5,6 He died on 28 November 1955 at Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge, Essex Co., New Jersey, at age 70 from a heart attack.^7,8 He was buried at The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.⁹
     His surname is spelled Berg in his birth record, but Bergh in all other records found for him online.
     He graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Yale University in New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut, in 1906^7,3, then taught English at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, from 1906 to 1908.⁷
     He received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School (then part of St. Lawrence University) in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, in 1909^7,3, and was admitted to the bar in New York in 1910.³ He was a faculty member at New York University School of Commerce, Accounts, and Finance from 1910 to 1927, and served as an assistant district attorney in New York Co. from 1913 to 1914. He entered private practice in 1927, and became a partner in Turnbull & Bergh in 1936. He was also adjunct professor of law at New York University School of Commerce from 1948 to 1951, and co-author with Thomas Conyngton of Business Law, first published in 1920.^7,3
     He is listed in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, in the 1920 census.¹⁰ He and his first wife Ethel moved to Essex Co., New Jersey, about 1930⁷, and are listed there in Glen Ridge in the 1930 census¹¹, and in Montclair in the 1940 census.¹² He is again listed in Montclair in the 1950 census, with his second wife Geraldine.¹³

     Ethel Eugenie Cushing was born on 5 October 1898 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.^4,3 She married Louis Otto Bergh, son of Louis De Coppet Berg and Grace Bunker, on 10 September 1921 in Manhattan, New York Co., New York.^5,1 She died on 13 May 1944 at Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge, Essex Co., New Jersey, at age 45.³ She was buried at The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn.³
     She and her husband Louis moved to Essex Co., New Jersey, about 1930⁶, and are listed there in Glen Ridge in the 1930 census⁷, and in Montclair in the 1940 census.⁸

     Geraldine D. Cain was born on 5 April 1893 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.¹ She married first Charles E. Holden.² She married second Louis Otto Bergh, son of Louis De Coppet Berg and Grace Bunker, on 22 November 1946 in New Jersey.^3,4,2 She married third Arthur C. Idsvoog in April 1963 in Verona, Essex Co., New Jersey.⁵ She died on 7 September 1985 in Laguna Hills, Orange Co., California, at age 92.^6,7
     She and her second husband Louis are listed in Montclair, Essex Co., New Jersey, in the 1950 census.⁸

     Grace Lillian Berg was born on 8 April 1888 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.² She married Richard Avery Wright, son of James Frederick Wright and Caroline Amelia Green, on 20 September 1911 at St. Bartholomew's Church in Brooklyn.¹ She died on 24 February 1954 (her entry in the Ancestry database New York, U.S., Death Index, 1852-1956 says 25 February) in Huntington, Suffolk Co., New York, at age 65.^2,3
     She attended Erasmus Hall High School, then studied art at Adelphi Academy, both in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.⁴
     In 1910, before her marriage, she was living with her mother Grace in Brooklyn, and working as an artist for an advertising studio.⁵
     She and her husband Richard are listed in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, in the 1920 census⁶, and in Queens, Queens Co., New York, in the 1925 state census and the 1930 federal census.^7,8
     She remained in Queens after her husband's death, and is listed there in the 1940 census, running her own decorating business.⁹ She has not been positively identified in the 1950 census, but may be the widow Grace B. Wright, age 60, listed in Hempstead, Nassau Co., New York. This Grace was working as a "re-toucher" for a photo studio, attended college for a year, and was living in Queens, New York, in 1939, all of which fit with what is known about Grace (Bergh) Wright.¹⁰

     Richard Avery Wright was born on 9 August 1883 in East Orange, Essex Co., New Jersey.^2,3 He married Grace Lillian Berg, daughter of Louis De Coppet Berg and Grace Bunker, on 20 September 1911 at St. Bartholomew's Church in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.¹ He died from a heart attack on 17 December 1935 at the offices of the American Gas and Electric Co. in Manhattan, New York Co., New York, at age 52.^2,4
     He graduated in 1901 from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.⁴ While there he was awarded a scholarship to Cornell University in Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York, where he graduated in 1905 with a degree in electrical engineering. He was on the varsity lacrosse team his junior year, and president of the Electrical Society his senior year.^5,6
     He worked as a consulting engineer from 1905 to 1922, as a sales manager for Smoot Engineering in New York City from 1922 to 1933, and as vice president of General Regulator Co. from 1933 until his death in 1935.⁴
     He and his wife Grace are listed in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, in the 1920 census⁷, and in Queens, Queens Co., New York, in the 1925 state census and the 1930 federal census.^8,9

