William James Jacobs Sr. ^{2 3 4 5 6 7}

   FamilySearch ID: 2JM6-DV5.

  Birth Notes:

Event Description: The 1850 through 1880 censuses indicate 1820 is his birth, but 1900 census says Jul 1812

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Relatives To Research: If you are related to William Jacobs please email searchtrees@gmail.com.

2. Occupation: He was a stage coach driver before the railroads. Later, he sold coal oil in Pottsville and Shenandoah. ²

3. Census in 1840 in Schuylkill Twp., Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁰ A possible but unsubstantiated match: Robert Jacobs, the only Jacobs appearing in Schuylkill County in the 1840 Census. Could this be William's brother and he is living with him?
Robert's household had these members:
1 male under 5
1 male 20 to 29 (could be William?)
1 male 30 to 39 (assumed to be Robert)
1 female 20 to 30
Whether Robert could be a brother or father of William Jacobs is uncertain; further research is needed.

4. Census in 1850 in New Castle, Schuylkill County, PA. ¹¹ The 1850 census recorded William Jacobs, 30 living with wife Mary, 27, and children Mary Anne, 7; Jane, 4; and Henrietta, 2. His occupation is listed as Stage Driver. Their birthplaces are missing on the census form. They were living in the town of New Castle within New Castle Township, Also in the home was Harriet Gossler, age 4.

5. Census in 1860 in New Castle Twp., Schuylkill, PA. ⁴ The 1860 census recorded William Jacobs, day laborer, 40, living with wife, Mary, 36; and daughters Sarah J., 14, and Emma , 6. Next door (on the previous census page) is Mary A. Jacobs, servant, 16, living in a hotel owned by hotel keeper Robert Philips, 60. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The post office was Broad Mountain.

6. Census in 1870 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ¹² The 1870 census listed William Jacob (no S), laborer, 50, living with wife Mary, 48; Emma, 17; and William, 8. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The post office was Shenandoah.

7. Fact: Wm. Jacobs was in the list of voters who voted in north ward, Tamaqua, Schuylkill County in the November election, 1876, 2 Nov 1876, Tamaqua, Schuylkill, PA. ¹³

8. Census in 1880 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁴ The 1880 census recorded at 156 Jardin Street: William Jacobs, laborer, 70, living with wife Mary, 57; and granddaughter Sadie Beacher, 10. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

9. Residence: in 1881 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁵ Beacher, Benjamin F., miner, h. W. Centre n Main
Beacher, George W., miner, h al r Oak n West
Beacher, Hiram, miner, h Oak bel West
Beacher, Nathan, miner, h Oak bel West
Beacher, William, miner, h Oak bel West
Dirk, Priscilla, widow Jonathan, h 31 N Jardin
Jacobs, William, laborer, h Line c Main.

10. Census in 1890 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁶ He was recorded in the Third Ward. The original census was destroyed in a fire, but an index created from the census shows the following listings:
Jacobs, Willie, 77, laborer. 220 Pear Alley. Mary.
Jacobs, William, 28, tailor. S. Jardin St. Sarah, Nelda. Jacob.
William's age of 77 supports the 1900 census record which indicates he was born in 1812.

11. William is not found in Schuylkill and Northumberland County will indexes at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1999196 in , Schuylkill, PA.

12. Book: Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania on page 656, 1893. ¹⁷
On Page 656, the biography of Samuel O. Lutz says: "January 5, 1878, Mr. Lutz was united in marriage to Annie, a daughter of William Jacobs, of Tamaqua. To this union was born one child: Susie. Mrs. Annie Jacobs Lutz died in 1880, and Mr,, Lutz married as his second wife Emma, a daughter of L. F, Fritsch, of Tamaqua, and to them have been born three children: William F., aged eight; Olive F,, aged five ; Samuel, aged three."

13. Newspaper: Evening Herald: Personal: W. J. Jacobs attended the Washington memorial parade in Frackville yesterday., 23 Feb 1894, Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁸

14. Newspaper: Shenandoah Evening Herald: Personal. Rev. J. Jacobs of Roxanna, Mich., is visiting his brother, William Jacobs, of town. [Note: Roxanna should be Roxand Township in Eaton County, Michigan.], 28 Oct 1895, Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ^{19 20}

15. Census in 1900 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ²¹ Renting at 218 Strawberry Street was William Jacobs, age 87, born July 1812, 60 years married to his wife, Mary, who is age 77 born May, 1823. (The census was recorded on June 6, 1900.) The census lists her as the mother of 7 children, 4 of whom are living. Mary and her parents are listed as born in Pennsylvania. William is born in Pennsylvania but his father is from France and his mother from Wales. William is listed as unable to read or write but he can speak English. Mary can read, can't write, and can speak English.

