Flipside: Albert "Burt" L. Frederick of Ohio, Pittsburgh and Chicago

My maternal granduncle, Albert "Burt" L. Frederick, was one of my genealogical brick walls--"was" being the operative word. I never heard a word about him and would not have known he existed except for his birth record and the 1880 Ohio census. The stumbling block was looking for Albert Frederick. When I found his mother's obituary I saw he was listed as Burt Frederick and living in Chicago. Just the hint I needed. Off and running.

Albert Frederick was the first child born to Alfred F. Frederick and Lucinda "Lou" Orr Frederick on July 21, 1869 in Franklin Square, Columbiana County, Ohio. It makes sense that Alfred honored his deceased twin brother, Albert Frederick, by naming his first born son, Albert. I have never seen what Albert's middle initial "L" stands for.

Albert "Burt" L. Frederick
circa 1886

This is the only photograph I have seen of Burt. It is cropped from a photo of the Frederick children. Of his three children, only one had descendants and it is doubtful that additional photos of Albert exist. The son, who had children, was born to Burt's first marriage and I am not all that certain he stayed close to his father, although as a young adult, he did live and married his first wife in Chicago.

Not too many years after this photograph was taken, Burt followed his father into employment with the railroad and relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I do not know if he also worked for the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Company like his father. Pittsburgh was the headquarters and the rails did go to Chicago.

Albert L. Frederick followed his father into employment with the railroad as a brakeman. He was living as a boarder in the home of Josephine McCready, in Allegheny City across the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh. Josephine's deceased husband, James A. McCready was an engineer with the railroad and the McCready's ran a boarding house for Railroad employees as shown in the 1880 census.

On September 12, 1889, twenty year old Albert married nineteen year old Georgetta "Georgia" E. McCready. Georgetta was born on March 10, 1870 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to James A. McCready and Josephine Rawlings McCready.

Burt and Georgia welcomed their first child, a son, Raymond Alfred Frederick on May 18, 1891 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. A second son, Harry Harr Frederick was born on July 12, 1894 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Probably both boys were born in Allegheny City which is the area where the Fredrick's lived. Allegheny City later was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907.

1901 Pittsburgh City Directory
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
page 336

1903 Pittsburgh City Directory
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
page 632

With the limited resources to research during the 1890's and early 1900's, it appears that the Frederick's lived in the Allegheny City area during their time in the Pittsburgh area. Allegheny City is now referred to as the North Side (of Pittsburgh). On a map from the early 1900's I have located all the streets and they appear to be located in or near the Manchester neighborhood on the North Side. Tracks owned then by the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway did run through Manchester.

On November 5, 1905, Albert L. Frederick and Georgia E. McCready Frederick divorced. It appears that Georgia moved to Los Angeles, California taking her two sons. They were in California from 1905 until she married for a second time, on April 23, 1914 to Richard W. Harmon in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.

I do want to mention that I was not able to find a 1900 census enumeration for Albert or Georgia and no 1910 census report for Georgia, Raymond or Harry Frederick. Georgia does have Los Angeles City Directories beginning in 1905.

1910 Illinois Federal Census
Chicago, Cook County
April 18 & 19, 1910

Burt L. Frederick, head, age 40, married twice, married 6 years, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio, working on his own account as a yardmaster at a freight yard, renting an apartment at 5303 Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois. Six families live in the apartment. All the men heads of the household are employed with the railroad.

Louise Frederick, wife, age 25, married once, married 6 years, one child, one alive, born in Pennsylvania, both parents born in Pennsylvania.

Sarah Frederick, daughter, age 3, single, born in Illinois, father born in Ohio, mother born in Pennsylvania.

Railroad Yardmaster

According to Wikipedia, the railroad yard master is in charge of the activities in the rail yard. Everything from switching the trains in the yard to different tracks to braking down the train to individual cars. Over the years, Burt had served in many of the various forms of railroad employment and had the background to run the yard.

Burt L. Frederick and Louise M. Saltzer married on September 2, 1914 in Lake County, Indiana. Did Albert have two wives named Louise? Did Albert not marry the Louise Frederick of the 1910 census until 1914?

I have been unsuccessful tracking down Louise Saltzer, even using 1888 as her birth year and birth in Pennsylvania. I have found nothing on her parents.

6601 Wood Street
Second Floor

1920 Illinois Federal Census

Chicago, Cook County

January 16, 1920

Bert Fredrick, head, age 51, born on Ohio, both parents born in Ohio, employed as a conductor with the railroad, renting the second floor of a house at 6601 Wood Street, West Englewood, Chicago, Illinois.

Louise Fredrick, wife, age 32, born in Pennsylvania, father born in Germany, mother born in France.