     Donald Francis Berg was born on 10 December 1894 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.^5,2 He married first Esther M. Tyler, daughter of William Tyler and Elizabeth Griffin, on 25 October 1918 in Brooklyn.⁶ They divorced in October 1920 in Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada.⁷ He married second Mary Fletcher Rivers, daughter of Arthur Burl Rivers and Nellie Mae Fletcher, on 15 May 1928 in Cleveland, Bradley Co., Tennessee.^3,8 They probably divorced in June 1932 in Chattanooga, Hamilton Co., Tennessee.^9,10,11
     After their marriage he and his first wife Esther spent some time in Puerto Rico. While there several items were stolen from their lodging, mostly clothing.¹² They returned home in May 1919, sailing on the SS Coamo from San Juan on 14 May, and arriving in New York City on 19 May.⁵
     In the 1920 census, enumerated on 5 January, he's listed as a roomer in the household of Frank Craig in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York. He's listed as married, but his wife Esther is not with him, and has not been found in the 1920 census.¹³
     He traveled to Europe at least twice between his first and second marriages, as proven by passenger lists for his return home. He sailed on the SS Stavangerfjord from Kristiania, Norway, on 21 July 1922, and arrived in New York City on 31 July.¹⁴ And he sailed on the SS Albert Ballin from Southampton, England, on 9 October 1926, and arrived in New York City on 18 October.¹⁵
     After their marriage he and his second wife Mary left Tennessee for his home in New York, stopping for ten days in Washington, D.C., with plans to sail for Europe in mid-June for a several-month stay.³ They are listed in Brooklyn in the 1930 census, living as roomers in the household of Nora Hall.¹⁶
     He was an accountant^13,16, and was working with the Nitrate Agencies Co. of New York in 1917², and with Price-Waterhouse of New York at the time of his second marriage in 1928.³
     On 21 March 1927 he had a letter published in Time magazine, correcting "the stupid error [in an earlier issue] of treating the name of Berg as a Jewish name." He pointed out that Berg was a common name in Scandinavia, and specifically mentioned Albert Wilhelm Berg (his grandfather, although he didn't state that in the letter) as the organist of the famous Little Church Around the Corner in Brooklyn.¹⁷
     No further record has been found for him online, other than his social security record which shows a "claim date" of 8 August 1941, and notes that his name was listed as Donald F. Bergh on 8 October 1976.¹⁸

     Walter Gilman Berg Jr. was born on 1 February 1898 at home at 261 W. 52nd St. in Manhattan, New York.¹ He died on 30 March 1914 at the home of his uncle Moncure Burke in Washington, D.C., at age 16.² He was buried in 1915 at Wards Chapel Cemetery in Jennings Ordinary, Notoway Co., Virginia.³
     In 1910, after their parents' deaths, he and his brother Moncure were living in Washington, D.C., with their mother's brother Moncure Burke and his wife Annie. The family had a chauffeur, two nurses, a cook, and a servant. The cook and one of the nurses were Fannie Downs and Jane Winfrey, who were also with them in Manhattan, New York, in 1905.⁴

