Annie L Stuard

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Annie L Stuard was born 1873 and died February 11, 1959. In her 85 years she was married, raised two sons, and was a lively member of the Ardmore community. She was the matron of her family and ran her household with compassionate efficiency. While raising two sons, she was an active member of the local community, participating in charities and women’s societies in Lower Merion. Her husband, Charles M. Stuard was the fourth generation of Stuard’s to own and operate the family business of undertaking. He built this business into a reputable funeral home that remains an established family legacy in Ardmore today. Both he and his wife were contributing members of Ardmore’s social scene. And while Mrs. Stuard did not play an active role in her husband’s business, she raised their two sons into capable men and maintained her interest in charitable work with in the community. Annie led a full life and at the age of 85, she died in her sleep, in the same house she had lived in for 60 years.

Annie was the eldest child of George and Kate Hickey. And although records of her birth are not clear, the most frequently occurring date is 1873.[1] Her family lived in Cape May, New Jersey where she was raised and eventually married.  Growing up, Annie had a number of siblings. She was the oldest child with at least five younger brothers and sisters.[2] Even after her marriage in 1900 she remained in close contact with her family and even housed a few of her siblings over the years. During her early years in New Jersey, Annie became a local society belle, participating in social gatherings and get-togethers around town.[3] In the summer months she spent time visiting with the vacationers from other cities and grew a wide network of friends.

Judging from the many accounts of the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Society Pages, much of the city’s suburban population vacationed in New Jersey’s resort towns. One of those towns was Cape May. Throughout the spring and summer seasons Annie would have met and socialized with many people from surrounding communities. One such person was Charles M Stuard of Ardmore, Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania’s 1880 Census, Charles M Stuard was born in 1870 and raised in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania.[4] At the time of this census he was ten years old and already had four siblings. The Stuard family business, continued from previous generations was undertaking. And as the oldest son, Charles was destined to inherit the business from his father. But before that time came, Charles enjoyed his time as a young man of means living in Ardmore. He joined some of the local men’s social clubs and participated and won medals for various sports events including football and track and field.[5] Beginning in the summer of 1895 Charles rented a small cottage in Ebbitt, Cape May. He returned in many of the subsequent summers and eventually met Annie.[6] In February 1900, at the age of 25, Annie married Charles. The couple married and vacationed in Cape May before returning to Ardmore.[7] Less than two years later Annie had her first son. After her wedding to Charles, Annie moved with him to Ardmore where they rented a well sized home from Josiah Pearce, a prominent figure in the local community.

After her marriage in 1900 Annie quickly became a dynamic presence in the local community. She joined charities, women’s clubs, recreational sporting groups, and other social clubs. The first record of these activities is in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s article on a fundraiser held by the Main Line Society to benefit local volunteer firemen. Annie was one of the women who assisted in the fair.[8] The article emphasizes that all of the women volunteering were helping to support husbands, brothers, or sweethearts who volunteered as firefighters. This would seem to indicate that Annie was supporting her husband Charles who may have been a volunteer fireman. Subsequent articles outline Annie as an active member of her community, participating in many local charity organizations and women’s clubs. A few of the clubs Annie was a member of included the Women’s Club of Ardmore and the Women’s Auxiliary Club. With these two organizations Annie volunteered and participated in many notable charities.[9] Of these, the most prominent one was in support of the Ardmore Library. From 1908 until about 1910 there are numerous mentions of fundraisers and “lawn fetes” to benefit the library, and a number of these articles mention Annie Stuard as a leading volunteer.[10] Annie’s participation in these social clubs goes beyond any superficial desire for acceptance into society. Annie not only participates in these clubs, which would have been standard for almost any well-to-do member of Ardmore, but she gives them her undivided interest and attention. From charities to social events Annie clearly cared deeply for her work in the community and quickly rose to positions of prominence and increased responsibility within each club.

Early in her marriage, when her children were still very young, Annie was much more active in both the social and charitable scenes of Ardmore. But following this there was a period of about six years with little to no mention of Annie in any records of Ardmore’s social clubs. Her presence is noticeably absent until 1921, after the marriage of her eldest son. But during this time, while there is less mention of Annie out in society, there is a notable increase in articles about her two sons, Wallace and Donald. Their sports and schooling show up periodically during this six year period. Wallace especially is noted for his athletic diversity. He is noted for his skill in football and swimming with the local Y.M.C.A.[11] Due to these changes, it can be concluded that Annie chose to reduce her own activities in order to focus on her family and supporting her sons in their chosen hobbies. But in 1921, with the marriage of her son, Annie reenters the social scene and begins to reestablish her prominence in the Women’s Club of Ardmore.

