Thomas Franklin Billups

Birth Name Thomas Franklin Billups 1
Gender male
Age at Death 65 years, 10 months, 9 days

Narrative

According to his obituary, Thomas and family moved from Norristown to St. Petersburg in 1921.

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Next item is from a posting at rootsweb.com, entitled "Members of the Trinity Reformed Church, Montgomery Co., PA. Poster said it was dated 9/1/1925. The list includes:
...
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Billups, care Y.W.C.A., St. Petersburg, Fla.
...
Miss Mable Kulp, 1024 Cherry St.

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In 1932, Thomas, of 847 Highland St., bid on operating the cafeteria at the Senior high school in St. Petersburg for 13 percent of the gross revenue. (From an item in the St. Petersburg Evening Independent, Aug 12, 1932, page 1. Image at news.google.com.)

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An item in the St. Petersburg Times of June 30, 1942, page 8, entitled "' Y' Announces Camp Staff" said that Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Billups would be in charge of the kitchen at the camp. (Image at news.google.com.)

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from the St. Petersburg City Directories
1936 Billups Thos F (Sarah; New Jersey Bakery) h847 Highland st N
Virginia student r847 Highland st N
1937 Billups Thos F (Sara) h847 Highland st N
Virginia student r847 Highland st N
1938 Billups Thos F (Sarah K) clk StPetersburg Hgh Sch Cafeteria h820 15th av S
Virginia R clk S H Kress & Co r820 15th av S
1939 Billups Thos F (Sarah M) hlpr Senior High School Cafeteria h820 15th av S
Virginia R opr r820 15th av S
1940 Billups Thos F (Sarah M) clk Sr High Sch Cafeteria h818 15th av S
Virginia R beauty opr r818 15th av S
1941 Billups Thos F (Sarah N) h818 15th av S
Virginia R waiter J G McCrory Co r818 15th av S
1942 Billups Thos F (Sarah) meat ctr Geo H Cooper jr h818 15th av S
1944 Billups Thos F (Sara M) h818 15th av S
1945-6 Billups Sarah (wid Thos F) h818 15th av
1945-6 Mitchell Virginia emp City r820 15th av S
1947 Billups Sarah M (wid T F) h818 15th av st N
Virginia R Mrs beautician r818 15th av S
1948 Billups Apartments 820 15th av S
" Sarah Mrs h818 15th av S
" Virginia r818 15th av S
1949 Billups Apartments (Mrs Sarah Billups) 820 15th av S
" Sarah (wid Thos; Billups Apartments) h818 15th av S
" Virginia dressmaker r818 15th av S
1951 Billups Apartments (Mrs Sara M Billups) 820 15th av S
" Sara M (wid Thos F; Billups Apartments) h820 15th av S apt 1
1951 Kohler Jos S (Virginia R) garage formn Sou Dairies h818 15th av S
" Virginia R Mrs slswn Tropical Cloth Shop h 818 15th av S

Billups Apartments was at 818-820 15th av S and held at least seven units, including Thomas and Sarah's own, according to the 1945 Census report. In 2011 this street was all single family homes, but there was a large empty lot where the building could have been.

 

 

Events

Event Date Place Description Sources
Birth September 9, 1879 Yeagertown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States    
Event Note

U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Name: Thomas F Billups
Birth Date: 9 Sep 1879
Birth Place: Elizabethtow, Pennsylvania
Death Date: 18 Jul 1945
Claim Date: 2 Aug 1946
SSN: 263167374
Notes: 05 Jan 1977: Name listed as THOMAS F BILLUPS

 

 

Census (Nephew) June 12, 1880 Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States 339 Harrison Street 2a
Event Note

1880 Census, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Roll: 1093; Page: 311D; Enumeration District: 139
June 12, 1880
at 339 Harrison Street

Joseph Jackson, 37, married, laborer, born in England, parents also
Naomi Jackson, 37, wife, keeping house, born in England, parents also
Ephie Jackson, 7, daughter, school, born in England, parents also
Thomas Billups, 2, no relationship listed, born in Pennsylvania, parents in England

Enlistment July 15, 1898 New Jersey, United States    
Event Note

Company H Fourth Regiment, NJ National Guard Volunteer Infantry
Thomas F Billups
Date of Enrollment: July 15, 1898

Ancestry.com. U.S., Adjutant General Military Records, 1631-1976 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Original: California State Library; Sacramento; Roster of the New Jersey National Guard Volunteer Infantry

Census (Employee) April 19, 1910 Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States   3a
Event Note