16. Obituary: Republican and Herald: Obituary of William Jacobs Sr. On 17 Oct 1902 in Pottsville, Schuylkill, PA. ⁶ SHENANDOAH SCREENINGS
--------------------------------
William Jacobs, Sr., died at 11:30 o'clock this morning very suddenly. He was a very active man for his age, and worked regularly up to the hour of his death. This morning while making his rounds, he suffered an attack of heart failure. Dr. Stein administered treatment and he recovered sufficiently to walk to his home, assisted by his son, William. Shortly after reaching home he expired. Deceased was born July 3, 1812, at York, Pa. He had a very eventful life, having been a tanner, stage driver, soldier, and mine worker. He was one of the early settlers in this town, having located here in 1868. For many years he worked at different occupations about the mines. He was one of the best known men in town, and by his consistent life made many friends who were shocked at his death. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is survived by a wife and four children: Mrs. R. C. Smith, of town; Mrs. Hiram Beacher, of Mt. Carmel; Mrs. Isaac N. Addis, of Reading, and W. J. Jacobs, the merchant tailor. He is also survived by twenty-eight grandchildren, and fourteen great grandchildren. The funeral announcement will be made to-morrow.

17. Obituary: Republican and Herald: funeral notice for William Jacobs Sr. On 18 Oct 1902 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ²² JACOBS. -- At Shenandoah, Pa., on the 17th inst., Wm. Jacobs Sr., aged 90 years and three months. Funeral will take place Monday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock from the late residence, No. ___ West Strawberry alley, proceeding to the Methodist Episcopal church, where services will be conducted. Interment in the Odd Fellows' cemetery. Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend.

18. Newspaper: Republican and Herald: Funeral of William Jacobs Sr., 20 Oct 1902, Pottsville, Schuylkill, PA. ⁹ SHENANDOAH SCREENINGS
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The funeral of the late William Jacobs Sr., took place this afternoon and was largely attended. The funeral proceeded to the Methodist Episcopal church, where services were conducted by the pastor, Rev. Dr. G. W. Dungan. The choir under the leadership of J. J. Price assisted in the services. The pall bearers were Thomas J. Reese, Thomas Lathlean, John West, Elias Webster, James Patterson and James May. Interment was made in the Odd Fellows' cemetery. Williams & Son were the funeral directors. Among the out of town relatives and friends in attendance were the following: Hiram Beacher and family, Mt. Carmel; Heber Smith, Easton; Robert Smith and Mr. and Mrs. William Carl, Philadelphia; Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Kerslake, Hazleton; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Heywood, Girardville; Mr. and Mrs. Lindenmuth, Mahanoy City, and Mrs. I. M. Addis, Reading.

19. Book: History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, 1907. ³
Beacher, Benjamin F., Jr., wholesale and retail dealer in confectionery, in the city of Shenandoah, is recognized as one of the representative young business men of his native country and such is his standing as a citizen and scion of one of the honored families of this section of the state that he is well entitled to specific mention in this volume. Mr. Beacher was born in Shenandoah, Feb. 7, 1879 [correction: 1877] and is a son of Benjamin F. and Sarah Jane (Jacobs) Beacher, both of whom were likewise born in Schuylkill county - the former in 1846 [should be 1845] and the latter in 1851. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was William Beacher, who was one of the pioneer lumbermen of Schuylkill county, and who died at Ringtown. The maiden name of his wife was Eisenhaut, a member of a family which was early founded in the southern part of this county. [correction: Jacob, not William, was his grandfather who married an Eisenhuth.] William J. Jacobs, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Beacher, was likewise an honored pioneer of the county and in the early days, before the establishing of railroad lines, he drove a stage between Pittsburg and Baltimore. He passed the closing years of his life in Shenandoah.

William married Mary Ann Hough, daughter of Henry Hough and Margaret Kline, about 1840.¹ (Mary Ann Hough was born on 23 Sep 1822 in Selinsgrove, Snyder, PA,^{8 23 24} died on 5 May 1908 in Mount Carmel, Northumberland, PA ^{8 23 24 25} and was buried on 8 May 1908 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA ^{8 23 24 25}.)