Despite her role in the community, Annie had very little presence in her husband’s business. And while the funeral home was built by her husband and son on their property at 104 Cricket Avenue there is no clear evidence to describe what role Annie held in this area of her family’s life. Despite this, however, the deed for their house on Cricket Avenue was in Annie’s name. On the Main Line Atlas 104 Cricket is identified as A.L. Stuard.[12] In addition to this there are two news articles both from the Philadelphia Inquirer that show Annie had an interest in business and management. The first is of Annie and some other women of Ardmore hosting a business meeting. The second is of Annie Stuard being appointed as Lady Commander of the Shepherds of Bethlehem Lodge No. 25.[13] Both of these articles show that while Annie did not play a major role in her husband’s business, she was certainly capable.

After growing up the oldest child in a large family, Annie was very likely accustomed to holding responsibility and taking care of others. Even with her active role in the community, it is clear that her first priority was always her family. With Charles, Annie had two sons, Charles Wallace Stuard and Donald H Stuard, born four years apart in the early 1900s. Her sons first appear in the 1910 Census at the ages of eight and four. During this time the Stuards also housed two of Annie’s siblings, Cecelia Hickey and George M Hickey.[14] In addition to these extended family members, there was also a hired man who was part of their household. On the census he is labeled as a laborer performing odd jobs.[15] By the 1920 Census both George and Cecelia had remained as lodgers in Annie’s house. But another sibling had come to join them. J Lewis Hickey, six years younger than Annie, had moved in as an additional lodger.[16] But sometime in the following twenty years all three of the siblings moved out of Annie’s home. They were replaced however, with a daughter in law, grandson and granddaughter.[17] In 1921 C. Wallace Stuard married Adele Hunt in his mother’s home town of Cape May, New Jersey where they too honeymooned before returning to Ardmore.[18] The couple moved in with Charles and Annie at 104 Cricket Avenue because soon after, Wallace took over management of the funeral home.

Charles M Stuard came from a long line of undertakers. His family business began three generations before and, by the time of his inheritance, was already an established legacy in Ardmore. Henry Stuard was the first family member to be an undertaker. Prior to entry into the profession, he was a cabinetmaker.[19]  Undertakers of this time often got their start by making furniture - such as caskets or provided carriages and wagons.  The family’s original office was at 807 S. 16th. St, in Philadelphia. During this time there were not any funeral homes, it was the undertaker who coordinated all of the services for the deceased at the family's home.[20] Henry Stuard fathered eight children, two of whom, Charles Henry Stuard and William Stuard, became undertakers. Both Charles and William served in the Civil War, while their sister maintained the family business. Following the war, Charles Henry Stuard continued as an undertaker and maintained an office at 600 N. 10th. St in Philadelphia.[21]  In 1870, his son Charles M. Stuard was born.  At 28, Charles M. decided to move west and settled in Ardmore.  There he became associated with Josiah Pearce, who was the local undertaker, bank president, postmaster, deputy coroner and justice of the peace.  Not long after this, Charles married Annie and moved to a new home on Mud Lane.[22] After the death of Pearce, Charles M. Stuard opened his own funeral establishment out of his home on Mud Lane, later renamed Cricket Avenue when Merion Cricket Club was located at the end of the street before moving to Haverford.

In addition to the house, the property included a barn and a garage where Charles setup his mortuary and casket making shop.  Two years later, Stuard purchased the Stuard Funeral Home property that has become a larger facility with offices, embalming facilities and parlors used for conducting funeral services. This later addition was built by his son C. Wallace Stuard in the late 1920's.[23] Wallace eventually took over for his father in the late 1920s and was succeeded by his son C. Wallace Stuard, Jr., in 1940.

