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Sorting Saturday: John and Fannie Broida’s Marriage License

Marriage license of John Zelig Broida and Fannie Rubinstein, 14 April 1904, in Jefferson County, Ohio, via FamilySearch.

Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

Sorting through emails can be a pain, but sometimes there can be wonderful benefits. Today was one of those times, as an email from Dick Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter (EOGN.com) mentioned that Find My Past had new US marriage certificates. I randomly plugged in the surname “Broida” and the first result was John Broida, born 1857 in Russia. That was our guy! I have long searched for a marriage certificate for John and both of his wives, Sarah Gittel (Frank) Broida, and Fannie Rubinstein. The marriage certificate of interest was for Fannie and John, and as a plus, there were quite a lot of other Broida marriages listed.

Things we learn from this marriage license application:

  1. John was living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1904.
  2. Fannie was living in Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1904, which is likely why the marriage took place there. (I would not have thought to search in Ohio!)
  3. John listed his father as Joseph Broida, which we knew, but states his mother Jennie’s maiden name was “Corklinsky.” We do know the family used the surname ‘Karklinsky’ in Lithuania, but it is curious that John used that name for his mother but not his father. I do not know whether or not Joseph Broida came to the US. If he did, that may explain the Broida name for him, and possibly Jennie had passed away in Europe, so John used the name she was known by there. Hopefully someone will know the answer to this.
  4. Fannie’s middle initial was “D.”
  5. John was 46, Fannie 30 when they married.
  6. Fannie was born in Russian Poland, not in Pennsylvania as previously thought.
  7.  The license application gives the names of Fannie’s parents, and her name as well as her father’s is spelled “Robinstein,” not “Rubenstein” as others has recorded it, and spell check likes to change it.
  8. The license notes that John had been married previously, to “Gussie Frank, now dead.” We have seen Gittel’s name as “Gussie” in a number of documents, so this verifies they are one and the same.
  9. Although it seemed this document would help us understand the puzzle of this couple, there is no previous marriage noted for Fannie. This will now require more research, as we had thought she married Jacob Cohen before 1892, when Ethel Broida was born. Ethel’s marriage certificate states her father was Jacob Cohen (and mother was Fannie). Ethel lived with John and Fannie after their marriage, as she was only 12 in 1904. John treated her like a beloved daughter, and she was the ‘mystery’ daughter whispered about in the family, which we recently identified through deep research. This puzzle of a previous marriage or not is another case where having a census return from 1890 might help, but those have been lost to us. We cannot find a 1900 census with her listed, or cannot tell if she is the same person- there were a lot of women named “Fannie Cohen,” and a lot named “Fannie Rubinstein” (or “Rubinstein”) in 1900. Perhaps it just wasn’t polite to mention that she had been married before, especially if it ended in divorce? So this omission on the marriage license will make us revisit our previous research and do a little more.
  10. The application states they were to be married by a Rabbi, but actually they were married by a Justice of the Peace on that same day, per the Marriage Certificate at the bottom.Typical of genealogy, this document solves a number of puzzles but actually gives us one more big one. That is why, when someone tells me, “I’ve finished my family tree,” my mind thinks, “Then you haven’t analyzed enough materials thoroughly enough!” But I never say that…

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-S59N-F6?cc=1614804&wc=Q6SP-W37%3A121346401%2C121652701 : 15 July 2014), Jefferson > Marriage index and records 1903-1905 vol 18 > image 116 of 458; county courthouses, Ohio.
  2. “Mystery Monday: Who was Ethel Broida Pincus?”–http://heritageramblings.net/2015/05/18/mystery-monday-who-was-ethel-broida-pincus/

 

 

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.

Original content copyright 2013-2018 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. 
Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly, i.e, reference this blog.
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All because two people fell in love… Part 2

This entry is part [part not set] of 2 in the series All because two people fell in love…
Ed and Mary (Helbling) McMurray, 26 Sep 1948, in Newton, Iowa.

