Houghton Surname Project

Alma Cecilia Shew¹

F, #88801, b. 16 September 1845, d. 25 February 1885

Family: Joseph Bartles

Marriage*: Alma Cecilia Shew married Joseph Bartles on May 14, 1868 at Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY, USA.
Divorce*: Alma Cecilia Shew and Joseph Bartles were divorced in Oct, 1883.

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname Project

Corresponded with author

Birth

Sep 16, 1845

New York, New York Co., NY, USA, age 9 in 1855 census; age 14 in 1860 census^2,3

Marriage

May 14, 1868

Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY, USA

Children+

1869

Charles J Bartles b. Jun 1869
Elizabeth S. (Bessie) Bartles b. 28 May 1872
Lucy S. Bartles b. 1877
Stephen M. Bartles b. 20 Jun 1881

Divorce

Oct, 1883

Death

Feb 25, 1885

Philadelphia, PA, USA¹

Biography

Census: She appeared on the census of 13 August 1870 at Williamsport, 5th ward, Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania. Age 24, living with husband Joseph Bartles (salesman) & 7 mo old son Charles; next door neighbor to Joseph's brother Charles Bartle Jr.5
Note: On 3 September 1877. Alma's mother Marie Louise died.
Census: She appeared on the census of 5 June 1880 at 967 West Fourth Street "The Stonehurst", Williamsport, Lycoming Co., NY. Living with husband Joseph Bartles (Salesman), 1 son & 2 daughters & servant Mary Breen (19).14
"The Stonehurst", 967 W4th Street, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Divorce: She and Joseph Bartles were divorced in October 1883 at Williamsport, Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania, Divorce suit was initiated by Joseph Bartles in July & granted in the next court session of Oct 1883.15,16
Note: . "All her valuable clothing was taken possession of by her anonymous relatives [Lucy Sinclaire] and sent to New York. She was almost destitute of clothing when she died."17,18
Note: , at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr.Abram Shew made all the arrangements for Alma as she was dying, placing her in a house run by a Mrs. O'Neil. And then at the
end of the article, we learn that Mrs. O'Neil has hired a lawyer, J.Joseph Murphy, "to recover from Dr. A. M. Shew, of Middletown , Conn., the expenses attendant upon Mrs. Bartles' last illness, which, she alleges in her summons and complaint, were guaranteed by him."17
Note: . "A NORTHERN NEW YORKER TUESDAY MARCH 24, 1885
A Woman's Sad History; The Troubles of a Poor Unfortunate
Woman Who Was Born in Watertown
S h e Died after years of Suffering and Neglect.
The death of Mrs. Alma Bartles, a former resident of Jefferson County, occurred
in the city of Philadelphia a few days ago. There was only one mourner at her funeral,
her five year-old son Stephen. She has had a world of trouble, and the following facts
relative to her life, gathered from the New York Herald, will no doubt be interesting
to our readers . Her maiden name was Alma Shew and she .was born in Watertown in 1846. She was carefully brought up and received an excellent education. Alma 1870 she married Dr. Bartles, of Williamsport, Pa., and
went there to reside where her beauty became a popular craze. After having borne
her husbands three children;she was taken ill and was sent to Philadelphia, where she
was attended by one of the best physicians of that city. She returned to Williamsport,
apparently restored to health, but occasionally had strange delusions. After the birth
of her. fourth child, In the winter of 1879 she was attacked with fever and only recovered after a lingering illness. Her mind was visibly weakened, and she did the oddest things at times. One evening when a number of her neighbors-had called at her
house aud were seated in her parlor, she suddenly sprang to her feet and said impulsively "My Philadelphia physician is the father of my last child." Everybody present
saw that the poor woman was hysterical.
She might just as readily have 'said John Brown or Thomas Jefferson and her
assertion would have attracted as little comment She was known and believed to be
a pure woman, and the distinguished physiclan whom she maligned in her wild language stood on a pedestal as high above such calumny as did John Wesley. The visitors
hastily departed and the sick woman was put to bed. When she recovered, to the
