Notes for JOSEPHINE "JOSIE" VAN VELSOR TOBIN DAVIES:

Daughter of John "Jack" and Jessie Louisa (Van Velsor) Tobin, Jr.
Born: June 5, 1868 in Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey.
Died: June 15, 1943 in Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York.
Buried: June 19, 1943 in Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, Union County, New Jersey.
Married: Franklin Benjamin Davies October 7, 1891 in Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey.

Josephine Van Velsor Tobin was the first of eleven children born to Jessie Louisa Van Velsor and John Tobin. She was known as "Josie" to all. Josephine married Frank Benjamin Davies on October 7, 1891 at Elizabeth, New Jersey. They resided in Roselle, New Jersey in a three story home at 606 Chestnut Street which had been moved by sledge from 4th and Chestnut duing World War I. A sledge is a large platform with wooden runners that is horse-drawn. The home had been purchased from Charles C and Mamie McQuoid. Mr McQuoid was the mayor of Roselle and Mrs. McQuoid was a good friend of Josephine's. After the death of her beloved son Griffth, Josie rose to the occasion and cared for her two grandchildren, Josephine and Patricia, from early childhood. This allowed their mother to support the family. Grandmother Davies amused the children by making paper pinwheels, palying hand games and drawing pictures. She was hard of hearing but she handled the disability with grace. She was a wonderful cook perhaps because she was the eldest of a large family. As a young girl, her father offered her ten dollars for the first good loaf of bread she made. She succeeded and received the prize and also became the breadmaker for the family - probably a daily task. She had a lot of "superstitions" which none took seriously, including Gramma herself. "If you palm itched you would get some money", "You can catch a robin if you sprinkle some salt on it's tail." She had quaint names for ordinary things...an umbrella was a bumbershoot, squirrels were timmy tiptoes. She enjoyed listening to the New York Yankee baseball games. She say with her face near the radio, her hand cupped around her hear and the volume at the maximum. Josephine was Grandmother Davies' first grandchild and her namesake creating a bond bewteen them which lasts in Josephine's heart beyond her Grandmother's passing. She died at the age of 74 in Plattsburgh, New York and was buried with her husband in Westfield, New Jersey at the Fairview Cemetery near her son Griffith.