McMurray Family, Roberts Family, Lee Family, Broida Family, Cooper Family (Click for Family Tree)

Three years ago today I posted some images along with lyrics from Brad Paisley’s song, “Two People Fell in Love.” Seemed like that was just not enough pictures of our ancestors who fell in love, so we decided to provide Part 2 and make it a series, as wonderful pictures become available.

Of course, the secret to a good marriage is making every day a day to celebrate your love, not just a day in the midst of February. Our ancestors probably struggled with this concept like we sometimes do, especially when the mundane gotta-dos of life get in the way. Many of them had long, loving marriages though, and they were good role models for their descendants of today.

Please enjoy these lovely people on this Valentine’s Day of 2018 !

1940- from left Ruth Nadine (Alexander) Lee, Henrietta (Fasterling) Reuter, a friend, in center, and Ruth’s husband, Lloyd Eugene “Gene” Lee on right with 1940 Pontiac, license plate from Missouri but image likely taken in Colorado.

 

McMurray-Benjamin Family circa 1886: Frederick Asbury McMurray, Hannah "Melissa" Benjamin McMurray, William Elmer McMurray, Harry J. McMurray, Addie Belle McMurray, Roy McMurray, and Ray McMurray (baby)
McMurray-Benjamin Family circa 1886: Frederick Asbury McMurray, Hannah “Melissa” Benjamin McMurray, William Elmer McMurray, Harry J. McMurray, Addie Belle McMurray, Roy McMurray, and Ray McMurray (baby)

 

1974_02_40th Wedding Anniversary of Gertrude Belle (Broida) Cooper and Irving Israel Cooper.

 

George Anthony Roberts with his wife Ella V. Daniel Roberts and their three children: Ethel Gay Roberts standing in back on left, George Anthony Roberts, Jr. standing on right, and little Edith Mae Roberts between her beloved parents, circa 1904.
George Anthony Roberts with his wife Ella V. Daniel Roberts and their three children: Ethel Gay Roberts standing in back on left, George Anthony Roberts, Jr. standing on right, and little Edith Mae Roberts between her beloved parents, circa 1904.

 

William Anderson Murrell and Cordelia (Talley) Murrell- possibly wedding photo? If so, would have been taken 1 Oct 1867 in Warren Co., IL.

 

John and Gitel (Frank) Broida, c. 1889.

 

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. “All because two people fell in love” HeritageRamblings.net post, 14 Feb 2015– http://heritageramblings.net/2015/02/14/all-because-two-people-fell-in-love/
  2. “Two People Fell in Love,” song by Brad Paisley- see above article for more information.

 

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.
 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 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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Sentimental Sunday: John Broida’s Chair?

Likely John Broida's chair, brought to US from Eastern Europe.
Likely John Broida’s chair, brought to US from Eastern Europe.

Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

This chair, thought to have belonged to John/Zelig Broida, has been passed down in the family, and it is now needing a new home. The current owners are downsizing, and need to find a new family member to appreciate its history- ASAP. Are you a descendant of John Broida (1857-1938)? Please contact us through the blog if you are interested in owning this chair.

Likely John Broida's chair, brought to US from Eastern Europe; close-up of carved backrest.
Likely John Broida’s chair, brought to US from Eastern Europe; close-up of carved backrest.

The story is that the chair was given to a non-Broida family member, and Bess Dorothy (Green) Broida (1891-1901), married to Philip E. Broida (1887-1952), one of John’s sons, took it back and gave it to the current owner, a Broida descendant. She was adamant that the chair needed to stay in the Broida family. Unfortunately we do not know much more about the history.

Likely John Broida's chair, brought to US from Eastern Europe; detail of carved backrest.
Likely John Broida’s chair, brought to US from Eastern Europe; detail of carved backrest.

