Dorothy May Mitchell

Dorothy May Mitchell (nee Insinger)

Parents:

Siblings:

Quick Facts

• Life-long Pennsylvanian
• Born March 26, 1922 in Philadelphia
• 3rd oldest child of eight to John and Mary Insinger
• Grew up in Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia
• Attended Germantown High School
• Married William J. Mitchell June 8, 1940 with whom she was happily married until his death in September 1987.
• 3 children, 12 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren
• Great-great grandfather Murray was a Civil War Colonel � Cavalry. Colonel Murray was killed in Sherman�s March from Atlanta to the Sea.
• Great grandfather George Weaver fought in the Civil War and his name is on a monument in Gettysburg, PA.
• Two great uncles on father�s side also served in the Civil War.
• Distant cousin Walter Mellinger was a state senator.
• Great grandfather Christian Mellinger founded the first Mennonite church in America on Route 30 as you enter Lancaster, PA. The church is named Mellinger Church. It is a tour bus stop.
• Dot also worked as a Philadelphia Crossing Guard in the 1950�s.
• Bell Telephone Retiree since 1984. She worked at Bell Telephone for 20 years.
• Volunteer: Bell Telephone Pioneers, Jenkintown Chapter, Membership Secretary.
• Member: Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia.
• Bill and Dot retired to Richboro, Bucks County, PA in 1976.

Family History

• Colonel Murray in Civil War � Cavalry � killed in Sherman�s March from Atlanta to the Sea. Before the war, he was the Hollidaysburg, PA postmaster. He had 2 children: Rebecca and George.
• Rebecca Murray and brother George were raised by people named Slaymakers until she was 16 at which time, she came to Philadelphia, bringing George, then 5 years old, with her to be the housekeeper to widower Christian Mellinger. Christian Mellinger had 2 children: Henry and Anne from his 1st marriage. Rebecca and Christian, a preacher at the Cookman Methodist Church at 11th and Lehigh Avenues, Philadelphia married and had three sons: Charles, Vernon and Alfred. Henry worked for Hershey Chocolates who were his deceased mother�s relatives and eventually opened his own chocolate factory, Mellinger Chocolates. Henry had 2 sons: Walter Mellinger who was a state senator, and another son who was a lawyer. When the sons died they had no heirs, so Henry�s brothers and sister inherited the estate. Charles� daughter Mary received about $1500 around 1965. George Murray, Rebecca�s brother, married Anne Mellinger, Rebecca�s stepdaughter.
• Charles Mellinger married Marie Weaver who was born in Duncannon, PA. Her parents were George and Sarah Kelly Weaver. George came to America from Baden-Baden, Germany before the Civil War, in which he served honorably. His name is on a monument in Gettysburg, PA. Sarah Kelly was from Harrisburg, PA. After the Civil War George opened his own bakery in Duncannon and was killed by a PA Railroad train while delivering his bread one morning. He had ten children with Sarah, who received very little from the railroad and was forced to put Marie and her sister Elizabeth in the Soldier�s Orphanage in Camp Hill, PA. When Marie was 16 she came to Philadelphia to live with an older sister, Anne Algard. Anne�s husband had his own business, �Fenton Algard Tile Setter� which is still run by his sons and grandsons (as of 1977). Through the Algards, Marie Weaver and Charles Mellinger met and married. They had two sons and two daughters: Rebecca, Charles Earle, Mary Annetta (born January 23, 1899) and William Roth. Charles was Yardmaster for Reading Railroad at West Falls, PA until his death at the age of 44. Marie lived to be 76.
• Mary Annetta Mellinger married John Russell Insinger on October 22, 1917.
• John Russell�s grandparents, Albert and Margaretta Insinger (Anna Margaretta Brunner) were both born and married in Switzerland. They came to Philadelphia, America on the ship Tuscarora from Beil, Canton Berne, Switzerland November 8, 1848. Albert was around 27 and Margaretta around 29 years old. Albert died February 24, 1882 at the age of 61 and Margaretta died December 23, 1897 at the age of 78. Albert and Margaretta had seven children: Lena, Albert, Jr., Emma Sophia, Alfred, Edward, Emile and Clara Pauline. Two of the sons served in the Civil War.
• Emile Insinger married Anna Sophie Sible who was born around 1860 on Carpenter Lane near Wissahickon Avenue in Philadelphia. She had a twin brother named Cornelius Sible, another brother, Wesley; and two sisters: Martha and Clara. Emile started a carraige business in Germantown, Philadelphia in the 1880�s, which was widely known. His oldest sons Charles and Thomas joined the business and later converted it to the �Insinger Auto Body Shop� at 529 Carpenter Lane. This business ran there continuously for sixty or seventy years into the 1950�s. Emile and Anna had thirteen children: Blanche Sibel, Edith, Martha Jane, Emile, Jr. (died in infancy), Anna Sophie, (Lena) May, Charles Walter, Thomas Harold, Helen, Frances, John Russell (born December 10, 1896), Richard Henry and Marion Eugenie Insinger. Emile died in 1922 at the age of 65 and Anna died about one year later.
• John Russell Insinger became a registered plumber and had his own business from 1922 until his death Monday, March 30, 1970. His son Howard worked with him until his death April 1969 at the age of 42. John and Mary had eight children: John, Jr., Betty, Dorothy, Bobby, Howard, Milly, Bruce and Eleanor. Mary died March 22, 1981 at the age of 82.
• Dorothy May Insinger married William John Vassallo on June 8, 1940. Dot and Bill later changed their name to Mitchell. Dot and bill were happily married until his death in September 1987. Bill and Dot met while working at Vicks VaporRub Factory in the Hunting Park section of Philadelphia. Dot held down the homefront with their toddler son from April 1944 to April 1946 while Bill fought in Europe during WWII in the 1251st Combat Engineers. After his return home, Bill got a job as a Philadelphia police officer and worked his way up to captain. During these years, Dorothy focused on their son, Bill, Jr. and their twin daughters, Janet and Joyce. Dot also worked as a Philadelphia Crossing Guard in the 1950�s and later worked at Bell Telephone in Philadelphia. Dot retired from Bell Telephone in 1984 after 20 years. Bill and Dot retired to Richboro, Bucks County, PA in 1976.