Tag: Joseph Springsteen

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Sorting Saturday: Memoranda from the Springsteen Family Bible

This entry is part 6 of 8 in the series The Springsteen Family Bible
Paper clipped to "Memoranda," page 6 of the Springsteen Family Bible record pages.
Paper clipped to “Memoranda,” page 6 of the Springsteen Family Bible record pages.

Helbling Family, Springsteen Family (Click for Family Tree)

We continue our posts of the Springsteen Family Bible with the small piece of paper clipped to the “Memoranda” page:

It reads:

Baby Born 2/26/06

”      Baptized 4/22/06

Mary My then died 4/15/06

Jefferson Springsteen died 4/14/05

John           ”    died 5/2/06

Ed married 10/19/05

Mother           4/2/07

Baby died      6/12/07

The dear “Baby” who has a birth, baptism, and death listed was the first child of Anna May (Beerbower) Helbling (1881-1954) and William Gerard Helbling (1882-1971). Anna May was the daughter of Anna Missouri (Springsteen) Beerbower (1854-1939), probably the original owner of the bible. The baby’s name was William Francis Helbling. Anna Missouri had two of her own five children die young- one just a day old, the other only nine weeks- so she surely understood the pain that her daughter felt at losing a child. It was probably doubly painful to Anna Missouri because she had lost her first grandson (she did have a granddaughter at that date), but also to see her own baby in pain from losing a baby must have been almost unbearable.

If memory serves, Mary T. (Helbling) McMurray said that the handwriting was that of her grandmother, Anna Missouri, but the last 3 entries on this scrap were written by her own mother, Anna May.

Mary Mythen is Mary G. (Springsteen) Mythen (or Mithen), married to John Mythen. See next week’s “Mystery Monday: Mary G. (Springsteen) Mythen” for the little bit we know about Mary and John.

The Jefferson Springsteen who died 4/14/05 would be the younger family member, known as Thomas Jefferson Springsteen, born in 1848. He was the brother of Anna Missouri (Springsteen) Beerbower, the bible owner, thus son of Jefferson Springsteen (1820-1909) and Anna M. (Conner) Springsteen (1824-1887).

Anna Missouri’s other brother John William Springsteen is listed on the scrap with his death date. The rest of her siblings died in the 1930s, except baby Joseph Springsteen who only lived not quite two years, and Mary Elizabeth (Springsteen) Beckwith, who died in 1928.

The Ed who married in 1905 was Edgar Springsteen Beerbower (1876-1940, Anna May’s brother. His wife was Rosabel K. Hoppe (1885-1976), but sadly their marriage did not last, and they divorced sometime between 1920 and 1930.

The next entry for “Mother” likely means that Anna May’s mother married on 4/2/1907. Anna Missouri (Springsteen) Beerbower had divorced her husband years before, but had, as was common, been listed as ‘widowed’ on the census and even in an 1897 Indianapolis, Indiana city directory. This marriage entry is curious, as Anna Missouri was living in St. Louis in 1900, and she and Edgar Peter Beerbower (1849-1916) did remarry. A marriage record has been found for her husband dated either 26 or 28 December 1908- a very different date than what is in the bible. The marriage record is  for E. P. Beerbower (Edgar did use his initials) and a “Mrs. Mae Clore.”

Marriage record of E.P. Beerbower and "Mrs. Mae Clore," 26 December 1908, via Ancestry.com.
Marriage record of E.P. Beerbower and “Mrs. Mae Clore,” 26 December 1908, via Ancestry.com.

This does not make sense with anything we know of the family, as in 1910 Anna Missouri and Edgar P. Beerbower were living together in Indianapolis. No re-marriage certificate has been found for them in Indiana (their 1873 first marriage is a record available on Ancestry.com), and none with Anna Missouri’s name on it. Clerical error, perhaps, with the marriage register? Anyone have other ideas?

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Family treasure chest.

 

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.