John Jacob or Zelig, whose surname originally was Karklinsky, changed his name to Broida after arriving in the United States about 1874. John and his wife Sarah Gitel Frank (1859-1901) were originally born in Lithuania. At that time, Lithuania was a part of Russia, and the town he came from was called Eišiškės (AKA PolishEjszyszkiRussianЭйши́шки/Eishishki, BelarusianЭйшы́шкі/Eishyshki, Yiddishאײשישאׇק‎/Eyshishok). The Jews were  the largest percentage of the population, and it was a thriving town, or Jewish ‘shetyl.’

Likely John Broida's chair, brought to US from Eastern Europe; close-up of carved backrest.
Likely John Broida’s chair, brought to US from Eastern Europe; close-up of carved backrest.

It has been suggested that this chair came from Eastern Europe with John Broida, so this chair may have originally come from Eišiškės. If he immigrated to the US about 1874, the chair would be at least 142 years old!

Please do let us know if you have an interest in this chair- it would be a shame for it to go outside the family.

 

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Eišiškės– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eišiškės
  2. See Eliach, Yaffa. There Once Was A World: A 900-Year Chronicle of the Shtetl of Eishyshok. Boston: Little, Brown, 1999 for more information about the town and population through the years beforeWWII.
  3. We have quite a few posts about the Broida family published in the past- just click on “Broida”under the “Families” heading on the left side of the blog, or use the search box to learn more about John and Gitel and their children.

 

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.
 

Original content copyright 2013-2016 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. 
Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.
 Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright or use of our blog material.

Talented Tuesday: Leonard Broida and the Broida Family Tree

This entry is part 2 of 7 in the series Leonard L. Broida- Artwork
Broida Family Tree, 1954, by Leonard Broida. Family treasure.
Broida Family Tree, 1954, by Leonard Broida. Family treasure. (Click to enlarge.)

Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

Yesterday’s “Mystery Monday: Leonard Broida Artwork” post told some of the story of Leonard and his family, and his beautiful architectural drawings that have recently come back to the family. Today, we are going to share what might be Leonard’s most enduring legacy to family: the Broida Family Tree.

Leonard was very active in the Broida Family and their reunions through the 30s, 40s, and 50s, and served as family historian.

Broida Family Reunion news, Leonard Broida- historian, in announcement in the Jewish Criterion, 09 July 1937, Vol. 90, No. 9, page 14, column 3. Posted with kind permission of the Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project.
Broida Family Reunion news, Leonard Broida- historian, in announcement in the Jewish Criterion, 09 July 1937, Vol. 90, No. 9, page 14, column 3. Posted with kind permission of the Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project.

He also served as President, and his wife Anita (Meyer) Broida was the Broida Newsletter editor.

Broida Family Reunion- 1951. Leonard & Anita (Meyer) Broida, officers. The Jewish criterion, Vol. 118, No. 17, Page 12, via Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project, with their kind permission.
Broida Family Reunion- 1951. Leonard & Anita (Meyer) Broida, officers. The Jewish criterion, Vol. 118, No. 17, Page 12, via Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project, with their kind permission.

He spent an unbelievable number of hours and years interviewing and contacting people- in the days before cheap phone calls and the internet- to develop the incredible Broida Family Tree. I wonder how many SASEs he sent out over those years??

1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The deep roots- Pincus Broida.
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The deep roots- Pincus Broida. (Click to enlarge.)

We are so thankful that Leonard was so dedicated, as he had known the earlier generations, who were children and grandchildren of the earliest documented; they held the memories passed down through the years. So much would have been lost to time without the work of Leonard Broida.

1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Aria Labe Branch.
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Aria Labe Branch. (Click to enlarge.)

The last iteration we have of Leonard’s tree is from 1954, 62 years ago. Two-three more generations have been born since then!

1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Joseph Branch-1.
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Joseph Branch-1. (Click to enlarge.)
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Joseph Branch-2, John & Morris branches. (Click to enlarge.)
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Joseph Branch-2, John & Morris branches. (Click to enlarge.)
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Joseph Branch-3, Michael and Peter Noah branches. (Click to enlarge.)
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Joseph Branch-3, Michael and Peter Noah branches. (Click to enlarge.)

