OohRah

And now we need to figure out who Mr. Rankin is.....

It seems that Jane Parker is living with her mother.... That might give me a clue as to who she is, as I am doubting my assumption that she is Russell's sister.

I am going to assume that Karolyn is graduating from college, not high school given how much traveling and running around she is doing; seems too much for a highschooler.

I asked the folks at Syracuse University what these Corpse and Coffin things were; I got an answer, but I can't claim that I understood it:

These organization were different class societies. The Corpse & Coffin was a Junior Society founded at Syracuse University in 1889. The Skull & Serpent was a Sophomore Society founded in 1902.

What is a class society?

I went to New York City on Friday to get some marriage, birth and death certificates from the NYC Municipal Archives. I was successful and will eventually share, but I had an opportunity to walk to 60 Wall Street to see where Herb worked. As we can assume, it looks nothing like it did in 1917, though the address still exists. Now it is the Deutsche Bank building. I chatted up the guard at the entrance and he indicated that the current enormous tower was built in the 1960s by, he believed, Banker's Trust. According to Deutsche Bank's web site, they acquired Banker's Trust in 1999 making Deutsche Bank a real mover and shaker in the US. So, our connection remains with the address 60 Wall Street.

Huntington is a town on the northern side of Long Island about an hour from Penn Station. Clearly by the Federal Census record I have noted, there are large estates there - and people who work on those estates....

Investigating further we learn from their web site:

History: The Town is located at the western end of Suffolk County adjacent to the Nassau-Suffolk County boundary. It is approximately 40 miles from Manhattan and 40 miles from Riverhead, the Suffolk County seat. The History of Huntington is closely associated with the early development of the American colonies. The community was originally settled in 1653, well within the lifetime of the earliest New England colonist. In the beginning, water-borne transportation gave life to the community. The natural harbors offered ready access to the farmlands of the Long Island interior. The harbor was the setting for the early Huntington community which became the focal point for the movement of agricultural products into the commerce of the colonies. Although agriculture was its mainstay and water-borne transportation its lifeline for two centuries, in later years the whaling industry and expanded manufacturing activity broadened the local economy and gave impetus to the expansion of the harbor communities of Cold Spring Harbor, Huntington, and Northport.

By the early twentieth century thousands of acres of productive farmland were laying fallow because the land had been appropriated for large estates. Marshall Field, Robert DeForest, Otto Kahn, Charles Gould, August Heckscher, George McKesson Brown, Walter Jennings, Roland Conklin and many others extended Long Island’s Gold Coast into Huntington. The middle class was also attracted to Huntington. Summer bungalow communities developed along the shores of Centerport Harbor, Huntington Bay and Huntington Harbor during the 1920s.

From 1920 to 1930, Huntington’s population increased 84% from 13,893 to 25,582. Huntington village began to take shape with one large building project after another along New York Avenue: The Palace Theatre in 1917, the Huntington Theatre and Huntington Office Building in 1927, The Huntington Mortgage Building in 1928 and the Hotel Huntington in 1929.

I can imagine that Herb, Charlie and Grace stopped to watch the construction of the Palace Theater when they went to visit Aunt/Mom Ida.

Thursday – date unknown, May 1917
Dear Family,

I’m glad you’ve told me just how you feel about the question of my enlisting. I’ve thought it over very carefully and I won’t enlist for a month or two yet.

And now I’ll try to answer all your questions about the different branches of the service.

I think the marines – from what I’ve seen of them – are a mighty fine bunch of men. I’ve talked with several Marine Corps recruiting sergeants and they certainly are men to be admired – husky brown and yet very well bred + courteous and seemingly pretty well educated. If I do decide that I really should enlist I want to be with some men who have seen service and have been under fire. Most of the marines have. And the marine officers are all well-seasoned men who will know how to look after the men under them. That’s my objection to the National Guard and the Mosquito fleet. They’re too blamed amateurish – and it will go awfully hard with amateurs if there’s any fighting.

