Richard Albert Tilghman, Sr.

In the 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Lower Merion, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Richard Tilghman, 46, was working as a chemist, and his wife Susan, 33, was keeping house. Living with them were their children, Benjamin, 9, Edith, 8, Susan, 7, Richard, 5, and Agnes, 2 years old. Also living in the home were two domestic servants and a farm hand. They were Sarah Houston, 40, Margaret Brown, 27, and George Moredent, 26. Richard's real estate was valued at $12,000, and his personal estate at $88,000. His wife Susan's real estate was valued at $15,000 and her personal estate at $24,000. They were all born in Pennsylvania and their servants were all born in Ireland.

In the 1880 census for Philadelphia, the family was listed as follows: Richard A., 56, Susan, 42, Benjamin C., 19, Edith S., 18, Susan T., 16, Richard A., 14, Agnes, 12, and Angela, 9 years old. They were all born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Richard A., was listed only as a "gentleman" and no occupation was shown for him. His eldest son was attending college, and all the other children were at school. Living with them were 4 servants, Sarah Huston, 55, Bridget Maloy, 25, Catherine McKeltous, 22, and Annie Loid, 19, who were all born in Ireland. Their home was located at 317 South 11th Street.

Richard passed away in 1899 at the age of about 75 years old, and was buried in the Church of the Redeemer Cemetery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. His son Richard, Jr., died in 1905 due to accidental corrosive sublimate poisoning. He was 41 years old at the time of his death and was living at the Lincoln Apartments in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania/ His occupation was listed as the secretary and treasurer of a Sand Blasting Company, which had probably been owned by his father.

The following newspaper article from the website Find A Grave.com is about the wedding of Richard A. Tilghman, Jr., and his wife Maria Gabriella de Potestad which took place in about 1889: Occurring, as it did, in the stately residence of Mrs. Samuel Chew, 1716 Walnut Street, with its quaint rich furniture and wealth of old silver, the wedding of Miss de Potestad and Richard Tilghman was a beautiful one and the presence of nearly a hundred of the most famous belles and stately matrons of the most distinguished social element of the town added to its interest and prestige.

It is not often that 14 bridesmaids are seen even at a church wedding, but at a wedding in a private house the number was perhaps unprecedented. The young ladies who officiated in this capacity were the Misses Chew, the Misses Biddle, Miss Hutchinson, Miss McMurtrie, Miss Winsor, Miss Denison, Miss Keating, Miss Willing, Miss Ashhurst, Miss Mitchell and the Misses Tilghman, a very notable bevy containing a great array of beauty.

Archbishop Ryan performed the ceremony. Miss de Potestad's father is the Marquis de Potestad-Fornari, a very noble family. Her mother, who before marriage was Miss Chapman, is living in Europe, but was not at the wedding. The young lady was given away by her brother, Robert E. Lee de Potestad.

The following is an obituary for Maria's father:

Potestad-Fornari Dead -- Marquis was former Spanish Minister to U.S. -- Son notified of Death in Geneva: Robert E. Lee de Potestad, of Ellicot City, yesterday received a cablegram notifying him of the death last Saturday in Geneva, Switzerland, of his father, Marquis de Potestad-Fornari. He was 89 years old, and besides his son, leaves three daughters, Countess Calavuturo and Miss Marie Eugenie de Potestad, of Madrid, Spain, and Mrs. Richard Tilghman, of St. David's, Pennsylvania. The Marques was well known in Baltimore, Washington and Richmond.

A native of Spain, Marquis de Potestad-Fornari married Miss W. Ella Chapman, of Philadelphia. His mother was an American woman and the Marquis was a first cousin of the late Bernard Carter, the well-known lawyer of this city. He was also a half-nephew of General Robert E. Lee, his grandmother being Lucy Lee. His wife died 20 years ago.

The Marquis will be remembered in this country as a representative of the Spanish Government in Washington for many years. He was a first secretary to the Spanish legation and later became the Spanish Minister. He represented his Government in many important negotiations and was its representative during the settlement of the Cuban claims, which covered a period of about 10 years.

He lived in the St. James Hotel, this city, during the winter of 1882. Since leaving the United States, the Marquis had represented Spain in a number of foreign countries. He went to Geneva about the time the present war broke out and has since made his home there.