We have learned in these days of online records that some of the tree is not quite accurate, and there are some confusing spots that need a bit of work to sort out.

1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Jacob Branch, Salmon and Mayer. (Click to enlarge.)
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Jacob Branch, Salmon and Mayer. (Click to enlarge.)

It doesn’t matter- what a labor of love! Mitch Gooze is the current keeper of the Broida tree, and though his is electronic and thus not quite as decorative, the tree is now up to date as far as we know. I hope that this blog is also a way of keeping the family history alive- how I wish we had recorded interviews and the letters from Leonard’s correspondence! We have so many people who have contributed so much to the knowledge of the Broida family ancestors, and hope that trough the blog, social media, websites like Ancestry.com and Find A grave, we will learn much more.

1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Minnie and Theodore branches. (Click to enlarge.)
1954 Broida Family Tree by Leonard Broida- The Minnie and Theodore branches. (Click to enlarge.)

I think that Leonard would be proud that the family has carried on his work, and so honored our ancestors.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. SASE= self-addressed, stamped envelope. For our younger generations, old-time genealogy consisted of writing a note with pen and paper or typing it on a manual or electric typewriter, then sending that note in an actual paper envelope. One always included a SASE, since asking for the favor of a reply with information. One would not burden the letter recipient with having to buy an envelope or stamp, nor take the time to address an envelope.
  2. Mystery Monday: Leonard Broida Artwork“-   http://heritageramblings.net/2016/04/04/mystery-monday-leonard-broida-artwork/

 

Please contact us if you would like higher resolution images. Click to enlarge images.

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.
 

Original content copyright 2013-2016 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.
 
Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.
 
Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright of our blog material.

Labor Day: Celebrating the Labors of Our Ancestors

First Labor Day Parade in the US, 5 Sep 1882 in New York City. Via Wikimedia.
First Labor Day Parade in the US, 5 Sep 1882 in New York City. Via Wikimedia. (Click to enlarge.)

 

Labor Day officially became a federal holiday in the United States in 1894. “The Gilded Age” included the rise of big business, like the railroads and oil companies, but laborers fought- sometimes literally- for their rights in the workplace. Grover Cleveland signed the law to honor the work and contributions, both economic and for society, of the American laborer. Celebrated on the first Monday in September, ironically the holiday was a concession to appease the American worker after the government tried to break up a railroad strike but failed.

The Labor Day weekend is a good time to think about our ancestors and the work they did to help move our country and their own family forward.

Jefferson Springsteen was a mail carrier through the wilds of early Indiana, traveling for miles on horseback through spring freshets (full or flooding streams from snow melt), forest, and Indian villages. Samuel T. Beerbower, who would be a some-number-great uncle depending on your generation, was the Postmaster in Marion, Ohio, for many years. “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

Edward B. Payne, circa 1874. Image courtesy of Second Congregational Church, Wakeman, Ohio.
Edward B. Payne, Pastor, circa 1874. Image courtesy of Second Congregational Church, Wakeman, Ohio.

Bad weather, gloom of night, ocean crossings in the mid 1800s, and the threat of disease or injury did not stay our minister, deacon, and missionary ancestors from their appointed rounds either- especially since the felt they were appointed by a higher power. We have quite a number of very spiritual men in the family. Henry Horn became a Methodist circuit rider after coming to America as a Hessian soldier, being captured by George Washington’s troops in Trenton, NJ, then taking an Oath of Allegiance to the United States, and serving in the Revolutionary Army. The family migrated from Virginia to the wilds of western Pennsylvania sometime between 1782 and 1786. A story is told of how he was riding home from a church meeting in the snow. The drifts piled up to the body of the horse, and they could barely proceed on, but Henry did, and was able to preach another day. He founded a church Pleasantville, Bedford Co., Pennsylvania that still stands, and has a congregation, even today. Edward B. Payne and his father, Joseph H. Payne, Kingsley A. Burnell and his brother Thomas Scott Burnell were all ministers, some with formal schooling, some without. Edward B. Payne gave up a lucrative pastorate because he thought the church members were wealthy and educated enough that they did not need him. He moved to a poor church in an industrial town, where he was needed much more, however, he may have acquired his tuberculosis there. He also risked his life, and that of his family, by sheltering a woman from the domestic violence of her husband, and he testified on her behalf.