I’ve quite given up all hope of Plattsburgh. I think I was turned down on account of my youth – Fike says most of the men up there are twenty-eight or over. I’m confident that Mr. Rankin would intercede for me if he could but it’s a strictly military matter and he would have no influence.

I was up to see Jane last night. She says she enjoys working. She doesn’t have to work but there isn’t enough work around a small apartment to keep her and her mother both busy.

This place Charlie has in mind is in Hasbrouk Heights, New Jersey. They still expect to go down to Huntingdon for a while I think but they want to get a house if they can and have it all ready when they want to come back. Someone has an option on the place to buy it until June 15th but the owner told them he didn’t think the party would take it.

I was thinking of coming home in a couple of weeks but Karolyn wants me to come up June 12th because she graduates then.

Love to all,
Herbert

Blaue Gans Restaurant - A Review

I took advantage of my Tribeca location and walked to Blaue Gans two blocks north of my hotel at 139 Duane Street. I am surrounded by plenty of places to eat, but this restaurant was listed on Open Table - and they have schnitzel, so I had to go. I was very happy that I decided to do this, as it got me away from Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker. Perhaps there was a convergence given I was entering some information about the German side of my family.

I started with the white asparagus and south Tyrolian ham and then had the weiner schnitzel with the potato and cucumber salad. The asparagus and ham was a nice, cold combination of crunch and saltiness. The potato salad had nice mustard and dill flavors and good texture. The schnitzel was a large portion that I could not finish.

I didn't catch the name of my server, but she was attentive yet wasn't fussing over me. The gentleman in charge of the floor did come over and ask how everything was. I brought my book and also had a very good view of the open, tall dining room with it's forty + tables, so I was very content and entertained.

Looks like Blaue Gans is a part of a restaurant group. I would sit again at Kurt Gutenbrunner's table.

The Marines

In his disappointment of not being accepted to the Reserve Corps, it seems Herb got over the aversion to the four year term with the Marines, but he is still a little hesitant. I suspect that is not a unique feeling.

I discovered a little more about Fred Judson: in researching Herb's income from the Case, Pomeroy & Co. I saw that Fred's name is also on the top of the letterhead with that of Case and Pomeroy. A young partner, it would seem.

Makes me wonder when Fred decided to join the Mosquito fleet and what he worked out with the firm.

Looks as though the $30/month that Herb mentions is pretty good. I mean, his salary with Case Pomery doesn't seem to be much different. This letter is from July, so much later than the letter home.

Wednesday – date unknown, perhaps May 1917
Dear Mother,

I applied this morning for the Marine Corps and was turned down on account of my front teeth. I then tried the army and passed the examination but wasn’t sworn in because I wouldn’t agree to go to-morrow. So I am free for the time being but they have my name and the description of my physical condition so they’ll probably send for me anyway. I was in to see Charley. He congratulated me and said he was proud of me. So did Friedman. To-morrow I’m going to Mineola to see if I can get in the Signal Corps as a regular private - $30 a month You see I’m free now to enlist where I want to but I’ll have to enlist or they will make it uncomfortable for me, having gone so far. At any rate I’m sure I’m right.

I think the Signal Corps is a good place. They aren’t under fire much, only by accident, but they do a lot of real work. I’ll write again to-morrow night + let you know all about it. I’ll be home Saturday or Sunday as I’m straightening out my affairs in the office.

Love,
Herbert

Disappointment

I suppose my readers already suspected Herb did not make it in to the Reserve Corps, given we originally found him in the Ambulance Corps. I am glad 'horribly disappointed' was not suicidal as for this other broker, Walter Scheftel. What was this guy thinking in late May 1917?

I wrote Syracuse University and look what they kindly provided:

This is Harold Kimber, from East Syracuse, NY. He was a very active guy, being associated with several Greek organizations, the Assistant Manager of Track, Chemical Club, Manager of Freshman Baseball, Manager of Varsity Track, Member of the Athletic Governing Board, Treasurer Class, Executive Committee, President Senior Council, and Senior Ball Committee.

