Joseph Alexander Newmeyer (1887 – 1918)

Joseph Alexander Newmeyer’s life is a compelling tale of immigration, resilience, and the impact of historical events. Born in Paris to Russian immigrants on August 22, 1887, there is uncertainty about whether Joseph knew his mother’s first husband or his true paternity. Moving to Philadelphia as a child, he built a life as a salesman, married Diana Labowitz, and had two children. His dedication to his family was evident when he sought a draft exemption during World War I. Tragically, Joseph’s life was cut short by pneumonia during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. His story reflects the broader immigrant experience and the challenges of early 20th-century America.

Early Life

Joseph was born to Russian immigrants David Newmeyer and Sophie Katz. Unfortunately, no records from Joseph’s birth or childhood exist today, and there is some confusion regarding Joseph’s paternity and his immigration timeline to the United States. A cousin, who documented much of the family history, claims that Sophie married in her hometown of Dunaivtsi, Ukraine (then part of the Russian Empire), where she gave birth to her first son, Adolph, in 1885.¹ Sophie then emigrated to Paris, France, where she lived for 10 years. During her time in Paris, Sophie’s first husband, who remains unknown, passed away. Sophie subsequently remarried David Newmeyer, and in 1887, Joseph was born.

If this account is accurate, Adolph’s father was Sophie’s first husband, but it remains unclear who fathered Joseph. Records show that David Newmeyer immigrated to the United States alone in 1892 to join his brother, leaving his wife behind in Paris.² Although no records of Sophie or her children’s immigration have been found, if Sophie lived in Paris for 10 years, she could not have immigrated to the United States before 1895. Contradictorily, Joseph’s records indicate he arrived in the United States in 1888, while Adolph’s records show 1892.³ Further complicating matters, the family name “Newmeyer” was not standardized until 1910; early records suggest variations like Nimeiser or Nemazer. This inconsistency has made it challenging to trace early records for Joseph and his family.

The Evolution of Newmeyer

Last Name	First Name	Date	Source
Nemazer	David	June 18, 1892	Rosenbaum Ticket Ledger4
Nimeiser	David	July 26, 1892	Pennsylvania Passenger List5
Nemmizer	David	1895	Philadelphia Directory6
Neimizer	Sophia	1904	Philadelphia Directory7
Neimeiser	Sophie	1904	Philadelphia Directory8
Neimeizer	Sophia	1905	Philadelphia Directory9
Neimazer	Adolph	1905	Philadelphia Civil Marriage10
Neimeyer	Jos	1909	Philadelphia Directory11
Newmeyer	Joseph	1910	United States Census12

1909-1910 Philadelphia City Directory

Joseph first appeared in the Philadelphia City Directory in 1909, residing at 427 Mercy St., Philadelphia, PA. He lived with his mother, Sophie, and worked as a salesman. The family was still in the process of Americanizing their surname, which was listed as Neimeyer. Joseph remained at this address until early 1910.¹³

427 Mercy Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The house at 427 Mercy Street was built in 2016.¹⁴

1910 United States Census

In 1910, 23-year-old Joseph Newmeyer boarded with the Labowitz family at 2416 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA. The family included David and Tillie, both 40, and their children: Rubin, 22, Diana, 18, Rebecca, 16, and Nettie, 9. David and Tillie were Russian immigrants, while their children were born in Pennsylvania. Joseph worked as a commercial traveler for a shirt factory. David was a lady’s tailor at a clothing factory, Rubin was a shipping clerk for a cloak factory, Diana was a saleslady in a department store, Rebecca was a milliner in a millinery store, and Nettie was in school. Joseph, born in France, immigrated to the United States in 1888 and was naturalized. All their parents were born in Russia.¹⁵

2416 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The house currently at 2416 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was built after the Labowitzes lived there.

1910 Marriage to Diana Labowitz

On October 23, 1910, Joseph married Diana from the Labowitz household in Philadelphia. Though he was recorded as a boarder with the Labowitzes in the 1910 Federal Census, their marriage certificate listed his address as 334 Wolf Street, Philadelphia, PA. Joseph, born in Paris, France, was a salesman, while Diana, born in Philadelphia, worked as an inspectress. It was the first marriage for both of them.¹⁶ After marrying, Joseph and Diana lived with the Labowitz family at 2416 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, until 1918.¹⁷