Abraham Green was one of the best tailors in St. Louis, Missouri in the early 1900s, and many in the Broida family, such as John Broida and his son Phillip Broida, plus Phillip’s daughter Gertrude Broida Cooper, worked in the fine clothing industry.

Edgar Springsteen worked for the railroad, and was often gone from the family. Eleazer John “E.J.” Beerbower worked for the railroads making upholstered cars- he had been a buggy finisher previously, both highly skilled jobs.

Sheet music cover for "Bless Your Ever Loving Little Heart," from "The Slim Princess."
Sheet music cover for “Bless Your Ever Loving Little Heart,” from “The Slim Princess.” (Click to enlarge.)

The theater called a number of our collateral kin (not direct lines, but siblings to one of our ancestors): Max Broida was in vaudeville, and known in films as “Buster Brodie.” Elsie Janis, born Elsie Beerbower, was a comedienne, singer, child star in vaudeville, “Sweetheart of the A.E.F” as she entertained the troops overseas in World War I, and then she went on to write for films. Max Broida also did a stint in the circus, as did Jefferson Springsteen, who ran away from home as “a very small boy” to join the circus (per his obituary).

Collateral Lee family from Irthlingborough, England, included shoemakers, as that was the specialty of the town. They brought those skills to Illinois, and some of those tools have been handed down in the family- strange, unknown tools in an inherited tool chest turned out to be over 100 years old!

Will McMurray and his wife Lynette Payne McMurray owned a grocery store in Newton, Iowa. Ella V. Daniels Roberts sold eggs from her chickens, the butter she made from the cows she milked, and her delicious pies at the McMurray store. Franz Xavier Helbling and some of his brothers and sons were butchers in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, and had their own stores.

Some of our ancestors kept hotels or taverns. Joseph Parsons (a Burnell ancestor) was issued a license to operate an ‘ordinary’ or “house of entertainment” in 1661 in Massachusetts, and Samuel Lenton Lee was listed as “Keeps hotel” and later as a saloon keeper in US Federal censuses. Jefferson Springsteen had a restaurant at the famous Fulton Market in Brooklyn, NY in the late 1840s.

From left: Edgar B. Helbling, (Anna) "May" Helbling, Vi Helbling, and Gerard William Helbling, on Flag Day 1914.
From left: Edgar B. Helbling, (Anna) “May” Helbling, Vi Helbling, and Gerard William Helbling, on Flag Day 1914. Note ‘Undertaker’ sign- yes, it was all done in his home. (Click to enlarge.)

Many of our family had multiple jobs. William Gerard Helbling (AKA Gerard William Helbling or “G.W.”) listed himself as working for a theater company, was an artist, then an undertaker, and finally a sign painter. George H. Alexander was artistic as well- he created paintings but also worked as a lighting designer to pay the bills.

Sometimes health problems forced a job change. Edward B. Payne was a Union soldier, librarian, and then a pastor until he was about 44 when his respiratory problems from tuberculosis forced him to resign the pulpit. For the rest of his life he did a little preaching, lecturing, and writing. He also became an editor for a number of publications including, “The Overland Monthly,” where he handed money over from his own pocket (per family story) to pay the young writer Jack London for his first published story. Edward B. Payne even founded a Utopian colony called Altruria in California! He and his second wife, Ninetta Wiley Eames Payne, later owned and conducted adult ‘summer camps’ that were intellectual as well as healthy physically while camping in the wild and wonderful northern California outdoors.