     Moncure Burke Berg was born on 13 October 1904 at home at 261 W. 52nd St. in Manhattan, New York.¹ He married first Maxine Elliott, daughter of William Eugene Elliott and Corabelle Hudson, on 27 June 1928 at the First Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.^2,3 Maxine filed for divorce in December 1935 in Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada.⁴ He married second Olive Dennett, daughter of L. Guy Dennett, on 12 May 1945 at the First Unitarian Church in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.⁵ He died on 1 December 1955 in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, at age 51 from a heart attack.⁶ He was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery (Lot 5525 on the Amethyst Path) in Cambridge.⁷
     In 1910, after their parents' deaths, he and his brother Walter were living in Washington, D.C., with their mother's brother Moncure Burke and his wife Annie. The family had a chauffeur, two nurses, a cook, and a servant. The cook and one of the nurses were Fannie Downs and Jane Winfrey, who were also with them in Manhattan, New York, in 1905.⁸
     He graduated in 1927 from Princeton University in Princeton, Mercer Co., New Jersey, with a B.S. in engineering², and later earned a law degree from the George Washington School of Law in Washington, D.C.⁹ He was a patent lawyer, and was working for the Polaroid Corp. in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, at the time of his death.^10,11,12,9
     He and his first wife Maxine, and their infant daughter Barbara, are listed in Washington, D.C., in the 1930 census. Living with them was Barbara's nurse, Isla Hudson.¹⁰ In 1940, after his divorce, he was one of 16 lodgers living at 400 Oxford St. in Rochester, Monroe Co., New York.¹¹
     In 1950 he is listed in the census with his second wife Olive in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Olive's widowed father L. Guy Dennett, and her son Frances Duehay from her first marriage, were living with them.¹²

     Maxine Elliott was born on 15 August 1903 in Bedford, Montgomery Co., Virginia.¹ She married first Moncure Burke Berg, son of Walter Gilman Berg and Ruby Burke, on 27 June 1928 at the First Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.^3,4 Maxine filed for divorce in December 1935 in Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada.⁵ She married second Joseph A. Cranston on 28 May 1938 in Rockville, Montgomery Co., Maryland.⁶ She died on 29 September 1982 at age 79.⁷ She was buried on 1 October 1982 at Arlington National Cemetery (Sect. 7, Grave 10118-H-6-1) in Arlington, Arlington Co., Virginia.⁷
     She attended Holton Arms School in Washington, D.C.³
     She and her first husband Moncure, and their infant daughter Barbara, are listed in Washington, D.C., in the 1930 census. Living with them was Barbara's nurse, Isla Hudson.⁸

     Olive Dennett was born in 1909 in Belmont, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.² She married first Francis G. Duehay.³ They later divorced.³ She married second Moncure Burke Berg, son of Walter Gilman Berg and Ruby Burke, on 12 May 1945 at the First Unitarian Church in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.¹ She died on 11 May 1984 at home in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.³ She was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery (Lot 5525 on the Amethyst Path) in Cambridge.^3,4
     She graduated from Belmont High School in Belmont, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, and attended the Garland School in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.³
     She worked at Raytheon during World War II. From 1957 to 1979 she was an assistant to the minister of the First Parish Unitarian-Universalist Church in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, and later volunteered in the gift shop at Mount Auburn Hospital.³
     She and her second husband Moncure are listed in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, in the 1950 census. Olive's widowed father L. Guy Dennett, and her son Frances Duehay from her first marriage, were living with them.⁵

     Charles F. Sheldon was born on 24 December 1856 in New Jersey.² He married Florence Morse, daughter of Anthony Wellman Morse and Eliza Jackson Cady, on 8 June 1886 at the West Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.¹ They were later divorced.^3,2 He was found dead on 18 April 1912 in his boarding-house room at 3 Willow St. in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, at age 55, by two other boarders who smelled gas. An inquest ruled that the cause was accidental asphyxia.^2,4 He was buried on 19 April 1912 at Greenwood Cemetery (Sect. 20, Lot 8162) in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.^2,5
     He was a member of his father's firm Henry Sheldon & Co., coffee and tea traders in Brooklyn, New York. They were successful for many years, but by June 1893 had been operating with heavy losses for 3-4 years. They had expected to be able to continue in business for several more months, but on 20 June their three major creditors learned of the company's financial condition, and demanded payment. Unable to secure additional loans, the firm suspended operations on 22 June.^6,7
     Some news reports said that Charles precipitated the failure. It was said that he had been "living extravagantly," drank excessively, and "his marriage did not reform him." When his father refused to give him more money, he sought revenge by informing the creditors of the company's condition. One report quoted family members as saying "The trouble is a private one, but we do not deny that his action was at the bottom of it," and "It may seem strange that a son would go so far as to try and ruin his family, but it is a fact."⁷ However, another quoted his father as saying "My son, Charles, has been buying and selling in conjunction with me and the statement that this was any fault of his I will not sanction in the least particular," and noted that the banks involved refused to confirm rumors about how they learned about the company's condition.⁶
     On 23 June police received a report that he had attempted suicide. Family members denied the report, but stated that he was "very ill."⁶ He apparently did suffer from alcoholism, and had previously undergone the "Keeley Cure," and had been an inmate at the Inebriates Home in Fort Hamilton.^8,9 On 26 June, four days after the company failed, he was committed to the Bloomingdale Asylum, and reportedly blamed himself for the misfortune he had caused his family.^7,8
     How long he was confined at Bloomingdale is unknown, but in 1900 he was one of 12 lodgers/borders in a boarding house run by Kate Frost at 64 Orange St. in Brooklyn³, and in 1910 he was one of 15 lodgers in a house run by Stephen Dennis in Brooklyn.¹⁰ No occupation is listed for him in either census, and in the 1900 census he's listed as having been out of work for 12 months.