And here we find Oliver Wolcott Morris:

Ole Phike was also associated with several Greek organizations, Senior Dinner Club, Corpse and Coffin, Baseball Squad, and the Athletic Dinner Committee. He hails from Long Beach, NJ.

What is Corpse and Coffin, I wonder. It's not Yale, so not the Skull and Crossbones.... Hmmm.

Paul Tracy Crosby, from Seneca Falls, NY, is associated with the Skull and Serpent.... as well as Baseball and Class Team.

The kind folks at Syracuse tell me Steve Lee is Stephen M. Lee, but they could find no photos of him, (Herb was also very camera shy.... maybe because of those front teeth!)


Wednesday evening – date unknown, May 1917

Dear Mother,

Well I wasn’t elected. I feel horribly disappointed. I did so want to get out and do something worthwhile. There doesn’t seem much else left to do. The term of enlistment in the navy + marines is four years – that’s too long. The National Guard – well I don’t like to guard bridges. So I guess I’ll have to sit tight for a couple of weeks.

Phike Morris + Steve Lee were lucky. They leave for Plattsburgh this week. And by a rather remarkable chance both are listed for the same company. They both felt bad because I wasn’t going along – almost as bad as I felt myself. So all there are left of the Phi Delts are Doc Crosby who will be a regular navy doctor in a couple of weeks and Kimber, who seems to be the conscientious objector. I think rather that he is yellow.

I have three nice new front teeth now. They look better than the others but I have not quite become accustomed to them yet. Guess what the bill was. Two dollars. I accused the dentist of cooking up a deal on me with Fred Judson but he stood pat. I don’t know whether to accuse Fred of it or not. It was a very generous offer, made freely, and perhaps I should not say anything.

Charley, Grace, Jane and I were to the movies last night. The wedding is more or less in the air, awaiting developments.

Love to all,
Herbert

NYC Archives and the Cosmopolitan Hotel

I was headed North by car and decided to make a 5 hour pop in to the Municipal Archives at 31 chambers Street in Manhattan. The building is so great - and so peculiar how quiet it is for a city government building. The vital records department is a hive of busy bees, but the rest of the building is without activity. It's odd, really.

I made a hotel reservation yesterday morning and got a pretty good rate - $289 - at the Cosmopolitan Hotel on the corner of Chambers and West Broadway. $45 to park the car over night, though, and dinner, so it adds up. It has occurred to me, however, that I might want to pay to have copies made of the certificates as I sit at home, because even getting them myself, the city must certify them and that's another $11 per copy. Why NYC thinks I need a certified copy of a death certificate for someone who died over 100 years ago, I can't fathom. I bought 10 certificates this afternoon, so another $110 to the cost of my trip.

The hotel is very conveniently located and there are lots of casual - I am only here to get death, birth and marriage certificates, after all - restaurants nearby. The room has a safe, an ironing board, and seems clean. Only one, small elevator, however. If I were on a lower floor that wouldn't hinder me, but the 6th is just high enough to be a pain. But, we have another lovely view from the room, much like at the Wellington Hotel I reviewed earlier. I didn't complain this time.... I got a cheap rate and I was going to be out of the room any way.

I wanted to acknowledge that today is the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Herb's son was the beneficiary of the GI bill, though he was not part of D-Day. He served in the US Navy, though I have done very little research on this subject.

More clothing, gossip and Edith

I am having trouble putting this letter in order with the others, though it is clearly early on in our letter writing, as there is no mention of the war and Herb is still feeling his way with Mr. Friedman.

I have no idea who Aunt Phoebe is. I am going to assume that she is a Kirkpatrick from Troy, NY. Obviously Nellie Jane is telling Herb the news, not the other way around, so she must be corresponding or visiting directly with Nellie Jane, not Herb.