Other times, health problems- those of other people- are what gave our ancestors jobs:  Edward A. McMurray and his brother Herbert C. McMurray were both physicians, as was John H. O’Brien (a Helbling ancestor), who graduated from medical school in Dublin, Ireland, and came to America in 1832. He settled in western Pennsylvania, still wild and in the midst of a cholera epidemic that was also sweeping the nation; he had his work cut out for him. (It appears he did not get the same respect as other doctors because he was Irish, and this was pre-potato famine.) Lloyd Eugene “Gene” Lee and his father Samuel J. Lee owned a drugstore in St. Louis, as did Gene’s brother-in-law, Claude Aiken. Edith Roberts McMurray Luck worked as a nurse since she received a degree in biology in 1923.

We have had many soldiers who have helped protect our freedom, and we will honor some of those persons on Veterans Day.

We cannot forget the farmers, but they are too numerous to name them all! Even an urban family often had a large garden to supplement purchased groceries, but those who farmed on a larger scale included George Anthony Roberts, Robert Woodson Daniel, David Huston Hemphill, Amos Thomas, etc., etc. We even have a pecan farmer in the Lee family- William Hanford Aiken, in Waltham County, Mississippi, in the 1930s-40s.

Lynette Payne, December 1909, wearing a purple and lavender silk dress.
Lynette Payne, December 1909, wearing a purple and lavender silk dress. (Click to enlarge.)

We must also, “Remember the ladies” as Abigail Adams entreated her husband John Adams as he helped form our new nation. He/they did not, so 51% of the population-women- were not considered citizens except through their fathers or husbands. Many of these women, such as Lynette Payne McMurray, labored to get women the right to vote, equal pay, etc. (Lynette ‘walked the talk’ too- she was the first woman to ride a bicycle in Newton, Iowa! Not so easy when one thinks about the clothing involved.) Some men, like her father, Edward B. Payne, put their energy into the women’s suffrage movement as well. Many of our ancestors worked for the abolition movement too, including the Payne and Burnell families.

A woman worked beside her husband in many families, although she would get little credit for it. Who cooked the meals and cleaned the rooms for the Lee and Parsons innkeepers? Likely their wives, who also had to keep their own home clean, laundry washed, manage a garden and often livestock- many families kept chickens even if they didn’t have a farm. They raised and educated their many children too, sometimes 13 or more. Oh yes, let’s not forget that women truly ‘labored’ to bring all those children into the world that they had made from scratch. (Building a human from just two cells makes building a barn seem somewhat less impressive, doesn’t it?) Some of them even died from that labor.

June 1942- Claude Frank Aiken and his wife Mildred Paul in their drugstore.
June 1942- Claude Frank Aiken and his wife Mildred Paul Aiken in their drugstore in St. Louis, Missouri.

Working alongside one’s husband could be frightening due to the dangers of the job. A noise in the Aiken family drugstore in St. Louis, Missouri in 1936 awoke Claude and Mildred Aiken since they lived in the back of the store. Claude look a gun and went into the store while Mildred called the police. Claude fired the gun high to frighten the intruder- Mildred must have been very scared if she was in the back, wondering who had fired the shot and if her husband was still alive. Thankfully he was, and the police were able to arrest the thief, who wanted to steal money to pay a lawyer to defend him in his three previous arrests for armed burglary and assault.

 

We applaud all of our ancestors who worked hard to support their family. Their work helped to make the US the largest economic power in the world, and a place immigrants would come to achieve their ‘American dream.’ We hope our generation, and the next, can labor to keep our country prosperous and strong.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. There are too many folks listed here to add references, but using the search box on the blog page can get you to any of the stories that have been posted about many of these persons. Of course, there is always more to come, so stay tuned!

 

Please contact us if you would like higher resolution images. Click to enlarge images.

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.
 

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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