334 Wolf Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

334 Wolf Street was built in 1920.¹⁸

1911 Birth of Daughter, Berenice, and 1915 Birth of Son, Alvin

On September 9, 1911, Diana gave birth to their first child, Berenice Newmeyer (listed as Bernice Newmayer), at their home. At the time, Joseph, a salesman, was 24 and Diana was 20.¹⁹ Four years later, on August 31, 1915, they had a son, Alvin Samuel, though his birth certificate is currently unavailable to the public.²⁰

Berenice and Alvin

1917 World War I Draft Registration

On June 5, 1917, Joseph Alexander Newmeyer registered for the World War I draft. Born in Paris, France, on August 22, 1887, Joseph had previously claimed to be naturalized but indicated on his registration that he had only declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen and was still a French citizen. He worked as a superintendent at H. Verbit & Co. located at 321 North 8th Street in Philadelphia. Married with two children and also supporting his mother, Joseph requested an exemption to support his family. He was described as being of medium height and stout build, with brown eyes and hair, not bald, and without disabilities.²¹

Death of Joseph Alexander Newmeyer, October 7, 1918

Joseph passed away on October 7, 1918, at 10:45 p.m., at the age of 31, after battling pneumonia for nine days. He spent the last six days of his life at the Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia. He had recently moved with the Labowitz family to 5644 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA. His parents were listed as David Newmeyer and Rosie Katz, with Mrs. Rosie Newmeyer as the informant, though his mother’s name was actually Sophie. In the haste and confusion of the time, the wrong name was recorded.²²

Nine days after the first cases of the Spanish Flu were discovered in Philadelphia, the city held a parade to boost morale and support the war effort.²³ Approximately 200,000 people crowded along Broad Street to watch the festivities.²⁴ Three days later, Joseph fell ill. He was among the first wave of people to pass away from the disease, during a period marked by widespread illness and high mortality.

The day after Joseph’s death, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that 115 people had died from the disease within the prior 48 hours.²⁵ His 7-year-old daughter, Berenice, recalled being told that her father had gone to the hospital because of a headache, and she never saw him again. This chaotic period is reflected in numerous death certificates listing pneumonia or influenza as causes of death.

5644 Pine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2014

2019

Obituary in the Jewish Exponent

A short obituary for Joseph appeared in the Jewish Exponent on October 11, 1918, noting that his interment was private.²⁶ His death certificate stated he was buried at Har Nebo Cemetery in Philadelphia, though no record of his grave exists today.

Transcript: "Joseph A. Newmayer died on Monday of pneumonia, age 31 years. Funeral this (Friday) afternoon, from the parlors of Morris Rosenberg's Son, 2009 North Broad street. Interment private."

Joseph Alexander Newmeyer’s life story is one of overcoming adversity and adapting to new challenges. Born in Paris and raised in Philadelphia, he navigated the complexities of identity and family history while establishing himself as a devoted husband and father. His pursuit of a stable career and efforts to support his family, even amid the uncertainties of World War I, highlights his resilience. Joseph’s premature death during the Spanish Flu pandemic is a poignant reminder of the era’s fragility. His journey offers a personal glimpse into the immigrant experience and early 20th-century American life.

