Emmeline Young Jenkins Revisited

An unmet fellow Find-a-graver, Bob Collins, has just the other day posted some photographs of Emmeline's tombstone and the tombstones around her. He has indicated to me that Emmeline had several more children that died very young. I will need to re-check the information Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn provided me and see if I can confirm the relationships and even find the burial information amongst the copies provided.

The tombstone delightedly provided the names of Emmeline's parents - Stephen B. and Sarah. I had seen a Sarah living with Emmeline in the census, but there was no relationship provided. I have also seen an Eliza Young living with her, but again, no relationship - she could be an unmarried female relative or the spouse. So much more sleuthing to do.

This new information will keep me busy for quite a while, now.

And just reflecting on Emmeline's life, it would seem that it was a very sad and trying in the early years. If that was the case for Emmeline, I hope the time with her grandchildren was a source of happiness in her later years.

Jumping to March 1917

Let me begin by wishing everyone a very happy Memorial Day.

I have been transcribing letters like mad. They are not in order and many do not have envelopes or dates, so a guessing game ensues. This letter I have assumed to be early March based on research in the NY Times archives about the Bronx Building and Loan and Herb's mention of Spring - that's an obvious clue. This is the earliest letter I have come across so far, so no mention of enlisting at this time - just a dutiful son updating his mother on his comings and goings at his job in New York City away from his immediate family up in Troy, but in the hometown of his father's family, the Lees.

I found an article in the NY Times Archives dated March 11, 1917 about the investors - depositors in this case - losing $100,000 to 'peculations'. I had never heard that word before, but one can assume what it means and dictionary.com indicates: to steal or take dishonestly (money, especially public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle. I couldn't attach the article because it is a PDF, but trust me when I say it was a moment of elation when I found the article, to learn about what he was referring to and to get a specific date in time to place the letter in the sequence of Sunday letters home.

From all of my transcribing and consulting my family tree I have figured out who some of the people Herb is gossiping/talking about. I believe that Jane Parker may be the sister to Russell Parker who is first cousin Edith's husband. Edith is Charles' sister and daughter to Ida. The wedding to which Herb refers is that of Grace Hughson and Charles. It's so rewarding when Herb mentions something by name - in this case Banker's Trust, Charles' employer.

Herb's description of Hasbrouk Heights is pretty great, too. So many mysteries solved in this letter alone.

Dad Reece - though I believe it may be spelled Rees - is Aunt Ida's second husband. She was widowed quite young from her first husband, John Cornell, a butcher in New York City. John and Ida Rees live in Huntington on Long Island and John describes himself in the 1920 Federal Census as a poultry man on a private estate. (Might Ida and Mr. Rees have met through her first husband's employment as a butcher? Tantalizing to speculate.) Edith and her husband Russell seem to be having some marital trouble and I believe they eventually divorce, as she describes herself divorced in the 1930 Federal Census. In 1915 Russell is a stage manager; in 1920 a actor in theatricals and by 1925 he describes himself as a movie actor. Has Edith headed home to Mom/Ida because Russell is on the road? Doesn't sound like he is taking good care of his wife and two children, Howard and Ruth....

Herb attended 3 years at Syracuse University and was obviously a member of Phi Delta Theta. The boys in Brooklyn were some of his fraternity brothers.


Sunday (Sometime in early March 1917)
Dear Mother + all,

I was of course delighted to hear that you are all pretty well again. It’s been a nasty winter, take it by and large and I guess we are all pretty glad that Spring is coming.

I got my shirt all right – on Tuesday I think it was. It’s a peach, Mother. I like it awfully well. Many thanks.

Tuesday we went over to call on Jane Parker. I had a very nice time. We played cards a while + chewed about the wedding.

Did you happen to read in the New York papers about the Building + Loan Association here in the Bronx that went to smash (?). Mr. Hughson had about eight hundred dollars in it, Grace had a couple of hundred + Mabel + Bess Elmore each had some about three hundred between them I think. The funny thing was that Charlie has been after Grace to take hers out for some time. She had at last been persuaded and next month she was going to give it to Charlie to put in the Employees Special account at Banker’s Trust where it would have drawn nine per cent.

Charlie + Grace haven’t been able to find a house that they could afford or wanted anywhere so they have pretty well decided on a six room apartment over in Jersey City. I haven’t seen it but they both are quite enthusiastic. It’s a new apartment – not yet completed – and is in a strictly residential section on the heights on the west side of the town – with a nice view of the open country. From there into Wall Street is only about a thirty minute ride which isn’t bad at all.