amazement of everybody else, the husband began an action for.divorce in a Williamsport court, based on tbe alleged confession,and under the Pennsylvania laws obtained release from his bonds. He kept three of the children; but the unfortunate boy, the cause of Mrs. Bartles' illness and delusion, was awarded to the mother. The mother and child went to Brooklyn and lived a while with her cousin, Mrs. Lucy Sinclair.
She then went to Philadelphia, where her story had preceded her, and when her presence in Philadelphia became noised about the attorney of the slandered physician took
a most remarkable course, Instead of causing the woman's detention in a hospital, as
should have been done, George W. Biddle advised his client to pay about $15,000 into
the hands of the Fidelity Trust company for the benefit of the boy. It is also alleged
that $5,000 or more, were given to the woman to purchase the silence of her tongue.
The woman declared the physician's Innocence and he was blackmailed on all sides
and led a life of torture for two years. An attempt was made to depose him from the
presidency of an educational Institution, but the distinguished physician held his ground
and many highly honorable members of the society, such as George V. Obilds, A. J.
Droxel, A. K. McClure, Philip C. Garrett, J. B.Llppincott, E. C. Knight, Thomas
McKeon and the entire medical faculty of Philadelphla, headed by Dr. D. Hayes Agnew,
rallied to his support and. defense. During this time Alma Bartles was living
in seclusion in West Philadelphia, where she became known as the "veiled woman,"
from her attire when on the street She lived on her income of $ 15 a week from the
fund in the trust company and by making flowers. All her valuable clothing was taken
possession of by anonymous relatives and sent to New York, and when she died
she was almost destitute of clothing. During her last illness, as her sufferings grew
more acute her mind became perfectly clear, and to several witnesses she solemnly declared that the physician whom she had gravely accused was wholly blameless. She repeated this statement with her dying breath.
Her last hours furnish a most heartless example of family neglect. Her own relatives
abandoned her utterly and she was mostly cared for by outsiders. Her husband
refused to come and see her die, tho' she sent the most agonizing appeals by mail
and telegraph. Many noble- hearted people volunteered and rendered aid, among them
being Mrs. Dr. William Thompson. Dr. and Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. and Miss Rldgeway
and others. Mrs. Lucy Sinclair of Amity street, Brooklyn, was the only relative present
during the last hours of the dying lady, and the statements of all the visitors to the
room of death show conclusively that her end was of the saddest character. The
utmost desire of her relatives seemed to be to get her out of sight and an undertaker was sent to her before she was dead to see what slze coffin she would need. The woman's father [Joel died in 1855] and husband sent word that her body could not rest among their dead. The cousin repeatedly announced in the presence of witnesses that the child, Stephen, would be sent to the orphan asylum were it not for the trust fund held for his benefit The corpse was shipped to Watertown, N. Y., and finally found sepulcher [tomb/grave] in some unknown God's acre that unkind humanity can not disturb. The unfortunate and neglected child was taken to Brooklyn. Mrs. Charles Bartles, an aunt of the deceased, visited Philadelphia apparently as a commissioner for the mistaken husband, who, unintentionally perhaps, and doubtless with the purest' Christian motives, refused final absolution to a hopeless and penitent soul."19
Death: She died on 25 February 1885 at 134 Woodlawn Ave., 27th Ward, Philadelphia, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania, at age 39 According to her death certificate, she died of Alluminuria.19,20,21
Burial: She was buried Old Evans Mills Cemetery, LeRay Twp., Evans Mills, Jefferson Co., NY, "Alma Bartles daugh of Dr. Joel Shew Died Feb 24, 1885 AE 39yrs" Her father Joel Shew is not in this cemetery, but she is buried next to her grandparents Godfrey I & Betsey Beecher Shew.22,21
1885 Alma Shew Bartles gravestone

Last Edited: 5 Aug 2011

Parents:

Father: Dr. Joel Shew b. 13 Nov 1816, d. 6 Oct 1855
Mother: Marie Louise Barney b. 21 Dec 1821, d. 3 Sep 1877

Family:

Joseph Bartles b. 7 Jul 1847

Children:

Charles J Bartles5 b. Jun 1869
Elizabeth S. (Bessie) Bartles+14 b. 28 May 1872
Lucy S. Bartles+14 b. 1877
Stephen M. Bartles4 b. 20 Jun 1881¹