Did I mention that I found a Burdella Curry living at the same address with the Lees in Troy? It's a private home, not an apartment building, so they are certainly intimately familiar with one another, but Aunt may be an affectionate title only and she may not be Herb's biological Aunt. It's a unique enough name that with a little sleuthing I should be able to figure some things out. In the census, Oliver is listed as the first 'Head' with William Curry being listed as the second 'Head' at the address, so I assume the Lees answered the door when the census taker came calling

Olive, Aunt Burdella and Margaret

93 6th Avenue, Upper Troy, NY

I don't know who Bill Jackson is, though as Herb doesn't explain who he is to his mother, she must be familiar with him, as are the Cornells, obviously.

And Earl Jessen - he plans to be selling stocks and bonds though he doesn't know the difference? Makes one wonder, doesn't it? We haven't had the Great Depression yet, but wasn't there a financial crisis in the 1880s or something? Really? this is just same s*%#, different day with Wall Street.

I have noticed that there is no mention of a Karolyn in these early letters. I am dying to find out when they meet and how. Given these early letters, it seems he went from zero to sixty in his affection for her.... I mean, if this letter is in the early, early spring, and our letters about Karolyn start in the summer, when does he have the time to meet and court her? Hmm.


Letter is missing the front page
that the Phi Delt gave the Beta Thet’s not a word as to whether he was still going to college or not.

Aunt Phoebe must have had something the same as Dad, didn’t she.

Edith was only in town a few days. She went back Tuesday or Wednesday + took Howard with her. I think she will stay now all through the summer. Aunt Ida is doing very nicely. Of course she’s a bit weak still.

We didn’t go over to Jane’s Tuesday owing to some mix up but are going this Tuesday. To-day Charles + Grace are over visiting Bill Jackson over in Jersey.
There has been an awful lot of work to do lately – all interesting + new. I’ve learned a lot – haven’t even had time for the ordinary routine. Yesterday Mr. Friedman had me out to lunch with him so he’d have a good chance to talk with me about myself. I think he likes me fine. I certainly hope so.

Last Tuesday I ran in to Earl Jessen in the automat. He came down the week before to be a stock + bond salesman. Next week he starts out with a territory around Utica. Mind you, he didn’t know a stock from a bond when he came down. I went down to see him Thursday night at the Empire Hotel 63rd St + Broadway. We took a long walk and had a good gossip about the people we used to know when we were in High School.

Of course, Mother, I shall be awfully glad to get that package but you really ought not have bothered with such things now. You have enough to do. This week I had to have my black suit overhauled. The sleeve linings were loose top + bottom, two pockets were torn and there were several loose buttons + belt loops as well as a badly frayed pair of trouser bottoms. I wouldn’t have done it for a dollar myself but the tailor only charged me fifty cents.

I wish you would keep me posted as to how Dad gets along. Naturally, I’m a bit worried.

Love to all
Herb

Library of Congress

I had a day without appointments so I decided to check out the Library of Congress to see what they had which might help me with my research. It seems that since November they have closed the genealogy reading room and have combined that collection with Main Reading room. I was sorry to hear it, and of course one must request any books be bought from the closed stacks. Luckily, if one has a researchers card, one can go on-line and reserve ahead of time at home. Given that it can take quite a bit of time to get any books from the stacks, that is a nice feature.

They do have some of the reference books available to the public; bring your sweater, though, as they keep the stacks appropriately cool.

The main reading room is spectacular and my photographs do not do it justice.

For what I was seeking, though, I will head back to the National Archives; there they have volunteer genealogists and the stacks are warmer.

There weren't any quitters in the family during the Civil War

I have been tracking the Lee family, though I don't actually know when they arrived in the US; I have hit a brick wall there. I do know, however, that the Kirkpatricks fought in the Civil War - arriving around 1830, before the Irish potato famine. I only just discovered the Wrights - Oliver Tree's mother-in-law's family. I haven't yet done that research, but I did find some Wrights living with Martha and Charles Kirkpatrick in Troy, hence how I discovered the name.