Charlie + Grace went to Huntington to day to stay until to-morrow. Aunt Ida is pretty well now I guess but still a bit weak. Edith is in town again. She and the kids are staying with John while she hunts for a flat. Charlie + I were up to see them Friday night. I wouldn’t mention it if I were you but Dad Reece thinks that Russell ought to be made to feel the responsibility of his position and support her. I think he’s right too. If Russell isn’t forced to come through now when he’s making good money he may get the idea fastened tight in his head that he doesn’t have to support his family.

There wasn’t anything to worry about in Mr. Friedman’s wanting to talk to me, mother. We just went out to lunch together at his invitation so we could eat and chew the rag together peacefully. That’s a common habit in Wall Street. I’m confident that he thinks pretty well of me.

I don’t think there’s any reason for worrying a great deal about the rail road strike. The mail trains would undoubtedly be run under government orders + if the food gives out I’ll walk home.

I’m glad Harry is satisfied with his work.

Do you suppose he could lend me about fifteen dollars in a month or so. I really need a new suit myself + I can’t save any money for it, because I need a new hat + new shoes even worse. I’ve got to look up + coming when I go around to the other offices interviewing some pretty substantial men sometimes when I am hunting information. If he can let me have it I can get on my feet all right, I’ll appreciate it.

As ever,
Herb

I’m going over this afternoon to see the boys in Brooklyn. I haven’t seen them I a month. I had an invitation to the annual Phi Delt Banquet at the Onondaga March 31st. I suppose they think I’m prosperous by now.

This photograph was a picture my cousin Chuck attached to his tree on ancestry which I copied back in September of last year. He had it labeled as Ida Rees and the Lees. Looking closely, and having found some photographs of my own which were labeled, I believe I can identify some of the people. Here's my attempt:
Unknown man (could this be Mr. Doring?), unknown woman (could this be Ida?), Nellie Jane Kirkpatrick Lee, Aunt Burdella (or is she Ida?)
Margaret Lee, Olive Lee, Burdella

Let me attach the photographs for my readers to review to see if you think I am correct with my guess of the people.

Labeled Aunt Berdella, Margaret and Olive

Margaret Lee and Berdella

Nellie Jane, Oliver and Herb - June 15th, 1930, so 15 years roughly after these letters were written, though this photograph shows Nellie Jane in a manner to compare with the unlabeled photograph.

A break from Herb for some other WWI soldiers...

I have gotten a comment from my third cousin Chuck with whom I connected through Ancestry.com and now Facebook. He has realized through the first few letters that Charles is his grandfather, Charles Oliver Cornell. That makes Grace his grandmother. They were the ones living in Hasbrouk Heights, New Jersey. Aunt Ida is, therefore, Chuck's great grandmother.

Charles is working at Banker's Trust in New York. Case, Pomeroy & Co seems to have sold bonds. I now believe Herb was training to sell bonds on Wall Street when he decided to enlist.

I was consulting the weather channel web site and was interested in an article about what is found when the glaciers melt - they mention the mummy found in the Italian alps which we have already discussed. I had never heard about the White War - battles fought in the Alps during World War I. So, ten months after my grandfather is marching around Pennsylvania and sleeping under the stars harsh Spring battles are being fought and men are being buried in the snow. Pretty gruesome stuff. I hope the families of these men will now have some closure.

Funerals in the Italian alp town of Peio are on the rise, only those being interred aren't of this day and age. Melting glaciers near the small alpine village continue to unveil remains and artifacts from soldiers who fought in the often forgotten "White War" staged in the mountains during World War I. During those times, soldiers from the Austria-Hungary empire battled with Italian troops for supremacy over the mountainous terrain.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are estimated to have died during the White War, many of whom were claimed by the extreme weather. Temperatures plummeted to 22 below, and avalanches, dubbed the "white death" by soldiers, swallowed companies whole. Many of the soldiers went unaccounted for, the Telegraph notes, their disappearance a solemn reminder of the rigors of war.

But now, nearly a century later, the remains of the lost soldiers have risen to the surface. In recent years, some 80 mummified bodies have risen to the surface of the melting glacier, the Telegraph reports. For instance, in 2004, a mountain guide stumbled across a grisly sight: three soldiers sticking out of a wall of ice upside down. Those remains were found around 12,000 feet above sea level near San Matteo, likely a gruesome side-effect of one of the last battles for the mountain in 1918.

