St. Stephens Episcopal Church
It looks like our Smileys came to the Frankford area in 1889. They had been gradually working their way
northward in the city probably following new job opportunities. Frankford was an old neighborhood going
well back into the 18th century. Adjacent to Frankford is the old borough of Bridesburg. St. Stephen's
Church was situated opposite the Frankford Arsenal which contrary to its name is actually located in
Bridesburg. St. Stephens was founded by a members of St. Mark's Church of Frankford (on Griscom Street)
in response to the growth of Bridesburg in 1868. The first services were held in Stowmans Hall at Pratt
and Thompson Street until the church building was erected.
I grew up hearing the story that my father and his brothers had been in the choir at St. Stephen's when
they were boys and my first attempt at serious research was to try to find some record of their attendance.
The microfilmed records are at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The actual records now reside at
St. Mark's. What I found in those records was much more than I expected. Both the Hobsons and Smileys
attended St. Stephens.
- 3/13/1887 - Christening of Alexander Newton Hobson. Sponsors were Edwin Knott and Catherine McNutt
- 9/26/1888 - Christening of Joseph Hobson. Sponsors were Joseph H. Hobson and Cornelia A. (Hutchinson) Hobson
- 2/2/1891 - Christening of Christiana Hobson. Sponsor was Joseph Henry Hobson (her father). On this day she was the last of the Hobson children surviving. She died 5 days later.
- 2/5/1902 - Death of Martha Smiley. Service conducted by Rev. Price at their home on Orthodox Street
- 3/26/1905 - Christening of Earl John Smiley. Sponsors were Elizabeth M. Smiley and William D. Smiley
- 9/24/1908 - Christening of Ethel Margaret Smiley. Sponsors were Robert John Smiley and Gertrude Smiley and Anna Greer Smiley.
- 4/19/1909 - Marriage of William D. smiley and Marion Hobson. Witnesses were the sisters of the groom
- 2/13/1910 - Christening of William Joseph Smiley. Sponsors were Alex Smiley and Elizabeth Smiley
- 10/4/1911 - Christening of Robert Alexander Smiley. Sponsors were Alex Smiley and Anna Smiley
- 8/13/1914 - Christening of Gilford David Smiley (my father). His sponsors were Anna Smiley and Elizabeth Smiley
- Christening of Ruth Cornelia Smiley. Sponsors were William Yeomanson and Elizabeth Yeomanson
- 4/5/1915 to 4/2/1916 - William Smiley was a vestryman of the church
- 4/5/15 to 4/17/1922 - Robert W. Smiley was a vestryman of the church
- 11/29/1916 - Marriage of William Bell yeomanson and Elizabeth Matilda Smiley. Witnesses were Anna I. Smiley and Edward Yeomanson
- 9/19/1926 - Death of Margaret Smiley
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