1910 Census, Ward 6 Norristown, PA
State Hospital for the Insane, Southeastern District of Pennsylvania
April 19, 1910

Thomas F Billups, 30, single, born in Pennsylvania, parents in England, cook
same place,different page of census
Sarah Culp, 30, single, born in Pennsylvania, parents also, seamstress [indexed as Tulp, on sheet 19B of original census pages]

Communicant 1917 Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States   4a
Event Note

Bethany United Methodist Church, Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Thomas J Billups, no date.
Riverside Ave
dismissed with certificate April 7, 1917

Residence 1918 Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States   5a
Event Note

Norristown 1918 City Directory
Thomas F Billups, chef Asylum, home 1121 Markley

Draft Registration September 12, 1918 Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States res: State Hospital, employee 6a
Event Note

World War I Draft Registration
Local Board, city of Norristown
September 12, 1918
Thomas Franklin Billups
1121 Markley St,Norristown, Pa
39, born September 9, 1879
native US Citizen
occupation: Chef, employer: Oscar L Schwartz
location: State Hospital, Norristown, Pa
medium height, stout build, brown hair and eyes
contact: Sarah Markley Billups, same address

Census 1920 Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States   7a
Event Note

1920 Census Perkiomen, Montgomery, Pennsylvania;
Roll: Series T625, Roll 1606, Page 8B, Enumeration District 155.
[indexed as Billips at ancestry.com]

Billips, Thomas, 43, PA ENG ENG, Marketer, own shop
------, Sarah, 40, PA x 3,
------, Virginia, 3 8/12, PA x3

Residence (Husband) from 1922 to 1935 St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States   5b
Event Note

1920 St Petersburg City Directory
no Thomas F Billups

1922 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sarah) Billups, cook, resides 910 Tangerine

1924 St Petersburg City Directory
no Thomas F Billups

1925 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas (Sarah) Billups chef home 989 Wood Street

1926 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sara) Bilups [sic] cook Betty's Cafeteria home 1009 1/2 7th Avenue N

1927
no Thomas F Billups

1928 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sarah) Billups, chef home 829 Kinyon

1929 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sarah) Billups, chef home 847 Highland St N

1930 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sarah) Billups chef Senior High School Cafeteria home 847 Highland St N

1931 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sara M) Billups cook home 847 Highland N

no 1932 Directory

1933 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sara M) Billups chef home 847 Highland N
Virginia R Billups resides 847 Highland St N

1934 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sara M) Billups chef Peck's Drug Store resides 847 Highland St N

1935 St Petersburg City Directory
Thomas F (Sara M) Billups baker resides 847 Highland St N
Virginia R Billups resides 847 Highland St N

Pension Application August 18, 1927 Florida, United States    
Event Note

Index to Pension Records
Billups, Thomas F
H 4, NJ Inf. (S)
Date of filing: 1927 Aug 18
Invalid (S) [ = Spanish War?]
Application number 1,577,767
Certificate number: A-10-14-27
State from which filed: Fla
remarks: C 2,300,830

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National Archives and Records Administration. U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

Original data: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. T288, 546 rolls.

Census (Head) April 1, 1930 St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States 847 Highland Street 7b
Event Note

1930 Census, Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, ED 52-3, sheet 15A
Apr 1, 1930

[indexed as Bilsups at familysearch.org and ancestry.com]

renting for $20 at 847 Highland Street

Thomas Billups, 46, married 1st at 31, born in Pennsylvania, parents in England, chef, high school
Sarah Billups, 46, married 1st at 31, born in Pennsylvania, parents also, assistant chef, high school
Virginia R Billups, 13, born in Pennsylvania, parents also

United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SBW3-Q2M

Census (Head) 1935 St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States 847 Highland  
Event Note

1935 Florida Census. Series S5, Roll 223, Page 12, Line 46. Precinct 3 of Pinellas County, St Petersburg
At 847 Highland
Thomas F. Billups, 55, BP: PA, tenant, chef, college education
Sarah M. Billups, 55, PA, cook, grammar school education
Virginia R. Billups, 18, PA, daughter, student, high school education

 

Census (Head) 1940 St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States 818 15 Ave South 8a
Event Note

United States Census, 1940,Florida, Pinellas, Election Precinct 27, Saint Petersburg
owns the house at 818 15 Ave South. no indication of who provided the information. All lived in the same place (St Petersburg) in 1935.