Again, this time in 2013, the remains of two soldiers (pictured below) who had fought in the May 1918 Battle of Presena, the Economist notes, were found in a interment pit that had melted away. So well-preserved were mummified remains, that hair, skin and other features still remained.

The melting glacier doesn't just produce remains, however. On a much more positive note, personal artifacts, such as a love note addressed to "Maria," have also been recovered in the glacier, the Telegraph reports.

Sleeping under the Stars and a Full Moon

Jumping forward in time again. Not much going on but marching.

Sunday, August 5, 1917

Dear Mother,

I’ve been having a fine time the last few days. Thursday was the last of the terrific hot spell and since then the weather has been ideal – quite like autumn. Clear, warm days and cool, crisp nights. Friday we broke camp and set out at three o’clock. We hiked fourteen miles that afternoon arriving at Slatington at 7:45. We rest ten minutes out of every hour always and of course we had supper on the way – sandwiches and coffee. We stayed in Slatington overnight and camped out overnight in the town ball grounds. We didn’t put up tents but rolled up in blankets underneath the stars and a full moon. We were up next morning at 4:45 after a good night’s sleep and we were on the march at 6:30. We pushed on for five hours arriving at Bath over very winding but pretty good roads at about 11:30. We covered about 16 miles. Our tents blankets and spare clothes were carried on trucks so all we had to carry was haversacks and canteens, about 8 pounds in all. We are here in Bath over today but expect to start out tomorrow. No one knows where we are going or how long we’ll be out of camp except the Major in Command and he isn’t telling.

Many of the men have sore feet but mine are in fine shape and I feel great. I’d much rather be out on the road than in Allentown. There are about 700 of us and we stretch out in ranks of four over nearly a quarter mile of road.

The Y.M.C.A. follows us around and brings us our mail every day.
Love to all,
Herbert

I looked over my research and I would say that in previous letters Herb definitely writes Aunt Ada, but I believe the woman he is referring to is his Aunt Ida, his father's sister. She was living in the City at this time, and Aunt Ada was living up state. Ada does eventually move to the City, but not at this point. Aunt Ida also happens to be Charlie's mother....

A great date with Karolyn

I have jumped backwards in time to July 23rd. The romance with Karolyn continues to alarm me and I worry, as I know he doesn’t marry her. What might have happened to her? He does seem very much in love.

Aunt Ada is Herb’s mother’s sister. Good to know that she is in the City, or maybe in New Jersey at this period in time. I don’t think I knew where she was. It will help with the research. Ada only had one daughter, Helen, and Helen only had one son. The son, William Arthur, never married and never had any children, that I know of, at least.

Harry was born in 1899, so he is about 17 at this point.

I don’t know who this Charlie is. Hopefully more will be revealed.

Herb worked with Case, Pomeroy & Co. before he enlisted. I’m afraid my research has not yet revealed what kind of business they were in. I believe Herb’s resume indicates that he worked as a statistician for them. Case, Pomeroy & Co. had their offices at 60 Wall Street. Theodore Pomeroy wrote a nice recommendation letter about Herb, indicating that he “has proved himself an efficient, capable, honest, thorough-going young fellow.”

I don’t know who Herb would be staying with in Hasbrouk Heights. According to Wikipedia, Hasbrouk Heights is located about 8 miles northwest of the City. Perhaps that is where I will find Aunt Ada. I do know that Herb used to live at Sterling Place in Brooklyn.

Monday, July 23, 1917

Dear Mother,

I am awfully sorry not to have written you before but I have been on the jump ever since I sent you the telegram. I had to hustle to get to the train Friday evening and then it got in Jersey City about a half hour late. I had at once tried to get Charlie on the phone but is I found out later it was not yet connected at his end so I couldn’t get him. I then went over to New York and called up Karolyn at Bridgeport and arranged for her to come over to New York in the morning. Then I called up Sterling Place and went over there to spend the night. Kimber and Zillesen are both enlisted in the Aviation Corps. They have been sworn in but are still waiting to be called and are getting so anxious that they watch for the mail man like two hawks.

