Playing Tag with My Ancestors

When I first saw Ancestry's TreeTags, I was intrigued by the categories. The idea is to indicate the research status of each ancestor.

Tag, You're It!

I like "unverified" and "hypothesis" because they are a great way to tag ancestors who I've either found on some document and been unable to verify further, or ancestors who I suspect (but can't yet prove) are related in a certain way to my tree. Extremely useful.

"Actively researching" and "brick wall" seem less useful tags for my purposes. "Verified" is, however, highly useful for situations where I've got clear, solid evidence for these ancestors and can verify how they are actually related to my family. 

What Does Complete Mean?

But after 21 years of active research, the word "complete" is not in my #genealogy vocabulary and I doubt I'll ever tag any ancestor in this way.

Ancestry defines "complete" as: "I am confident that I have executed thorough searches to help answer my questions."

As thorough as my research may be, new records become available all the time. And that's not all. DNA is also changing the research landscape.

So although I may have answered my current questions, and may even have amassed a huge amount of data through research, I don't view any ancestor as completely researched.

New Records Galore

Just this month, for instance, Family Search posted a database of 34 million U.S. obituaries from GenealogyBank, 1980-2014. Woo-hoo! I'm searching for the names of cousins, aunts, and uncles who died in the past 40 years. Maybe an obit will reveal a previously unknown spouse or challenge my knowledge of that person's life in some other way.

Family Search also posted databases of Cook County, Illinois births-marriages-deaths from the 1870s into the 20th century, as late as 1994 for the deaths. Another woo-hoo, as I search for ancestors who lived or died in Chicago. Found two already.

I may stop researching some ancestors for a while, focusing on others who I know less about or certain ancestors I have a special interest in, but I can't imagine tagging any ancestor (even my parents) as "complete."

What about you?

PS: To see the very latest collections on Family Search, go to the collections page here and sort by "last updated" (on the far right). 

The Ancestor with the Best PR--in 1900

Three of my husband's Slatter great uncles were military bandmasters in Canada, often featured in news items of the early and middle 20th century.

Capt. John Daniel Slatter (1864-1954), his brother Capt. Albert William Slatter (1862-1935), and another brother, Capt. Henry Arthur Slatter (1866-1942) were all born into poverty in Whitechapel, London, England. We found some clues to their early military training on the Training Ship Goliath when researching in the London Metropolitan Archives last month.

At left is a 1901 article from Westfield, Massachusetts, singing the praises of Captain John D. Slatter and his 48th Highlanders of Toronto military band, the original "Kilties." Yes, the same Kilties who kicked off the craze for such bands early in the 20th century! That's part of what made Capt. Slatter so famous.

The article below, "Every Inch a Soldier," points out that the good captain actually earned a combat service medal and is expert with a sword, rifle, bayonet, and other weapons. This is from a Dubuque, Iowa newspaper in 1900.

But the story about Capt. Slatter's military background wasn't based on a personal interview or fresh inside information. In fact, it's from a widely-circulated press release of the time. In 1900! 

I found very similar wording in lots of U.S. newspapers, as the band's publicity people drummed up interest in tickets to Kiltie concerts from coast to coast.

Clearly, my husband's well-known Toronto bandmaster ancestor had a very savvy public relations person paving the way for his Kiltie band's appearances. Lucky me to have all these news clippings of Capt. Slatter's travels and accomplishments.

PS - Any comments won't appear for a few days but I'll catch up very soon!

In Search of "Cousin Essti"

In March, 1902, my future grandpa Tivador (Theodore) Schwartz (1886-1965) boarded the S.S. Moltke in Hamburg to sail to Ellis Island. Above, his name on the passenger arrival listing (found years ago by cranking through rolls of microfilm, now more easily researched in the Ellis Island records here on Family Search).

Tivador Says He's Going to "Cousin Essti"

Tivador was shown as a "student" (which was probably true in his home town of Ungvar in Hungary) and he told authorities that his father paid his passage to America.

Who was he coming to see in New York? In his heavily accented voice, he somehow conveyed that he was going to see "Essti Shim______." Above, the snippet from this name in the paperwork.

FYI, my Hungarian cousins pronounce this surname name with an initial "Sh" rather than an initial "S" so it may be that when Grandpa told authorities who he was seeing, this written version is what they heard.

Grandpa Theodore's mother (my great-grandma) was Hani Simonowitz Schwartz. Was this cousin Essti a niece of Hani? If so, Essti would be Theodore's first cousin.

