Albert J and
Sarah E Silva
Information comes from an article published in Pieces of the Past, Volume 2, page 52-53 by Jim Reis and used with his permission. Other information comes from the family files at the Campbell County Historical & Genealogical Society in Alexandria.
Albert J Silva was born in Milan Italy December 13, 1845 and came to the United States as a
young boy. During the Civil War, he sided with the Union Army.
He remained in the Army after the war, serving as a sergeant major at the
Newport Military Barracks.
Silva remained in Newport after leaving the Army and became city collector of delinquent license taxes and then city auditor during the administration of Mayor R W Nelson. Silva lived at 316 Overton St. in Newport. He also became secretary for the Union Light and Power Co. a post he held for 12 years. He was a member of the first board of directors of the Newport Carnegie Library and later served as board president.
Albert married Sarah E Devere November 20, 1873 at the Immaculate Conception Church. She was the daughter of William Devere and Catherine Haggerty, both of whom immigrated from Scotland. She was born 17 Jan 1854 in Cleveland, Ohio. Albert and Sarah had eight children, seven survived. In 1878 he is listed in the Newport Business City Directory as a grocer at 91 York.
Children of Albert J Silva and Sarah E Devere
1. Octavia Silva b-Oct 1874 in Newport
2. William Frederick Silva-31 Mar 1877 in Columbus Ohio; d-26 Oct 1934 in
Newport; buried 29 Oct in Evergreen Cemetery, but later moved to St Stephens;
m-Nellie Morrissey, who was born 24 Feb 1890 in Cincinnati; d/o John J Morrissey
& Ellen Owens; She died 20 Dec 1940 in Newport; br-23 Dec in St Stephens
Cemetery
3. Albert D Silva b-29 Jan 1882 in Newport; d-7 Dec 1882 in Newport of
pneumonia; br-Evergreen Cemetery
4. Loretta Vito Silva b-5 Dec 1883 in Newport
5. Chester Arthur Silva b-22 Nov 1886 in Newport; d-18 Aug 1936 in Covington;
br-20 Aug in St Stephens Cemetery; m-Margaret
6. Albert J Silva Jr. b-9 Aug 1888 in Newport
7. Ernest Haggerty Silva b-22 May 1890 in Newport; died 13 June 1957
8. Leroy Francis Silva b-19 May 1892 in Newport; died 27 Oct 1927
Albert was in Indianapolis for an operation when he died in August 7, 1915. His funeral services were held at Immaculate Conception Church in Newport and he was buried at Evergreen Cemetery. Sarah E Silva died 26 Apr 1923 and was buried 28 Apr at Evergreen Cemetery.
Albert J Silva Obituary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This article is about his son, Albert J Silva Jr. in 1918.
Kentucky Times Star, Wednesday, September
11, 1918, page 1
Newport Man Invents Radio System for Armored Tanks
Lieutenant Albert Silva Jr. of Newport has hit upon the long sought idea for affording communication between the crews of battle tanks during action, according to word received in Newport. His invention is a radio system and he has started for France, the message said to try out his idea under actual war conditions.
Lt. Silva formerly was an expert electrician on the staff of the General Electric company and is a son of Albert Silva, former city auditor in Newport, and later secretary of the South Covington and Cincinnati Street Railway company. He has been conducting experiments with his invention in England.