I left there in the morning and went over to the Bank to see Charlie. He told me that Aunt Ada was to meet him at 12:30, she having been in to find out if he knew where I was and go out to Jersey with him. He suggested that I bring Karolyn along and we’d all have lunch together so I agreed. Then I went down to 60 Wall for about an hour. Fred Judson is on active service and Mr. Case + Mr. Pomeroy were away for the weekend but I had a long talk with Mr. Friedman about nothing in particular. It was then time to meet Karolyn so I went up to Grand Central. I brought her back and showed her around Wall Street a bit and then went around to the Bank and met Charlie and Aunt Ada. We all had lunch together and after Karolyn and I went with them over to the tube (?) and left then because she had to go back to Bridgeport. We took the 4:26 only New York and went to Fairfield, near Bridgeport and stayed at the beach there about an hour. Then we went to Bridgeport, had something to eat and I went home with her. Her grandmother wanted me to stay overnight at least with them, but it was sad enough as it was and I didn’t want to prolong the agony so I came back to NY. I left her about 12 o’clock and took the 1:00 back to NY. I arrived in the station at NY about 3:00 am so darned tired I couldn’t move. In the waiting room were about 35 men in uniform peacefully sleeping so I took off my coat for a pillow and joined them till seven o’clock. Then I washed up, went out and had breakfast, went over to Matthews to see Aunt Ada and from there over to Hasbrouk Heights. I had dinner there and early tea and left about 5:00 to come back to camp. Gee I did hate to come back here, but I had to do it.

Aunt Ada says Harry is trying to enlist. (Here Herb changes to pencil) The ink has run out. My advice to him is not to do it. (Herb changes back to pen.) I don’t believe there is any real obligation on him since I have gone. Anyway he’s too young for this sort of thing. It’s a hard, nasty life, and I should hate to see him in it. He’ll be more real use to the country by looking for a job on a farm for now and trying to go to Agriculture college, if he likes, in the Fall. If it were a war at home I wouldn’t try to dissuade him but as it is, I say, for God’s sake stay out of it. One of us is enough. Think it over Harry. I never steered you wrong yet.
Love to all,
Herb

Seven Weeks in Camp

Another letter from Herb to his mother. The U.S.A.A.C is the precursor to the Air Force - the acronym stands for the USA Air Corps. Mineola is an air field on Long Island. According to Wikipedia Mineola is now called Roosevelt Field:

Roosevelt Field is a former airport, located 2.3 miles (3.7 km) east-southeast of Mineola, Long Island, New York. Originally called the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome, or sometimes Hempstead Plains field or the Garden City Aerodrome, it was used as a training field (Hazelhurst Field) for the Air Service, United States Army during World War I.

In 1919, it was renamed in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt's son, Quentin, who was killed in air combat during World War I.

Roosevelt Field was the takeoff point for many historic flights in the early history of aviation, including Charles Lindbergh's 1927 solo transatlantic flight. It was also used by other pioneering aviators, including Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post.

I still have no idea who Karolyn is and what happened to her. Olive is Herb's younger sister; I have written a bit about her already.

Sunday, August 12, 1917
Dear Mother,

Sunday again – another week gone. Last Thursday finished my seventh week in camp.

I had a letter from Kelly Zillessen (?) yesterday. He was called out a week ago yesterday by telegram and sent to an aviation organization camp at San Antonio, Texas. He expects to be there only a few weeks and then to be sent to the aviation school either in Illinois or at Mineola.

This afternoon at 4 o’clock Section 80 mounts guard for twenty-four hours. At four o’clock Monday afternoon we are relieved and are then off duty til 5:30 Wednesday morning. I plan to leave Monday at 6:07 pm and go over and visit Chas. I shall return late Tuesday night. He is very anxious to have me come and this looks like a good opportunity. There are a lot of things about what I am to do after the war that we want to talk over together. I shall tell him then about what Harry is going to do. I know he will be pleased and will be anxious to help out a bit if it proves necessary.

I can’t understand why it is that you have no word from the firm. I have made no later arrangement with them – could not have, in fact, since no one but Mr. Friedman was in the office when last I was there. At any rate, I would not have changed the arrangement without first consulting you since I had already given the money to Harry. However I will drop in to see them all Tuesday and will probably hear about it then.

Karolyn is going in to a hospital in Bridgeport, just as soon as arrangements are completed and she can get together her uniforms and aprons or whatever it is a nurse in training needs. Since she is to be in Bridgeport I hope to be able to go over to see her some Sunday soon.

I hear no more about when are to go abroad.

The food lately has been a great improvement. They are giving a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit – oranges, bananas, sweet corn, tomatoes, green peas, etc. It’s a great relief after canned stuff.

I had intended to write Olive but you said she was coming home so I did not.

I hear from Karolyn that friend Mac Dowell has been telling around town that he expects to go to France with the U.S.A.A.C.