Billups, Thomas F, head, 60, 8 years of school, born in PA, worked 75 hours last week as a manager ["own" is crossed out], the business is unreadable. worked 39 weeks last year for $487
Billups, Sarah M, wife, 60, 8 years of school, born in PA
Billups, Virginia R, daughter, 23, 4 yrs of high school, born in PA, worked 52 hours last week as a clerk in a retail ice cream store. worked 49 weeks last year for $313.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-27763-13058-46?cc=2000219

 

Census 1945 St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States 818 15th Ave South  
Event Note

1945 Florida Census. Series S1371, Roll 343, Page 1, Line 28. of Pinellas County.
At 818 15th Ave South
Thomas F. Billups, 65, PA, retired, grade school education
Sarah Billups, 65, PA, housewife, grade school education
[no Virginia]

Death July 18, 1945 St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States   9
Event Note

U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Name: Thomas F Billups
Birth Date: 9 Sep 1879
Birth Place: Elizabethtow, Pennsylvania
Death Date: 18 Jul 1945
Claim Date: 2 Aug 1946
SSN: 263167374
Notes: 05 Jan 1977: Name listed as THOMAS F BILLUPS

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Obituary Image at news.google.com
The (St. Petersburg) Evening Independent
July 19, 1945

Thomas Billups Dies After Heart Attack

Funeral services are being arranged for Thomas F. Billups, 66, a Spanish-American War veteran, who died at 6:30 last evening at his home 818 Fifteenth avenue south, after a brief illness.

Magistrate John T. Fisher, acting as coroner, pronounced death due to heart attack and said there would be no inquest.

Mr. Billups came here in 1921 from Norristown, Pa., where he was a member of lodge No. 620, F and A.M. He leaves his wife, one daughter, Virginia R. Mitchell, and a sister, Mrs. James H. Hamilton, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Arrangements are in charge of Cooksey's, Inc.

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Tampa Bay Times, July 19, 1945
Heart Atttack Fatal to Thomas Billups
Thomas F Billups, 66 year old Spanish-American war veteran who resided here at 818 Fifteenth avenue south, died last night at 6:30 o'clock following a brief illness.

Magistrate John T. Fisher, investigating as coroner, pronounced death due to heart attack. He said there would be no inquest.

A long time resident, he came here in 1921 from Norristown, Pa. He was a member of the Norristown lodge No. 620, F and A.M.

In addition to his wife, survivors include one daughter, Mrs Virginia R. Mitchell, and a sister, Mrs. James H. Hamilton, of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later by Cooksey's Inc.

Burial 1945 Royal Palm South Cemetery, St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States Burial of Thomas Franklin Billups 10

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father Henry “Harry” BillupsSeptember 29, 1845between September 29, 1891 and September 29, 1892
Mother Agnes GrattonApril 4, 1845March 13, 1880
    Brother     John Henry Billups between October 1, 1871 and December 31, 1871 December 3, 1916
    Sister     Jane Anne Billups June 15, 1874 October 4, 1953
    Brother     James William Billups August 11, 1876 April 27, 1882
         Thomas Franklin Billups September 9, 1879 July 18, 1945

Families

Family of Thomas Franklin Billups and Sarah Markley Kulp

Married Wife Sarah Markley Kulp ( b. about 1879 d. December 1965 )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage about 1910     11
  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
Virginia Ruth BillupsOctober 28, 1916December 12, 2001

Source References

  1. Daughter's second marriage announcement for middle name.
  2. 1880 United States Census
      • Page: Pittsburgh, Roll: 1093; Page: 311D; Enumeration District: 139
  3. 1910 United States Federal Census
      • Page: Norristown Ward 6, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, ED 120, sheet 4B
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MG6D-SSV : accessed 10 June 2019), Thomas F Billups, Norristown Ward 6, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 120, sheet 4B, family , NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1379; FHL microfilm 1,375,392.

  4. Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records
      • Page: Bethany United Methodist Church, Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
  5. City Directories
      • Page: Norristown PA, 1918
      • Page: St Petersburg Fl, 1920 to 1935
  6. World War I Draft Registration Cards
      • Page: September 12, 1918, Local Board for Norristown, Pa
      • Citation:

        "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6VT-Q29 : 13 March 2018), Thomas Franklin Billups, 1917-1918; citing Norristown City no 1, Pennsylvania, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,907,347.

  7. National Archives and Records Administration: 1930 United States Census
      • Page: Series T625, Roll 1606, Page 8B, Enumeration District 155.
      • Page: Thomas Billups, Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, ED 52-3, sheet 15A
  8. 1940 United States Census
      • Page: St Petersburg FL, Precinct 27
  9. Obituary, St. Petersburg Evening Independent, July 19, 1945, image at news.google.com (archives).
  10. See note at death date.
  11. 1930 Census information says he and his wife both were 31 when married. 1930 Federal Census, Florida, Pinellas Co., St Petersburg. ED 52-3, Sheet 15A, line 7ff. Dwelling 400, family 413