Mayflower Descendant 12th Generation

Dora Belle WAKEMAN was born on 29 Oct 1903 at Lestershire (now Johnson City), Broome County, New York (birth certificate - New York State Vital Records). She married Joseph Peter Reardon, son of Michael Aloyesius Reardon and Mary Angelina Creagh, on 24 Nov 1921 at Little Meadows, Apolacon Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania (marriage record-Susquehanna County Court House, Montrose, PA). She died on 14 Aug 1987 at Sullivan Park Health Care Center, Endicott, Broome County, New York (death certificate - New York State Vital Records). She was buried on 17 Aug 1987 next to her husband and son John at St. Thomas Cemetery, Apolacon Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania (Church Records, Little Meadows, PA).

Dora was the second of six children born at Johnson City. Her father, Charles Harvey WAKEMAN was a mechanic/car and motorcycle dealer at Johnson City. The family lived in a frame home within walking distance to the shop. Both her parents worked at the shop and she was cared for by both her grandmothers who would alternate stays at the family home. She attend public schools in Johnson City. She never graduated from High School.

When she was 16 yo her father moved the family out to the country. He bought a farm in the small community of Little Meadows. She met her future husband when her father hired him to come and 'gentle' a new horse. Dora fell in love with shy, studious, Irish farmer. This caused a ruckus in the family. The Wakeman family was staunch Baptist and very much prejudiced against the Catholic Church and anything Popish. Joe Reardon was not only a Catholic but Irish too. Joe won the approval of his in-laws through his example of Christian love and gentleness.


Joe and Dora started their married life at the Reardon farm on Cork Hill in Little Meadows. Life on the farm was hard work but there was fun to be had with family and community parties. Joe's parents moved from the farm in the early 1920's and a couple of years later Joe, Dora and their two children followed them to Endicott where Joe worked for IBM.

Dora was always the creative one. Her gardens were works of art. A trait that has been handed down through the generations. She was an excellent seamstress and needlework artist. Dinner at here house meant lots of excellent homemade food, rolls and rich desserts. Later in life she took up oil painting. To this day her descendants treasure these works of art.



Children of Dora Belle (Reardon) Wakeman and Joseph Peter Reardon were as follows:

1. Son - Living m. Living
2. Helen, (my mother) b. 4 Jul 1924; d. 21 Feb 2007. m. Living
3. Daughter - Living m. Living
4. Daughter - Living m. Living