Love to all,
Herb

12 mile march and vaccinations

Wednesday, August 8, 1917
Dear Mother,
We’re back in Allentown again – came in yesterday afternoon. We left Bath Monday morning and marched about 12 miles to a little village called Weaverville where we stayed overnight. That afternoon we were shot with one second dose of paratyphoid and in the evening it rained. The dampness got in to me and I was pretty stiff next morning what with the injection and all. We set out from Weaverville and pushed on to Catasauqua where the Red Cross Association gave us a fine lunch. We then came right on to Allentown and got in and settled down in our old barracks by five o’clock. I was pretty well worn out so I went to bed about eight o’clock and woke up this morning feeling fine.

The cookies arrived in good shape Monday afternoon and they certainly tasted good.

I am glad Harry has made up his mind to go to school in the fall. I think it will be a darned good thing. And so long as he has enough to pay most of his expenses in hand it will be a simple matter to get money for board, carfare, lunches and the like. I know Charlie will be glad to help him out a bit. I’ll ask him about it if you like. If Harry needs any clothes he might better use mine than buy new ones.

I wouldn't worry about the money from the firm. It will come along all right.

My Syracuse Lieutenant is fine and he treats me nice as pie.

The first thousand men left Allentown for France late Monday night. The second lot has been announced but Section 80 is not among them. I rather think we’ll be in the third group to leave around Labor Day.

Love to all,
Herbert

BTW, the American Red Cross was founded today in 1881. Seemed appropriate to mention with my latest blog posts. I learned this fact this morning on the radio and I took the image and the text from the Red Cross Web page.

Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances founded the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1881. Barton first heard of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. Returning home, she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States ratified in 1882.

Letters from World War I - Ambulance Corps

I have come across a stack of letters my grandfather wrote to his mother, Nellie Jane, while he served with the Section 580 Army Ambulance Corps from June 1917 to May 1919. I have scanned one letter in and have transcribed it. I don't expect to find anything earth shattering - though I have already begun to wonder about this woman named Karolyn who knits sweaters and scarves for him; my grandmother is named Florence.... Hmmm. (Just joking, Herb and Florence married in 1923, so Karolyn is a perhaps a love interest from college or high school. Perhaps we will find out what happens to her in our exploration of these letters.)
Harry is Herb's younger brother.
I don't know who Allan Norton is.

I grabbed a letter from the stack at random. This one is postmarked August 19, 1917.

Sunday 1917
Dear Mother,
Your Friday letter arrived today. We always have one mail delivery on Sunday.

It certainly was surprising to hear that Harry has been playing around with girls. I was glad to hear it, though. He ought to get out more often.

I had a regular surprise package from Karolyn today – a brown sweater and scarf to match that she knitted for me and a tobacco pouch. The sweater is a regular godsend. It’s pretty cold at 5:30 am these days. Her father is going to drive her down to Bridgeport this coming Saturday – the 25th. I’m going to try to get over to see her that Sunday. There is nothing definite yet but I’m inclined to think that Section 80 will be sent along with the section in which Allan Norton is. 80 is one of the oldest sections in camp now. Still you never can tell. At any rate I can’t drive yet – haven’t been given instructions so I’ll not see any actual service for quite a few months unless they transfer me to some sort of clerical work at some headquarters over there. If we are going I do wish they’d tell us.

The weather is ideal. Cool nights and warm clear days. Friday I was vaccinated for small pox so I am all through with having my arm jabbed and punctured unless the vaccination doesn't take.

I got another pair of shoes this week – three pairs now.

Love to all,
Herbert

I *believe* Herbert is the second one on the left standing.

Emmeline Young JENKINS' Story

Emmeline was born in New York (State) while the young nation was again fighting the British in 1812.
According to the Jenkins Gardiner Fan Chart, she married William Bunker Jenkins. Based on the birth of a child, the author assumes it was around 1838, though there is no document to prove this assumption.
At roughly 27 years old, Emmeline gives birth to a daughter, Isabel in 1839 in New York. At some period after the birth of this daughter, she moves from New York to Jersey City. Jersey City had just become its own municipality in 1838. Another daughter, Emmeline Young, is born in June of 1843 in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Again, according to the fan Chart, Emmeline is widowed around 1845.

Photo courtesy of Bob Collins through Findagrave.

