William Henry Tomes, Sr. (1888-1964) Pt.3

William and Annie were just getting started in their marriage and they had already faced some major challenges in their lives. However, their lives would be enriched with the birth of their third child, Mary Emma Tomes, born on 08/22/1916. This would be the same year that the growing family moves from Arch St and back around the corner near Annie mothers home on King St. As William and Annie were moving onto King St another couple was moving out of the area in a surprisingly abrupt way. The article below describes this neighbor overwhelmed with emotion when all her earthly goods took off down the street without her.

The York Dispatch - Sept. 21 1916

As William was watching his neighbors household goods rolling down the street, the drums of war had been rumbling across the European lands for the last two years in response to the assassination of the Austrian Duke, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg. The United States was not equipped nor ready to enter into a huge conflict. However, the "dough boys" of the country would start enlisting and registering for the national draft in 1917. William would register and claim an exemption from the draft because he was "a husband and father to four children." (Three natural and one adopted) Looking at the draft card below, you will notice that William is still working at R.C. Boeckel as a candy maker and is living at 620 East King St. in York. He is 28 years old when WWI starts and his exemption request would not be overturned since he had so many dependents.

William's life would change forever in October of 1921 when his father, Edward A Tomes, would die at the young age of 62. Edward died in his residence at 666 W. King St from "complications of diseases." We do not know if William was present when his father past away from this world into the next or if William was able to say goodbye to Edward, but we can imagine that the man who was so influential in William's life and career would be mourned greatly.

William faithfully continues to work as a candy maker at R C Beockel as he supports his family. In Feb. of 1925, R. C. Boeckel sells his candy business and the the new company is called "The York Caramel Company." The following paragraph is the content of a newspaper article which appeared in the York Dispatch on Sat. Feb 28, 1925

"The York Caramel company, which bought the R. C. Beockel and company, manufacturers of candy, is now operating the factory. The candy factory was purchased by Arno E. Sander, William T. Brierly, and Charles E. Fisher, who were formerly connected with the American Caramel company, and William McDowell, of Baltimore, all widely known to the candy industry". The former owners were Robert C. Boeckel and George W. Williams. The new officers of the company are: President, Arno E. Sander; vice-president. William T. Briefly; treasurer, C. E. Fisher; and the secretary is George W. Williams, Jr., Who was connected with the old firm of Boeckel and company. Mr. Sander, the president of the new firm, is now In his 36th year in the confectionery business. For over 16 years he was connected with the American Caramel company and the R. E. Rodda Candy company, which is owned by the American Interests. Five years ago he became the general manager of these two companies with factories in York and Lancaster. Mr. Brierly has been In the confectionery business for 40 years, 30 years of which he spent with the American Caramel company and predecessor, the P. C. Wiest company, of York, as a traveling representative. He will cover his old territory for the new firm, of which he is a member. C. E. Fisher probably has an intimate acquaintance with as many jobbing confectioners and distributors as any man In the industry, having covered the United States as a salesman. Mr. McDowell has had 40 years experience in the candy business, the last 30 years being with Ode and Gerberaux, of New York city. He will continue to represent the New York firm and will take no active part in the management of the York Caramel company. George W. Williams, Jr., formerly of the R. C. Boeckel and company, has been with the local firm for nine years, and will continue with the new one as the secretary. Brierly, Fisher. McDowell and Sander are all past presidents of the National Confectionery Salesmen's association. The new management will retain all of the present employees of the Boeckel company, including the sales staff. The factory has been a local institution for 15 years."

William Henry Tomes Sr. - York Caramel Company

Perhaps it was because of the celebration in which William got to keep his job at the candy factory, or it was just a nice springtime night that William H Tomes Jr was conceived in 1925. William H Tomes Jr. would be born on April 5, 1926, the first and only son of William and Annie Tomes. Most likely, William was born at home which happened to be located at 209 Fulton St. in York, PA. William and Annie had moved from their home on East King St to the Fulton St address only a few years before the birth of William Jr..

Annie would lose both her brother, Edward Charles Kahley, in 1926 and her mother, Catherine Jones, in 1927. These loses in the midst of the hectic life of raising a young and growing family was surely stressful.

William and Annie would have the pleasure of becoming mid-life parents with the birth of their last child and daughter, Catherine Ann Tomes, on March 30, 1931. Both William and Annie are 42 years old when Catherine is born. At the half way mark of their lives, William and Annie now have four girls and one boy to raise on the conservative income of the soft spoken candy maker. (Would have been five, but the oldest daughter Julia was married and out of the house)

Just the thought of raising six children, five of which were girls, would make even the strongest man look for an avenue to release the stresses of life. William would find solace in the pew of the Advent Lutheran Church and on the chair of his neighborhood watering hole kicking back pints of Miller Schlitz draft. At this point in William's life, he had come to enjoy the simple things in life and to not take life for granted.