The central monument in the Kirkpatrick plot has a Civil War style cap on it. I was proud when one of the historians at the Rensselear Historical Society indicated that when she does her Civil War walk of Oakwood Cemetery she always passes by that memorial. One of the Kirkpatricks - Andrew, Jr. - fought and died in the War. His body was first buried in Virginia, but a fellow 'Burgher (Lansingburgh, the former name for Upper Troy), brought his remains with those of a few other young 'chaps' home to be buried. Andrew served with the 169th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K. Story of his return was in the Lansingburgh Gazette on October 20, 1864.

In that attic stash I found some old unlabeled photographs of Civil War soldiers.

The boy looks very young; the other might be Andrew. I wish they were labeled.

I wonder how much discussion of the Kirkpatrick and Wright participation in the Civil War there was when Herb was growing up. Obviously by his comment, the family was proud of having done 'their duty'. And obviously at any family burial the family would have seen the tall central monument and had reason to discuss the family members already buried there. (I just wish I had more of that discussion!)

No date provided

Dear Mother,

This letter is private – just for you. For Heaven’s sake don’t worry yet. No one knows so far what will be done. I don’t know what the firm will do but I am confident that they’ll be pretty willing to let me go + keep my job for me. And anyway I could get another just as good. Charlie’s department is being enlarged greatly + I am confident he would do something for me. The other part of it will be all right, too. If there is a call I’ll be on the list of course. But it will take nine months to train me, anyway. And there’s no reason why I shouldn’t go. I’m perfectly normal and we’ve been Americans for a good many years you know. There weren’t any quitters in the family during the Civil War + and there isn’t going to be now. It’s only fair that we young unmarried chaps should be called first. If the call comes I shall present myself at once + if they want to take me I’ll be ready. At the most it means losing a year and I’m awfully young yet. Anyway, don’t worry, it will be all right.

Lovingly,
Herbert

Lillian Maher's Story

Lillian was born the second child to John Joseph and Lillian Charlotte Ehlers Maher in December 1889 Brooklyn. Lillian’s mother stayed home with the children and her father John worked as a letter carrier for the Post Office. Lillian’s brother was four years older, and though she probably knew him the best of his sisters, Lillian seems to have grown up focusing more on the females in her life. Lillian probably spent most of her time helping her mother take care of the younger daughters, Florence, born in 1897 and Roberta, 1901. There was a stillborn child when Lillian was about eight years old, an age when little girls are particularly interested in babies. One can assume this had an impact on Lillian’s world view.

Lillian, mother Lillian, Florence and Roberta in the front, circa 1918

Though both of her parents were born in New York, Lillian must have grown up with both rich German and Irish influences in her life, as both parents were first generation Americans. As a little girl in 1900, Lillian was living with her older brother and younger sister and both parents in an apartment on 7th Avenue. Lillian certainly played with the Irish and German children on the block, but she may also have played with kids who spoke Swedish and Finnish at home. Lillian’s neighbors at this time were dressmakers, carpenters, painters, bartenders and tradespeople.

At some point between 1906 and 1909 Lillian’s grandmother, Charlotte Matilda Andrews Ehlers, comes to live with the young family . The family is still growing, and Grandmother became a widow in 1896, so this arrangement probably was very helpful for both parties. Grandmother dies of valvular heart disease at Lillian’s parents’ home on 7th Avenue in July 1909 when Lillian is roughly 19. One might assume that Lillian helped her mother take care of both her grandmother and her younger siblings. By the April census in 1910, Edwin has moved out of the family home and is married to an English girl, Mary, and Lillian’s first nephew is born.

