Coopers was the upscale women’s clothing store owned by Gertrude (Broida) Cooper and her husband, Irving Israel Cooper. It was in a very nice neighborhood by the very nice Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. When they closed the store Gertrude moved on to Helen Wolff’s, where she worked for many years- even into her 80s!
Family treasure chest.
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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.
Today, the third Saturday in May, is Armed Forces Day in the United States. It is a day to honor our military service members in all five branches of the service: Navy, Air Force, Marines, Army, and Coast Guard. So it was somewhat serendipitous that while sorting through and organizing computer files today, this image surfaced.
Edward A. McMurray, Jr., (1924-2010) served his country proudly in World War II in the Army-Air Corps. He was an aircraft mechanic in the South Pacific. He told his family that the Marines would go in and take a little Pacific Island from the Japanese, the Army would secure it, the Navy Seebees would bulldoze a landing strip, and the Air Corps pilots landed their airships and mechanics were brought in to service the planes. Barracks, hangars, and supply areas were quickly built, all with a wide strip bulldozed between them and the jungle. They knew the Japanese were often still out in the jungle, as they could hear them at night rustling through the vegetation. If the men had not worked so hard during the hot, stiflingly-humid days with frequent rain showers, sleep might have been a problem with knowing the enemy was just outside the compound, waiting for a chance to attack.
Although they were not in combat, their work itself was inherently dangerous. A pit was dug for scrapping used oil, rags, engine parts, and sometimes the airmen had to get down in there to try to find a needed part or push things closer together so they could continue to add to the pile. One day Ed was taking a break, and the pit caught on fire, possibly from a lit cigarette. He said that he was supposed to have been working in the pit at that time, but was ‘goofing off’ – hard to imagine as he was SUCH a hard worker his whole life, even as a young boy per his mother! Sadly, it was impossible to rescue all the men in the pit, and Ed said the screams and the smell of burning flesh would always remain with him. It must have been horrific for all concerned. Ed may have been just barely 20 when it happened, and although he was a stoic individual, this incident affected him even into his later years.
As Ed was stationed in the South Pacific, they were frequently on board ship, heading to the next small island that had been laboriously taken by our combat troops. Ed said they frequently lost men overboard when it was rough, or sometimes even in calm seas from a misstep on the deck. At night it would have been almost impossible to find a man treading water in the ocean. It was challenging during the day, too, as it often was some time before it was realized that a man was missing. Ed also spoke of the sharks that followed the ships (partly because they threw their waste overboard). It was especially frightening around the Great Barrier Reef of Australia- he said a man did not have much of a chance of survival flailing around in the water there. That being said, they did all go swimming at times off the aft deck of their ship. Ah, the joys of youth and a feeling of immortality, even in wartime.
So thank a Veteran today, and think about those who came before, those who are serving us today, and those who will serve in the future to protect our freedoms. Think about those who did not come back home too, whether they were serving overseas, or on our own land in the French-Indian Wars, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, or our bloodiest war, the Civil War. We need to honor them all, every day- and especially today, on Armed Forces Day.
Notes, Sources, and References:
Portrait from our family treasure chest of photos.
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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.
Ethel Gay (Roberts) Robison was the middle child of George Anthony Roberts (1861-1939) and Ella Viola Daniel (1866-1922). She married Bert Robison (1890-1977) about 1913, and they had three children: Ruby E. Robison, Harry Robert “Bob” Robison, and Helen Viola Robison.
Funeral Card of Ethel Gay (Roberts) Robison.
We will tell more about Ethel in another post.
Notes, Sources, and References:
Images from family treasure chest of photos and ephemera.
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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.
Gertrude Belle Broida, later Cooper, loved to dance. Apparently it started early on, as we see in this sweet photo. Her love for dancing continued, especially with her husband Irving Israel Cooper, as when they took their many cruises through the years.
Image from family treasure chest of photos.
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 or use of our blog material.
Probably the children of Mary Jane Roberts and Samuel Blount. Boys, from left: Harold M., Samuel Harvey, and Harry R. Blount (assumed from DOB and large family picture) Girls: Bernice M. is youngest, so possibly standing?, Florence M., and Helen Irene is oldest. Photo was in with Roberts family pictures.
