Travel Tuesday: Gertrude Broida and Mother Visiting St. Louis in 1919

Gertrude Broida (later Cooper) visiting St. Louis, Missouri with her mother, Bess Dorothy (Green) Broida, 25 July 1919. From the Pittsburgh Jewish Criterion, with kind permission to publish.
Gertrude Broida (later Cooper) visiting St. Louis, Missouri with her mother, Bess Dorothy (Green) Broida, 25 July 1919. From the Pittsburgh Jewish Criterion of that date, with kind permission to publish.

Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

Gertrude Belle Broida was not quite eight years old when her mother, Bess Dorothy (Green) Broida, took her to St. Louis, Missouri, on a visit from their home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They most likely took the train to St. Louis, and arrived at beautiful Union Station. We can imagine that Gertrude and her mother would have stepped down from the train and walked from the dozens of tracks inside the station toward the Grand Hall. Family may have met them at the train- back then, one could actually go all the way to the train even if not a passenger- or waited patiently in the Grand Hall for them to arrive. All were probably dressed beautifully- back then, one dressed up to travel, and since both families worked mostly in the clothing industry, their clothes were likely the latest fashion and impeccably tailored.

Bess and Gertrude might have been met by their Broida family. Bess’ husband and Gertrude’s father, Phillip E. Broida, had quite a few family members in St. Louis. His father, John “Zelig” Broida was 62 in 1919, but had been listed in the St. Louis City Directory in 1917. We don’t know if he was still in St. Louis or had already immigrated to Israel, but perhaps Bessie and Gertrude visited to see him before he left. There were quite a few Broida cousins in St. Louis, too.

Bessie’s Green family may have met them at the station as well. Bessie’s father, Abraham Green, and her mother, Rose (Brave) Green, made St. Louis their home. Additionally, Bessie’s sisters lived in St. Louis, and two of the three had families of their own, as did her brother Herman Green.

We can only imagine the joy Bessie would have felt as she hugged her sisters, Estelle (Green) Ledwidge, Ann (Green) Stampfer (or had she married Charles White by that date?), and Mary Green. They all would have commented how big each of the children had grown since their last visit.

Gertrude would have been thrilled to see her older cousin (Sarah) Jane Ledwidge, who would have been 12 in 1909. Jane’s little sister Helen D. Ledwidge, lovingly known as “Sis” her whole life, was only about three months older than Gertrude. Esther S. Stampfer would have been 11. The four cousins would probably have linked arms and marched down the walkway to the Grand Hall, probably giggling and skipping all the way. The family was always very close.

Union Station was, at one time, the busiest and largest train station in the world, and once they all reached the Grand Hall, it would have been quite impressive to a little girl. (It was impressive even into the 1960s and 1970s.)

1909 Postcard of the Grand Hall of Union Station in St. Louis, Missouri.
1909 Postcard of the Grand Hall of Union Station in St. Louis, Missouri.

As the group exited the station, they would have waited for a streetcar if one of the St. Louis families did not have their own car. Looking back, Union Station was as beautiful from the outside as the inside:

Postcard of exterior of Union Station in St. Louis, Missouri.
Postcard of exterior of Union Station in St. Louis, Missouri.

Herman L. Green was the lone brother in the family, and he had a son, Preston M. Green, who would have been just 4 that year. (His son Harold Green would be born in 1921.) Abraham and Rose Green, Bessie’s parents, would most probably thoroughly enjoyed having all their children and grandchildren around them. The families likely had a wonderful visit. Parting when Bessie and Gertrude were scheduled to return to Pittsburgh must have been painful for all.

Of course, we do not know if all the details described above are totally true. But this little snippet in the Society section of the Pittsburgh Jewish Criterion allows us to imagine what life was like for Bess (Green) Broida and Gertrude Broida  as they travelled to St. Louis for a treasured visit.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Jewish Criterion, 25 July 1919, Society Section, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Vol. 51, No. 22, Page 16. The Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project, posted with kind permission. http://doi.library.cmu.edu/10.1184/pmc/CRI/CRI_1919_051_022_07251919.

 

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Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 
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Amanuensis Monday: 1904 World’s Fair Visit- W. H. Spiggle Letter to Abraham and Rose Green

November 28, 1904 Letter to Abraham and Bessie Green from W. H., Fannie, and Willie P. Spiggle, page 1 of 2.
November 28, 1904 Letter to Abraham and Bessie Green from W. H., Fannie, and Willie P. Spiggle, page 1 of 2. (Click to enlarge.)

