Thomson - McAdams Virtual Family Reunion

Robert Thomson and Edith Engle


Robert Thomson Jr. was born in Fath of Furth, Scotland on February 11, 1894 to Robert Thomson and Ann Smart. He came to the United States in 1903.

Meanwhile, in Jeanetta Borough, a German immigrant named Charles Engel was living with his family on Gaskill Avenue, North Side. Charles reported his birth date to be March 1852, his year of immigration to be 1880 and his occupation to be "Day Laborer." With him was his wife Carolina. In 1900, Carolina reported that she and Charles had been married for 23 years. She was the mother of twelve children, nine of whom were living, and eight of whom were living in the household. Carolina reported her birth date to be March 1856, her birth place to be Germany, and her year of immigration to be 1880. With Charles and Carolina were eight children:

  1. Jacob, born in Germany in January, 1878 who, like his father, listed his occupation as "Day Laborer."
  2. Bertha K., born in Pennsylvania in August, 1881 who listed her occupation as "Packer - Flint Glass."
  3. Charles R., born in Pennsylvania in September, 1883 who also listed his occupation as "Packer - Flint Glass."
  4. Victor G., born in Pennsylvania in October, 1885 who listed his occupation as "Day Laborer."
  5. Kate, born in Pennsylvania in October, 1887, "At School."
  6. Louise E., born in Pennsylvania in December, 1889, "At School."
  7. Edith M., born in Pennsylvania in June, 1896, "At School."
  8. Esther V., born in Pennsylvania in August, 1899.
Source: 1900 Federal Census Table for Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Enumeration District 105
Sheet 1A

In 1910, William Kitzer was living on Ridge Road in Lower Burrell Township, Allegheny County. He reported his age as 48 and his birthplace as Pennsylvania. He reported his occupation as farmer. With him were his wife Anna, age 40, born Pennsylvania as were her parents. Anna reported having been married for 25 years and being the mother of 12 children, eleven of whom were still living. Eight of the children were living in the home:

  1. William, age 18
  2. Harry, age 16
  3. Margaret, age 15
  4. Jacob, age 12
  5. Doleman, age 9
  6. Roy H., age 7
  7. Blanche, age 5
  8. Charles, age 3 months.
Source: 1910 Census for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Enumeration District 156
Sheet 16B

In 1915, Robert Thomson married Edith Engel, daughter of Charles and Caroline Engel. Their Marriage License was recorded in the Allegheny County Marriage License Docket. Edith reported her birthplace to be Jeannette, PA. Because Edith was only 19, Charles gave his consent for the marriage. Robert and Edith were married on November 26, 1905.

Robert was naturalized in 1916.

In 1920, Robert was living at 314 Kambach Street in Pittsburgh's 18th Ward in the Beltzhoover section of the City of Pittsburgh. With Robert was Edith, then 23 and their son, Robert Engel Thomson, born on June 3, 1916. Edith reported her birthplace as Pennsylvania and the birthplace of her parents as Germany. Robert reported his occupation as shipper for a builder's supply company. Also living at at 314 Kambach S. were Ralph and Rose Spicker and their children.

Source: 1920 Federal Census for Allegheny County, PA,
Enumeration District No. 609,
page 10.

Edith Engel died on December 26, 1928.
On February 20, 1930, Robert Thomson married his second wife, Blanche Elizabeth Kitzer, daughter of William and Ann Kitzer. Their son was Don Thomson, born on June 24, 1933.

Robert Thomson died on Blanche's birthday in 1940. His obituary read:

THOMSON - On Wednesday morning, Feb. 28, 1940, Robert Thomson, husband of Blanche Kitzer Thomson and father of Robert Jr., and Donald Thomson in his 47th year. Friends may call at the Rodenser Funeral Home, 139 S. Negley Ave., E. E. Services on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock.

Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Thursday, Feb. 29, 1940
Aunt Sarah McAdams page 24
Robert Thomson was buried in Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh, PA.

Robert and Edith's son, Robert "Bob" Engel Thomson, earned a degree in architecture at Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh and graduated on his birthday, June 3, 1940. Bob married Anna Louise McAdams, the youngest of six children of Thomas Joseph McAdams and Louise Wertz, at the Holy Rosary Parish House on September 17 of that same year. Bob worked for Sherwin Williams and then for Goodyear in Akron. Louise worked for the Akron Board of Education for ten years. Bob and Louise had four children:
  1. Bob and Louise's oldest child was Robert Donald "Bob" Thomson, born in 1941. Bob married Pat Thornsberry and had three children: Colleen Ann, Robert Michael and Eileen Marie Thomson. This photo, courtesy of Janet Dietz Madden shows Bob with his brother Bill standing in front of their parents, Bob and Louise Thomson. The woman on the right is Sarah Hunt McAdams, who raised Louise.

  2. Bob and Louise's second child was William Hunt "Bill" Thomson, born in 1944 who married Shari Graham. Bill and Shari's boys are Nate and Jake.

  3. Bob and Louise's third child was Kay Louise Thomson, born in 1951. Kay's daughter is Jennifer and her husband is Bill Black.

  4. Bob and Louise's fourth child was Carolyn "Lyn" Thomson, born in 1956. Lyn married Teddy Joe Crocker. Their boys are Lucas Thomson Crocker and Brett Engel Crocker.
Bob Thomson died in 1992 in Akron and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery.

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Copyright � 2000-2003 Nancy McAdams
May 26, 2000
Updated August 24, 2003

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