Roberts Family(Click for Family Tree)
Mary Jane Roberts, also known as ‘Mollie’, was the daughter of John S. Roberts (1832-1922) and Elizabeth Ann Murrell (1835-1917). She married as her second husband Samuel H. Blount in April of 1889. Family records noted that they had six children, as listed above in the caption.
Now that we have online censuses, however, we have found that the 1920 US Federal Census lists a Warren Blount as their 19 year old son, and all the family birth information matches.
Samuel H. Blount family 1920 US Federal Census entry, Polk County, Iowa, page 169B.
So was this a census error?
Samuel Blount was the operator of a coal mine, and an immigrant from England. A nephew or other relative could possibly have been living with him and maybe even working in the coal mine as a new immigrant, although no occupation is listed for Warren; additionally, he is listed as attending school that year, and born in Iowa. Was incorrect information assumed about Warren, especially if someone other than family provided the information to the census taker?
Or maybe Harry is not in this portrait?
We think the picture might have been taken around 1915, and Harry would have been about 25 that year- he may have already left home. Warren was born about 2 years before Bernice, so should have been in this picture if he was one of the children. If true, that would mean the boys were, from left, Warren, Harold, and Samuel.
Could the Roberts Family History have an error/omission?
Orpha (Roberts) Blount, daughter of Jason L. Roberts and Julia French, compiled the history, and since she had married into the Blount family, it would seem that she would have known about all the children of Mollie and Samuel Blount. Was Warren a son who left home and had been disowned? George Anthony Roberts disowned his daughter Ethel Gay Roberts when she married Bert Robison against his wishes, so it had been done before within the family.
The 1910 US Federal Census for Polk County, Iowa, lists Mary Jane as having 6 children born to her, and all six still living. So that would mean Warren was not one of the children, unless those numbers are incorrect. However, that census also states her marriage to Samuel was her first; other family records state she was married first to Reuben H. French on 4 July 1878, when she was just 14, though we have not yet found a record of this marriage. This first marriage is also not mentioned in the Roberts History.
Maybe ‘Warren’ was a middle name or unused first name?
We have the initials/full names of the Blount boys, and none include a ‘W.’ for ‘Warren,’ so can assume the person listed in the census was not one of the known boys using another name. Also, Warren’s birth year does not fit with known data for the documented sons.
Maybe it is not the Blount children in the portrait?
Older family members believed these were the Blount children, but there was no identification on the image. They do look somewhat similar to the Blount children seen in the 1904 Roberts family portrait, although they were much younger in that image. There are only six Blount children named in that portrait, in two separate family collections.
Any Blount or Roberts family members out there that might be able to more conclusively identify the children in this picture? Or explain who Warren was? We would sure appreciate more information.
ADDENDUM 5/17/16:
Reviewed the 1915 Iowa State Census cards on Ancestry.com and there is no Warren Blount listed with the family of Samuel Blount. Cards are for individuals, so went through all the cards within about 10 of the Blount surname, and no Warren is found, though Samuel, Mary Jane, and the other children have their own cards.
There is a Warren Blount ~ 8 years old in the 1910 US Federal Cenus in Muncie, Indiana, thus about the same age as the Warren listed as 19 in the 1920 census. His parents are Wilbur M. and Clara E. Blount, both born in Indiana; Warren was their only child. Any relationship? Maybe Samuel was taking care of him for a while?
1920 US Federal Census for Samuel H. Blount, head of household- Census Place: Des Moines Ward 1, Polk, Iowa; Roll: T625_507; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 86; Image: 1016.
1910 US Federal Census for Samuel H. Blount, head of household- Census Place: Des Moines Ward 1, Polk, Iowa, no additional source information. Accessed via Ancestry.com.
1910 US Federal Census for Wilbur C. Blount, head of household- Census Place: Muncie Ward 1, Delaware, Indiana; Roll: T624_346; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0025; FHL microfilm: 1374359
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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.