Sara Fredrick, daughter, age 13, attended school, born in Illinois, father born in Ohio, mother born in Pennsylvania.

Louise's birth year is 1888 and the born in Pennsylvania matches; however her parents country of origin do not match the 1910 census. Does that mean anything?

It was a red letter day when Illinois death information began to be posted out on ancestry. Not only did I find this valuable piece of information, but I also finally found where Burt's father and my maternal great grand father, Alfred F. Frederick died. Burt in Chicago and Alfred, not that far away in Highland Park. I wonder if Burt ever visited his Dad at the Home for Railroaders located there?

I have been rewarded with pulling the trigger on subscribing to ancestry's newspaper option and then adding the option of newspapers after about 1920. Burt's obituary gave me a peek into his personal life and solidified that he and is family do connect to me.

Albert "Burt" L. Frederick died at age fifty four, at his home, 6545 Wood Street, Chicago, Illinois, on June 26, 1924.

From Find A Grave

Burt was buried in Beverly Cemetery, Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois on June 28, 1924. I added his information to Find A Grave back in 2010 when I found the death information. In 2018 his grave marker was added under a separate listing. The symbol shown n the marker is that of the Shriners.

I learned from the obituary that my grand uncle was very involved with free masonry in Chicago.

Medinah Temple Shrine Mosque
Chicago, Illinois

Scottish Rite Cathedral and
Oriental Consistory

Englewood 59 Commandery Knights Templar

Often I end the blog with the death of the direct relation; however, I decided to continue on with Burt's family.

Albert's oldest son, Raymond Alfred Frederick was living in the Chicago area and married Dorothy Bohne on September 5, 1916. Burt's first grandchild, Ruth Dorothy Frederick, was born on June 5, 1922 in Chicago. Was Albert close with his son? Did they gather for holidays? His son's were raised by his first wife, primarily in California.

Three years after her father's death, Sarah L. Frederick, age twenty one, died at her home, 7350 South Halstead, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Her parents are listed as Burt L. Frederick and Louise Saltzer. The birth information for Burt is incorrect. He was not born in Pennsylvania.

Chicago Tribune
Chicago, Illinois
December 27, 1927
Page 27

Find A Grave photograph

Sarah L. Frederick was buried at Beverly Cemetery, Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois on December 28, 1927. I have not visited the cemetery; however, suppose, Sarah is buried beside her father. I do not know why her marker has her name as Sara since all the records I have list her as Sarah.

Louise Frederick, widow of Albert, now alone in Chicago as her daughter has died, found an apartment to rent at 2350 Halsted Street in Chicago for $65.00 a month. Numerous other people are also renting rooms in the building. Louise is listed as a widow and is not employed.

On April 29, 1933, Louise Marie Saltzer Frederick married divorcee, Frederick "Fred" Wadley in Cook County, Illinois Fred had five children children from his first marriage to Edna Rebecca Evison. One child, a daughter, died as an infant. Frederick was born November 12, 1887 in Kane County, Illinois. He was the son of Lester S. Wadley and Mary May Quinn.

The 1940 Illinois census lists Fred and Louise living at 7922; however, the enumerator did not list the street. They lived in the same house in 1935 and 1940. Fred was employed with a building contractor as a carpenter.

On November 20, 1940, Louise Marie Saltzer Frederick Wadley died at age fifty three in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

Find A Grave photograph

Louise was buried at Beverly Cemetery, Blue Island, Cook County, Chicago. I assume that she is buried beside her first husband, Albert "Burt" L. Frederick and her daughter Sarah L. Frederick.

Fred Wadley died in 1972 and was buried in the Wadley/Evison plot in Fairmont-Willow Hills Memorial Park, Willow Springs, Illinois along with his divorced wife and several of their children.

Children of Albert "Burt" L Frederick and Georgetta "Georgia" E. McCready Frederick:

Raymond Alfred Frederick, born May 18, 1891 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, died on March 15, 1961 in Lakewood, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Married first, Dorothy Bohne, on September 5, 1915 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. One child, a daughter, Ruth Dorothy Frederick Mayer. Married second, Cecelia E. Humphrey. One child, Richard Clark Frederick. Served with the United States Army Air Service Aeronautics during World War I.
Harry Harr Frederick, born on July 12, 1894 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, died on February 14, 1940 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Married 1923, Dorothy Starcher. Divorced about 1929. One child, a daughter, Mary K. Frederick.

Child of Albert "Burt" L. Frederick and Louise Marie Saltzer Frederick:

Sarah L. Frederick, born on May 16, 1906 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois and died on December 26, 1927 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

Other Blogs on Flipside for Albert L. Frederick:

-Albert L. Frederick--Brick Wall

-Albert L. Frederick--Brick Wall Crumbles

-Raymond Frederick

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