In 1850, Emmeline is living in Jersey City, Hudson County, with two young girls, Isabel and Emmeline Y., plus a 68 year old woman, Sarah YOUNG who is probably a relative and her brother-in-law, Charles S. JENKINS, who works as a ship chandler – a dealer in supplies for boats and ships. Emmeline values her home at $8,000, which in 2013 dollars would be roughly $240,000.
In the mid-1860s, having been widowed for almost 20 years, Emmeline is living in a private home at 44 Grand Street within 2 blocks of the Hudson River overlooking what would become the 9/11 Memorial. She is living within a 2 minute walk of her father-in-law, Jonathan JENKINS, until his death in 1865.
Emmeline lives in her own home for decades after the death of her husband. Sometime during 1868/9, when she is in her late-fifties, Emmeline moves to the home of her daughter’s wealthy father-in-law, Edward J. DANFORTH. There she lives with her daughter Emmeline while her daughter starts her family. It seems that the young children were surrounded by family, as presumably George, Sr.’s sisters, Susan M and Mary J. live with them. Another woman, in her mid-seventies, by the name of Eliza YOUNG is also living with them.
In 1876, Emeline is traveling to Europe with her daughter’s family. She travels from Liverpool to New York, arriving back in New York on October 20, 1876. She is traveling on the US Russia.
By 1880, Emmeline has 5 small grandchildren, George, Jr., Emmeline J., Henrietta D., Isabel, and Francis J. Emmeline is presumably surrounded in comfort, as she is living with her daughter and son-in-law, George Henry DANFORTH, and the five children in the village of Madison, Chatham township, Morris County, New Jersey. George is retired at age 43 and has at least 6 servants living with and working for him.
Emmeline died at the age of 71 on May 2nd, 1882, presumably at the home of her daughter and son-in-law in Chatham Township, New Jersey.

Olive Katherine Lee's Story

Olive’s story is that of a woman whose world seems to have focused on family, but also on the changing roles of women. Olive never married, though she sought education and a career outside of the house.
Olive was born the third child and first daughter of parents Nellie Jane and Oliver Tree Lee in December 1904. She lived around the corner from her maternal grandparents, and then, later with her family in the home of her grandparents.

When Olive was still quite young, her grandparents died within a day of one another in January 1912.
Olive attended Russell Sage College in Troy, NY when it was a relatively new school for women. She graduated in 1926 with a degree in stenography. Olive was shy, and no photographs can be found of her while she attended the school.
By the 1925 New York State Census, Olive is listed as an office clerk; it would appear that she was attending classes while also working. The family lore indicates that her older brother, C. Herbert would send money home so that Olive could attend college. In fact, Olive was the first person in the Lee family to graduate from college, though her older brother attended Syracuse University.
By 1930, Olive made her way in to the shirt collar industry, where she will spend her entire professional career working for a major employer in Troy, NY, Cluett Peabody. Cluett, Peabody & Co. was the collar and cuff company that lasted the longest. It produced a number of brands, of which Arrow Shirts was the most famous. For the longest time, Arrow Shirts were synonymous with Troy. The Troy plant was thought to be the largest shirt factory in the world, and it sprawled along the river. In 1912, the New York Times would report that Cluett, Peabody & Co., "the largest manufacturers of collars, shirts, and cuffs in the world, is to become still larger." At that time it had factories at Troy, Rochester, Corinth, and Waterford, NY; Leominster, MA; South Norwalk, CT; and St. Johns, Quebec. The combined annual output of those plants was then 7,000,000 dozen collars and 500,000 dozen shirts.
According to the 1940 census, Olive is supporting herself and her parents on $1,500/year and her father’s post office pension. .
In 1947, Olive is living with her parents at the same address. Her siblings are all married, living in other parts of the State. Only her older brother, Herb, has had children, Virginia and Charles, Jr. By this time, Virginia is graduated from college and married and Charles is attending Princeton. Both children are a source of pride for the family.
At some point between 1947 and 1953, the three Lees move from Troy, New York to Yonkers, New York. The three of them live together at 1428 Midland Avenue, Bronxville, New York. The belief is that Olive has climbed the corporate ladder as an Executive Assistant at Cluett, Peabody & Co.
Olive’s father dies in 1953 and her mother, Nellie Jane, in 1968. In her handwritten last will and testament, Nellie kindly pays off Olive’s mortgage and appeals to the other three children to ‘be nice to Olive who will be alone.’

Olive and her widowed sister Margaret move in together to a retirement community in Somers, NY. Margaret passes in 1992 and Olive follows 7 years later at the hospital associated with her retirement community in Somers, on August 21, 1999. Olive is taken back to downtown Troy, NY to be buried in the Kirkpatrick family plot in Oakwood Cemetery. She joins her parents, sister, grandparents and other family members in Plot 242 in Section D-3.