In addition to his growing business, Charles was an invested member of Ardmore’s community. He was a member of the Delaware County Automobile Club and therefore owned a car.[24] He had always been very active and continued his interest in physical exercise by playing golf and joining other local fitness clubs, like the Merion Cricket Club. Charles was also surprisingly interested in Drama and was cast in the 1905 four act society-drama called “The Wife.[25] With the growing success of his mortuary business, Charles began to play a more active role in the local political scene. In 1907 he ran as one of nine state delegates representing Ardmore and the surrounding towns.[26] Charles’s increased presence in the local community during these early years of his marriage is a direct parallel to Annie’s own presence in the Women’s Club. They both increased their participation in Ardmore’s social scene simultaneously until about 1916. During these six years that Annie reduces her role in society, there is a correlating decrease Charles’s participation in social and political events.

Due to the established success of Charles Stuard’s family business, he and his family were able to live a comfortable life without any noticeable struggle for support. Their property, as illustrated in the Atlas of Properties on the Main Line, shows decent sized single family house sitting on a few acres at the edge of Ardmore.[27] In addition to their house, the property boasts a garage which comes close to the size of some two family homes in other parts of the town. The family owned a car and was wealthy enough that they could pay off the fines that were incurred in 1917.[28] Due to the fact that Charles and his son Wallace were expanding the amenities offered in their funeral home, the Stuard family increased their wealth and was secured their social standing.

In her last will and testament Annie leaves the majority of her estate to her eldest son Wallace, with a portion set aside for her other son Donald.[29] It is clear from these documents that Annie remained close to her son Wallace and his family throughout the end of her life. From her early childhood and throughout her life in Ardmore, Annie demonstrated a clear and indisputable dedication to her family. And while her immediate family remained small with only two children, she eventually incorporated all of Ardmore under her care. She was deeply involved in charity and passionately gave back to the community. But despite all of her committees and clubs, Annie remained wholeheartedly dedicated to her family. She welcomed her siblings, her daughter-in-law, and grandchildren into her home and chose to remain with them until the very end of her time. 

- Jennifer DeCata

U.S. Bureau of the Census, 10^th Census (1880), New Jersey, Cape May County, Cape May, District 068, Sheet 19A

U.S. Bureau of the Census, 14^th Census (1920), Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Lower Merion Township, District 0109, Sheet 1B

U.S. Bureau of the Census, 16^th Census (1940), Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Lower Merion Township, District 0109, Sheet 5B

U.S. Bureau of the Census, 13^th Census (1910), Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Lower Merion Township, District 0109, Sheet 16A

U.S. Bureau of the Census, 10^th Census (1880), Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Lower Merion Township, District 0109, Sheet 5A

George W and Walter S. Bromley, Atlas of Properties on the Main Line; Pennsylvania Railroad from Overbrook to Paoli, Philadelphia (1926), Plate 11

Montgomery County Record Office (Norristown), RW 86986 (1959)

Montgomery County Record Office (Norristown), OC 61389 (1959)

Philadelphia Inquirer, April 7, 1895, page 16  

Philadelphia Inquirer, April 21, 1895, page 15  

Philadelphia Inquirer, May 12, 1895, page 14   

Philadelphia Inquirer, December 31, 1896, page 3  

Philadelphia Inquirer, February 15, 1900, page 4      

Philadelphia Inquirer, November 12, 1904, page 2  

Philadelphia Inquirer, February 12, 1905, page 14   

Philadelphia Inquirer, May 26, 1907, page 3    

Philadelphia Inquirer, May 27, 1908, page 3    

Philadelphia Inquirer, May 30, 1908, page 3    

Philadelphia Inquirer, February 20, 1909, page 3   

Philadelphia Inquirer, May 16, 1909, page 10    

Philadelphia Inquirer, January 30, 1915, page 3   

Philadelphia Inquirer, January 31, 1915, page 11    

Philadelphia Inquirer, February 28, 1915, page 7    

Philadelphia Inquirer, April 11, 1915, page 3     

Philadelphia Inquirer, December 23, 1915, page 14   

Philadelphia Inquirer, October 7, 1916, page 15   

Philadelphia Inquirer, October 21, 1916, page 14     

Philadelphia Inquirer, January 2, 1917, page 3      

Philadelphia Inquirer, June 27, 1917, page 2    

Philadelphia Inquirer, April 16, 1921, page 3    

Philadelphia Inquirer, August 8, 1921, page 8   

Philadelphia Inquirer, November 13, 1921, page 28   

Philadelphia Inquirer, December 16, 1921, page 12   

Philadelphia Inquirer, March 12, 1922, page 6