Charles Godfrey Kahrar (1896-1959) and Mary Schmidt (1896-1985) swimming
Charles Godfrey Kahrar (1896-1959) on left circa 1935-1945 working for the Railway Express Agency
Charles Godfrey Kahrar (1896-1959) on left, and other Railway Express Agency employees
Charles Godfrey Kahrar (1896-1959) on left, and other Railway Express Agency employees circa 1940-1945
Charles Godfrey Kahrar (1896-1959) center at Fort Dix in 1919
Charles Godfrey Kahrar (1896-1959) Worker for Railway Express Agency (b. Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA - d. December 09, 1959, Secaucus, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA)
Parents[]
Birth[]
The facsimile of his birth record uses the year "1891". However his World War I draft registration used the year "1896".
Siblings[]
- Louise Kahrar (c1892) who died young
- Maria Kahrar (1893-?)
- Anastasia Veronica Kahrar (1895-1979) who owned a hat shop and married Joseph John Cancalosi (1894-1962) aka Andrew Cancalosi
- Charlotte C. Kahrar (1897-1963) who married Richard F. Freudenberg (1896-1988)
- Margaret Kahrar (1902-1957) who married George Clemons
Marriage[]
- Mary Schmidt (1896-1985)
Children[]
- Charles R. Kahrar (1922-1989) who married Dolly X
- Anna Kahrar who married Thomas W. Maloney II
- Joan Kahrar who married Donald H. Albers (1930-1986)
- Doris Kahrar
- Maureen Kahrar
Death and burial[]
He was buried in Crest Haven Memorial Park, in Clifton, New Jersey with:
- Charles Godfrey Kahrar who was buried on December 11, 1959
- Mary Schmidt Kahrar who was buried on May 27, 1985
Memories about Charles Kahrar II[]
- Karen Albers Sigler writes: "I am trying to reconstruct the story of Mary and Charles, whose life together began in a shroud of mystery continued to this day. The "Kahrar girls", Anna, Joan, Doris and Maureen know nothing of their parents beginnings, their grandparents, little or nothing of siblings etc. The only document we have is Anna's birth certificate with Anna's father name listed with the name of Charles best friend at the time. We know Charles was the father because the Kahrar family likeness is too strong for it to be otherwise.I was raised in the same house with Mary & Charles (until his death in December, 1959). Nana (Mary) told me at a young age that she was a young housemaid in the Kahrar household, so I've always thought their family started unexpectedly and was not accepted by the elder Kahrars."
- Karen Albers Sigler writes: "Memories of Grandpa Kahrar include daily tea, at 11am (Social Tea crackers, Tetley tea with milk and sugar) and high tea at 3 with a special dessert from Nana's kitchen ... He was not to be disappointed! Later in life he built the house we lived in together at 180 Meadow Lane, Secaucus, NJ , a small cap cod. It was here that Grandpa loved to garden, and kept chickens complete with a rooster that terrorized the neighborhood. I spent many hours helping him sifting dirt in the garden and sitting on his lap watching "Sky King and the Lone Ranger" sharing "Good N' Plenties". It was on one of these occasions at the age of 4 or so that he exacted a promise from me to "never bleach your hair". Apparently he was not a Marilyn Monroe fan! He was retired from the Railway Express as a delivery truck driver and had served in the infantry during World War I. He was gassed with Mustard gas and was told he would not make it home alive. He credited Red Cross donuts (the soldiers were required to purchase them) and the rough seas for saving his life, having spent most of his time leaning overboard. Ultimately the gassing caused a weakened heart which eventually gave out. I still remember that day very clearly though only 5. I came home from Kindergarten and rushed in to greet my grandparents, only to find Nana in tears, the only time I knew her to be so. When I ran past her to jump on my grandfathers nap bed, she tried to stop me, but I dashed passed and even though I have never seen death before, knew my grandpa was gone."
External links[]
Images[]
transcription of birth record using the year "1891"
1910 census
1918 World War I discharge
1918 December 18 postcard
1919 World War I service record
1919 discharge letter
1930 census
1941 World War II draft