Funeral Card Friday: Deaths from the Springsteen Family Bible

This entry is part 5 of 8 in the series The Springsteen Family Bible
Page4 of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Deaths. (Click to enlarge.)
Page 4 of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Deaths. (Click to enlarge.)

Helbling Family, Springsteen (Click for Family Tree)

Although this page is technically not a funeral card, it does give more information about the deaths of our ancestors than a funeral card might. Since the Springsteens were Catholic, they would have had funeral cards made up if they could afford it. (It was surprising that none were found in the bible.) Unfortunately none have survived to this author’s knowledge.

[Left Column]

Joseph Springsteen

Died Tues May 20th 1862 Indianapolis

[Ed. Note: Last child of Jefferson and Anna (Conner) Springsteen; died before his second birthday.]

==================================

John Springsteen Sr.

Died March 19th 72 Indianapolis

[Ed. Note: The year was 1872. The father of Jefferson Springsteen, John Springsteen born 1782, died 19 March 1867 per his death notice in the “Indianapolis Herald.” Was the year of 1872 an error in the bible record, since the bible copyright was 1876 and thus the entry was written after the fact? Or could this be John’s father? Or was he called “John Sr.” because he was the grandfather of John William Springsteen?]

==================================

Laura May Springsteen

Died April 13th 73 at 359 E. Market St.

Indianapolis

[Ed. Note: The year was 1873. Laura May (Longfellow) Springsteen, born 1853, was the wife of Abram Furman Springsteen, and the mother of his first child, Laura G. Springsteen. She died just 24 days after giving birth to their daughter.]

==================================

Laura May G. Springsteen

Died Sunday Mar. 29th 1885 at the

Residence of her Grand parents

208 Daugherty St.    5-30 P.M.

Indianapolis Ind.

[Ed. Note: Laura Grace Alien Longfellow Springsteen, whose mother died less than a month after giving birth to her, was at the home of Jefferson and Anna M. (Conner) Springsteen when she herself died. She most likely was being raised by her grandparents, although her father is listed in their household in the 1880 US Federal Census but she is not. He remarried, to Ida Belle Dumont- probably a sister to his brother Robert’s wife Anna Dumont- in 1881. Abram married again in July of 1885 to Emma Isola Coombs, after young Laura’s death in March. (We don’t know if Ida bell died or they divorced.)]

==================================

John W. Springsteen

Died May 2[?- scratched through] 1906.

Indianapolis Ind.

[Ed. Note: Oldest son of Jefferson and Anna (Conner) Springsteen. Death date was 2 May 1906. His wife predeceased him in 1887.]

==================================

[Right Column]

Anna M. Springsteen

Died April 17 1878 1887 Cairo

Sunday 5 P.M.

[Ed. Note: This is Anna M. (Conner) Springsteen, probably the original bible owner. At her death, she most likely was visiting her daughter Anna Missouri (Springsteen) Beerbower in Cairo, Illinois.]

==================================

Robert Warson Beerbower

Died Sept 12th-1900, Denver Colo

Wednesday, 2 A. M.

[Ed. Note: Robert was the oldest child of Anna Missouri (Springsteen) Beerbower and her husband Edgar Peter Beerbower. His only child, Roberta Pearl Beerbower, was born the month after he died, so he never saw his daughter. Colorado death records are closed to family historians unless immediate family, so we cannot know Robert’s cause of death. Around the turn of that century, many of those with tuberculosis went to Colorado for treatment and recuperation- could that have been the case with Robert, even though his first child was to be born soon? Or was he just there for railroad business?]

==================================

Jefferson Springsteen Jr.

Died Apr 14-1905 Indianapolis

Buried Crown Hill Apr 17- 2 P.[or A.?]M.

Age 56 years.

[Ed. Note: This is Thomas Jefferson Springsteen, born in 1848, son of Jefferson and Anna M. (Conner) Springsteen.]

==================================

Jefferson Springsteen Sr.

