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Robert Dunlevy of Philadelphia

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Author	Topic: Robert Dunlevy of Philadelphia
blakstone Posts: 493 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 02-24-2013 11:40 PM One of the items I catalogued recenty for auction was a fine Philadelphia thistle-decorated tea & coffee service by Robert Dunlevy. I couldn’t find any biographical information on Dunlevy in any of my references, but thanks to the ever-expanding availabilty of primary research sources online, I was able to write this brief summary. Now that the sale has concluded, I thought I’d pass it along to anyone who might be interested. quote: Robert Dunlevy was born in Philadelphia on January 30, 1803, the son of ship captain Robert Dunlevy and his wife, Sarah Beck, and was christened at St. Peter's Church there on June 29, 1803. There is no record of his apprenticeship, but he is first listed as a silversmith in the Philadelphia directory of 1830, and thereafter until 1867. He is occasionally listed in partnership with other silversmiths - Edward G. Shaw (1833), George Dowell (1843-1846) and George K. Wise (1847-1850) - but these partnerships appear to have been exclusive of his own shop, which is listed on Lodge Alley until around 1845, and thereafter on Chestnut Street. His was evidently a reasonably large concern; the 1860 census lists, in addition to himself and his son Craig, five apprentices and journeymen. He married English-born Claressa Lancaster around 1826 and had nine children; in addition to Craig, his sons Lewis and William also worked as silversmiths, though none evidently remained in the trade very long. Dunlevy died of tuberculosis on March 23, 1865. He was interred in Philadelphia's now defunct Lafayette Cemetery on March 27, 1865. IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 02-25-2013 10:17 AM Thank you for sharing. IP: Logged
bascall Posts: 1629 Registered: Nov 99	posted 02-25-2013 02:56 PM A possible addition to the sons who were silversmiths is Henry who is listed as a silversmith in the Robert Dunlevy household in 1850 census and in later census's as a silversmith through 1900. Henry is listed in Philadelphia directories as a silversmith from at least 1870 to 1890 and later as a finisher and polisher. IP: Logged
blakstone Posts: 493 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 02-25-2013 05:29 PM Exactly so. Henry's death certificate confirms that he was born in Philadelphia on April 27, 1835, the son of Robert Dunlevy and Claressa Lancaster. At the time of his death on February 27, 1910, he was living in Philadelphia at 2542 South Broad Street and working as a metal polisher at the Navy Yard. The certificate notes that he was buried on March 2, 1911 [sic: assuredly 1910] in the Fernwood Cemetery in Delaware Co. Pennsylvania. IP: Logged
bascall Posts: 1629 Registered: Nov 99	posted 03-02-2013 06:44 PM Craig continued to be listed as a silversmith through the 1880 census and possibly beyond. I haven't tried to find him in census's or directories beyond that date. William who appears to have been the eldest son was born in 1826. He is listed as a silversmith in 1863 and in the 1867 and 1868 Philadelphia dirctories he is listed as a silversmith at 332 Clark which is the same address Craig is shown at. IP: Logged

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