Cornelius Lezenby and Eliza Wilson, Immigrants
and some of their Ancestors
and Descendants

JOHN WALLACE4 LEZENBY (George3, John2, Cornelius1 ) was born at Camden, Camden County, New Jersey on 2 April 1898 a son of George Crease Lezenby, Sr., and his first wife Lula Woodruff.[1] He died at Cherry Hill, Camden County, on 2 May 1988.[2] He married at New Jersey on October 1920 AGNES FRANCES BROOKS.[3] She was born at Landis Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey on 3 December 1899, a daughter of Alfred John Brooks and his wife Carrie Bassett.[4] She died at Lee County, Florida, on 17 March 1985.[5] John was known as "Wally."

John Lezenby's mother left them when he was still in a baby carriage. The 1900 Census reported J. Wallace Lezenby, a two-year-old child, living with his grandparents, John and Hannah Lezenby, at Camden. His father, George, 24, a barber, and his brother George, 7, were also in the family.[6] When Wally was three, his father married Pauline Binder, and the boys were raised by their father and step-mother. The 1905 New Jersey Census reported John, age seven, with his paternal grandparents in Camden.[7] In 1910 and 1915 he was with his father and step-mother in Camden.[8]

John W. Lezenby enlisted in the Army on 2 July 1917, and fought in France in the First World War, being released from service on 4 June 1919.[9]

At the beginning of 1920 John Wallace Lezenby was living with an uncle and aunt, Joseph and Susan Woodruff, in Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey. The census of that year described his uncle as a "hackman," and he as an "auto driver, taxi,"[10] which amount to the same thing.

Wally Lezenby married Agnes Brooks in 1920. Agnes grew up in the township of Landis, Cumberland County. The township no longer exists, as it was later merged into the city of Vineland. Agnes was an only child; her father was a glassblower. Agnes attended Normal School and taught school before marriage, and later after her children were grown.[11]

Wally and Agnes were in Vineland when their first two children were born, in 1921 and 1922. However, they were reported at Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey, in city directories in 1924 and 1925. In the 1924 directory he was listed as a clerk, at the same address as his step-father, Harvey Gilday. In 1925 he was listed as an agent for Prudential Insurance Company.[12] By 1928, when their third child was born, they were back in Vineland.

Robert Denzil Bagster-Collins and John Wallace Lezenby at the baptism of their grandson Christopher Andrew Lezenby
from the personal collection of George F. Lezenby
Agnes Frances (Brooks) Lezenby
from the personal collection of George F. Lezenby

The 1930 census reported John Lezenby, 32, taxi driver, at 507 Elmer Street, Vineland, with his wife, Agnes, 30, and three sons, John, 8, Alfred, 7, and George, 2, and two boarders.[13] The 1940 census reported the family at 314 Eighth Street, Vineland. John, 42, worked as a mailman; Agnes, 40, was a housewife, John, 18, was a factory worker for DuPont, Alfred, 17, and George, 12, were in school. This census also noted that John had completed three years of high school and Agnes had completed four.[14] They resided at the Elmer Street address only for a short period of time, then lived at the corner of Main and Walnut until about 1933, when they moved to the Eighth Street address, and later moved to Embassy Terrace.

Lezenby home Main and Walnut Streets
photo by Constance Lezenby, 2018
Lezenby home 312 Eighth St.
photo by Constance Lezenby, 2018

Agnes Lezenby died in 1985 at Lee County; her last residence was Estero, Lee County.[15] Wally died in 1988; his last residence was Pennsville, Salem County, New Jersey.[16]

Son John Wallace Lezenby, Jr., graduated from Vineland High School in 1939, served in the Army Air Force during World War II,[17] and graduated from Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1949.[18] He worked for DuPont at Deepwater, Pennsville Township, for most of his adult life. Here follow the obituaries for John Lezenby, Jr., his second wife, Shirley, and his son, John III.

John W. Lezenby Jr.