Died Sept 15-1909 Indianapolis Ind

Buried Crown Hill Cemetary

Age 89 years_

[Ed. Note: Son of John Springsteen and Mary Logan, and husband to Anna M. (Conner) Springsteen.]

 

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Family treasure chest.

 

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.

Amanuensis Monday: Births from the Springsteen Family Bible

This entry is part 3 of 8 in the series The Springsteen Family Bible
Page 2 of Springsteen Family Bible- Births. (Click to enlarge.)
Page 2 of Springsteen Family Bible- Births. (Click to enlarge.)

Helbling Family, Springsteen Family (Click for Family Tree)

Transcription and Notes:

Jefferson Springsteen. Born February 14th 1820

at Harrison Ohio

[Ed. Note: Jefferson Springsteen was the son of John Springsteen and Mary Logan.]

Anna Springsteen. Born February 20th 1824

County Mai Ireland

[Ed. Note: Anna (Conner) Springsteen was the wife of Jefferson. We have been unable to find her immigration information, the names of her parents or siblings, etc.- yet.]

John William Springsteen. Born Sat. Nov 26th 1844 Brooklin. N.Y.

[Ed. Note: John William Springsteen was the oldest child of Jefferson Springsteen and Anna Conner.]

Mary Elizabeth Springsteen.    ”  Friday Oct 9th, 1846

Brooklin New York State.

[Ed. Note: Mary Elizabeth Springsteen was the second child of Jefferson Springsteen and Anna Conner.]

Jefferson Springsteen. Wednesday Sept 13th  1848.

[Ed. Note: Jefferson Springsteen was the third child of Jefferson Springsteen and Anna Conner. His full name was Thomas Jefferson Springsteen.]

Abram Springsteen. July 5th 1850

Brooklin New York State.

[Ed. Note: Abram Springsteen was the fourth child of Jefferson Springsteen and Anna Conner. He was considered to be the youngest drummer boy in the Civil War.]

Charles Springsteen. Sunday May 16th 1852

Brooklin New York State.

[Ed. Note: Charles Springsteen was the fifth child of Jefferson Springsteen and Anna Conner.]

Anna Missouri Springsteen. Tues May 16th 1854Indianapolis Ind.

[Ed. Note: Anna Missouri Springsteen was the sixth child of Jefferson Springsteen and Anna Conner. She was likely named after her paternal aunt, Missouri E. (Springsteen) Scotten (1834-1895).]

Robert Springsteen     May 25th 1857                    ”      ”      ”      ”

[Ed. Note: Robert E. Springsteen was the seventh child of Jefferson Springsteen and Anna Conner.]

Joseph Springsteen. July 1st 1860                            ”      ”      ”      ”

[Ed. Note: Joseph Springsteen was the eighth child of Jefferson Springsteen and Anna Conner.]

Laura Grace Alien Springsteen. Mch 20th 73-359 E. Market St.

Indianapolis Ind.

[Ed. Note: Laura Grace Alien Springsteen was the only child of Abram Furman Springsteen and Laura May Longfellow, thus granddaughter to Jefferson and Anna Springsteen.]

More Springsteen Family Bible in upcoming posts!

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. “Amanuensis” means to transcribe.
  2. Bible page from the family treasure chest.
  3. Transcription by the author.

 

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.

Friday’s Faces from the Past: The Springsteen Family Bible- Family Portraits

This entry is part 2 of 8 in the series The Springsteen Family Bible
Page 7 of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Photographs.
Page 7 of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Photographs.

Springsteen Family (Click for Family Tree)

The Springsteen Family Bible contains three pages that had photos in them, but many had been removed by the time these pages were copied. (Yes, copied- these images of the bible were done before scanners!) So, with apologies for the quality of the images and the paper-punched holes in the side, on this Friday let’s take a look at these ‘Faces from the Past.’

First of all, none of these images have any identification to them, and what was on the back of each image was not documented well. Some of the images were taken out and then replaced for the copies.