Green Family, Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

There were probably many thank you notes such as this one written in 1904- many families journeyed to St. Louis, Missouri, to stay with family and friends so they could visit the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. This letter, from W. H. Spiggle, Fannie Spiggle, and Willie P. Spiggle of Meadow Mills, Virginia, to the Abraham Green family, gives us a glimpse into the personalities of the Green family children.

November 28, 1904 Letter to Abraham and Bessie Green from W. H., Fannie, and Willie P. Spiggle, page 2 of 2.
November 28, 1904 Letter to Abraham and Bessie Green from W. H., Fannie, and Willie P. Spiggle, page 2 of 2. (Click to enlarge.)

Miss Annie Green was 19, Miss Bessie Green 12, Miss Mary Green 8, and Master Herman Green, the Spiggle’s World’s Fair Guide, just 10, in 1904. Abraham Green and his wife, Rose Brave Green were both 38.

We have been unable to learn much about the Spiggle family, and how they were friends of the Greens, but have only done some cursory searches.

Transcription (spacing has been added for clarity):

Meadow Mills Va

Novbr 28th -04

 

Dear Mr and Mrs Green-

Will

hasten this A.M. to inform

you, we are all well.

Have been extremely busy

since our return from

St. Louis. Often do we speak

about the pleasant time

we had with you in your

Comfortable home 1902 Semple ave.

 

Never shall we forget you and

family. Shall ever remember

 

Miss Annie for the Sweet Music

She favored us with.

 

Miss Bessie for her kind disposition

and willingness to assist her

Mother and others.

 

Miss Mary So entertaining for

one of her age.

 

Master Herman. Shall never

forget him, He was our

Worlds Fair Guide.

 

And you Mr and Mrs Green

you was so kind to us

made us feel [pleasure?]

and at home with you.

May Health, Prosperity,

and Heaven’s richest Blessing

be yours.

All of us join together in Sending much love

and best wishes to you

and family.

 

Yours sincerely

W H. Spiggle

Fannie Spiggle

Willie P. Spiggle

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1) Family Treasure Chest.

2) Transcription by post author.

 

 

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Wordless Wednesday: The Green Family Grandchildren

The Green Family Grandchildren, circa 1925. Likely taken in St. Louis, Missouri. From left: Gertrude Broida, Preston Green, Helen D. "Sis" Ledwidge with Harold Green in front, and Sarah Jane Ledwidge.
The Green Family Grandchildren, circa 1925. Likely taken in St. Louis, Missouri. From left: Gertrude Broida, Preston Green, Helen D. “Sis” Ledwidge with Harold Green in front, Esther S. Stampfer, and Sarah Jane Ledwidge. (Click to enlarge.)

Green Family, Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

Reverse of The Green Family Grandchildren, circa 1925. Likely taken in St. Louis, Missouri. From left: Gertrude Broida, Preston Green, Helen D. "Sis" Ledwidge with Harold Green in front, and Sarah Jane Ledwidge.
Reverse of The Green Family Grandchildren, circa 1925. Likely taken in St. Louis, Missouri. From left: Gertrude Broida, Preston Green, Helen D. “Sis” Ledwidge with Harold Green in front, Esther and Sarah Jane Ledwidge.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1) Abraham Green (1866-1931) and Rose Brave/Braef/Brafe Green (1866-1936) had four children: Ann Green, Estelle Gertrude Green, Bess Dorothy Green, Herman L. Green, and Mary Cecelia Green (1895-1991; never married).

2) Gertrude Broida was the only child of Bess Dorothy Green and Philip Broida. Gertrude married Irving I. Cooper.

3) Preston M. Green (1915-2003) and Harold B. Green (1922-2007) were the sons of Herman L. Green (1894-1973) and Bess Catlin Green (1893-1951).

4) Sarah “Jane” Ledwidge  (1907-1991) and Helen D. “Sis” Ledwidge (1911-1980) were the daughters of Estelle Green (1887-1977) and Charles Patrick Ledwidge (1882-1959). Jane married married 1) Roy Barton Marshall with whom she had Charles Roy Joseph “Tex” Marshall (1929-1993); and 2) Unknown Burnham, with James Burnham, Norraine “Raynie” Paul, and Patrick Burnham their children. Sis married Edgar A. Bill (1907-1996) but they had no children.

5) Esther S. Stampfer was the daughter of Ann Green (1885- ) and her first husband, Samuel Stampfer (1882-1967). Esther married James Alexander Hall (1902-1994).

 

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Original content copyright 2013-2015 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted.
 
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