Researching Cousin Essti

I found a few "Esther Simonowitz" in New York census records for 1905. I particularly focused on one born in Hungary who was living with her brother, Abraham Simonowitz, at 2058 Second Ave., Manhattan, which was Jewish Harlem. (See snippet above from the NY census for 1905.)

Abraham is 27 years old, head of household, occupation "Delicatessen," and Esther is 20, his sister, occupation "partner" (presumably in the deli). Oh, and they have a live-in servant in this apartment!

They are both aliens, he in the United States for 11 years and she for 8 years.

As a further check, I saw in the New York City directory for 1903, Esther Simonowitz is listed under "Delicatessen" at the Second Avenue address.

But whether these folks are actually relatives of my ancestor Hani Simonowitz Schwartz, I don't yet know. My wonderful Schwartz cousin remembers being visited in Ukraine (before going to Israel) by Simonowitz cousins from America in the 1960s/1970s. These cousins were possibly from the Midwest. Were they related to the Esther and Abraham Simonowitz who are in the 1905 NY Census?

If so, did one of the Simonowitz siblings shown in the 1905 NY census move on, with the other staying in New York? Did Esther get married and change her name, complicating my search for her? There are SO many Esther Simonowitz records in the NYC marriage archives.

More questions than answers at this point! The search continues.

UPDATE: Lara Diamond suggested I investigate the above marriage record, which shows "Esther Simanovitz" marrying Edwin Kramer in 1906. I'll have to get to a Family History Center to see it, but when I do, I'll see the addresses for bride/groom, birthplaces, and more. Very promising lead--especially since the groom's mother was a Schwartz! Thank you, Lara.

Remembering Moms on Mother's Day

Daisy Ruth Schwartz

It's been a very long time since I was able to say "Happy Mother's Day" to my mother, Daisy Ruth Schwartz Burk (1919-1981). She is still much beloved and much missed, not just on Mother's Day. Above, a formal portrait of Mom as a young lady.

Marian Jane McClure

Alas, I never had the opportunity to meet my husband's mother, Marian Jane McClure Wood (1909-1983). An only child lavished with love by doting parents, she's shown above in her 20s. How I wish I could have gotten to know her. She's remembered with great affection on this Mother's Day.

"Very Pretty Home Wedding" Starts off Sam and Anna's Life

Nearly 110 years ago, my great-uncle Samuel Schwartz (1883-1954) married Anna Gelbman (1886-1940). Sam was the older brother of my Grandpa Tivador "Teddy" Schwartz. Interestingly, although Sam was the older brother, he wasn't the first of the Schwartz family to leave their native Hungary and cross the ocean to New York City.

Teddy, three years younger than Sam, came to New York City in 1902. Two years later, Sam joined his brother in New York. Together, they sent money to bring their younger sister, Mary, to New York in 1906.

Sam & Anna's Wedding in Bridgeport

Sam met his future bride, Anna, in Bridgeport, CT, where he was working as a printer. Sam became a naturalized U.S. citizen on October 19, 1909. Days later, he married Anna in a "very pretty home wedding" according to the Bridgeport Evening Farmer newspaper (see above).

Younger sister Mary Schwartz was the maid of honor for her sister-in-law, and Anna's younger brother George Gelbman was the best man.

Two December Marriages for Mary

Fast-forward to late December, 1913, when Samuel Schwartz was a family witness signing the marriage certificate for his younger sister Mary as she married Edward (Avram) Wirtschafter in a religious ceremony.

This was actually Mary and Edward's second marriage within a few days--their first was a civil ceremony at City Hall, where they eloped on Christmas Eve.

Mary and Edward were very happily married for more than four decades, raising a son and a daughter.

Alas, Anna died of breast cancer at the age of 54, leaving behind a bereft husband and two grown sons.

Anna, Sister-in-Law and "Second Mom"

Anna served as a nurturing "second Mom" to her sister-in-law Mary, whose own mother never left Hungary. For a while, Anna and Mary lived in the same Bronx apartment building, and Mary turned to Anna for advice and assistance when she had children.

Not surprisingly, Mary's children became very close to Anna, a strong, loving bond that continued until Anna's untimely death, I was told by Mary's daughter.

Let me honor the memory of Anna and Mary with affection as Mother's Day approaches.

Thank you to Amy Johnson Crow for the #52Ancestors prompt of "nurture."