Lillian’s mother dies some time before January 1920 ; Lillian has taken over the role of mother, and certainly proclaims to be ‘keeping house’, as her father is still working with the post office and Roberta has been finishing up school. They have never moved from their apartment on 7th Avenue. Florence has found work outside of the home and is putting her education to work as a secretary in a publishing house. Lillian may have been envious of Florence, working outside the home, or perhaps she preferred to stay home and care for family members, as she became her father’s companion after the passing of her mother, Lillian, Sr.

Lillian’s brother, Edwin, dies as a very young man in 1922, leaving his young wife with 6 children.

By 1925, John, Lillian and Roberta have vacated the apartment on 7th Avenue and moved to the other side of Prospect Park to an apartment at 35 Clarkson Avenue in Brooklyn. Florence has married, had a daughter and moved to New Jersey and Roberta is out in the world meeting new people while Lillian stays home keeping her father’s house. Perhaps they made this move to be closer to Edwin’s widow and children, as they are now within a 20 minute walk to their home.

By 1929, Roberta marries and leaves home . She moves in with her husband around the corner from her sister-in-law Mary and nieces and nephews. Now that John and daughter Lillian live closer by, presumably the family sees one another on a regular basis and Lillian helps with her nieces and nephews during the day.

Everything changes by 1930; John has retired and bought a house on Franklin Avenue in Newfield, New Jersey . There is no evidence to lead to any conclusion as to why Newfield, NJ was chosen for a retirement town. Lillian’s sister lives in Madison which is closer to the City so her husband Herb can commute to work. But, Lillian continues to live with her father there, keeping his house. John maintains a large vegetable garden and is neighbored by chicken farmers.

In 1932, Lillian’s father dies. John owned his house, but we do not find Lillian living there in 1940.

We find a Lillian Maher living with the Killduff family at 3555 Netherlands Avenue in the Bronx. This Lillian is listed as a servant, with the occupation of housekeeping for a private family. The young couple has a new baby and they both work as morticians. This Lillian had lived in Madison, New Jersey in 1935. A scenario can be imagined that Lillian lived with her sister Florence in 1935 after their father passed, but either by the children being older and at school most of the day, she sought work outside her sister’s home, and found a position with this family of working parents.

We lose Lillian’s story until 1953 when she returns from a trip to the Caribbean over New Year’s with her younger, divorced sister Roberta. At this point the two sisters are living together at 207 West 11th Street. Roberta dies first, in October 1969. We have lost Lillian at this point and have no idea of her last years and when she died.

******************************************************************************

I have since learned that Lillian died in 1974 and is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY. with her mother, sister Roberta and brother Edwin. I still don't know much about her, though.

Put in his application

It looks like perhaps Herb waited a day or two to get down to the recruiting office - he was examined on May 2nd.

That Fred Judson is pretty brave given that the Mosquito fleet was also - perhaps only after the war - the Suicide Fleet. According to Wikipedia, the Mosquito fleet was:

A fleet of converted yachts used by the US Navy during World War I off the Atlantic Coast of France to patrol for U-boats and provide support for convoys into Brest, France.

Friday Noon (May 4, 1917)

Dear Mother,

I have put in my application, been examined and have sworn to serve the government when needed, to report at Plattsburgh when and if ordered, and to accept whatever commission may be offered me. On or before next Tuesday I will receive word whether or not I am to report at Plattsburgh. Camp is expected to be opened May 14. I got by the physical very nicely. I am just the minimum weight (135 pounds for five feet 10 inches) but the doctor said that was all right because I am well built. When he examined my teeth he called in three other doctors to admire the work the dentist did. He said he had never seen better. The dentist told me that that swelling wasn’t due to my tooth. It’s all disappeared now and that tooth which I thought might have caused it is filled now anyway.

Don’t worry Mother. I couldn’t do anything else, you know. A year from now you’ll be glad to think I did volunteer rather than wait to be drafted.

Fred Judson is accepted for the mosquito fleet and expects to be called in two or three weeks for service.
Love to all,
Herbert