The Sibert Family of South Carolina and Alabama

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II-D-5. JOHN WALTER SIBERT (1876 – 1946), son of John Henry Sibert³ (George², John David¹)

John W. Sibert was born on 4 June 1876 in South Carolina. He died on 14 (gravestone) or 15 August 1946, aged 70, in Richmond County, Georgia. [1] John W. Sibert of Augusta married Ethel Armstrong of Augusta on 7 June 1899 in Richmond County. [2] Ethel was born on 24 June 1883 in Georgia. She died on 12 October 1960, aged 77, in Richmond County. [1]

John and Ethel are buried in the Magnolia Cemetery in August, Richmond County, Georgia. The inscriptions on their gravestones say: [3]

According to his 12 September 1918 World War I draft registration card, John was born on 4 June 1876. He was a self-employed contractor, and his nearest relative was Ethel Sibert of 1823 Walton Way in Augusta. John is usually referred to as "John W." in the records. Here is referred to as "John Walter," and his signature says "John Walter." [4]

According to the census, on 2 June 1900, John Walter, born in June 1876 in South Carolina, and Ethel Lee, born in June 1882[!] in Georgia, lived in a rented house at 1517 Walton Way in Augusta. They had been married for a year, and had had no children. John was a house carpenter. [5]

On 25 April 1910, John W., aged 32, and Ethel, aged 24, lived in Augusta with their daughter Gertrude, aged nine and born in Georgia, and their son Winton, aged seven and born in Georgia. They had been married ten years, and had had two children. John was a house contractor. [5]

On 3 January 1920, John W., aged 42, and Ethel, aged 36, lived in their own house at 1420 Heath Street in Augusta with their daughter Gertrude, aged 18; their son John W., aged 17; and their niece Helen A. Sledge, aged two and born in Georgia. John was a house contractor. [5]

On 11 April 1930, J.W., aged 54, and Ethel, aged 46, lived at 1420 Heath Street in Augusta with their son John W., aged 26, and Helen, aged 12, and now referred to as their daughter. J.W. was a general contractor. [5]

On 24 April 1940, John W., aged 64, and Ethel, aged 57, lived at 1420 Heath Street in Augusta. John W. was a city building inspector. The census says John completed the eighth grade; Ethel graduated from high school. [5]

On 3 April 1950, Ethel A., aged 65 and a widow, lived on Stovall Street in Augusta. She was unable to work. [5]

Children of John Walter Sibert and Ethel N. Armstrong:

II-D-5-a. Gertrude Sibert was born on 14 June 1901 or 1902 (gravestone). [6] She died on 4 April 1980, aged 77, in Richmond County. [1][6] She married first Dr. Frank N. Rogers shortly before 9 November 1924 at the First Presbyterian Church in Augusta. [7] She married second Ware Frederick Schiefer. He was born on 20 February 1899 in Pennsylvania. [8] He died of a heart attack on 16 February 1964, aged 64, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina.

Ware and Gertrude are buried in the Magnolia Cemetery. The inscriptions on their gravestones say: [3]

Mrs. F.N. Rogers of Augusta was an attendant at her brother John's wedding on 20 April 1931. [9]

According to the census, on 23 April 1940, Ware F., aged 41 and born in Pennsylvania, and Gertrude S., aged 38 and born in Georgia, lived in Augusta with their [possibly living] child. Ware was a supply officer for the Veterans Administration Hospital. On 21 April 1950, Ware, aged 51, and Gertrude S., aged 47, lived in Swannanoa, Buncombe County, North Carolina with their child. Ware was a supply officer for the Veterans Administration Hospital. [5]

According to his death certificate, at the time of his death, Ware and Gertrude lived at 6B Veterans Drive in the Oteen neighborhood of Asheville. Ware worked in the supply division of the Veterans Administration [hospital in Oteen]. He was a veteran of World War I. His informant was his wife Gertrude S. Schiefer. She didn't know who his parents were. [8]

II-D-5-b. John Winton Sibert was born on 9 August 1902 in Augusta, Georgia. [6][10][11, 11 August] He died on 8 May 2005, aged 102. [6][10] He married Caroline E. Stephens on 20 April 1931 in Metropolis, Massac County, Illinois. [9] Caroline was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Stephens. [9] She was born in March 1908 in Illinois. [11]

According to an announcement of his up-coming wedding, John planned to marry on 20 April 1931 at the St. Albans Episcopal Church in Metropolis. [9]

John graduated from the University of Georgia and M.I.T. [10]

"He was a construction engineer of large buildings, tunnels, bridges, large dams and hydro-electric power plants. His projects included the Waldorf-Astoria, Palmer House, Third Locks of the Panama Canal, and the world's two largest earth dams on the Missouri River." [10]

John was an engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers working on locks and dams along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, In 1940 he was transferred to Panama to begin the expansion of the Panama Canal which was terminated in late 1942 by World War II. [11]

According to the census, on 3 April 1940, John W., aged 30 and born in Georgia, and Caroline, aged 32 and born in Illinois, lived in Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois with their [possibly living] child. John was an engineer with the war department. In 1950, John W., aged 48, and Caroline E., aged 42, lived in Riverdale, McLean County, North Dakota with their [possibly living] children and John's mother-in-law Mary E. Stephens. John was a project engineer with the U.S. government. [5]

II-D-5-c. Helen Anita Sibert (adopted daughter) was born on 27 May 1917. [3][12] She died on 17 December 1978. [3] She married Charles John O'Connor. [3] He was born on 12 March 1912 and died on 23 January 1973. [3] Helen and Charles are buried in the Westover Memorial Park in Augusta. [3]

Helen A. was the daughter of Theodore James Sledge and Ethel (Armstrong) Sibert's sister Edith Lally Armstrong. [12] Her father served in as a first lieutenant in Patton's tank corps during World War I. Her mother died of influenza on 22 December 1918. As a widower in the military, her father decided it would be best for Edith's family to care for Helen. Theodore was later promoted to (full) colonel and served in World War II. [12] While stationed in the Philippines, he was captured and spent three and a half years as a Japanese prisoner of war. [12][13]

Endnotes:

1. "Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919–1998," database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5426), entries for John W. Sibert, Ethel A. Sibert, Gertrude S. Schiefer.

2. "Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828–1978," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/4766), marriage certificate for John W. Sibert.

3. Find a Grave, database with images, FindaGrave (accessed 3 June 2024), memorial pages for

4. "U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482), entry for John Walter Sibert.

5. "U.S. Federal Census Collection," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/categories/usfedcen) >

6. "U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014," database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3693), entries for Gertrude Schiefer., John W. Sibert.

7. "Miss Sibert Weds Dr. Rogers in Augusta," Atlanta Constitution, 9 November 1924, p. 49 (7 M)

8. "North Carolina, U.S., Death Certificates, 1909–1976," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1121), entry for Ware Frederick Schiefer.

9. "Stephens-Sibert Wedding on Monday at Metropolis," Paducah Sun-Democrat (Paducah, Kentucky), 17 April 1931, p. 6.

10. "John Sibert Obituary," article published by the Herald Tribune on May 15, 2005, Legacy.com (https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/heraldtribune/name/john-sibert-obituary?id=50419447 : accessed 4 June 2024).

11. Private correspondence with John Winton's son.

12. R.A. Sheats, Never Too Late: The Life and POW Journals of Theodore James Sledge (Monticello, FL: Psalm 78 Ministries, 2022).

13. "Men Listed as Prisoners," Tampa Tribune, 11 March 1943, p. 5.

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© A. Buiter 2014

05-Jun-2024 3:12 PM