John W. Lezenby, Jr. age 89 of Pennsville passed away on Tuesday June 14, 2011 at his residence. He was born in Vineland and was the son of the late John W. Sr. and Agnes Brooks Lezenby. John was a longtime Pennsville resident.
He was employed as a chemist for the DuPont Chambers Works, Deepwater where he retired in 1982 following over forty years service and a member of the DuPont Veterans Association. He was a member of the South Jersey Bowling Association and served as president and a member of the Hall of Fame. He was an Army Air Corps Veteran of WWII and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Survived by his wife of 36 years, Shirley Bradway Lezenby, son, John W. Lezenby, III and his wife Barbara of Pennsville, brother, George F. Lezenby of PA, grandchildren, Maria Parker and husband Glenn, Heather Poeta and husband Gary, great grandchildren, Jordan N. Poeta, Summer Parker, and Julian Poeta, stepson, Jeff Richards of IA.
Predeceased by a brother Alfred John Lezenby.[19]
Published in Today's Sunbeam on June 16, 2011

Shirley B. Lezenby

Shirley B. Lezenby, age 85 of Pennsville died Tuesday March 18, 2014 at the Christiana Hospital. 
She was born in Carneys Point and was the daughter of the late Albert and Alice Dolbow Bradway. Shirley was a lifelong Salem County resident.
She was employed as a secretary for the DuPont Company at the Plant 1 in Carneys Point and in several sites in DE. 
She was an avid bowler and a member of the New Jersey Bowling Association.
Survived by her son Jeffrey W. Richards and his wife Mary of Polk City, IA, grandchildren, Lisa, David, Bryce, and Corey, great grandchildren, CJ, Amaya, Violet, and Ophelia.
Predeceased by her husband, John W. Lezenby, Jr. (2011) brothers, Buster Bradway, George Bradway, Albert Bradway, sisters, Irene Holton, Betty Vogeding, and Carolyn Carliss, granddaughter, Lori.
A memorial service will be held at the Laughrey Funeral Home, Pennsville where friends may call prior to the service. Burial will follow at the Salem County Veterans Cemetery, Pilesgrove.[20] 
 (findagrave)

John W. Lezenby, III

John W. Lezenby, III passed away on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at the age of 73. At the time of his death, he resided at Somerford House in Newark, Delaware, but his life-long home was in Pennsville, New Jersey. John was born on April 9, 1943 in Vineland, NJ—the only child of John and Evelyn Lezenby. He was married to Barbara Hutchinson on June 4, 1960. He attended Rutgers University for two years, worked at DuPont Chambers Works for a few years, and then became a carpenter. As a member of the NJ Carpenters Union, he worked at the Salem Nuclear Generating Station until he retired. Utilizing his carpentry skills John, along with his wife, built their house on John Stone Street from start to finish. John also bought and renovated a set of duplexes and multiple sets of garages in the area. John received an Outstanding Thespian Award as a youth…befitting, as he put it to use as an adult, acting in many plays and skits throughout the years at Christian Life Center in Pennsville. During his lifetime, John enjoyed gardening, detailing cars, the Jersey shore, watching the stock market, and his lap cat “Paws” (a stray which he adopted.) On the outside, John was often seen as a sharp dresser who drove nice cars, but many do not know that he was a quiet giver and many times shook hands with people and walked away having left them holding a much-needed monetary blessing.
John is survived by his wife Barbara, his daughter Maria and her husband Ken Gatanis, his daughter Heather and her husband Gary Poeta, grandchildren Jordan and Julian Poeta, Summer Parker, brother-in-law Jim Hutchinson and his wife Charlaine, sister-in-law Rev. Nancy Carey and her husband Rev. Dave Carey, brother-in-law Ronald Maier, nephews Rev. David Kyle Carey and Ronald Maier, Jr., and nieces Kristi Hutchinson, Rene Maier Bourne, and Rev. Dana Carey Rue, and many dear friends. John is predeceased by his parents John and Evelyn Lezenby, his father and mother-in-law Clarence Kyle “Jim” and Ruth Virginia Hutchinson, sisters-in-law Jane Hutchinson and Loretta Hutchinson Maier, and brother-in-law Allen Van Hutchinson.[21]
The News of Salem County


Alfred John Lezenby
from the personal collection of George F. Lezenby

Alfred John Lezenby graduated from Vineland High School in 1940,[22] served in the Merchant Marine during World War II, from 2 March 1943 to 5 August 1945.[23] Alfred was a nuclear engineer in charge of start-up operations on many nuclear plants.[24] He was senior engineer on the world's first nuclear powered merchant vessel, the Savannah, launched in 1959. He was spokesperson for the nuclear engineers on board the ship, who rejected a contract offer and walked off the job in 1963.[25]


Biloxi Daily Herald, 13 May 1963; Genealogy Bank

John Wallace Lezenby and his wife Agnes Brooks had the following children:

