The sad story of George Spencer Millet

Thanks to Chris Dunham at The Genealogue for bringing this story to my attention.


The original version actually appeared in the 16 February 1909 edition of the New York Times.

In a nutshell, young George accidentally stabbed himself to death on his fifteenth birthday--which ironically followed Valentine's Day--because he was trying to avoid a half dozen young ladies who wanted to give him a kiss.

I have to wonder where young ladies like that were on my own 15th birthday, and why George wanted to avoid them . . .

Anyway, stories like this always give yours truly a convenient excuse to engage in some genealogical sleuthing. The result in this case is the following ahnentafel. I welcome any additions/corrections!

1. George Spencer Millet, II, *15 Feb 1894, New York City; +15 Feb 1894, New York City.

2. Cornelius Jones Millet, *19 July 1871, Philadelphia, PA; 1880 census, Philadelphia, notes he suffered from "lung disease"; 1900 res 2201 Seventh Ave., New York City, occ pork packing.

3. Carrie Louise McMannus, *Sept 1874, NY; 1910 widow, living with widowed motheer, NYC.

4. George Spencer Millet, I, *Aug 1840, PA; 1880 res 1925 Wa__ck St., Philadelphia, worked for railroad; 1900 res 122 W 133rd St., New York City, occ c___ broker; =(2) 18 Oct 1898, NYC, the widow Carolyn B. Munder Decker (*Oct 1850, Newark, NJ) whose teenage son W. Dewey Decker ironically worked (in 1900) as a clerk in a fire insurance office; =(1) 6 Jan 1870, Philadelphia.

5. Clara Louise Jones, *ca 1844, PA.

7. Jane, *ca 1843, NY; 1910 widow, res 425 Pleasant Ave., New York City (living with her was son Charles F. McMannus, who also worked in an insurance office . . . hope he was able to avoid kiss-crazy women!).

8. George Jonathan Millet, *25 Dec 1804, England; cr 13 Jan 1805, St. Peter's, Liverpool, England; 1880 res Philadelphia, PA, occ commission merchant.

9. Ann Barrow, *ca 1803, England.

16. Thomas Millet, = 2 Oct 1803, St. Peter's, Liverpool, England.

17. Catharine Spencer.

References:

• 1880 Census, 1925 WA__ck St., Philadelphia, page 408a, family/dwelling 122/147; and page 414d.
• 1900 Census, 2201 Seventh Ave., New York City, page 173b, family/dwelling 39/41.
• 1900 Census, 122 W. 133rd St., New York City, page 258b, family/dwelling 65/163.
• 1910 Census, 425 Pleasant Ave., New York City, page 172b, family/dwelling 32/186.
• IGI batches C004634, C595483, M01335, M009140, M020945, and P020271.