Everyone that travels to Gettysburg believes that the house Mary Virginia “Jennie” Wade died in her family’s house. However, that is not the case. Let’s go back in time and explore the early years of the Wade family and the troubles and obstacles that faced.
Mary Ann Filby (1820-1892) was born on a farm south of Gettysburg. Her family possibly lived along the Taneytown Road near the present day Links of Gettysburg Neighborhood. This farm is just north of the Mason-Dixon Line between Pennsylvania and Maryland. Her parents, Samuel Filby (1796-1873) and Elizabeth Degroft (1788-1887) had three children together. Mary Ann was the first daughter they had. Her family lived in poverty and lived a tough, rough life. Her sister, Margaret Filby was born in 1829, but only lived to 1848. She never married. She was first buried at the High Street Cemetery behind the church that still stands. However, with development in Gettysburg, the burials were reburied within the Evergreen Cemetery. Her burial site is with the other reburials from the church show below.
Her brother, Thaddeus Filby, was born on Halloween 1830. He became a carpenter by trade, and married in 1860. He and his wife, Harriet Shindeldecker, had a child together, and her name was Clara Filby. She would marry twice, but never had children in either marriage. Clara Filby was the cousin of Ms. Mary Virginia “Jennie” Wade. Thaddeus would join the Federal Army after Jennie’s early death, and will be talked about later.
Mary Ann Filby would become a seamstress and married when she was twenty years old. Her husband, Capt. James Wade, Sr. (1814-1872), had a troubled life before and after the marriage date in 1840. James Wade Sr. was born in Virginia City, Virginia. He was in trouble with the law during his 20’s. In August 1839, a year before becoming married to Ms. Filby, he raped a young woman and had a son with her. The woman, un-named, charged him with bastardy, because he didn’t marry the woman. The young child out of wedlock, his name was James Wade (1839-1915). However, James Wade, Sr., couldn’t afford him, and the young boy stayed within the Almshouse near current day Barlow’s Knoll.
In April 1840, Mary Ann Filby and James Wade, Sr. married in what is now known as Bendersville. Therefore, now Mary Ann Filby was already a mother, but not to her own flesh and blood. Less than a year later, her husband was accused of setting fire in May 1841 to a tavern in Bendersville to the Charles Myers Tavern, which is now the Elkhorn Inn. Sidenote, the Inn is still a popular restaurant in Upper Adams rich with history. (picture below)
Three months later, Mrs. Wade gave birth to their first daughter, Georgianna “Georgia” Wade. She was born at 242 Baltimore Street, which still stands today in 2025. This house is seen at the top of this page. Georgia would watch her sister, Mary Virginia “Jennie” Wade be born in the same house on May 21, 1843. Another one of their siblings would be born at the same house three years later in 1846, John James “Jack” Wade. The family starts to expand in numbers, but the house seems to be getting smaller. Another daughter is born, however, she only lives four months before passing away. Her name was Martha Margaret Wade. With the sadness in the house after a death, the family moves down the street, literally, to 49-51 Breckenridge Street. The 1850 Gettysburg census shows that Georgianna: 9, Jennie: 7, John James: 4, Samuel Swan: Baby, and the parents reside at the house on Breckenridge Street, which is a few houses west of Tillie Pierce and Shriver households.