     Charles Farrington Sheldon was born on 23 October 1888 in Manhattan, New York Co., New York.¹ He died on 30 January 1957 in Sarasota, Sarasota Co., Florida, at age 68.² He was buried at Manasota Memorial Park in Bradenton, Manatee Co., Florida.³
     He went by his middle name Farrington most of his life^4,5,6, but by 1935 he started using the given name Richard.⁷ The following evidence shows that the Richard Sheldon listed in the 1935 Florida state census and the 1940 and 1950 federal censuses, and who died in 1957, is the same person as Charles Farrington Sheldon, son of Charles F. Sheldon and Florence Morse.
     First, Richard F. Sheldon was born in 1888, as shown on his grave marker, the same as Charles Farrington Sheldon.³ Second, his obituary says that he served in the U.S. Army during World War I with Squadron A of the 27th New York Cavalry Division. This is consistent with Farrington Sheldon's military record. Further, when Farrington Sheldon was being transported to France in 1918 he listed Florence M. Fouquet as his mother and emergency contact. Florence died during the time he was overseas, and when he was coming home in 1919 he listed Morton Fouquet as his stepfather and emergency contact.^2,8,9 Finally, his obituary names one survivor, a cousin A. Wallace Chauncey of New York. The obituary of Adelaide (Sheldon) Chauncey names A. Wallace Chauncey of Manhattan as her son, and Henry Sheldon and Celia Farrington as her parents. Henry Sheldon and Celia Farrington were also the parents of Charles Farrington Sheldon's father Charles F. Sheldon, making A. Wallace Chauncey and Charles Farrington Sheldon (aka Richard F. Sheldon) cousins.^2,10
     He served in the U.S. Army during World War I, first enlisting on 29 May 1916 in the Machine Gun Troop, Squadron A Cavalry, of the New York National Guard. On 12 October 1917, after the U.S. formally entered the war, they became part of the 105th Machine Gun Battalion, 27th Division.¹¹ His unit sailed for Europe from Newport News, Virginia, on the USS Calamares on 17 May 1918.⁸ He returned home after the war ended on the USS Leviathan, carrying 10,197 military personnel.¹² They sailed from Brest, France, on 26 February 1919, and arrived in Hoboken, New Jersey, on 6 March.⁹ He was discharged on 1 April 1919.¹¹
     In 1920, after his discharge, he was living with his uncle Anthony Morse and his wife Mary in Manhattan, New York Co., New York, and listed in the census as Farrington Sheldon.⁶
     On 19 January 1921 he reenlisted in Troop C, Squadron A, of the New York National Guard. They became the 51st Machine Gun Squadron on 24 January 1922, and he was discharged on 24 January 1923.¹³
     He was a banker and investment broker.^4,2
     His obituary says he lived the last 25 years of his life in Sarasota, Sarasota Co., Florida.² He is listed there in the 1935 Florida state census as Richard Sheldon, and was living in a boarding house.⁷ However, he is listed at the Hotel Winslow in New York City in the 1940 census.¹⁴ He is listed back in Sarasota in the 1950 census, at the DeSoto Hotel.¹⁵

     Lulu May Husted was born about 1868 in New York, New York.¹ She married Anthony Wellman Morse, son of Anthony Wellman Morse and Eliza Jackson Cady, on 21 November 1889 in Manhattan, New York Co., New York.¹ They were divorced on 25 March 1897 in Amsterdam, Montgomery Co., New York.²