Sources

1. Ellis Katz, Katz Family History, 1 May 2001, private family document. ↩︎
2. “Steamship Ticket Purchase Ledgers,” entry for David Nemazer, 18 June 1892, no. 36525, p. 194, image, Temple University Libraries (https://digital.library.temple.edu/digital/collection/p16002coll16/id/3536/rec/22: accessed 12 July 2024), citing M. Rosenbaum & Co., vol. 1, May 1890-April 1893; “Pennsylvania, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1800-1962,” S.S. Illinois arriving 26 July 1892, sailing from Antwerp, Belgium to Philadelphia, PA, entry for David Nimeiser, unpaginated, 1st page, 29th line, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 July 2024), citing NARA microfilm publication T840, group 85. ↩︎
3. 1910 U.S. Census, Camden County, New Jersey, population schedule, Camden City, enumeration district (ED) 41, p. 74 (stamped), 7A (penned), dwelling 154, family 167, Adolph Newmyer, image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 July 2024), citing NARA microfilm publication T624, microfilm 671, roll 873. ↩︎
4. “Steamship Ticket Ledgers,” David Nemazer, 18 June 1892. ↩︎
5. “Pennsylvania Passenger and Crew Lists,” 26 July 1892, David Nimeiser. ↩︎
6. Gospill’s Philadelphia City Directory for 1895 (Philadelphia, PA: James Gospill’s Sons, 1895), p. 1405, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
7. William G. Torchiana, 1904. Boyd’s Co-Partnership and Residence Business Directory of Philadelphia City (Philadelphia, PA: C. E. Howe Co., 1904), p. 598, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
8. Torchiana, 1904. Boyd’s Directory of Philadelphia, p. 1086. ↩︎
9. Gospill’s Philadelphia City Directory for 1905 (Philadelphia, PA: James Gospill’s Sons, 1905), p. 1873, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
10. “Pennsylvania Civil Marriages, 1677-1950,” image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJ4-6CXT : accessed 12 July 2024), Entry for Adolph Neimazer and Fannie Verbelow, 15 May 1905. ↩︎
11. Boyd’s Philadelphia City Directory (Philadelphia, PA: C. E. Howe Co., 1909), p. 1462, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
12. 1910 U.S. Census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia City, enumeration district (ED) 1004, p. 270 (stamped), 11A (penned), dwelling 54, family 56, Joseph Newmeyer, image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 January 2021), citing NARA microfilm publication T624, microfilm 1150, roll 1409. ↩︎
13. Boyd’s Philadelphia Directory, p. 1462; Boyd’s Philadelphia City Directory (Philadelphia, PA: C. E. Howe Co., 1910), p. 1483, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
14. “427 Mercy St, Philadelphia, PA 19148,” Redfin (https://www.redfin.com/PA/Philadelphia/427-Mercy-St-19148/home/40587746 : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
15. 1910 U.S. Census, Philadelphia Co., PA, pop. sch., ED 1004, p. 270 (stamped), dwell. 54, fam. 56, Joseph Newmeyer. ↩︎
16. “Pennsylvania Civil Marriages, 1677-1950”, image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q299-SW87 : accessed 8 September 2021), Entry for Joseph A Newmeyer and Diana Labowitz, 25 Oct 1910. ↩︎
17. Boyd’s Philadelphia City Directory (Philadelphia, PA: C. E. Howe Co., 1912), p. 1427, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 January 2021); Boyd’s Philadelphia City Directory (Philadelphia, PA: C. E. Howe Co., 1916), p. 1253, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 January 2021); Boyd’s Philadelphia City Directory (Philadelphia, PA: C. E. Howe Co., 1918), p. 1330, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 January 2021). ↩︎
18. “344 Wolf St,, Philadelphia, PA 19148,” realtor.com (https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/344-Wolf-St_Philadelphia_PA_19148_M33666-63802 : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
19. “Pennsylvania, Birth Records, 1906-1908,” Pennsylvania, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Birth: Bernice Newmayer, 9 September 1911, file no. 149827, image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 September 2021), citing Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania. Birth certificates, 1906–1911, Box Number: 426, Certificate Number Range: Philadelphia (Brooks)-Schuylkill (Boscke). ↩︎
20. West Philadelphia High School, The Record of the Class of June, 1933, (Philadelphia, PA: 1933), p. 95, images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 July 2024). ↩︎
21. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 May 2021), Joseph Alexander Newmeyer, registration, serial no. 4317, precinct 33, 39, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, NARA microfilm publication, roll 1907764. ↩︎
22. “Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963,” Pennsylvania, Department of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death: Joseph Alexander Newmeyer, 7 October 1918, file no. 148804, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 September 2021). ↩︎
23. James F. Armstrong, RN, BSN, CCRN, “Philadelphia, Nurses, and the Spanish Influenza Pandemic of 1918,” Naval History and Heritage Command, 7 April 2015, (https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/i/influenza/philadelphia-nurses-and-the-spanish-influenza-pandemic-of-1918.html : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
24. Kenneth C. Davis, “Philadelphia Threw a WWI Parade That Gave Thousands of Onlookers the Flu: The city sought to sell bonds to pay for the war effort, while bringing its citizens together during the infamous pandemic,” Smithsonian Magazine, 21 September 2018, (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/philadelphia-threw-wwi-parade-gave-thousands-onlookers-flu-180970372/ : accessed 12 July 2024). ↩︎
25. “Holds Influenza is at its Crest,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, 8 October 1918, p. 10, col. 1, image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer/21280433/ : accessed 12 July 2024), clip page by user ckelly163. ↩︎
26. “Philadelphia City News: Died: Joseph A. Newmayer,” Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia, PA, 11 October 1918, p. 10, col. 3, image, NewspaperArchive (https://access.newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/philadelphia/philadelphia-jewish-exponent/1918/10-11/page-10 : accessed 15 June 2024). ↩︎