  1. JOHN WALLACE5 LEZENBY Jr. b. at Vineland on 27 July 1921; d. at Pennsville on 14 June 2011;[26] m(1). bef. July 1942 (when she changed her name for Social Security purposes) EVELYN BERTHA DIAS,[27] b. at Vineland on 29 July 1917, d. on 5 October 1994, child of Antonio Dias and Mamie Festa;[28] m(2). at Lee County on 11 April 1974 SHIRLEY(BRADWAY) RICHARDS,[29] b. at Carneys Point, Salem County,on 24 January 1929, d. at Newark, New Castle County, Delaware, on 18 March 2014, child of Albert and Alice Dolbow Bradway.[30] Child and John and Evelyn:
    1. John Wallace6 Lezenby III b. at Vineland on 9 April 1943, d. at Newark on 8 June 2016,[31] m. at Penn's Neck, Salem County, on 4 June 1960 Barbara Hutchinson[32] Children of John and Barbara:
      1. Jeanette Maria Lezenby m. Ken Gatanis[33]
      2. Heather Lezenby m. at Pennsville on 28 April 1995 Gary Poeta.[34]
  2. ALFRED JOHN5 LEZENBY b. at Vineland on 15 June 1922; d. at Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey, on 18 September 1999;[35]
  3. GEORGE FRANCIS5 LEZENBY b. at Vineland on 6 April 1928.

NOTES

1New Jersey Department of State, Division of Archives and Record Management, Trenton, New Jersey "New Jersey, Births, 1670-1980," database, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 29 May 2018), Camden, Camden County; John W. Lezenby, 1898.
2United States, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, "Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File, 1850-2010," database, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 1 November 2016), John Lezenby, 136365457. Social Security Administration, "U.S. Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 31 October 2016), John W. Lezenby, 136-36-5457. Locustwood Memorial Park, Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 30 May 2018), John-Agnes Lezenby; Created by: Dave B, Photo added by Georgia Lass. George F. Lezenby, "genealogy," electronic mail to Charles A. Maxfield, 13 January 2019. This email is the source of the location of death.
3New Jersey State Archive; Trenton, New Jersey "Marriage Index, 1901-2016," index, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 4 October 2018), J L-Brooks.
4"New Jersey, Births, 1670-1980," Landis, Cumberland County; August F. Brooks, 1899.
5"U.S. Social Security Death Index", Agnes Lezenby, 151-20-5602. David Barnett, to Charles A. Maxfield, electronic mail, 7 December 2014, "genealogy," privately held.
6Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population, Camden, Camden County, New Jersey, enumeration district (ED) 77, roll 959, p. 6B, household 141, family of John Lezenby; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 26 November 2014); NARA microfilm group T623; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
7New Jersey State Census, 1905, Camden, Camden County, New Jersey, p. 21, household 537, John W. Lezenby family; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 17 August 2018).
8Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, population, Camden, Camden County, New Jersey, enumeration district (ED) 60, roll 874, p. 2B, household 42, George Lezenby family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 26 November 2014); NARA group T624, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. New Jersey State Census, 1915, Camden, Camden County, New Jersey, sheet 8B, family 176, George Lezenby family; digital images, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 31 August 2018).
9BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010," John Lezenby, 136365457.
10Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population, Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey, enumeration district (ED) 173, roll 1027, p. 4B, household 83, Joseph Woodruff family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 26 November 2014); NARA microfilm record group T625, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
11Interview with George F. Lezenby and Marie Alvina Lezenby (Lansdale, PA), by Charles A. Maxfield, 23 September 2010. notes held by Charles A. Maxfield.
12Classified Buyer's Guide of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Vicinity, 1924 (Philadelphia: R. L. Polk & Co., 1924), 772, J. Wallace Lezenby; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 4 June 2018). Polk's Atlantic City Directory, 1925 (Philadelphia: R. L. Polk & Co., 1925), 566, John Lezenby; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 5 June 2018).
13Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, population, Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey, enumeration district (ED) 61, roll 1327, p. 4B, household 102, John Lezenby household; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 2014); NARA microfilm record group T626; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
14Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940, population, Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey, enumeration district (ED) 6-78, roll 2327, pp. 10B-11A, household 68, John Lezenby family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 15 September 2014); NARA microfilm group T627.
15"U.S. Social Security Death Index", Agnes Lezenby, 151-20-5602.
16"U.S. Social Security Death Index", John W. Lezenby, 136-36-5457.
17George Lezenby, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, interview by Charles A. Maxfield, 17 June 2018; notes, privately held by Charles A. Maxfield, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, .
18Temple University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "The 1949 Templar," digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 7 June 2018), John Lezenby, Jr. U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1990.
19"[Obituary]," database, Find a Grave (findagrave.com: accessed 6 June 2018), John W. Lezenby, Jr. (Published in Today's Sunbeam on June 16, 2011).
20"Laughrey Funeral Home, Pennsville, New Jersey," database, Laughrey Funeral Home (laughreyfuneralhome.com : accessed 30 March 2014), Shirley B. Lezenby; online obituaries
21"John W. Lezenby, 3rd," obituary, The News of Salem County, online newspaper, News of Salem County (newsofsalemcounty.com : accessed 5 July 2016), Salem County Obituaries.
22Vineland High School, Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey, "The Record 1940," digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 7 June 2018), p. 47, Alfred John Lezenby; U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1990.
23BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010," Alfred Lezenby, 142129306.
24George F. Lezenby, "Genealogy," electronic mail, to Charles A. Maxfield, 28 November 2018.
25"Nuclear Ship Officers Spurn Raises; Would leave," Biloxi Daily Herald, 13 May 1963; Genealogy Bank (genealogybank.com : accessed 6 January 2018), Newspaper Archive. p. 8.
26"U.S. Social Security Death Index", John W. Lezenby. Salem County War Veterans Memorial Park & Cemetery, Woodstown, Salem County, New Jersey, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 6 June 2018), John W. Lezenby, Jr.; Originally Created by: Laura Phillips, Maintained by: Dave B, Photo added by The Bull.
27New Jersey, "Marriage Index, 1901-2016," Lezenby-Dias 1942. United States Social Security Administration, "Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007," database, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 18 September 2015), Evelyn Bertha Dias, 138183021.
28"U.S. Social Security Death Index", Evelyn D. Lezenby, 138-18-3021.
29Florida Department of Health, Jacksonville, Florida "Florida Marriage Index, 1927-2001," database of index, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 1 November 2016), vol. 3537, no. 022824, Lezenby-Richards.
30"Laughrey Funeral Home, Pennsville, New Jersey," Shirley B. Lezenby.
31"John W. Lezenby, 3rd." The News of Salem County.
32New Jersey, "Marriage Index, 1901-2016," Lezenby-Hutchinson, 1960, no. 17729.
33"John W. Lezenby, 3rd." The News of Salem County.
34New Jersey, "Marriage Index, 1901-2016," Poeta-Lezenby, 0015060.
35"U.S. Social Security Death Index", Alfred J. Lezenby, 142-12-9306. BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010," Alfred Lezenby, 142129306.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barnett, David. "genealogy." Electronic mail to Charles A. Maxfield. 7 December 2014. Privately held.