Please note: The comments below are just educated guesses- NONE of the identifications can be documented at this point. Of course, if you have an image like one of these, please contact us! We may be able to better determine who the person **might** be by knowing who ended up with the photo- or, a family historian’s dreams could come true and your images might be labeled!

◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

The image above indicates a sleeping baby, or, more probably, a babe who has passed away. Taking portraits of dead persons was one way to remember a beloved one who may have died suddenly, or very young. The BBC has an excellent article on such portraits- see Notes for link. Our image has an angel-like, floating-in-the-clouds feel to it, strengthening the belief that it is a post-mortem image.

Because the bible belonged, we think, to Anna Missouri Springsteen, the dead baby may be Mary Emma Beerbower, the daughter born 22 April 1880 in Brightwood (a suburb of Indianapolis), Marion, Indiana, who lived just until 29 June 1880. Anna Missouri and Edgar Peter Beerbower also had another child, little Willie Beerbower, who was born on 14 February 1889 and died the next day in Cairo, Alexander, Illinois. Finding these pictures and learning what might be on the reverse, such as the name of a photographer’s studio, would help to determine which, if either of these children, is in the portrait.

The little boy in the bottom photo might be Edgar Springsteen Beerbower (1876-1940). He was the second son of Anna Missouri and E.P. Beerbower. Edgar married a bit later than usual in life and then divorced, and no children of his have been documented. So there may have been no one who was interested in the photo in later years, thus it remained in the album- just an idea.

Or, could it be Anna Missouri’s littlest brother Joseph Springsteen, born in 1860 but died in 1862, before his second birthday? Much information in the bible is about her siblings.

Or, could it be someone else??

Page 8 of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Photographs.
Page 8 of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Photographs.

This appears to be a more clear image of the above baby. The reverse image at bottom right is believed to be from the portrait of the young woman below. J. M. Strode was the most prominent photographer in Kokomo, Indiana, for over 25 years, and working in the 1870s. Kokomo is about 60 miles from Indy. Wonder if this image is actually Anna Missouri Springsteen as a young woman? She married Edgar in 1873, and they may have traveled there for their honeymoon or just a visit. (No known family in Kokomo.)

Page 9a of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Photographs.
Page 9a of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Photographs.

Here is a picture of Anna Missouri when she was young…

Anna Missouri Springsteen as a young woman, possibly circa 1873? (age 18, when she married?)
Anna Missouri Springsteen as a young woman, possibly circa 1873? (age 18, when she married?)

And a bit older- do you see any resemblance?

Anna Missouri (Springsteen) Beerbower
Anna Missouri (Springsteen) Beerbower

We probably need to do more research on her dress and hairstyle, as that can tell us much about the time period. It would be wonderful if it was an early portrait of Anna (Conner) Springsteen (1824-1887), seen here in later years:

Anna (Conner)Springsteen, cropped from family portrait c1863.
Anna (Conner)Springsteen, cropped from family portrait c1863.

Her eyes are more wide open than her daughter Anna Missouri’s, so there might be a possibility… More research is needed.

We definitely know that the young drummer boy in the upper right is Abram Furman Springsteen (1850-1930), supposedly the youngest drummer boy in the Civil War. That was the legend (not just with family, but in Indiana) though it is probably not true.

Page 9b of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Photographs.
Page 9b of Springsteen Bible Family Records- Photographs. (Click to enlarge.)

We don’t know the little baby in the bottom right photo, either. She or he could be any of the folks mentioned above, or even a cousin or family friend. It too looks like a post-mortem photo- notice the wide belt to hold up the baby? The eyes may have been added in, too. Sometimes someone would get behind the baby or child to hold them in place, and that may be the case here too.

So what are your thoughts on these images?

Please do let us know if you have these same photos, and especially if you can identify them!

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1.  Family treasure chest.
  2. An interesting article shows some of Victorian death pictures: “Taken from life: The unsettling art of death photography” by Bethan Bell, BBC News, 5 June 2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-36389581

 

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.