Biloxi Daily Herald. Biloxi, Harrison County, Mississippi. 13 May 1963.

Classified Buyer's Guide of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Vicinity, 1924. Philadelphia: R. L. Polk & Co., 1924. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

Florida Department of Health, Jacksonville, Florida. "Florida Marriage Index, 1927-2001." Database of index. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2016.

"Laughrey Funeral Home, Pennsville, New Jersey." Database. Laughrey Funeral Home. laughreyfuneralhome.com : 2014.

Lezenby, George F. Lezenby and Marie Alvina. Interview, 23 September 2010. Lansdale, PA. notes held by Charles A. Maxfield.

________. "Genealogy." Electronic mail 28 November 2018; 13 January 2019.

Lezenby, George F. Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Interview by Charles A. Maxfield, 17 June 2018. notes. Privately held by Charles A. Maxfield, Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

Locustwood Memorial Park, Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2018.

New Jersey Department of State. New Jersey State Census, 1905. Digital images. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2018.

________. New Jersey State Census, 1915. Digital images. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2018.

________, Division of Archives and Record Management, Trenton, New Jersey. "New Jersey, Births, 1670-1980." Database. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2018.

New Jersey State Archive; Trenton, New Jersey. "Marriage Index, 1901-2016." Index. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

The News of Salem County. Alloway, New Jersey.

"[Obituary]." Database. Find a Grave. findagrave.com: 2018.

Polk's Atlantic City Directory, 1925. Philadelphia: R. L. Polk & Co., 1925. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

Salem County War Veterans Memorial Park & Cemetery, Woodstown, Salem County, New Jersey. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2018.

Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "The 1949 Templar." Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

United States Department of the Census. Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

________. Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

________. Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

________. Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

________. Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2014.

United States, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC. "Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File, 1850-2010." Database. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2016.

United States, Social Security Administration. "Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007." Database. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2015.

________. "U.S. Social Security Death Index." Database. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2016.

Vineland High School, Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey. "The Record 1940." Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

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